Christmas shopping...

Picked up the new 3-DVD set The McCartney Years, which features all Macca's videos for 30 years of singles, plus some live material drawn from out-of-print videos. For the Macca-fan it's a goldmine. For anyone who doesn't care about the ex-Beatle it's a waste of money and time. So you have to decide which camp you fall into and then decide if the $30 price tag is worth it. I like having this material, but music videos wear out quickly. And Sir Paul has a look about him that is increasingly growing tiresome. He's too old to have that gormless smirk on his face, and his eyebrows (which form the front cover design) are taking on a life of their own. He's just so precious...there, I've said it. That said...he remains one of the world's greatest melody writers!
Better viewing appears on Eric Clapton's 2007 Crossroads Guitar Festival. Two discs boasting some amazing guitar pyrotechnics. Doyle Bramhall, John Mayer (great guitar, vocal mannerisms annoying), Vince Gill, Robbie Robertson (sizzling on "Who Do You Love"), Albert Lee (can anybody play that fast...and accurately?), Sheryl Crow, Bill Murray (playing "Gloria"!) and more. Not a dull minute. And at a dandy price!
We're just mourning the passing of another national record store. Remember when they were called that? Music World is closing its doors, following Sam the Record Man into the history books. Where am I going to shop when I get to Toronto now? HMV I guess!

mid-November...brrrr!

Here it is in the 2nd half of November. The Grey Cup is only a week away. Winnipeg & Saskatchewan? Hmmm. We've seen the first of the snow, but certainly not the last of it! Took a trip up to St.Jacob's on the weekend, bought another hand-made broom (you can't beat 'em!). Went to see the Steve Strongman Band a week or so ago. Excellent show. Sure he looks like the guy from ScoobyDoo but man he makes that guitar smoke!
New music from Ray Davies! They were giving the new CD (Working Man's Cafe) away with the newspaper over 'ome, and a friend sent me one. Good stuff. I remember seeing the Kinks one night at Maple Leaf Gardens Concert Bowl. We had seats up in the greys! So everything was way small! Except the volume! Rockin'!
Then last week the Beatles' second movie HELP! was issued on DVD. The sales clerk at Future Shop said, "What's that?" I said, "It's the Beatles' 2nd movie." "Oh, I didn't know the Beatles made movies." Well...I took it home and watched the documentaries, because I knew what would happen if I watched the feature! And sure enough...after about a hlaf hour I dozed off, woke up in time to catch the exciting conclusion, but...it's no A Hard Day's Night that's for sure.
James Taylor released a CD/DVD package on Starbuck's Hear-Music label (like Joni Mitchell and Paul McCartney). It's called One Man Band and features stripped down versions of his classic tunes. The movie is watchable, kind of fun, with James's folksy ways, and his odd sense of humour. As always...great playing.
I bought a copy of Bernie Leadon's most recent album. Mirror comes in two editions, regular, and limited. I bought the limited, signed edition. Bernie was an Eagle way back when, but here he sounds almost Nick Lowe-ish. Good guitar playing, some intriguing songs and vocals from Emmylou Harris. Ken Whiteley's One World Dance is a dandy collection of blues and folk. Led Zeppelin's 2 disc best of is called Mothership, and is all the Zep anybody really needs. The Bob Dylan film footage from three Newport Folk Festivals has been edited together to make a fascinating study of the early Bob from shy folksinger to radical rocker. Don't miss the Other Side of the Mirror.
I just re-read the first Rebus novel by Ian Rankin. Knots & Crosses has been re-issued in an anniversary edition, and it's a cracking good tale, but long time Rebus fans will notice how much our lad has changed from then to now. Well, haven't we all!

news...

