Blog Archives

LEAVING ON A HIGH NOTE

7/30/2011

O HOLY NIGHT/THE DAVID CROWDER*BAND (2010 Free Download from the band)

Everyone familiar with the group was thrilled to discover The David Crowder*Band would be releasing a Christmas album for the 2011 holiday season. But "Oh For Joy" is tinged with sadness as it will signal that the end is drawing near. The David Crowder*Band announced on their web site at the end of May that they're calling it quits.

Crowder began the Christian Rock group while attending Baylor University in the late 90s. He'd noticed that more than half of the students of the school did not attend church which, as Baylor was a Christian university, seemed odd. So he and friend Chris Seay founded the University Baptist Church where Crowder would lead worship services. As time went on, he began writing songs to incorporate into services. The congregation grew. So did the band.

The band's music combines Christian messages, rock and pop rhythms, and a combination of electric and acoustic instrumentation, giving them a unique sound that manages to be comfortable to fans of genres as diverse as Rock, Bluegrass, and Ambient.

A dozen years, 6 albums, 7 Dove Awards, and one Grammy later, The David Crowder*Band is bringing down the curtain. More time for family, returning to school, writing and playing music with other people--the band members have all decided that their work as a unit is done. For now at least. But they've arranged to go out in true celebratory fashion--with a huge final tour (Ocean Grove, New Jersey today; cool!), the Christmas album, and, presumably before the end of the year, their final album "Requiem". Soon after 2011 becomes 2012, The David Crowder*Band will no longer exist beyond the grooves of the records already issued and the memories of their fans.

"Oh For Joy" will be released on October 4. The track list (not necessarily final) follows. And, for the moment, the band's free 2010 Christmas download of "O Holy Night" is still available (just click on David's Santa hat to download...it's the red one).

Joy To The World
Go Tell It On The Mountain
The First Noel
O Holy Night
O Come O Come Emmanuel
Angels We Have Heard On High
Silent Night
Carol Of The Bells/Christmas In Sarajevo

0 Comments

JUDITH OWEN - CHRISTMAS WITH THE DEVIL

7/29/2011

0 Comments

It's hot as Hell in the American South today--triple digits here in North Carolina. That's Christmas In July for you. Seemed like a good time for a cool jazz version of Spinal Tap's "Christmas With The Devil" as performed by Judith Owen. You can find this one, as it happens, on Judith's "Christmas In July" album from 2005. And, yes, that really is Harry Shearer (aka Derek Smalls) lending a devilish hand on the stand-up bass.

0 Comments

AUGUST BURNS RED (AND THEN SOME)

7/29/2011

0 Comments

There's little doubt that the hottest band in Metalcore right now is August Burns Red. And with good reason. August Burns Red is presently as good as, if not better than, any Metal act in the game, featuring brilliant brutality in every pounding note, absolutely crushing vocals, intelligent and well-crafted lyrics, and their uniquely odd time signatures. The band has matured greatly over their last four albums, honed their craft to the sharpest of edges. August Burns Red have mastered the metal beast and they are at the very pinnacle of their creative arc. The band's most recent album, "Leveler", was released at the end of June and immediatedly debuted at #1 on Billboard's Hard Rock and Christian charts, #11 on their album charts, and #1 on iTunes Rock charts. At a time when music sales are down across the board, August Burns Red is selling more.

In recent years, August Burns Red has made an annual tradition of putting their own spin on holiday classics. So far, the band has given us re-imaginings of "Carol Of The Bells", "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" and, last year, "Little Drummer Boy". The whole tradition, however, was born from the group's desire to record a full Christmas album. Not long ago, on a Christian new release site, we spotted the name of August Burns Red on the schedule for October 18...and the listing reads "Christmas TBD". Now, needless to say, what with "Leveler" being barely a month old and the debut of the band's latest video earlier this week, there's not a word about a Christmas album on either the group's site nor the label's. But word in the hard rock forums is that this will be the full Christmas album we've been waiting for. And, who knows, we might even get an original song or two. We'll keep our eyes and ears open for you.

Country duo Joey + Rory have released the details of their holiday effort. "A Farmhouse Christmas" has been given an October 11 release date by Vanguard/Sugar Hill.

