New album: Olav Larsen and The Alabama Rodeo Stars – Memory Lane

ol

Memory Lane (and other songs of love and hope) by Olav Larsen & The Alabama Rodeo Stars (OL&TARS) has been five years in the making. Why? “Personal issues” are stated as being the reason for this long-awaited release. I really like the band’s two first albums, and they received some well deserved praise upon their release.

Perhaps it takes someone from such a great distance to authentically come to grips with the true breadth of Americana.”  – Dallas Observer

ol 1record

ol record 2

I have been eagerly waiting on a new record from Olav Larsen and his companions. Is it as good as I’ve hoped for?

I’ll come to that, first a bit of history.

Olav Larsen was raised in the Norwegian town of Sandnes and introduced to his father’s music collection of blues greats including Blind Willie McTell and Robert Johnson which again led to Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen. As Olav began to fine-tune his own tastes it was a healthy diet of Guy Clark, John Prine, Steve Goodman and Townes Van Zandt that he first feasted on, before turning his attentions more recently to Bright Eyes, Will Oldham and Howe Gelb among others. (press release)

Ol Band pic

Allmusic (introduction to the review of their first album):

You’ve got to love the back story of Olav Larsen & the Alabama Rodeo Stars. Larsen’s all-American alt-country, it seems, is made by an African-Norwegian who found his way there via records by Gram Parsons, Hank Williams, Neil Young, Uncle Tupelo, John Prine and the like. The Alabama Rodeo Stars? Never seen Alabama. Scandinavians all. But no gimmick, this.

Ok, that was the history lesson, so how is the new album?

It is a better sounding record that’s for sure. The sound is fuller and it has a distinct sound, the sound on the songs are more a part of  a “whole album”, a more complete experience. The production sounds more professional. I do not know who has produced and mixed the album, but it sounds really good!

Apart from the production, what strikes me the most is the musicianship. The players are at the top of their game and they clearly have a genuine love for the music. It sounds like they are having fun. They have a great band dynamic and it often feels like it was recorded live in the studio. This is hard to pull off, but this band does it!

Foto: Tor Olav Rydlende

When Olav Larsen sent me the songs, he said, “I hope it’s not too country for you.” I replied, “Can it ever be too country?” He laughed.

There are songs on the album that are really honky-tonk, but there are elements of blues, gospel and rock’n roll all through the record. This isn’t slick Nashville or pure Bakersfield, it is a stew. It is a mix of all the good things in country music. This is real roots music.

Let’s take a  look at the songs. 11 song about love in all it’s glory, and in all it’s misery. Songs you can only sing after you’ve lived some.

Let’s listen to the fine title track, Memory Lane (live acoustic):

Memory Lane (Studio version):

Great song!
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Video of the day: Satan – Stephen Ackles

stephen ackles

Stephen Ackles (15 february 1966), a son of Norwegian mother (Bergliot Kittilsen) and American father (Allan Dale Ackles), he is a singer, pianist and songwriter. He is mainly a rock’n roll/boogie artist and his main inspirations are Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and Little Richard. 

He recently did a version of the song Satan on Norwegian television, it blew my mind. Ackles have always been a good craftsman but his choice of material has been , eeh… questionable. He has lived a hard live, gone bankrupt and found Jesus, he has toured a lot! Ackles has released thirteen  albums and has worked with giants such as Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, and Jerry Lee Lewis. His fourteenth album will be released as I write this, and will of course include his interpretation of Satan.

And finally the song he was born to sing came along. Satan. Stephen Ackles tears his soul out, the agony and pain of a hard life is personified in this great performance. His face twists as he spits out his rage and sorrow.

Satan (aka Killing For Satan) is a relatively obscure song by Paul Wibier. From the 1969 film Satan’s Sadists.

