Illinois Entertainer May 2021 | Page 24

together with Rotosound strings ,” suggests another . Townshend ’ s motivation for the material was both witty and pragmatic . He writes in his liner notes , “ We were hoping to get free Jaguars . We got fifty tins of free baked beans .”
– Jeff Elbel
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Continued from page 20 include a loopy version of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass chestnut “ The Lonely Bull ” rendered as hyperkinetic ska , with solos by Williams and trombonist John “ Showtime ” Janowiak . Live music fans have been waiting to get back to the clubs to bear witness as their musical heroes burn down the house . Lost Soul Volume 1 documents Williams and company doing just that . It ’ ll whet your appetite for more . ( liquidsoul . com )
– Jeff Elbel
8 dedicated entirely to Dark Side of the Moon ’ s “ Money ,” stretched to ten minutes of progfunk in 7 / 4 time atop the sturdy strata of Pratt ’ s bass and founding member Nick Mason ’ s deft drumming . Dulfer takes another bristling sax solo before Mason shifts into straight time and Gilmour delivers his apocalyptic blues on guitar . The show concludes with the majestic but oblivion-bound space-rock of “ Comfortably Numb ” and the clattering paranoia of “ Run Like Hell .” Both tracks from The Wall find Wright ’ s Hammond organ augmented by Michael Kamen on additional keyboards . The latter song concludes with the sounds of a booming fireworks display and a dazzling conclusion to the night .
If your heavyweight vinyl LP initially sounds sluggish or muddy , it could only be because ( like me ) you didn ’ t read the fine print on the label . With a duration of 56 minutes , the tightly-paced seven song set list is perfectly sized for pressing onto two vinyl platters with the higher fidelity afforded by 45RPM . The audio quality is superb played at proper speed ( go figure ), and the sparkling new mix is far superior to your dad ’ s dorm-room cassette bootleg of the original broadcast .
– Jeff Elbel
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media pundit . The rootsy “ Still You on the Inside ” recalls Bon Jovi ’ s country-rock chart successes while Waybill sings about someone trying to outrun his or her past . The McCartneyesque melody of “ Woulda Coulda Shoulda ” glides atop a mellotron verse and cathartic chorus that attempts to exorcise regret and remorse for bad decisions and indecision alike . “ Meant to be Alone ” is chugging power-pop that would have merited pride from either Rick Springfield or the Cars , with a howling chorus that only Waybill could deliver in a song that ruminates about where and why love went wrong . The grim and driving song “ The Promise Land ” boasts another peak vocal performance as Waybill rages against those who watch the world burn at the service of their own greed . Despite heavy touring presence , Waybill hadn ’ t released a solo album or new Tubes project since 1996 . ** Fee Waybill Rides Again is a most welcome and worthy return .
– Jeff Elbel
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LIQUID SOUL Lost Soul Volume 1
( Soul What )
Veteran saxophonist Mars Williams is a Chicago-based institution , known to the world at large as a longstanding sideman with the Psychedelic Furs and a key member of The Waitresses . When his globetrotting gigs weren ’ t keeping him away , Williams ’ local activity from 1993 to 2003 centered upon Sunday night residencies at the Elbo Room and Double Door with his ongoing acid jazz ensemble Liquid Soul . Lost Soul Volume 1 features ten homegrown songs , with many cuts captured live at those venerable hometown venues . If Volume 1 is representative of the quality of material hiding in Williams ’ archive , fans should hope that this is the first of many . Founding guitarist Tom Klein appears on a 1996 performance of boogaloo romp “ Soulsonic Vibration ” from the late great Elbo Room , with percolating gospel-styled organ from Frankie Hill . Klein ’ s guitar also ignites the most recent of the live tracks , “ Twice as Nice ,” an improvisational track recorded at the intimate Abbey Pub in 2013 . The performance blends tagteam rap vocals by Dirty MF and Brian “ MCB ” Quarles , nimble turntablism by David “ My Boy Elroy ” Arredondo , and a hypnotic soul groove to set the scene from which Williams ’ sax erupts . Performances preserved at the Damen Avenue location of the Double Door include a hot freestyle take dubbed “ Bootie Wiggle Club ” featuring Poi Dog Pondering ’ s Frank Orall as guest DJ . Guitarist Tom Sanchez plays tight funk-jazz comping on the song , with a propulsive rhythmic foundation laid by drummer Dan Leali and bassist Ricky Showalter . Ron Haynes ’ staccato trumpeting keeps the horn section ’ s riffs tight and punchy , and he takes freestyle flight on songs including “ PMI .” Sanchez delivers a snaky lead during “ Reggae Freestyle ” while percussionist Newt Cole keeps the energy at fever pitch with his conga playing , and emcee Dirty MF calls the crowd to the dance floor following Williams ’ goosebump-raising sax solo . Studio tracks
