Ingrid Michaelson ‘Human Again’

1/26/12: New York, NY

Ingrid Michaelson is an interesting chick.

Of course I say that with the most hallowed reverence. As anyone who has ever read my pieces on this uber-talented singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist will tell you, I love the work she does. However I’ve had a problem with her first couple of records; they’ve always left me feeling kind of moody and apathetic.

But it was that terrestrial apathy which was what was so appealing about her work too. Songs like “Masochist,” “Die Alone,” and “The Hat” on “Girls and Boys” were replaced by talented and tender versions of classics like “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and “Over the Rainbow” but still the meal felt incomplete. At the end of the record “Be OK” was an acoustic version of the opening title track which led you to believe that the singer was anything but.

That was then; this is now. The new Ingrid Michaelson record, aptly titled “Human Again” covers a wide swath of terrestrial emotions; catapulting the listener up into the trees, back in time, and with heavy heart but it’s always hopeful. I think that was what was missing from Ingrid Michaelson records past. Hope. A hope which is alive and electric and very present on this newest record.

Diving right into the tracks on this record, Ingrid gets things going with a rapid fire opening track called “Fire.” This song reminded me of Kate Bush and a song like “The Big Sky.” Even though a lyric like “I’m walking into the fire with you” is a familiar one for Ingrid; the hook immediately afterwards, “…and I love it” shows a bold new leap that the recently humanized singer is making.

“This is War” reminded me of a cross between Depeche Mode and Gloria Estefan-South-Beach type musical sound. The clincher for this one though was Ingrid’s distinct vocal line which illumed her standing-on-a-rock-in-the-middle-of-the-ocean loneliness (a sound perhaps best recalled in her own "Starting Now").

The third song “Do it Now” has a real spunky and fun line “…don’t waste a minute on the darkness and the pity sitting in your mind and do it right now” which the singer kind of spills out over the listeners ears.

“I’m Through” is a very tender love song; much more in the familiar Ingrid style of a song like “The Chain.” One of the principal differences between the two songs though is that there is no vocal overdub on "I'm Through." It sounds as though on this record Ingrid is growing a lot more comfortable with her instrument. “I’m Through” really represents this liberation. She doesn’t have to hide behind the production tricks we've come to know. A song like “I’m Through” proves to her fans and to herself that she can stand at the microphone, sing a straight love song and belt it out to the back-row.

“Black and Blue” is a lot funkier; a straight piano line but funky beat. The sound of this song reminded me of my first New York City apartment. I lived on 108th Street between 5th and Madison; Spanish Harlem. The neighborhood wasn’t quite Harlem but it also was still technically right on the border of some very ritzy real estate on the Upper East Side. And there was not a decided division between the two. I could just imagine an Upper East Side Ingrid in this song running her scales at her piano lessons while secretly messing with her Walkman and listening to the latest hip-hop grooves; all the while listlessly gazing out the window; yearning to be on the streets below from where the same music she was yearning to break into was being created.

“Ribbons” starts out with a mopey undercurrent. Ingrid envelopes the microphone as she repeats “wrapped me up in ribbons then he went for the door” in a silly-low voice. But of course when the chorus comes up she breaks out and pleads the question with this object of her affections; “I’m not flying, am I?”

“Palm of Your Hand” is another powerful song with a driving backbeat. The rhythm on “Palm of Your Hand” sounds like it’s pop music out of the 1980’s. The storyline of the song though is quite good. The narrator takes us on the road of leaving a controlling relationship. The breakup seems to affect the narrator more than the one she’s cutting it off with but her resolve just makes the triumph that much more fulfilling.

A quick summary of other tracks: “In the Sea” sounds like Sinead O’Connor, “Blood Brothers” is more straight pop and sounds like Gwen Stefani with a Cheryl Crow guitar line.

“Keep Warm” is a homey, synth-laden tune that rises slowly and fully like a 1920’s film score and takes the listener on the journey: “Down down down I go on a road that I don’t know.” The final track “End of the World” also has the appeal of an old-time song.

Then there’s this song “Ghost” which I’m not really sure what to make of just yet. It sounds to me as though there’s something pointedly personal going on here.

“Human Again” is a sonic wonderland for the listener; a combination of her signature plucked acoustic guitar, piano which slides from big and imposing to demure and almost forgotten, carefully arranged strings, classically warm synth, and even stranger computerized sound effects. The signature Ingrid Michaelson vocal looping feature is noticeably absent on this record. At least insofar as how audiences have become accustomed to it.