Paul Wibier’ original – Satan (Audio):

WIBIER

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A fantastic trailer for the very entertaining biker movie, Satan’s Sadists:

Director Al Adamson’s Satan’s Sadists is the jewel in the trashploitation king’s crown, mixing hippie hopheads, choppers, whacked-out violence, LSD trips and groovy music. Russ Tamblyn sheds his “boy next door” screen image as the kill-crazy gang leader Anchor, supported by one of drive-in cinema’s all-time great casts: John “Bud” Cardos (with Mohawk), Robert Dix (with eye patch), Greydon Clark and Regina Carrol (the future Mrs. Adamson) as “The Freak-Out Girl.” Buckle up and brace yourself for “probably the grossest biker movie of them all.” (The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film)

– Hallgeir

Sources: NRK, Wikipedia, Psychotronic Encyclopedia  of Film by Michael Weldon, stephenackles.com

Today: Otis Redding released I’ve Been Loving You Too Long in 1965 – 48 years ago

otis redding i've been loving you

Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” is an R&B hit love ballad of the ’60s that has lost none of its soulful power with the passing decades. Redding’s success with the single was second only to that of his ever-popular classic “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay.”
~Joslyn Lane (allmusic.com)

I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” became Redding’s first Top 40 single, in June 1965. And when Redding performed a scorching drawn-out version at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 — in front of the audience he called “the love crowd” — the single made the transition from hit to legend.
~rollingstone.com

I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (Monterey ’67):

otis redding 1967 montery

Wikipedia:

Released April 19, 1965
Format 7″ single
Recorded Miami: 1965
Genre Soul
Length 2:49 (mono version, April 1965)
3:09 (stereo version, July 1965)
Label Volt/Atco
V-126
Producer Otis Redding
Jerry Butler

I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” (sometimes issued as “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)”) is a song written by Otis Redding and Jerry Butler. It appeared as the A-side of a 1965 hit single by Otis Redding – and subsequently appeared on his thirdalbum, Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul. Although Redding had been appearing in the U.S. Billboard Pop and R&B charts as early as 1962, this was his first big hit, reaching #21 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was his first Top 5 Billboard R&B chart, peaking at #2. The B-side of the single “Just One More Day,” was also a minor hit, reaching #15 on the R&B and #85 on the Pop chart. The song is ranked #110 on the Rolling Stone magazine’s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

otis blue

Album version:

Lyrics:

I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) by Otis Redding
I’ve been loving you too long to stop now

There were time and you want to be free
My love is growing stronger, as you become a habit to me
Oh I’ve been loving you a little too long
I dont wanna stop now, oh
With you my life,
Has been so wonderful
I can’t stop now

There were times and your love is growing cold
My love is growing stronger as our affair [affair] grows old
I’ve been loving you a little too long, long,
I don’t want to stop now
oh, oh, oh
I’ve been loving you a little bit too long
I don’t wanna stop now
No, no, no

Don’t make me stop now
No baby
I’m down on my knees Please, don’t make me stop now
I love you, I love you,
I love you with all of my heart
And I can’t stop now
Don’t make me stop now
Please, please don’t make me stop now
Good god almighty I love you
I love you, I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you
I love you in so many different ways…
I love you in so many different ways….

otis redding

Live 1967 – London:

Notable cover versions:

  • The first cover of the song was a recording by The Rolling Stones in 1965 — shortly after Redding’s original version became a hit.
  • The most widely known cover version of the song was by Ike & Tina Turner in 1968. It was the lead track from their 1968 Blue Thumb album entitled Outta Season.
    Live at Altamont Festival 1969:
  • Aretha Franklin recorded a cover for her album Young, Gifted and Black (1972).

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Today: The Pixies released Doolittle in 1989 – 24 years ago

the pixies doolittle-cover

..the songs on Doolittle have the power to make you literally jump out of your skin with excitement.
~NME

Doolittle is a mix of the band’s earlier hardcore storms, Black Francis’ self­described “stream of unconsciousness” rants, and the strange melodicism and surf-metal guitar that defined its creepy magic.
~rollingstone.com

Debaser:

Wikipedia:

Released April 18, 1989
Recorded October 31 – November 23, 1988 atDowntown Recorders in Boston, Massachusetts and Carriage House Studios in Stamford, Connecticut
Genre Alternative rock
Length 38:38
Label 4AD, Elektra (initial U.S. distribution)
Producer Gil Norton

Doolittle is the second studio album from the American alternative rock band Pixies, released in April 1989 on 4AD. The album’s offbeat and dark subject material, featuring references to surrealism, Biblical violence, torture and death, contrasts with the clean production sound achieved by the newly hired producer Gil Norton. Doolittle was the Pixies’ first international release, with Elektra Records acting as the album’s distributor in the United States and PolyGram in Canada.

