Rick Galusha's Pacific Street Blues and Americana: 12 albums from 2003 worth your time

Rick Galusha's Pacific St. Blues and Americana

Since inception (1989), Pacific St. Blues & Americana strives to be a discerning voice helping roots fans sift through the mountains of music released every year. We are not for everyone; we want to engage active, critical listeners that hear beyond d'jour. Interviews include: Johnny Winter, Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones), Jerry Wexler, Tommy Shannon & Chris Layton, B.B. King, Dr. John, Robin Trower, Robben Ford, Mato Nanji, Joe Bonamassa, Harry Manx, Sue Foley, Marshall Chess, Billy Lee Riley, Charlie Louvin, Kim Richey, Radney Foster, Eric Johnson, David Clayton Thomas, Al Kooper, Phil Chen (Wired, Blow By Blow), Ian McLagan, Art Neville, Southside Johnny, Miami Steve Van Zant, Nils Lofgren, Bruce Iglauer, Charlie Musselwhite, Studebaker John, Chris Duarte, Smokin' Joe Kubeck, Hamilton Loomis, Peter Karp, Roomful of Blues, James Harman, Hadden Sayers, Malford Milligan, Melvin Taylor, Otis Taylor, Dave Alvin, Coco Montoya, Jimmy Thackery, Marsha Ball, Maria Muldaur, Shelby Lynne, Magic Dick & J. Geils, Lil' Milton, BuddyGuy, Aynsley Lister, Matt Schofield, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Guy Clark, Joe Ely, James Cotton, Robin & Jesse Davey, Hugh Coltman (Hoax), Sean Kelly (Samples), John Entwistle (The Who), Mark Olson (Jayhawks), Walter Wolfman Washington, Anthony Gomes, Bob Malone, Chubby Carrier, Buckwheat Zydeco, Murali Coryell, David Jacob Strain, DeAnna Bogart, Michael Lee Firkins, Guy Davis, Jason Ricci, John Doe, Little Feat, Matt Woods, MikeZito, Peter Buffett, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Corky Siegel, Todd Park Mohr, Watermelon Slim, Magic Slim, Corey Harris,- - - - - - ------------------------Radio archives: http://www.kiwrblues.podomatic.com/. Playlists: http://www.omahablues.com/ Reviews featured in http://www.blueswax.com/. Email: KIWRblues@gmail.com Live online; Sundays 9 a.m. (-6 GMT) http://www.897theriver.com/

Thursday, January 10, 2008

12 albums from 2003 worth your time

So much good music to hear these days...
(written) Monday, March 31, 2003

There is so much good music out there right now. I haven't seen this much good music in a long, long time. Here are some suggestions;

1. Nils Lofgren Band Live.- In addition to being an incredible guitar player, Lofgren has a super smooth voice. The drummer on this album, Timm Biery, is an absolute MONSTER.

2. Who's Next DELUXE EDITION. Probably a top five all time great album remastered with a second disc of live cuts. The standard by which other albums are judged raises the bar again.

3. The Jayhawks - Rainy Day Music - Something good from Minneapolis. While the JH have always been a very solid band their albums have been only slightly better than average. This new effort shows the band stripped down to three players and is brilliant. Former Lincolnite Matthew Sweet guests on this album.

4. The Thorns. - A cross between everything that was good about the band America with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Featuring Matthew Sweet, Pete Droge, and Shawn Mullins. This is your next purchase.

5. Darrell Nulisch - Times Like These - White soul vocals that weaves the sound of "classic Motown/ Stax" vocals and suburban blues. One of my all time favorite recording artists.

6. John Hiatt - Beneath This Gruff Exterior. I only have the single at the moment, My Baby Blue, but it is his most radio-friendly recording to date. Really really nice.

7. Harry Manx (any of three). This may be too bluesy for most but this guy is a genius and I do not use that term lightly. Manx plays an 18 stringed instrument from India much like a guitar but with a haunting sound. Manx plays blues and american pop covers and it is a breathtaking amalgation of sounds. When Manx played the jam last year he silenced 2,500 people who hung on every note: I have NEVER seen a performer with no name recognition place a crowd in such awe.

8. Sonny Landreth - The Road We're On - Louisiana boy delivers adult rock pop sense slide guitar sound with VERY solid songwriting. You might want to hear this first. Exceptional if you like slide players.

9. Jesse Malin - The Fine Art of Self Destruction - Have only heard this twice but its a very good adult rock-n-roll record. Up tempo and fun.

10. Jason Mraz - Waiting for My Rocket to Come - Another excellent record worth checking out. This guy will be huge.

11. The Black Keys - Thickfreakness. The definative music snobs groove. Two white kids from Ohio that lay down the blackest Missisippi blues-groove to come along in a very long time. This is some super cool shit but has the potential to become a flag bearing release for dorks to prove how cool they are. Get it before they do and then look down your nose at them!

12. Lucinda Williams - World Without Tears. Suffers from the Todd Rundgren complex. Couple of GREAT songs, couple of stiffs, and some average to very good filler. This is the record that is going to break her career wide open. Critics that follow the leader by reading others reviews but don't listen to music are going to sing praises for this disc. In the end, I think its going to be over-rated.