ROBBIE FULKS & LINDA GAIL LEWIS WILD ! WILD ! WILD !
( Bloodshot )
On paper it ' s an odd pairing : Chicago ' s alt-indie folk and country veteran and Jerry ' s Lee Lewis ' sister - who has had her own under-the-radar rockabilly and country career , performing a partial duets record mostly written by Robbie . With the Bloodshot and Fulks teams involved , you know it was unlikely the result would be a silly novelty album . Buoyed by the driving barrelhouse boogie of the autobiographical " Round Too Long ," Linda Gail is an amazing voice with a " don ' t mess with me I ' ve lived it and survived " attitude . In a similar throwback Eddie Cochran vein , Robbie and Linda trade vocal barbs on leaving behind " bad old Dixie of bigots and monkey trials ." This record is a thinking man and woman ' s Southern Pride album . The Eisenhower-era country flavor of " Who Cares " recalls torch songs of Patsy Cline and Kitty Wells with haunting doo-wop harmonies and some fantastic guitar work by Redd Volkaert . Wild ! Wild ! Wild ! is a celebration of Americana where old and new ( er ) school pick each other up , where North and South find some common ground . A taste of togetherness we could all use right about now . Appearing 10 / 19 at FitzGerald ' s , Berwyn
-John Vernon
8
THE ROLLING STONES From The Vault : No Security San Jose ' 99
( Atlantic )
Following a massive stadium tour during 1997-1998 supporting the Bridges to Babylon album , the Rolling Stones scaled back for a comparably modest arena run in support of live album No Security . This
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recording includes film and audio of the Stones ’ full set list from April 19 , 1999 , rescheduled from a January date when Jagger says he “ was flat on my back .” He ’ s fighting fit on this night , however , with a kinetic performance that never flags during its two-hour span . The set list features then-fresh cuts like “ Papa Was a Rolling Stone ” homage “ Out of Control .” Although “ Saint of Me ” was arguably Babylon ’ s strongest single , it has faded from Stones set lists possibly due to the absence of Keith Richards during the recording sessions . The song lives forever in its roof-raising version captured here , though . Songs included on No Security , San Jose ’ 99 differ substantially from the 1998 No Security live album . Richards lashes into set-opener “ Jumpin ’ Jack Flash ” with a kick , and Ron Wood adds stinging licks to Jagger ’ s howling harmonica during “ Midnight Rambler .” Babylon ’ s “ Flip the Switch ,” Let it Bleed favorite “ Gimme Shelter ,” blues standard “ Corrina ” and Tattoo You ’ s “ Waiting on a Friend ” are among eight tracks from the earlier live album not duplicated on this particular night in San Jose . However , the concert includes Stones standards like “ Honky Tonk Women ” ( spotlighting vocalist Lisa Fischer ) and “ Start Me Up ” alongside an expansive run through “ Midnight Rambler ,” and Exile on Main Street ’ s grooving “ Tumbling Dice .” New Orleans horns and cathedral organ elevate the soul quotient of Sticky Fingers deep cut “ I Got the Blues ,” wherein Jagger nods to Otis Redding . Mid-show , the band struts and slaps hands on the way to a small stage at the center of the floor , where Chuck Leavell ’ s roadhouse piano spars with drummer Charlie “ Boom Boom ” Watts during the propulsive boogie of “ Route 66 ” while Richards uncorks a tight Chuck Berry-styled guitar solo . “ Bitch ” and “ Brown Sugar ” both feature the late Bobby Keys on saxophone . The band emerges for a slinky encore of “ Sympathy for the Devil ” featuring Leavell ’ s Southern Gospel-influenced piano and Blondie Chaplin ’ s percussion before calling it a night .
- Jeff Elbel
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THE SOMETHING BROTHERS Apollo
( Argosy ) The Something Brothers have gotten gaining national attention in the early 1990s , the Bloomington-Normal based fivepiece returns with a crisply produced 10- track album Apollo . The title track is a soaring appeal for refuge from a crazy world : “ Apollo help me hide away / where I can find some peace from this insanity ,” frontman Scott Lee Wilson sings over richly layered guitar , drum , and bass . “ Fuzzle ” is an exuberant rocker loaded with 1980s pop culture references and the catchiest guitar chord progression on the album . The band can be quirky too , as on the upbeat and rockabilly-twinged “ Tree Full of Bees .” The guitar interplay is hectic and herky-jerky and matches the lyrics , at times sung with a slight country twang : This metaphorical tree of bees “ makes us smile / It keeps us young / Just like good drugs / It ’ s something not to be afraid of / It ’ s alive .” “ Semiprecious ” is a self-deprecating , tearsin-my-beer rocker about hard-knocks . The lyrics “ it ’ s been one on the chin after one on the chin after one on the chin ” fade into a wall-of-sound guitar finale . The Bros get edgy and topical on “ Burn The Evidence ,” a rollicking help wanted ad for a “ gun for hire ”: “ What to do with the body of the President ? / Roll it up in a rug and burn the evidence .” Appearing 12 / 15 at Martyrs ', Chicago .
