We’re not bound by the pop charts, and many of these selections are off the grid in terms of national publicity or distribution. This is generally music that is real and genuinely human, fun and celebratory or moving and poignant.
“Feed My Soul†by The Holmes Brothers (Alligator Records)
If you want to talk about a record for these times, the discussion should start here, as no other work this year so perfectly captured the national zeitgeist, yet did it with such an understated air of resilience and inspiration.
Wendell Holmes’ “Edge of the Ledge†should be song of the year: “Standing on my head on the edge of a ledge, trying to figure out how to keep my family fed, lost my job, they even repossessed my bed…†The pathos is leavened by humor, but simple truths emerge.
“Feed My Soul†is one of the most moving love songs ever, and a reminder that when times get tough, sometimes all we have is each other. “Fair Weather Friend†is another side of that coin, delivered with gentle humor. There’s a superb Beatles cover (“I’ll Be Backâ€), a light-hearted look at aging (“Rounding Thirdâ€), and a tart blues song (“You’re My Kind of Troubleâ€). Another Wendell Holmes tune delightfully declares that none of what’s going on is going to keep us down for long: “Living Well Is the Best Revenge.â€
“Tribal†by Dr. John and the Lower 911 (429 Records)
The latest from the New Orleans voodoo master is a masterful collection of funk and soul, performed with his quintet, the Lower 911. There are some marvelous dance tunes melding all those Crescent City influences like the title cut, “Feel Good Music,†and “Jinky Jinx.†When the doctor wants to make a point with his lyrics he does it subtly, so even social commentary like “Big Gap,†or “Only in Amerika†doesn’t come across as heavy handed. And the album mostly underlines that, while New Orleans and its denizens have been through the ringer, they’re still there, still kickin’, and still making unforgettable music.
“The Essential Collection†by Bill Hicks (Ryko)
This is a four-disc set from a comedian who died in 1994, and was widely unknown when he was alive. But Bill Hicks was not just influenced by people like George Carlin, Richard Pryor and even Lenny Bruce, he was in many ways their equal. Sometimes being outrageous, even if outrageously funny, means you also kind of limit your professional opportunities. This four-disc set includes material from Hicks’ family archives, live shows and interviews. Two of the discs are DVDs of live performances, and the set totals more than five hours of material. You end up wishing he were around today, but if you’re addicted to people like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, you’re already hearing Hicks’ influence.
“North/East†by Kevin Connolly (Weathervane Records)
Kevin Connolly does NOT get an automatic slot every year just because he’s from Marshfield. He ends up on these lists because he consistently writes detailed, evocative, concise story-songs that connect on multi-levels, especially for us New Englanders. Factor in his rugged baritone, and a sense for melody and dynamics that tells you he’s more of a rocker-playing-acoustically than a folkie, and Connolly is almost always worth hearing.
There are arresting vignettes here like the heartbreaking “The Fishing Life,†or the poignant “Mass Avenue,†or the rollicking “Evel Knievel.†There are more serious songs about America, like the sad portrait of a mill town past its prime in “Fall River,†and the view of homelessness “Living on the Street,†and even the unending conflict through the ages of “Battle Road.†Of course none of us guys can resist the open-road fever of “Chevy Impala.â€
“April Uprising†by John Butler Trio (ATO Records)
This might be the best trio Australian guitar wizard Butler has ever fronted, and the mixture of rhythms and dynamic shifts here really surpasses anything he’s ever done. The dazzling guitar work, solo lines woven among blistering chording, and his almost mystical vocals are in top form, and the way he uses songs as mood pieces makes every one a journey. Butler, who was born in California, is passionate about aboriginal rights and the ecology of his adopted home, but pulse-pounding songs like “One Way Road,†“C’Mon Now†and “Revolution†have sentiments anyone can embrace.
“Red†by Mark Cutler (Mok Music Group)
Former Sharon resident Cutler, who used to be leader of the rock bands The Schemers and The Raindogs, has gone into an Americana mode, with traditional instruments like accordion, mandolin and cello peppering the tunes here. But the focus is still on rock, even if it’s now more acoustic, and Cutler still has plenty to say. Tapping into the national mood, Cutler comes across as an unpretentious everyman on tunes like “Just a Paycheck Away (From Living in the Street).†Other tunes like “Vampires†or “Doc Pomus’ Ghost†offer momentary escapes from the rigors of contemporary life, and of course Cutler has some striking tunes about romance too. Forget the acoustic tag, these are some of the liveliest, most compelling rock songs of the year.
“Grace Potter & the Nocturnals†by Grace Potter & the Nocturnals (Hollywood Records)
Was it so long ago that Potter was just an unknown kid from Vermont playing the 2005 Boston Music Awards? This is the album, with the single “Paris (Ooh-La-La),†that vaulted Potter and her quintet to the front ranks of rock. The intriguing patchwork of styles that made her so fascinating way back when is still evident here, as tunes like “Medicine†and “Money†offer hippie-tie-dye flourishes amid the killer hooks. “Tiny Light†is a basically irresistible rock anthem, but there are also plenty of moments when you can hear Potter’s massive, Janis Joplin-on-steroids vocal power as well as her command of nuance. It is a mind-boggling collection of talent in one performer, just as capable of turning heads as it was back at that long-ago awards show.
“Last Stand at the Havemeyer Ranch†by Andy Cotton (BJU Records)
This gem from jazz bassist Cotton came out at the end of 2009, but merits inclusion here for its sheer dynamism. There are 15 other musicians credited on this CD, from the Brooklyn Jazz Underground label, but Cotton’s arrangements never fail to deliver a wallop. Vocalist Mayteana Morales is sultry and mysterious on “Early in the Morning.†The humorously titled “Slow Reggie†explores reggae vs. romantic ballad forms, while “The Prophet Has Arise†tackles astral funk. Chauncey Yearwood’s muscular “Don’t Let It Get to You†is topnotch soul-jazz, while the loping “Gunga Din†melds reggae, space-jazz, and traditional vaudeville. It’s jazz that will draw in rock, reggae, soul and funk fans, and it’s always far more fun than most modern jazz.
“I Learned the Hard Way†by Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings (Daptone Records)
The ascent of Sharon Jones is truly a do-it-yourself story, as she and the Dap-Kings octet seem to have finally broken through to mainstream success. Go ahead and argue that it is retro soul or classic R&B with a new veneer, but the unavoidable fact is that this is some of the most vivid music imaginable, and fairly leaps off the grooves at you. Tunes like “The Game Gets Old,†the title cut, and “I’ll Still Be True†stamp King as one of the music world’s premier vocalists. Not so long ago this band was playing Cambridge’s tiny T.T. the Bear’s .
“Willow†by Suzanne McNeil (Candescent)
It’s always a trap to cite a friend’s work, because there is always that assumption that the fix was in, but in truth we’re probably overly hard on friends’ music, and frequently expect too much. Quincy’s McNeil, who usually gigs about seven nights a week in the area, has nonetheless delivered a startlingly potent collection of songs. There’s an emotional arc to the album, and an overriding air of endurance and perseverance – a more personalized take on the Holmes Brothers’ theme, if you will. The rebirth inherent in “Spring†is immediately affecting, and the pathos in “Bend†is stunningly powerful. “Cut ‘Em Loose†has to be one of the year’s best twang-rockers, and “Lost in Boston,†this Canadian import’s ode to Beantown, never fails to stir the juices. Fronting a five-or-six-piece rock band, led by Braintree’s Tim Mahoney, McNeil reaches heights her local solo and duo gigs only hint at.
The Patriot Ledger
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