For the most part, the couple shunned traditional classics for original material. Only "Blue Christmas" and "Away In A Manger" come from the standard catalog that makes up the bulk of most Christmas albums. "Some people might wonder why we haven't filled this record with more of the Christmas standards," says Rory. "Well, the truth is, we feel like that's what everyone seems to do, and we'd rather try to add a new song or two to the list of holiday classics that people listen to every Christmas, rather than just give them another take on the songs we all know and love."

The album will also feature Joey + Rory's Christmas single from 2009 "It's Christmas Time" and one familiar tune that's not generally considered a Christmas song (except by Xmas music maniacs like us), Merle Haggard's "If We Make It Through December". And Merle, himself, is along for the ride. "We can't begin to tell you what an honor it is to have Merle singing on it with us," Joey says. "There are some dreams that even when they come true, you still think you must be dreaming... and this is one." (Speaking of Merle Haggard, by the way, he has a new album of his own due out on October 4. And, if you hurry, you can get the title track, "Working In Tennessee", as a free download.)

If you've listened to Joey + Rory a bit, you can almost hear some of the songs just from hearing the titles. "What The Hell, It's The Holidays", "Let It Snow (Somewhere Else)", and "Another Wonderful Christmas" sound like tailor-made Joey + Rory romps, while "Diamond O", "Remember Me", and "The Gift" seem likely to be powerful ballads in the hands--and voices--of the married couple.

In all, Joey + Rory released 11 of the 12 track titles. Somehow, the press people always seem to leave one out. Wonder if that's deliberate. Or maybe there's a title track. Anyway, in no particular order, here are the 11 song titles we have:
It's Christmas Time
Another Wonderful Christmas
I Know What Santa's Getting For Christmas
Blue Christmas
Remember Me
The Diamond O
What The Hell, It's The Holidays
Let It Snow (Somewhere Else)
If We Make It Through December (with Merle Haggard)
Away In A Manger
The Gift

Americana music has really taken hold in the last few years and it might be because many of the acts in the single genre categories--pop, rock, and country--have started to sound alike. Sure, you've got your grizzled veterans, a smattering of real stars, and one or two legitimate originals, but many of the acts charting today will have career shelf lives of, oh, about 20 minutes.

Eve Selis is one of a kind and she's been writing, recording, and singing the music she loves for over 20 years. She's been called "The Queen of Roadhouse Rock" and her music fits perfectly in the heart of the genre that's come to be known as Americana. The music made by Eve Selis and her band has texture--something sadly lacking from a lot of the pre-fab American Idol/Glee chart factories. She rocks, she rolls, she twangs, she sings stories, she's got soul. And the music she writes with Mark "Twang" Intravaia is some pretty amazing and memorable stuff.

Selis and Twang have been writing together since 1991 when the band was known as King's Road. They've had their encounters with the major labels, in Nashville and elsewhere, but usually they were only interested in Selis if she would become someone that she wasn't and record music she didn't believe in.

Of course, we wouldn't be telling you about Eve Selis is she wasn't working on a new Christmas album that should be released later this year. And it won't be her first. Back in 2002, Eve and the band released an acoustic holiday set, "When Wishes Come True", a nice mix of seasonal favorites capped off with the beautiful title track original. For something a little folkier, she also covered Steve Earle's immortal "Christmas In Washington" on "Long Road Home" two years earlier. With nearly ten more years in the rear-view mirror, everyone was pretty well agreed it was time for a new one.

Not too many details available just yet--the band is already busy working on their next non-holiday effort due sometime next year--but Eve promises the album will include "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" and "A Baby Changes Everything"--two songs from her live Christmas set that are particular fan favorites. Stop by the Eve Selis web site, "home of Eve's Prairie Warehouse and Curio Emporium", to learn more about her music and pick up a few free downloads.

Let's see. What else we got? Multi-talented Kelli Trottier is working on a Christmas album that she hopes to have finished by the end of October. Trottier has been a key member of the Celtic performance band Bowfire and was a featured performer on several tracks on their 2010 Christmas album "Holiday Heart Strings". Trottier is an award winning violinist and her previous solo albums have featured a wide range of musical styles--from Celtic to bluegrass to pop to neo-Classical. And she sings, too! Quite beautifully in fact. I won't even mention the step dancing. Check her album "Now", for instance--wonderful stuff. The Christmas album will feature both vocal and instrumental work.

Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland has announced that he's finally finished his Christmas record, tentatively titled "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year", which was originally slated for release last year.

Tommy Emmanuel has been playing professionally since 1962 (he was 6 at the time). A student of Chet Atkins "finger-picking" style, Tommy is widely regarded as the greatest acoustic guitar player alive. And, finally, he's getting around to recording a Christmas album.

Jimmie Van Zant, cousin to the late Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd fame and a well established southern rocker in his own right, says he's working on a Christmas album for 2012. “There won’t be any ‘Jingle Bells,’" Van Zant told the Mount Airy News. “We’re actually writing some Christmas songs.”

Deana Martin, daughter of the late Dean Martin, is recording a Christmas album. It's one of several projects on her agenda at present. Deana has been singing the music made famous by her father and the rest of the Rat Pack, even recording a duet with Jerry Lewis several years back. One would expect the Christmas album to be in the same vein.

If you haven't already done so, you should stop by the Free List and check out the unique and stirring album from The Opiate Mass. It's a cross between Alternative Rock and Liturgical church music. I think you'll like it. I did.

Oh, and then there's this.

OK. We only get to hear about ten seconds, but Chicago sure sounds good. Expect more details on "O Christmas Three" in the near future.

0 Comments

CHRISTMAS CAROLE

7/27/2011

0 Comments

Carole King has released more details about her forthcoming Christmas album. "A Holiday Carole" is now set for release on November 1, a week later than earlier reported. Daughter Louise Goffin produced the set and co-wrote three originals, "Christmas In The Air", "New Year's Day", and the Latin infused "Christmas In Paradise". Carole, herself, did not write any songs from the album, but did put her imprint on every song selected.

King points to the album's "Chanukah Prayer" as a personal highlight. The traditional song was taught to Carole by her parents when she was young and has been given a warm jazz influenced arrangement. Carole shares vocals on "Chanukah Prayer" with both her daughter and grandson.

The Christmas album fits snuggly between Carole's tour and album with James Taylor last year and the release next year of her memoir.

You can sign up at Amazon to be notified when "A Holiday Carole" will be available for preorder. Here's the full track listing as released today by Carole King and Shorefire Media:

1. My Favorite Things (Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers)
2. Carol of the Bells (Mykola Leontovych)
3. Sleigh Ride (Leroy Anderson and Mitchell Paris)
4. Christmas Paradise (Louise Goffin, George Noriega and Jodi Marr)
5. Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday (William Bell and Booker T. Jones)
6. Chanukah Prayer (Traditional, Arrangement by Louise Goffin and Lee Curreri)
7. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin)
8. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (Irving Berlin)
9. Christmas In The Air (Louise Goffin and Jodi Marr)
10. Do You Hear What I Hear (Gloria Shayne and Noel Regney)
11. This Christmas (Donny Hathaway and Nadine McKinnor)
12. New Year's Day (Louise Goffin and Guy Chambers)

0 Comments

DAN PEEK (1950 - 2011)

7/27/2011

1 Comment

THE STAR/DAN PEEK (On This Christmas Night)

We lost yet another past master of Classic Rock on Sunday when Dan Peek passed away at the age of 60. The cause of death was not immediately available.

Born in Florida, Dan Peek was the son of an American father and British mother. Like the other founding members of the group America, Dewey Bunnell and Gary Beckley, Peek's father was in the military and stationed at an Air Force base in London in the mid-60s. The trio met at London Central High School--three military brats playing music and having fun. The three officially formed America in 1970 when they were just out of high school. They dubbed themselves America and began exploring an acoustic rock sound centered on close harmonies in the vein of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young who were among the hottest acts going at the time.

America's debut album, recorded in London in 1971, was modestly successful but far from a breakout smash. The group returned to the studio to lay down a few more songs, one of which would become "A Horse With No Name". "A Horse With No Name" took hold, becoming a worldwide hit. America's debut album was rereleased with the addition of the million selling single and quickly went platinum. America's follow up, "Homecoming", containing the Top Ten single "Ventura Highway", also went platinum.