Not much about this new record is all that familiar; especially for fans who latched on to the somewhat helpless sounding, flailing heartbreak which many had fallen hard for. But that’s a good thing. As the title reminds us; even when we go through our darkest hours; we always emerge on the other side, a little wiser, a little more cautious, but always have been; human again.

What's Next for Joe Crummey?

While it may surprise many of the vocally vociferous Facebook fans of Joe Crummey who were flummoxed and flabbergasted when it was revealed towards the end of 2011 that Crummey would be replaced by Geraldo Rivera on WABC radio, Joe Crummey is not angry. Quite the contrary. He sees this change in employment status as little more than a bump in life’s swooping road. An opportunity for him to find a venue where he could continue to broaden his base. Arizona, Los Angeles, New York…what’s next?

He blew in like a hard charging storm cloud with a laid back sass which caused the half-listening listener to up and take notice; he disappeared like a mirage; almost as though you had imagined the whole thing.

Still now that WABC 770 AM in New York City and Joe Crummey are no more, that doesn’t mean the listening masses should give up on him. What has Crummey been up to in the days since leaving WABC? Plenty actually. I recently got the chance to sit down with Crummey and talk with him about his severance from Cumulus Media and 77 WABC, new media, what he's been up to, and what's next.

Me: So I guess the biggest question on everyone’s minds is ‘what’s up?’ ‘Where can we hear you again?’
Joe: “I’m interviewing. I can’t tell you with who, but I’ve got to tell you, I’m excited.”
Me: What happened at WABC?
Joe: “Well, ya know…change.”
Me: Are you okay? What have you been up to?
Joe: “I’m not in a funk. You go through a range of emotions when you get fired and I was in LA for a couple of weeks, hanging out but I finally decided, ‘enough.’ You know I got myself a really good agent and they know everybody.”

When I pressed him further for more details about what he and his agent had going he was pretty mum about the whole thing. However Joe did open up generally saying: “LA stuff, Boston stuff, San Diego stuff,” and he promised that he would be streaming online.

Maybe the most interesting thing about our conversation was that Joe Crummey has got his own new website where he promises all of his ranting’s and ravings and musings and discussions will live. Fans who love the Crummey experience can check out the still under-construction website at

http://joescrummeywebsite.com

Joe seems to be taking pause from this time outside of the working world to be tackling broader issues. To hear him tell it, Joe sounds as though he wants to be back in Los Angeles; back with his family; but that he would be open to offers from stations in a variety of markets. He also is very honed in on the new media side of things; he seems to want to be partners in his working arrangement rather than working for the man.

Still, to this listener, at WABC I felt like he had a great deal of control over his own image and his own message. If I didn’t know any better I would say that a show like the one he had at WABC is exactly what Joe wants to have back again.

Speaking for parties in my circle, that is what his fans want back too.

Joe Crummey’s microphone at 770 WABC radio in New York has gone dark for now. But don’t worry about that New York; when I asked him if he’s coming back to the Big Apple, his answer was promising:

“I plan on being back on the air in this town. It won’t be like the first time; it will be much bigger.”

While I wonder how much bandwidth it would require for a voice that’s bigger than the one he exerted before, Crummey’s got a message for all the fans who are bummed out that he’s gone:

“Wait and see what’s next.”

Jane’s Addiction Announces Waterbury CT Show in March

Just when all the alt heads thought it was time to grow up and that they would never see Perry Farrell again; Premier Concerts just announced that Jane’s Addiction is going to be back on the east coast for a show at Waterbury’s Palace Theater.

Wednesday Mach 7, 2012 at 8:30 PM the Palace is going to rock out the late 80’s - early 90’s alternative favorites. Fans can only hope that Farrell and company will be playing favorites from “Nothing’s Shocking” and “Ritual de lo Habitual.”

Jane’s Addiction has produced two more CD’s; 2003’s “Strays” and 2011’s “The Great Escape Artist,” though the band is far more well regarded for their two earlier albums including the groundbreaking “Ritual de lo Habitual” which drew comparisons to “Zeppelin IV.” Farrell and drummer Stephen Perkins also collaborated on the Porno 4 Pyro’s project after Jane’s first disbanded.