24 illinoisentertainer . com may 2021
PINK FLOYD Live at Knebworth 1990
( Sony )
On the heels of the remastered Pulse live album and film comes the debut vinyl release of Live at Knebworth 1990 . On Saturday , June 30 , 1990 , Pink Floyd topped a festival bill heavy on star power . Among the other acts gathered in support of Nordoff Robbins charity and the BRIT School were Silver Clef award winners Tears for Fears , Robert Plant , Paul McCartney , Mark Knopfler , Elton John , Genesis and Eric Clapton . The concert packed a staggering 120,000 fans at Knebworth House in England , on top of millions around the world who viewed the event via MTV . The epic opener is “ Shine On You Crazy Diamond ( Parts 1- 5 )” and its melancholy tribute to Floyd founder Syd Barrett . Saxophonist Candy Dulfer gets the spotlight on saxophone as “ Shine On ” segues into Richard Wright ’ s stately piano introduction for “ The Great Gig in the Sky ,” featuring original studio vocalist Clare Torry ’ s ecstatic soprano . The troubled tone poem “ Sorrow ” is the lone track drawn from Pink Floyd ’ s post-Roger Waters catalog , representing 1987 ’ s A Momentary Lapse of Reason . The Division Bell wouldn ’ t arrive until another four years following the concert . David Gilmour ’ s spaciously echoed and heavily distorted guitar intro for “ Sorrow ” evokes the weight and hopelessness of the song ’ s haunted protagonist and recalls the slide guitar tone of “ One of These Days .” Gilmour leads timeless Floyd favorites effortlessly . During “ Wish You Were Here ,” he trades guitar licks with sideman Tim Renwick and vocal harmony with longtime bassist Guy Pratt . Gilmour accompanies the song ’ s memorable solo by singing the line in unison , George Benson-style . The vinyl set ’ s third side is
FEE WAYBILL Rides Again
( Self )
This project is the fruit of two workhorse talents and a friendship that has endured the decades since Richard Marx first met The Tubes ’ singer Fee Waybill at a session for 1983 ’ s Outside Inside album . Serving here as producer and co-writer , Marx ’ straightforward and hook-laden pop-rock songcraft in collaboration with Waybill on material like the hard-charging “ Faker ” gives Waybill the opportunity to sing his heart out . The singer remains in a rarefied class alongside vocalists like Cheap Trick ’ s Robin Zander . Forget the aging factor ; these are among the most stunning rock vocal performances you ’ ll hear from a singer of any vintage . Waybill ’ s theatrical sensibilities suit his character-driven presence with the Tubes . That skill serves the material here as well , even if the material is more heartfelt and mature , and less provocative or outlandish . “ How Dare You ” unleashes heart-on-sleeve indignation against a lover who toys with the protagonist ’ s emotions . “ Don ’ t Wanna Pull the Trigger ” rides a heavy riff by guitarist Matt Scannell of Vertical Horizon , as Waybill sings about fighting temptation despite weakening resistance . The song resolves into a soaring hook reminiscent of the Tubes ’ “ I Don ’ t Want to Wait Anymore .” The pensive and soulful “ Say Goodbye ” mourns love lost , with acoustic guitar and rich vocal harmony from Marx . “ Man of the World ” exposes the superficiality of a self-appointed social
L . S . UNDERGROUND The Grape Project
( Lost in Ohio )
By 1992 , Michael Knott was established as a true maverick of Southern Californian post-punk , emerging from the unlikely source of the alternative Christian music scene . Knott offered a critical voice to challenge those who twisted the church ’ s work for personal power , and he spoke boldly for marginalized souls among the faithful with iconoclastic albums including 1987 ’ s Shaded Pain . With The Grape Prophet , Knott crafted a fable that squarely took aim at perceived abuses of power within a denomination that had risen in influence during the ‘ 80s . Knott gathered his L . S . Underground ( aka Lifesavers Underground or L . S . U .) crew to deliver a bracing rock opera in the vein of the Who ’ s Tommy . The cohort included guitarist Brian Doidge and drummer Chuck Cummings , who would follow Knott into his general market glam-rock band the Aunt Bettys on Elektra Records . Also aboard were friends from dream-pop group The Choir including percussionist Steve Hindalong , saxophonist
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