Although all 3 wrote for the group and alternated lead vocals, Peek is most closely associated with "Lonely People", a Top 5 single from 1974, that he wrote with his wife Catherine shortly after their wedding. The couple were still married at the time of Dan's death.

In 1977, Dan felt burned out from the road and from drug use and left America to take his life in a different direction. Peek turned to Christianity and his music took a turn to the spiritual. He signed with Pat Boone's Lamb & Lion label and his first solo release, 1979's "All Things Are Possible", spent 13 weeks atop the Contemporary Christian charts. After a decade of hits, major and minor, on the Christian charts, Peek went into semi-retirement in Florida, occasionally releasing digital music through his web site. He never reunited with Beckley and Bunnell, though there was no animosity between them...it just wasn't in the cards.

America's Christmas album was recorded decades after Peek had left the group, but he, in fact, beat America to a Christmas record--writing and recording "The Star" for the 1979 MCA album "On This Christmas Night". In 2000, Peek returned to the Christmas theme with an instrumental steel drum album, "Caribbean Christmas". And my mind keeps telling me that he turns up on another Christian Christmas record somewhere, but I can't find any reference to such a thing anywhere.

BILL MORRISSEY (1951 - 2011)

photo by Herve Oudet

A truly American voice, Bill Morrissey, is gone. The singer and songwriter passed away over the weekend in a Georgia motel room where he was staying, a final stop before heading home to New Hampshire following a series of concert dates in the south. The autopsy listed heart disease as the cause of death. Bill Morrissey was 59.

Bill Morrissey was born in Connecticut, but found a home in New Hampshire which served as something of a muse for him, as he wrote song after song about small town New England life. He released ten albums during his lifetime (not counting his "Essential Collection"), two of which were nominated for Grammy Awards. Morrissey's music explored the larger themes of life and love through small slices of American life. His songs and stories were filled with the humor and heartbreak of the human condition. His attention to detail was uncanny.

Among the songs most loved by his fans are "Small Town On The River" (about what happens to a small town when the mill closes), "Off White" (a proposal to his wife, companion, and manager), "Last Day Of The Last Furlough", and, for humor with a side of hopeful irony, "Letter From Heaven" from the 1993 album "Night Train".

“And me, I couldn’t be happier
The service here is fine
They’ve got dinner ready at half-past nine
And I’m going steady with Patsy Cline
And just last night in a bar room
I bought Robert Johnson a beer
Yeah, I know, everybody’s always surprised to find him here
It’s a great life in heaven
It’s better than the Bible said
It’s a great life here in heaven
It’s a great life when you’re dead.”

It's a shame there's no Christmas music in Bill's discography, though he did record a few songs with winter settings. One of those (as it happens) is my absolute favorite Bill Morrissey song. Also from the album "Night Train", here is "Birches":

JOE ARROYO (1955 - 2011)

Singer, songwriter and Salsa icon Joe Arroyo died Tuesday, July 26, after suffering multiple organ failure. He was 56. Alvaro José Arroyo Gonzalez was born in Cartagena, Columbia in 1955 in a poor family, one of at least 39 children (siblings and half-siblings). Joe Arroyo went on to become "Chonero de la Salsa" (which I believe means "Salsa Master", but don't quote me). Arroyo was originally discovered by a local piano teacher who spotted him in a local choir. His "big break" came in 1971 when he joined Fruko y sus Tesos, a group that was soon to become Columbia's most popular Salsa band. After a brief stint with another Columbian Salsa band, The Latin Brothers, Joe struck out on his own in 1981, fronting a band he named La Verdad ("the truth"). Exploring and mixing various Caribbean music--Soca, Zouk, African Diaspora, etc.--Joe essentially created his own unique sound and style (called "joeson"). Among his many recordings, "Rebelión (No Le Pegue A La Negra)" is considered among the greatest Salsa songs ever. Joe Arroyo will be posthumously awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Latin Grammys this November.

I am completely unfamiliar with Mr. Arroyo's discography. However, the Christmas recording that seems to turn up frequently is "El Nino Dios", available on several compilations including "20 Exitos de Diciembre y Navidad".

1 Comment

NOT THE FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK

7/26/2011

0 Comments

Christmas albums from the artists you grew up with are fun and Christmas albums from the artists currently topping the charts deservingly draw the most attention. Others, I know, live and die by reissues of the classic Christmas albums from years gone by. But Christmas albums from artists on the rise are what really set my holiday lights a-blinkin'.