Opening up for Jane’s is the Brussels alt-rocker band Black Box Revelation. These two young Europeans have been described as an “R&B inflected garage-band rock that takes its cues from mid-60’s Stones and The Kinks to the most gut-bucket, electric delta blues evocative of Led Zeppelin by way of The White Stripes, The Black Keys and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.” Hmm. Sounds like a band with a bit of an identity crisis. But if they’re good enough to open for Jane’s Addiction…

For fans interested in seeing the show, the concert was just announced today and tickets run between $38-$58 plus service charges. Reserved seats can be attained at www.palaetheaterct.org or by phone at 203-346-2000. Tickets go on sale Saturday January 14, 2012 at 11am.

Listing to Jane’s Addiction as I often do is like a walk down memory lane. It will be interesting to see the response and if Jane’s Addiction can still bring out the zealots after all these years.

http://www.premierconcerts.com/news
www.janesaddiction.com
http://us.blackboxrevelation.com/

Brooklyn Industries Mega Band Night January 6, Lafayette St Location

Brooklyn’s own clothier of record Brooklyn Industries has an exciting event coming to their SoHo store in the New Year. Brooklyn Industries Mega Band Night will be rocking their Lafayette Street location on January 6, 2012 from 7-9pm and there are loads of reasons to come out and party.

Brooklyn Shakedown’s own Zoe Wilder will be guest hosting the event and Mega Band Night doesn’t get more mega than with Brooklyn’s own electro-dance-punk band Tayisha Busay.

The Mega Band Night will also feature a Mega sale in effect for all to enjoy. There will be giveaways, drinks provided by Sixpoint, snacks provided by Brooklyn Salsa, and an all-around night of Mega Fun.

As part of the lead in to this event Brooklyn Industries is hosting the MEGA BKI Twitter Giveaway. Between now and January 6th Tweet “@BKLNIndustries how you style your plaid for #MEGABANDNIGHT” for your chance to win all kinds of cool prizes.

You’ve got to Tweet to enter and you’ve got to be at Mega Band Night to win so come on out!

Brooklyn Industries SoHo - 290 Lafayette St

RSVP to PR@BROOKLYNINDUSTRIES.com

Dar Williams at the Bell House Brooklyn

Dar Williams is one of the most prolific folk singers in the American popular/folk market. A longtime favorite of mine, she never takes the easy road and has been rewarded for it with loyal followers and ardent supporters. Williams has taken a long and tumultuous journey for her turn in the spotlight. In early November 2011 I was fortunate enough to be able to interview her and we spoke at great length about many things. She told me of the choices she has made, the road less traveled, her devotion to and from her fans, and even her struggles with depression.

But on this night after Christmas 2011, out in what appeared to be some of the less traveled spaces in Brooklyn, there was nothing but positive energy in the room. For those loyal enough to cross over 4th Avenue and head out to this vacant industrial area, you were rewarded. The Bell House was the space and Dar was here to spread her gospel according to her acoustic strumming. By the time Williams hit the stage the energy had reached its own organically mellow vibe.

The setup of the room we were in at The Bell House really took me back to my mid-90's ska infatuation as these shows were always invariably in stone floored former warehouse spaces. The Bell House had a small stage elevated maybe four feet with microphones, musical instruments, floor spotlights, and tangled cords. The connection with the audience and the performers was immediate though; audience could quite literally reach out and touch the performers from the floor.

That said the seating at The Bell House was not really any seating at all. Audience stood and before things got going in a large section of the floor simply sat around in cross-legged clusters of 2-10.

I stood off to one side and took in the whole of the space. Audience formed an ever-growing semicircle around the front of the stage. At the apex of Williams set there were maybe 250-300 people in the crowd. Above the stage there was cross paneled frontage, crossing wood beams which ran the length of the room, and a buffalo image on a six foot semi-circle. On the other end of the space from where I was sitting there was a bar. Towards the rear of the room there was also an elevated portion which had a few tables and chairs. Hanging above were two ghostly chandeliers which cast their glow on the crowd.

The evening started out energetically enough with Pearl and the Beard. They were a trio of two girls on standup bass and a snare and tom-tom drum and a guy with a beard who played acoustic and electric guitar. All three musicians also sang.

I had never heard these three perform before and while their energy started off toe tapping enough; they quickly reached back towards indulgent world music melodrama. I felt like I was listening to 8 ½ Souvenirs meets Fleet Foxes.

A couple of their songs involved an accordion player/violinist. One song in particular with the accordion was memorable. The standup bass player began doing some kind of a slap technique which punctuated the bleak waxing and waning of the accordionist.

If I were going out to see Pearl and the Beard, I may have been satisfied with their set (they also came on later and played with Dar) though for an opening act who didn't even begin their set for a full 10 minutes later than the shows scheduled starting time, their set was two or three songs too long.