The Eagles. It's called Long Road Out of Eden, and comes in a cardboard sleeve, not unlike a double vinyl package. Two CDs and a lyric booklet (which is seriously hard to read). Why do people print song lyrics in long square formats with designs as line breaks? Why do they do it? OK...it reduces the carbon footprint by using less paper (I guess) but what's the point? Who's going to take the time to read these lyrics? They're not numbered, so you're listening to the album and you think, "Hmmm, what was that line?" then you have to check the CD player for what number the track is, look on the back cover for the title that goes with that number, then look in the booklet for the correct lyric. You can't just say, "it's the 2nd verse" because the lyrics are printed in this full page block! So...what's the point? And...obviously, Henley and Frey want us to read the lyrics because they've made so many political comments.
Why is this CD only available at WalMart? You know, when WalMart came to Canada, they used a lot of leverage to stop other department stores from being built in the neighborhood, they paid their employees low wages, etc. You've heard it all before.
Ah well...back to the album. The photos are all from out of Eden...deserts, dunes, clear cut logs, and the four Eagles. The songs? Well, they sound just like the Eagles. It's been 28 years or so since the last time they put out an album...but all the solo stuff and changes in the music world over those three decades have had no impact on the Eagles at all. In fact, it sounds like a Greatest Hits album...with songs you don't quite remember. So...I guess the point is...if you liked 'em then...you'll like 'em now. And $10.88 for a double CD is pretty good...even if you have to go to WalMart to buy it!

where've you been?

I've been right here...but busy. Sorry for the delay in getting back to blogging. Sure, it seems simple, every day you just write down what's been happening...but did you ever stop to think...if something's happening...you're too busy to write about it!
Hmmm.
Anyway...I'm listening to Neil Young's Chrome Dreams II right now. "Ordinary People" is the track, and Neil is jamming the beejeebers out of that note again! Nu-nu-nu-nu,nu,nu,nu-nu-nu-nuuuuuu!!! Gotta love that. Just received my free copy of Ray Davies' Working Man's Cafe, which was given away in the Sunday Times last weekend. My friend and fellow Rylander Jerry managed to score me a copy. (Thanks Jerry) It's a good album, ten songs by the former Kink, which show that Ray still has what it takes and we've always loved his voice (admit it!) The recent DYLAN box is a decent collection, especially for people who want to start a Dylan collection. Not one rare or unreleased track (ok, "Blind Willie McTell" might rate as hard tofind...but it's been available on an official Dylan album before this) but altogether a satisfying bunch of Bob's songs. And I got the special deluxe box (for a great price at Indigo!). Whether or not these are actually Bob's greatest songs...well...that's not for me to say. Many of his best songs are included.
Reading Paul Myers' It Ain't Easy, the biography of Long John Baldry. And it's a good read. Baldry was one of those guys whose music was pretty much in the background but his impact on the scene was more through the success of band members like Rod Stewart & Elton John. Nevertheless...he made some enjoyable records, and...he lived in Dundas for a while, just up the road. Last time I saw him...he opened for the Beach Boys, and sang a duet with Kathi MacDonald.
Clapton's autobiography is a bit like a chat with an old friend. Quite a pleasant way to hear about drug and alcohol abuse. Patti Boyd's book covers much of the same ground. The most unpleasant biography I've read recently is Billy Joel by Mark Bego. I'm really not sure how Mark Bego gets these book deals, the guy can hardly put together a coherent sentence. And Billy Joel comes across like a complete jerk.
The Eagles new CD comes out today, only at Walmart. An exclusive deal! They said on the radio that it's because Walmart impressed Henley and Frey with their devotion to "leaving a smaller carbon footprint"...uh-huh! No comment.

DVDs...

There has been a flurry of posts on the Rylander Discussion Group because British TV was showing the Ry Cooder session on Old Grey Whistle Test. This show was taped in 1977, and features the Chicken Skin Band. They are pretty hot as they work their way through "Tattler," "Dark End of the Street," Jesus On the Mainline," "Do-Re-Mi," "Goodnight Irene," "He'll Have To Go," and "Smack Dab In the Middle." Awesome. I was able to get a DVD copy of this show in a trade I made with an English collector a couple of years back. Also there is a second DVD, called Ry Cooder on the BBC-TV. It seems to be an episode of Later On with Jools Holland and includes two tracks from the OGWT show of '77 ("Smack Dab..." & ""He'll Have To Go"), 2 from an OGWT in 1973 ("Vigilante Man" & "Goin' to Brownsville"), 2 from OGWT in 1982 ("How Can a Poor Man..." & "The Very Thing That Makes You Rich") and 2 from The Late Show in 1990 (Little Village's "Fool Who Knows" and "Rattlin' King Snake" with John Lee Hooker). It even includes all the ads, which make for really entertaining viewing!
Quality is good. We started a trading pyramid on the Rylander Discussion Group for interested traders.
Other DVDs I have include the Pahinui Brothers show, taken from a VHS-tape from Hawaii (includes a cool documentary about Gabby), the Chavez Ravine film, Ry on Rockpalast, and Les Blanc's extraordinary documentary of Ry's Moula Banda at the Catalyst.
I hear rumours that David Lindley has a DVD forthcoming. That'll be a goodun! Maybe Ry will finally release an official DVD one of these days...until he does...it's boots for me!

first posting of October...

