Brooklyn Garage Blitz: Feat. Quitty and the Dont's, The Stents, Muck and the Mires, and The Above!

     August 16th at Hank's Saloon was the site of a what I've chosen to describe as a "Garage Blitz", a relentless bombardment of the best Mod/Garage sounds the Northeastern United States has too offer. The night started off with Brooklyn sensations "Quitty & The Don'ts" who will be making a trip up to Montreal for Parka Pat's MODtreal Weekender from August 29th to September 1st. Before the show started the crowd was given 3-D glasses in an effort to provide what I can only assume is the proper way to experience their sound, 3 Dimensions. What followed was a vicious attack of Freak-beat balanced by soothing distorted chords that made clear why this band is quickly making a name for itself. I'm sure these guys will make us proud when they go conquer the North, hopefully more successfully than our ancestors attempt.

                           

Next was The Stents from Baltimore,Maryland. With a passion for power chords and a sound reminiscent, to me at least, of "The Purple Hearts", The Stents exploded with great tunes and reached into the audience quite literally as members of the band dragged their wires through the crowd and mounted stools and tables like Gargoyles only to rush back to the stage shortly after! I almost tripped five times, but it was well worth it! The Stents ended their set with a cover of The Jam's "In the City" as a nice gesture to the Mods in the crowd.

                               

Following the Stents were Boston's Muck and the Mires. With a sound self described as a mix between The Ramones and The Beatles, Muck and the Mires brought the sound of the British Invasion to Hank's with their wonderful blend of hard hitting punkers and 60's beat. They closed off with a great cover of The Ramones "Commando", and left the stage smoldering. 

                                

And finally too close off the night, The Above. Having just released their second LP "Waterbury Street" the "Mockers" showed they sounded just as good live as they did in the studio playing selections from their 3 singles and 2 LPs. This perfect blend of Mod sensibility and the rough Garage sound of their native Brooklyn was the perfect way too close an amazing night. Everyone in the audience was left in ruin (in a good way) and the Garage Blitz of August 16th came to a very satisfying close. I was accompanied on my train ride home with an LP, 3 singles, and 2 buttons emblazoned simply with "The Above", all evidence of this one crazy night in Brooklyn.

                           

Soul Surrender!: Charles Bradley with St.Paul and the Broken Bones at Lincoln Center

On a beautiful Sunday evening at Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Concert series, two of the greatest soul bands currently on the scene collided to create one cataclysmic explosion of pure passion and Libidinous soul music that shook Manhattan right down to it's core. The two outstanding opening acts were legend Bobby Patterson, who after 40 years just released an album titled "I Got More Soul!", and the Music Maker Blues Revue which included artists Dom Flemons, Beverly "Guitar" Watkins, and Ironing Board Sam within its rank.

After a great beginning to the night, "St.Paul and the Broken Bones" took the stage, and in one fiery performance sent personally from Birmingham, Alabama, obliterated it. Their set consisting of selections from their album "Half the City" and two outstanding covers of Otis Redding selections provided perhaps the most energetic live performance I've yet to see. St.Paul (Paul Janeway) immediately got the crowd on their feet and dancing to the tight sound crafted by him and the band, and left the audience with an almost religious feeling of awe that only the next act could possibly come close to topping.

And if anybody could come close, it's definitely Charles Bradley. The "Screaming Eagle" of Soul swooped down and delivered an intense and absolutely heart wrenching performance consisting of selections from his two albums, with his 2nd album "Victim of Love" being the most prevalent. Bradley captivated the audience with his deeply personal songs and stories he had to share, and during breaks in the performance shared little bits of wisdom that definitely reinforced the positive ideals held and appreciated in soul music. Perhaps the best part of what was already an amazing night was Bradley's incorporation of a Bra thrown by an attendee into his already devious stage act. It was truly a sight to see.

                                 

All 4 performances this night showed one thing, Soul is alive and well in America. St.Paul and Bradley are two of the most powerful and refined voices out there right now and will continue to provide powerhouse performances that invigorate audiences everywhere and put skeptics who believe the "golden age" of soul has long passed, to rest. Find out where these guys are playing, and go witness what I can only describe as a complete mastery of the genre.