Pixies released two singles from Doolittle, “Here Comes Your Man” and “Monkey Gone to Heaven”, both of which were chart successes on the US chart for Modern Rock Tracks. The album itself reached number eight on the UK Albums Chart, an unexpected success for the band. In retrospect, album tracks such as “Debaser”, “Wave of Mutilation”, “Monkey Gone to Heaven”, “Gouge Away”, and “Hey” are highly acclaimed by critics, while the album, along with debut LP Surfer Rosa, is often seen as the band’s strongest work.

pixies doolittle inlay

Doolittle has continued to sell consistently well in the years since its release, and in 1995 was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album has been cited as inspirational by many alternative artists, while numerous music publications have ranked it as one of the most influential albums ever. A 2003 poll of NME writers ranked Doolittle as the second-greatest album of all time, and Rolling Stone placed the album at 226 on its list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Tame:

Music:

Doolittle features an eclectic mix of musical styles. While tracks such as “Tame” and “Crackity Jones” are fast and aggressive, and incorporate the band’s trademark loud–quiet dynamic, other songs such as “Silver”, “I Bleed”, and “Here Comes Your Man” reveal a quieter, slower and more melodic temperament. With Doolittle, the band began to incorporate further instruments into their sound; for instance, “Monkey Gone to Heaven” features two violins and two cellos. Several tracks on Doolittle are constructed around simple repeating chord progressions.

“Tame” is based on a three chord formula; including Joey Santiago’s playing a “Hendrix chord” over the main bass progression. “I Bleed” is melodically simple, and is formed around a single rhythmical repetition. Some songs are influenced by other genres of music; while “Crackity Jones” has a distinctly Spanish sound, and incorporates G♯ and A triads over a C♯ pedal, the song’s rhythm guitar, played by Francis, starts with an eighth-note downstroke typical of punk rock music.

the pixies

the pixies here-comes-your-man

Here Comes Your Man:

Accolades:

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Hot Press Ireland Top 100 Albums
2006 #34
Juice Australia The 50 Best Albums of All Time
1997 #2
NME UK 100 Best Albums
2003 #2
Panorama Norway The 30 Best Albums of the Year 1970–98 1999 #1
Pitchfork Media US Top 100 Albums of the 1980s
2002 #4
Q UK Ultimate Music Collection
2005 *
Rolling Stone US The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time 2005 #226
Spin US 100 Greatest Albums, 1985–2005
2005 #36
Slant Magazine US Best Albums of the 1980s
2012 #34

Tracks:

All tracks were written by Black Francis, except where noted.

  1. “Debaser” – 2:52
  2. “Tame” – 1:55
  3. “Wave of Mutilation” – 2:04
  4. “I Bleed” – 2:34
  5. “Here Comes Your Man” – 3:21
  6. “Dead” – 2:21
  7. “Monkey Gone to Heaven” – 2:56
  8. “Mr. Grieves” – 2:05
  9. “Crackity Jones” – 1:24
  10. “La La Love You” – 2:43
  11. “No. 13 Baby” – 3:51
  12. “There Goes My Gun” – 1:49
  13. “Hey” – 3:31
  14. “Silver” (Francis/Deal) – 2:25
  15. “Gouge Away” – 2:45

Monkey Gone To Heaven:

Personnel:

Pixies
  • Black Francis – vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Kim Deal – bass guitar, vocals, slide guitar on “Silver”
  • Joey Santiago – lead guitar
  • David Lovering – drums, lead vocal on “La La Love You”, bass guitar on “Silver”
Additional musicians
  • Arthur Fiacco – cello on “Monkey Gone to Heaven”
  • Karen Karlsrud – violin on “Monkey Gone to Heaven”
  • Corine Metter – violin on “Monkey Gone to Heaven”
  • Ann Rorich – cello on “Monkey Gone to Heaven”
Production
  • Steve Haigler – mixing engineer
  • Matt Lane – assistant engineer
  • Simon Larbalestier – cover image, album booklet imagery
  • Gil Norton – production, engineering
  • Vaughan Oliver – album booklet imagery
  • Dave Snider – assistant engineer
  • Published by Rice ‘n’ Beans Music BMI

the pixies 2

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Today: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds released – The Good Son – in 1990

nick cave the good son

“The Good Son” is a haunting collection of vintage Nick Cave songs that tell of loss, sorrow, death and despair. Those subjects may be standard Cave fare, but the amazing string arrangements featured on almost every tune add an epic sweep to the album, imbuing it with a grandeur found in the work of Jacques Brel and his protoge, Scott Walker. ..
~amazon.com reviewer