Good morning!
It feels like autumn today.
There's another batch of new CDs and I bought a few of 'em.
The new Springsteen, Magic, is packaged in a mini LP gatefold cover, very attractive. First recording with the E Street Band since The Rising, and more lively than that one. On first listen I'd have to say that Bruce picked up some tips from the Seeger Sessions. "Radio Nowhere" sounds like a classic.
JJ Cale's Rewind is a selection of archival recordings from the early days. Excellent album, and no surprises. The Shelter years established JJ's sound and as one might expect these are lazy grooves with Cale's mellow mumble, and nifty guitar picking. I can't get enough of this guy. New or old...it's JJ Cale!
The Very Best of Mick Jagger does a good job of finding the one or two good songs from his non-Stones output. There were always a couple of gooduns on his albums, and for the most part...he (and Atlantic/Rhino) has made the same choices I would've. "Memo From Turner", ""Don't Look Back" (with Peter Tosh), "Just Another Night" and the duet with Bowie on "Dancing In The Streets" are all here, as well as the unreleased (John Lennon produced) "Too Many Cooks". A good collection, but look for the deluxe edition with the DVD...I couldn't find it!
Have a good Canadian Thanksgiving, and look for the new autobiography by Eric Clapton next Tuesday.
Oh, and the new Steve Earle washington square serenade, is getting a lot of play around here.
For Beatles fans. While you're waiting for the release of HELP! on DVD (Nov.6), and The McCartney Years (3 DVDs on Nov.13) check out this web site http://www.beatle-web.com/indexbw.htm for a delightful cartoon history of Beatlemania!
There are two more print Rylanders in the can, so if you're a subscriber look for mailings later this month, and again just before Christmas.

New CDs...

We must be gearing up for Christmas! There have been some really interesting releases in the last couple of weeks (and next Tuesday holds quite a bit of promise). Mark Knopfler's kill to get crimson arrived last week. It's a fairly subdued album featuring some intriguing lyrics and music that's beautifully played and recorded if a bit soporific. Of course, if you're REALLY having trouble getting to sleep, try the new Raul Malo! Zzzzzz!
Joni Mitchell was just inducted into the Canadian Songwriters' Hall of Fame (last night on CBC) and her new CD arrived (at Starbucks) the same day! I downloaded it (all legal-like) from eMusic, and I'm glad I did. Saved some dough! It's dull, samey, and precise. Again...a beautiful
sonic sheen covering up...a tired Joni. Shine is not Blue, whatever they tell you. And who needs another version of "Big Yellow Taxi"?
Goin' Home is a double CD sub-titled a Tribute to Fats Domino. Now here's a guy who deserves a tribute. The recent biography Blue Monday gave me a new appreciation for Antoine. And his recent album Alive and Kicking rocks like crazy! This one spreads new versions of Fats's tunes across 2 CDs and features people like Tom Petty, Paul McCartney, Taj Mahal, BB King, Robbie Robertson, and a bunch of Crescent City denizens too! I like it!
I also enjoyed the new Steve Earle disc washington square serenade. It's rootsy, and acoustic, lots of guitars, and mandolins and Steve's rugged vocals.
A new DVD came along too, The Best of the Johnny Cash TV Show. This is just some of the musical guests, hand-picked by Johnny for his 1969-71 variety show. I recall watching many of these when I was a mere boy! I specifically remember Bob Dylan's appearance. The version included here seems far grainier than the rest, and looks as though it comes from a different source. My complaint with this set is that in the opening scenes they show artists who don't appear in the programme. They show James Taylor a couple of times, for instance, but his efforts are not included.
The David Gilmour concert DVD is still getting lots of play at home! Called Remember That Night it certainly helps this viewer remember the night at Massey Hall in Toronto. And the bonus footage is quite interesting too.