                                 

Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens: Cold World/ Live Performance Review

Daptone Records out of Brooklyn, New York is the site of a soul resurgence, pumping out tunes that stand toe to toe with the best the Motor City had to offer. Artists like Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones are among their heavy hitters, but Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens have knocked one out of the park with the incredibly masterful "Cold World".

I was lucky enough to catch the record release and performance at Rough Trade NYC on Tuesday the 29th. After gracefully obliterating a few paychecks on some great records, me and my friend entered the refreshingly small (I prefer smaller venues, more personal that way) venue located in the back of the store, and was greeted by the sweet sound of early 60's soul. The atmosphere was great as the crowd piled in to witness what I can only describe as a shooting star performance, an amazing show that tragically was only 45 minutes. But compacted into that 45 minutes was undoubtedly some of the most well crafted and heartfelt soul music that my ears have ever had the pleasure to hear. I was smitten, right at the front dancing to the slow, the sweet and the upbeat pieces that the band was effortlessly tackling. My loafers were a tad small and were cutting into my feet, but it was impossible to stop dancing, and I never even thought to. When the show wrapped up I was floored, and recovering from what was undoubtedly the harshest workout of my Summer so far. Soon after, a raffle for a signed 45 that paired Naomi with the house band of the former soul label Desco, the Knights of 41st Street, that consisted of the sought after "Forty First Street Breakdown" on the A and the instrumental version "Catapult" on the B commenced, and swiftly ended with me taking home the gold! I stayed after and was able to get my copy of the LP signed by members of the performing band and the artists who performed on the record, and the Gospel Queen herself!  To say the least, it was a LONG train ride home that night, but what a satisfying needle drop that was! I could do a track by track review of this album, but it would do absolutely no justice. This is a must buy album, and any one who's got even the slightest bit of soul inside them will find something to love here. This sophomore album will hopefully be one of many, and I can't wait to see what these guys have to offer next!

Mod Revival! The Best Bands

        I've always been....conflicted with the Mod Revival of the late 70's and 80's. It seems like a mob mentality and conformist ideals overtook what is supposed to be a culture of individuals who try vigorously to stand out in the crowd. All it took to be a Mod was an M-51 Parka and a Keith Moon target shirt, but that was just one part of a very large scene, in which many followed the original Mod ideals and added to the culture as a whole. And its understandable at the time that Mod would evolve into the more basic Mod Revival, due to the chaotic youth tribes that were running about England at the time, Rockers, Skinheads, Soulies, New Romantics, Casuals! It was madness, but the Mods second wave proved to be a great time for a new wave of ideas,style, and music. Below is a list of my five favorite Mod Revival bands and my opinions on their music and their effect on the scene.

 Secret Affair

The Glory Boys hold a very special spot in the Mod Revival era, usually considered second to The Jam in terms of sheer popularity and their presence on the scene. I also hold them in high regard for their clothing choices, usually not to explosive, as some as their contemporaries tended to be. And in terms of sound they tend to lean closer to the Soulful roots of Modernism, especially evident in their disgustingly catchy cover of "Going to A Go-Go" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. But admittedly my favorite tune is their fan favorite "Time for Action", a great "Mod Anthem" that really does capture that feeling you get being the best dressed, and all the looks you get, bad or good. 

The Purple Hearts

Getting to the more Punky side of the Mod revival while also keeping that chart friendly appeal of Power Pop, we have the Purple Hearts. With their name being an homage to a favorite Mod pill, The Purple Hearts captured the anger of the Mod Revival with hard hitting lyrics and raw chords and rhythm. Their biggest hit, "Millions Like Us", is another one of the big "Mod Anthems", but I personally prefer their single "Jimmy", named after the protagonist of The Who's "Quadrophenia". If you're a fan i'd personally suggest their compilation "Smashing Time" from Detour Records. 

The Lambrettas 

Perhaps the most "Pop-y" of the Revivalists, the Lambrettas provided accessible and catchy songs that stood out among the more hard hitting Chords and Hearts. Their biggest hit was a cover of "Poison Ivy" by Leiber and Stroller which reached #7 in the British Charts. Another great song of theirs is "D-a-a-ance", released as a single in 1980 and reached #12. Though perhaps their greatest accomplishment is Jez Bird's ability to almost pull off a bright red suit on Top of the Pops! 