Jon Lindsay (not the former Mayor of New York) is just such an artist. Born in Portland, Oregon and working out of North Carolina, this rising Indie PowerPop singer/songwriter boasts teen idol good looks, an incredible ability for writing intelligent pop melodies and lyrics, a sound that's part Paul McCartney and part Alex Chilton, and a voice that author Carol Anshaw described as being "like the lost Everly Brother."

Lindsay arrived on the scene with The Young Sons, a band he co-founded in 2007. Then came stints with Benji Hughes and Nicole Atkins and, finally, his solo debut in 2009--the 5 song "Magic Winter & The Dirty South". The release of Lindsay's first full-length album last year, "Escape From Plaza-Midwood", was greeted with nearly universal and enthusiastic praise. "Escape From Plaza-Midwood," writes Tim Davis of Shuffle Magazine, "comes as close as any regional record in recent memory to rendering what it means to be alive."

Jon Lindsay's new album, "Summer Wilderness Program", should be available by the fall. His current side-project The Catch Fire has an album due soon as well. And now comes word that Lindsay is working on a Christmas album. No one is saying the Christmas album will be released this year, but it's bound to be among the highlights of any year which sees its release.

Jon Lindsay is the total package. And his star has only just begun to rise. We'll keep tabs on this one for you and, in the meantime, stop by Jon's website and download his package of four free songs from the critically acclaimed "Escape From Plaza-Midwood".

0 Comments

AMY WINEHOUSE (1983 - 2011)

7/23/2011

0 Comments

The Guardian UK is reporting that singer Amy Winehouse, just 27 years old, was found dead in her London apartment this afternoon.

Winehouse rose to prominence with her heavily jazz and R&B influenced roots music. Her 2003 debut, "Frank", was well received by critics, but it was her 2006 CD, "Back To Black" that earned Winehouse 5 Grammy Awards--including Best New Artist and Record Of The Year.

Following the success of "Back To Black", however, Winehouse experienced a string of difficulties with drugs and alcohol, her health, and the law. Winehouse had only recently reemerged and was performing again but, following a June concert in which she was booed heavily, Winehouse cancelled the remainder of her European tour.

Winehouse was said to be preparing material for her follow up album and, most recently, was selected by Tony Bennett to record a track with him for his upcoming "Duets II" CD, expected to be released in September.

Winehouse had often spoken about recording a Christmas album, however the only holiday track we have from her was taken from a television show performance a few years back. Amy's take on "I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus" was included on the 2008 Dutch collection "The Best Of Christmas".

Here is a fan video/slideshow of Amy's Christmas song.

0 Comments

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

7/21/2011

1 Comment

We have been asked to remove the photo of Jim Brickman and our link to the song "FaLaLa" and have done so.

1 Comment

JOE LEE WILSON (1935 - 2011)

7/20/2011

0 Comments

photo by Dave Redfern

One of the world's great Jazz singers, Joe Lee Wilson, passed away Sunday at the age of 75. Wilson sang very much in the tradition of late Jazz legend Joe Williams, though he didn't achieve the same level of fame. Wilson recorded as part of sax man Archie Shepp's band and then as leader of his own groups, Plus Five and Joy of Jazz. Wilson's discography isn't long, but what there is is choice.

Wilson never recorded any holiday music, as far as I can determine. Probably the closest thing to a Christmas record would be the song "Thoughts Of The Season"--a Gospel tinged praise selection that appears on the 2001 album "Feelin' Good".

The clip above is from November 2010 on the occasion of Joe Lee's induction into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame.

LEAVING ON A HIGH NOTE

JUDITH OWEN - CHRISTMAS WITH THE DEVIL

AUGUST BURNS RED (AND THEN SOME)

CHRISTMAS CAROLE

DAN PEEK (1950 - 2011)

NOT THE FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK

AMY WINEHOUSE (1983 - 2011)

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

JOE LEE WILSON (1935 - 2011)

SWINGING JAZZMAS HOLIDAY EXTRAVAPLOSION

About us

FestiveFriends

The Twitters

Archives

Categories