When Dar finally came out onstage, she looked great. She was dressed in black leggings, black boots, and a short sleeved blouse peppered with sparkly glitter. She hustled onstage and seemed almost out of breath. She began the set with 5 boroughs favorite "Spring Street."

She right away began telling the stories that we all love her for. Her cadence was rhythmic and breathy and familiar. Before the second song she spoke of her own "very folkie songs which come back to this world." She then gave a particularly tender and poignant reading of "The Beauty of the Rain."

For those who have seen Dar before (which was most everyone at The Bell House) her command of the room was a controlled chaos which was very admirable. Rather than dictating from her bully pulpit her set seemed more like a conversation. While she did have an open notebook with what was presumably her set list, she seemed satisfied to let the audiences sway have their say.

Before bringing out Pearl and the Beard she spoke about her choice to sign with an indie label (Razor and Tie), her connection with her husband, her alumnus Wesleyan (and how 100% of her graduating class moved to Brooklyn), and her decision to write her forthcoming album based on Greek mythology.

Some more tunes from her set included "The Easy Way, "Buzzer," old-favorite "The Babysitters Here," and her newest song "Crystal Creek."

Unfortunately for me I don't live in Brooklyn so the pressing need to wake up tomorrow prevented me from enjoying all of what Dar had to offer tonight. But the whole of the evening was a satisfying enough engagement and was an enjoyable end-cap to an exhausting Christmas weekend. The Bell House is a space which I will definitely return to. Stay tuned for whatever's next from our favorite flummoxed folkie; check out her Facebook page for all the latest news that's fit to print.


https://www.facebook.com/DarWilliamsOfficial

http://voices.yahoo.com/on-record-dar-williams-10400339.html?cat=33

https://www.facebook.com/thebellhouseny

https://www.facebook.com/PearlandtheBeard

Rich Robinson at City Winery; 10/11/11

Rich Robinson is a musician whose licks you know, even if the name draws a blank. If you were presented with him, you'd definitely be able to identify his brother, Chris. The brother tandem head out the band "The Black Crowes ." Rich Robinson shot up to fame at a very young age and rather suddenly came back down to earth. Robinson has suffered his own set of setbacks; travails which are faced square on in his new solo record, "Through a Crooked Sun." Robinson's solo music was the name of the game for his recent set of shows at City Winery .

Robinson's early show at City Winery was full of pathos as he tried out some new material on the uniformly enthusiastic audience. The crowd was densely packed and rather animated for a Tuesday night early show in October. While the City Winery space at 155 Varick Street certainly wasn't full at the outset, by the time the set was well underway many of the empty spaces had filled in. As I surveyed the scene I surmised that The Black Crowes appeared to be some of the livelier songs in the collections of this crowd. Many of the audience were done up in work shirts and dainty dresses but once the music got thumping, this audience let the band whisk them away.

Robinson appeared onstage basically on time. He was dressed in drab corduroy or some kind of beaten down denim, button up shirt, jacket, and comfortable looking flat footed shoes. His hair was tied back and he appeared ready to lead a Sunday school class. Maybe the look was all part of the lull; get people thinking they're going to get one thing and then attack them with something else.

While Robinson's shaggy haired keyboard player, Afro-haired drummer, and diesel looking bass player got set up, Robinson made some last minute adjustments and teased out the crowd. He commented on what the City Winery crowd were eating, drinking, and he tried to gauge the audience enthusiasm. Either he's a bad gauge or the audience held their ace in the hole because before the music kicked in, the audience seemed comatose.

That all changed when the beats came rollicking in though.

Before they began playing Robinson promised the audience that the music would be "loud." Boy was that an understatement. During the outfits first song the bass players grooves nearly tore a hole in the post which shielded me from him. Robinson played a jazzy/bluesy guitar at the outset which bordered on screeching mania by the time the song was over.

The bridge in the second song sent this listener into a redundant psychotic trance. Once the song got going it seemed to go into overdrive with Robinson taking the lead and showing off some lengthy chops. Robinson wound up trading licks with the underscoring of the ecstatic organ line. This occasion would not be the last for this to happen. The "thunk/thunk/thunk" of the bass drum kept on like a heartbeat and directed Robinson's solo from going too far afield.

On Robinson's new album, "Through a Crooked Sun," the bandleader does a cover of the Fleetwood Mac song "Station Man." He and the band played this tune in his City Winery appearance. Fans of both bands appeared to be in the audience and both were very pleased.