The Chords

Sporting in my opinion the best cover of a soul song by any of the Mod Revivalists, The Chords brought a raw punk attack to a wide variety of styles. Their album "So Far Away" sports amazing originals like "Breaks My Heart" and covers ranging from The Beatles to Sam and Dave. "So Far Away" is my favorite LP from the era, and the Chords stand as my second favorite group of the Revivalists. Their biggest hit was "Maybe Tomorrow" which reached the top 40 in the U.K., and features one of the best ending lines in music history,

"Bang! Bang! You're Dead!"

The Jam

The true catalysts of the explosion that was Mod Revival, Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton, and Rick Buckler formed the hit trio "The Jam". Not  held down completely by the "Mod Revival" genre, the Jam were by far the most diverse and artistically dynamic of the Mod/Punk groups. From "In the City" to "The Gift" the Jam brought Mod to the mainstream, for better or worse. My personal favorite track of theirs is "Down In the Tube Station at Midnight" with its intimidating rhythm and beautiful lyrics, but i think it'd be easier to list the (very few) songs I dislike. Simply an amazing band; and, to me, the best "Revival" band by far. 

Hope everyone appreciates the list and be sure to share your opinions!

Album Review: "Victim of Love" by Charles "Screaming Eagle" Bradley

Following tremendous success with his debut album "No Time for Dreaming" in 2011, The "Screaming Eagle of Soul" has once again struck gold with 2013's "Victim of Love". The story of Bradley is somber yet inspirational, and this is beautifully reflected in his music with songs like "Where Do We Go from Here?" and "Through the Storm" showing his incredibly soulful and sensitive approach. But Soulful serenades are only one essence of the album. "You Put the Flame On It" takes the standard love song and adds some heart and funk making a song that's hard not to get up and groove too. And "Love Bug Blues" provides a foot stomping strut song for anyone that is in a... "Passionate" state of mind. I was amazed at the pure variety of the album and the many styles Bradley incorporates, and I've constantly been catching myself going back to it again and again. I'm proud to say this Soul Savage is a native of New York and I can't wait to see what he has cooking up next. But until then, do yourself a favor and buy this record!

Bradley will be appearing at Lincoln Center for a free concert outdoors on the 10th of August, and will be performing alongside fellow soul powerhouses St.Paul & The Broken Bones, Bobby Patterson, and The Music Maker Blues Review. I'll be there, will you?

Beat from the Isle of Green: The Strypes

Ever wanted to know what it would sound like if you set your "Five Live Yardbirds" LP to 45 rpm? Well that would be The Strypes, Ireland's hit R&B/Pub Rock band who have been taking the world by storm. Starting with their self produced E.P. "Young, Gifted & Blue" featuring covers of "You Can't Judge A Book By the Cover" by Bo Diddley, "Got Love If You Want It" by Slim Harpo, "I Wish You Would" by Billy Boy Arnold, and "Leavin' Here" by Eddie Holland, the foursome blast new life into these toe tappin' classics with youthful ire. 

They then went on to release a debut LP "Snapshot" featuring mainly original work, my personal favorite being "Blue Collar Jane". With a more mature sound it sounds like only good can come for these guys, especially with their plans to release another 4 track E.P. titled "4 Track Mind", feat. a cover of The Ramones "Rockaway Beach" and a track produced by the Modfather himself.

"My only complaint? Shaggy Haircuts!"

They've gotten a lot of press for their age, but I don't consider that a factor. Talent is talent and these boys have got plenty. They did their rounds in the states and I unfortunately missed them, and I'm still kicking myself. Their hitting the East Coast again August 19th in D.C., but they are unfortunately skipping over the Empire State! But I might make a trek to Philly just to see them, and I'd suggest you try to see them live as well. All in all they are a great group and I can't wait to see what they do in the future. Hopefully it involves a trip to NYC!

                                      

                           

The Originator: Bo Diddley

Few people have had such an outstanding impact on popular music as Ellas Otha Bates, or more commonly known as "Bo Diddley". With his ridiculously simple yet amazingly catchy and infectious rhythm, he was able to influence almost every single artist that followed. If you enjoy music, listen to this man. And I mean really, how can you not love a guy when half of the songs in his entire discography have his name in it!?