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
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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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