Many of the songs this evening felt as though lurching along while one of the members of the band showed off their best. Robinson was the consummate bandleader though; acknowledging the keyboardist for when to take his turn, cutting off the drummer to his rear and at one point even extending the song by waving his hand in a small circle and indicating he wanted to go again.

Let me be clear though; Robinson behind the microphone is not his brother. With his straight up delivery, Robinson could almost be called brother Chris' inverse. That may be some of the reason why Rich decided to get off on his own for a while. If The Black Crowes and Chris Robinson's delivery could be described as pleading with Rich's guitar playing and pleading with the audience then his own singing personage honors the guitar skills and gets out of the way of things.

I really liked Rich Robinson's solo show and will likely get his record. A few notes though about the show; it was very loud. City Winery is not a restrictive, sheltered, or really all that small of a space. Still, the way Robinson had everything cranked up to the hilt, it made the modest City Winery space feel like his concert should be playing the bigger stages of Madison Square Garden. Only reinforcing that was the fact that Robinson had a stagehand bringing him out a different guitar for every song. He's been playing a long time and he likes what he likes but all the tweaking seemed, to me, unnecessary (probably because everything was so loud!)

Still Rich Robinson is out on his own and for that he should be commended. It probably would have been easy for Robinson to retreat and take the solitary road. The fact that Robinson has lain it all out there on the line and offered up himself and his story for his audience only makes the catharsis that much more real coming out into the crooked sun of the new day.

City Winery is located at 155 Varick Street.

Sources:

www. richrobinson .net
www. citywinery .com

Eddie Vedder Ukulele Songs at Beacon Theatre

Eddie Vedder has been a musical, spiritual, and social leader in his 20 years in the public spotlight. As the frontman for Pearl Jam, Vedder and his band mates helped carry the grunge/alternative rock banner forward into the new millennium. Vedder has done everything that anyone in a rock and roll band could possibly want; except do a solo tour with his microphone and a ukulele. Now the grunge rocker has got that chance.


We were lucky enough to break it out here at the Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side of Manhattan to see the Ukulele Songs tour; headlined by ukulele master and Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. Music has always been in Vedder's bones having fronted Pearl Jam for the last 21 years. The singer has played guitar with his band for many years and is now ready to break out on his own for this summer set.

Eddie Vedder's temperament towards performing has certainly evolved over the last several years. Many of Vedder's one-off recordings or solo works for soundtracks and such have taken a much wider view of things. He's older, a little more reflective, but no less passionate and energetic. This is where this Ukulele Songs tour fits in so well with the evolution of the performer. Much of the strum of the ukulele is passive and very tropical feeling; don't be mistaken though, Vedder still tears that ukulele up during songs on this tour.

The playbill for the show revealed "Eddie's Gear" consisting of 6 electric guitars, 8 acoustic guitars, 5 different ukuleles, a mandolin, and a banjo. I lost count but I'm pretty sure Vedder didn't break out all 21 pieces of equipment. He did fall back on the mandolin, a couple ukuleles, an electric and acoustic guitar or two each. Also onstage with him was a suitcase, a large stuffed toy bat (the animal), two very old looking speakers, an organ and a reel to reel.

The evening began with a few ukulele songs which were not very well received. Much of the crowd was talking throughout and pleading with Vedder to play one song or another. The first song he played off the ukulele was the Neil Young collaboration "Long Road," from Merkinball. That song wound up being a sing along.

"Long Road" actually wound up as a call and response which was pretty neat. Vedder also played "Sometimes," (sing along), "Better Man" (sing along), "Rise" (mandolin-sing along), and a bunch of other songs; all of which were sometimes over powerfully sung along by the enthusiastic audience.

Just then it occurred to me that this was the first time I'd ever seen any of Pearl Jam play live. I'd seen their second drummer, Dave Abbruzzese play at a Modern Drummer event, but I'd never seen any live performances in the flesh before. And I've been a fan since the beginning. I used to think I was going to be the next Eddie Vedder. Luckily for us there is but one Eddie Vedder; even if many of his fans seem bored through his performance at times.

When he began telling the story of the first show he'd ever seen as a 16 year old in Chicago, dozens of audience members finished the story for him; relaying his Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band experience as though they had heard it before; because they had heard it before.

Eddie Vedder is playing tomorrow night in Manhattan at the Beacon Theatre and a few more places including Philadelphia, St. Louis, San Diego, before winding up in Seattle at the end of July. If he's in your neck of the woods you should check him out.

Source:



http://www.thegarden.com/events/eddie-vedder0611.html