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| basement tapes | concert reviews | cd reviews | interviews | ticket swap | music news |
 By Andy Argyrakis |
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Weekend Report: Smokey's Motown memories, Rebirth of a piano goddess
Friday, December 9, 2011 Between fronting The Miracles, continuing with an equally successful solo career and writing for tons of other artists, Smokey Robinson could quite possibly be Motown's ultimate soul king. Believe it or not, the 71-year-old singer is still touring and recording, sounding just as strong as ever and literally looking half his age. Sing-a-long to "Shop Around," "I Second That Emotion," "You Really Got a Hold on Me" and "Just To See Her," but also be sure to take in fresh cuts from the impressive Time Flies When You're Having Fun. (Bet your life - Friday at The Venue at Horseshoe Casino - Hammond, IN: www.thevenuechicago.com). If there's one word that's always defined a Tori Amos studio album, it's consistent, though rather than churning out another like-minded batch of ethereal piano pop, Night of Hunters (Decca Records) has a much grander calling. The centerpiece of her current tour is a 21st century song cycle that gleans its influence  from the past 400 years of classical music with each piece earning entirely acoustic treatment, anchored by piano, strings and woodwinds. (Bet your life - Saturday at Chicago Theatre - Chicago, IL: www.thechicagotheatre.com).Out of all the homecoming concerts in Wilco's week long Windy City residency, the first is poised to be the best, starting with the fact that Nick Lowe's on the bill as opening act. Granted, the Civic Opera House isn't as intimate as say Lincoln Hall, but the grandeur of the room, coupled with its pristine acoustics, should make opening night of the band's return a true treat. (Bet your life - Monday at Civic Opera House - Chicago, IL: www.jamusa.com). |
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Street Week: Stones live in '78 on DVD, Winehouse's first posthumous project
Monday, December 5, 2011 It hasn't taken Amy Winehouse's record label long to cash in on her untimely death, as evidenced by this posthumous collection Lioness: Hidden Treasures (Universal Republic). The dozen track disc is split between a few brand new tunes, several previously unreleased songs and alternate versions of familiar favorites, all of which highlight her smoky soul vocals that certainly left the world too soon. Even though The Rolling Stones were already considered legends way back in 1978, the now classic Some Girls album help put the British Invasion favorites back on the commercial map. Just take a look at this sold out show from a sweaty night in Texas with a set list split between that funk-flavored record  ("Beast of Burden," "Miss You," "Shattered") and bawdy earlier staples ("Honky Tonk Women," "Tumbling Dice," "Brown Sugar"). Bonus features like old school "Saturday Night Live" performances and a brand new interview with Mick Jagger add additional icing to the cake.Though the title of Vince Gill's latest long player Guitar Slinger Deluxe Edition (MCA Nashville) indicates it's all about his primary instrument, there's actually a lot more depth and exploration contained therein. While the collection isn't as expansive as his last studio effort These Days (which came from such prolific sessions it actually took up four discs), he dives into bits of the blues, R&B, Tex-Mex, rock n' roll, and of course, plenty of his primary country genre. |
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