Category Archives: night music

Night Music: Keith Richards and Norah Jones, “Love Hurts”

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Okay, I got onto Love Hurts tonight because John Mahoney was in the movie of that name, which comes from a song the Everly Brothers made famous that was written by Boudleaux Bryant. I know the Everly’s version, which is iconic, but the one I know most is Gram Parson’s version.

Ten years ago there was a tribute concert to Gram Parsons. I don’t know where or why, at that time, but what I found tonight was this clip of Keef and Norah. She has a lovely voice and Keef seems to enjoy holding her close, but the impressive thing is his vocals, which aren’t particularly powerful but are nuanced and adept and show that he’s a good singer and having a gas, despite sporting a rather odd look.

Night Music: Ten Years After, “I’d Love to Change the World”

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I’ve always liked this song. It’s earnest lyrics are best when when awkward and offensive (freaks and hairies, dykes and fairies, tell me where is sanity), and otherwise awful (world pollution, that’s no solution, execution by electrocution), but the harmonies are Beatles-esque and when it really gets going it chugs like, um, Pink Floyd? That’s not right.

Digging through the Alvin Lee ouvre tonight it was striking just how bad his later covers of Hey Joe and Good Morning Little School Girl were. Not a bad guitarist, but not a good blues guitarist, he peaked at good enough, which was good enough to headline the show that made Peter Frampton a star. I don’t know what to do.

Night Music: NRBQ, “Ida Lupino”

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Tom reminded me of NRBQ today, covering Sun Ra. I only saw them once, at the Bottom Line, opening for Carla Bley, the jazz pianist. It was a great show, with lots of interaction between these young and dynamic and eclectic musicians. It seemed like a great gift at the time, a synthesis that seemed completely musicianly and spontaneous and fun. Which it was, at least that last one.

I went to see Carla Bley a few years ago and she is still a masterful presence and a great composer and a fine piano player, but what was young and vital and improvised and alive had grown old and brittle. Still beautiful, but more like a museum than a garden. That’s how it happens for all of us.

Browsing through YouTube just now I found this cover, by NRBQ on their first album, of a Carla Bley song called “Ida Lupino,” about the actress who starred with Humphrey Bogart in High Sierra and the great truckdriving drama They Drive by Night. Lupino had a slight acting career, playing hard luck gals, and then became a television writer and director, an unusual career change for a starlet.

Carla Bley’s version, with the great Paul Motian on drums, sounds quite a bit different.

Night Music: PAWS, “Sore Tummy”

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This isn’t their best song, but it’s close enough and it’s the best PAWS video I’ve seen. For what that’s worth.

I’m wanting to blame young rockers for not rocking, and in this video when we land on the plastic insects on the snare I started to rethink PAWS.

Give them room for being Scottish, but this is too fey by half. Or twice two fey.

But I’m not sure it’s their fault. That’s what the kids want, along with songs about moms having contractions. It’s a different world than the one I grew up and hated. It’s a different world than the one Steve lives in now.

So, give this a listen. For modern rock it doesn’t suck. It’s three guys with instruments making a bunch of noise. The bass player seems to have some good ideas. The drummer isn’t afraid to hit it hard.

But they’re not FIDLAR.

Night Music: The Cox Family, with Allison Krauss, “Remind Me, Dear Lord”

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I won’t say this one has much to do with fucking on the floor, but it is darn near perfect even if you have no faith in anything. Except maybe fucking on the floor.

On a broader note, the Cox Family is a bluegrass gospel group who plays music that is clear and principled and has musical virtue apart from their beliefs. Their records are ace and should not be missed.

Allison Krauss, as we know, is super talented and even turned Robert Plant into a hitmaker again. She’s also a fantastic fiddle player with a very smooth and excellent voice.

I love the Cox Family on their own, but Krauss raises their game. Dig deep into their catalog. My friends will say they don’t rock, but they scratch a serious itch.

 

Night Music: Eric Clapton and Robert Cray, “Old Love”

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Slowhand and Cray apparently wrote this tune together. It’s okay, but what wins here is Clapton’s look. He had so many, most of which weren’t as weird as this one.

Clapton also has a dueling guitars moment in this clip, during which he shreds Cray the way he did Robbie Robertson in The Last Waltz. Nevermind. Clapton is god, but he clearly knows that he stands on the shoulders of others. Whether that makes him a good guy or an asshole is up in the air.

What I know is I’m always glad to hear him play.

 

Night Music: Robert Cray, “Right Next Door (Because of Me)”

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In the dark days of 1980s music, there were some real gems. One of those is Robert Cray, a blues guitarist who embraced a producer and songwriting team that set his skills and persona into a kind of Memphis soul vibe. I saw them live a few times, bought all the albums, and was a huge fan.

When you hear this one you will be, too.

But clearly the sound is too smooth. And clearly young Bob didn’t wear the skin of strong persuader eagerly. A lot of the success of those early albums can be pinned on Richard Cousins, the bass player/songwriter, and Richard Walker, the producer.

Which isn’t to denigrate young Bob’s talent. But he seems too nice a guy to get ahead in this business. That isn’t an attribute, but it does help explain a bit about his career. None the less, he can play.