– Jason Scales
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FLORA The Sword Of Holly
( Self )
Chicago ' s Flora mesh classic jazzy pop melodies of Aztec Camera with the emo quirkiness of Into It Over It and Postal Service . Their debut offers a bit more in the musicianship department than the wellworn turf of similar bands . Lead track " Grow " is an especially infectious single of sorts , with staccato drums , grooving guitar and anxious lyrics (" that right there , scares the living shit outta me ") that would find a home a Jazz Butcher album . Like yacht rock with a butcher knife . Other standout tracks include the MGMT-esque funk of " Sleep Away Holly " with Karolina Prus ' killer sax break , and album closer " In Between Time " where Flora co-founders Ryan O ' Toole and Max Miller get to stretch out vocally with dissonant , Wilson Brothers-style harmonies . Appearing 10 / 4 at Emporium ; 10 / 20 at Sleeping Village , Chicago .
– David Gedge
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THE REVEREND HORTON HEAT Whole New Life
( Victory )
As progenitors of modern rockabilly , Reverend Horton Heat sports impressive credentials . For three-plus decades , guitarist / vocalist The Rev Jim Heath and his band of ruffians have consistently delivered quality tunes . Its 12th studio album , Whole New Life , fits in well with the band ’ s previous albums . The upbeat opener “ Whole New Life ” kicks off the 11 track 36- minute affair with a fun interplay between twangy guitars and a vibrant Jerry Lee Lewis piano rhythm , wrapped up with an infectious singalong chorus . “ Hog Tyin ' Woman ” is a standard slow blues tune , while the upbeat Buddy Holly-esque “ Hate To See You Cry ”’ s countrified guitar picking and memorable chorus propels the song with a swift pace . The mad-capped “ Got It In My Pocket ” juxtaposes nicely with the somber “ Don ' t Let Go Of Me .” The playful “ Sunrise Through The Power Lines ” bounces along nicely , while a nod to Roy Orbison on “ Perfect ” is the perfect tribute to one of rock ’ n ’ roll ’ s biggest luminaries . The album closes with a spunky cover of Elvis Presley ’ s “ Viva Las Vegas ,” complete with an upbeat samba twist . Rockabilly is a unique niche , and Reverend Horton Heat is one of the leading bands around doing justice for this type of music .
- Kelley Simms
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VARIOUS ARTISTS Besides Bowie : The Mick Ronson Story The Soundtrack
( Universal )
David Bowie ’ s death in January 2016 hit fans hard . The death at age 46 of sonic architect and Spiders from Mars guitarist Mick Ronson due to liver cancer dealt a similar blow 23 years earlier . In addition to his genre-defining glam work with Bowie , Ronson brought his unique and imaginative sound to recordings and concerts by diverse artists including Ian Hunter , Elton John , Bob Dylan , and Morrissey . Ronson even played a crucial role in producing John Mellencamp ' s breakthrough hit , " Jack and Diane ." Beside Bowie captures a broad range of Ronson ' s theatrical playing . The most familiar tracks include Bowie ' s " Moonage Daydream " from 1972 ' s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars , and " Cracked Actor " from Aladdin Sane , and the demented cabaret of " Time ." Also present are popular cuts like Ian Hunter ’ s “ Once Bitten , Twice Shy ” and a thrilling early version of Elton John ’ s “ Madman Across the Water ,” also considered for John ’ s Tumbleweed Connection album . On the album that produced the major hit “ Tiny Dancer ,” the re-tracked version of “ Madman Across the Water ” uses orchestration in place of Ronson ’ s expansive solo . An all-star live recording of the anthemic “ All the Young Dudes ” from 1992 ’ s Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness features Hunter , Queen , and members of Def Leppard alongside
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