…the Seeds followed up Tender Prey with the equally brilliant but generally calmer Good Son.
~Ned Raggett (allmusic.com)

Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history, baby
Every time you come around
~Nick Cave (The Ship Song)

The Ship Song (original)

Wikipedia:

Released April 17, 1990
Recorded by Victor Van Vugt at Sao Paulo, October 1989, mixed by Flood,Gareth Jones at Berlin, November-December, 1989
Genre Post-punk, alternative rock
Length 45:12
Label Mute Records
Producer The Bad Seeds

The Good Son is the sixth album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, released in 1990. It was preceded by the release of “The Ship Song/The Train Song” single. “The Weeping Song/Cock’s ‘n’ Asses” was later also released as a single. After an album as dark and intense as Tender Prey, some fans were disappointed to hear a relaxed and loving Nick Cave on this record. The change of mood was due in great deal to Nick Cave falling in love with Brazilian journalist Viviane Carneiro, and an apparently salutary spell in rehab which purged the despair and squalor of the previous two albums. However, today, most fans consider this album as a classic that was unfairly judged at the time. Indeed, “The Weeping Song” and “The Ship Song” are now Bad Seeds standards, and the relatively obscure closing track “Lucy” was resurrected in 1993 as a B-side of “What a Wonderful World”, a collaboration of the Bad Seeds and the Pogues’ Shane MacGowan.

The album was remastered and reissued on March 29, 2010 as a collector’s edition CD/DVD set.

nick cave the good son back

 

Father, why are all the women weeping?
They are weeping for their men
Then why are all the men there weeping?
They are weeping back at them
~Nick Cave (The Weeping Song)

The Weeping Song:

Track listing:

  1. “Foi Na Cruz” – 5:39 (Singers – Clovis Trindade, Rubinho)
  2. “The Good Son” – 6:01
  3. “Sorrow’s Child” – 4:36
  4. “The Weeping Song” – 4:21 (“Father” Vocal by Blixa Bargeld)
  5. “The Ship Song” – 5:14
  6. “The Hammer Song” – 4:16 (Guitars by Mick Harvey)
  7. “Lament” – 4:51
  8. “The Witness Song” – 5:57
  9. “Lucy” – 4:17 (words: Cave. Music: Cave, Bargeld, Roland Wolf) Piano on reprise section by Roland Wolf

 Comments on the Songs:

  • Foi Na Cruz” is based partly upon the traditional Brazilian Protestant hymn of the same title. The title translates roughly as “It Happened on the cross”.
  • The Good Son” – the opening is based loosely upon the African-American traditional song “Another Man Done Gone”. A recording of this traditional song, by Odetta, later appeared on Original Seeds Vol. 1. The lyrics appear, at least in part, to have been influenced by the Cormac McCarthy novel Child of God, with references to a “malign star” and laying down “queer plans” appearing in both, as well as common themes of dislocation and rejection.
  • The single mix of “The Weeping Song” is a different mix than the one found on the album.
  • The Witness Song” is based loosely upon the traditional American gospel song “Who Will be a Witness?”.
  • Four of the songs on the album were left with their working titles (“The Ship Song”, “The Weeping Song”, “The Hammer Song”, “The Witness Song”).
  • The instrumental b-side “Cocks ‘n’ Asses” was retitled “The B-side Song” for the USA release.

The Good Son:

Personnel:

  • Nick Cave – Vocals, Piano, Hammond, Harmonica
  • Mick Harvey – Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Vibraphone, Percussion, Backing Vocals
  • Blixa Bargeld – Guitar, Backing Vocals
  • Kid Congo Powers – Guitar
  • Thomas Wydler – Drums, Percussion

nick cave the good son 2

 

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