Just Released - 2013 [Ep.10]

This week on Just Released with Bill Riner & Brandon Stewart:

“The four kings of EMI are sitting stately on the floor,

 There are birds out on the sidewalk and a valet at the door…”

                                               “Randy Scouse Git” – The Monkees (1967)

When Monkees’ vocalist and drummer Micky Dolenz composed “Randy Scouse Git” for his band’s album, ‘Headquarters’ back in 1967, he was not aware the title might be slightly offensive to folk from Liverpool. Doubtful too, he ever thought he might re-record that song in a radically deconstructed form, some 45 years into the future. On his latest solo album, ‘Remember’, Micky revisits a few old Monkees tunes in similar fashion. (The four kings of EMI in the above lyric were, incidentally, The Beatles: the group in whose image The Monkees had been ‘constructed’ in the first place.)

In this edition of JR it’s not just Micky Dolenz who’s been stirring up dust on the Comeback Trail.  Deep Purple are set to return at the end of April with their umpteenth album, ‘NOW What?!’ The title may be a valid question, in light of last year’s passing of founding member and keyboardist, Jon Lord. Another English band known for its stark resilience is Depeche Mode, back with a new album and a new label.

Our diligent monitoring of the world online also turned up a few surprises this week by way of an indie singer/songwriter from Los Angeles known simply as Banks (yeah, try Googling that with any confidence). The darkness of her single, “Before I Ever Knew You” was also evident in a new song from Perth’s Georgi Kay. Compelling and unsettling at the same time, Georgi’s song, “Ipswich” is not the kind of tune you’d normally expect from a singer who is barely in her 20s.

On the cheerier side, we preview the forthcoming Iron & Wine album (‘Ghost On Ghost’) on which singer/songwriter, Sam Beam (playing with a full band), sounds positively upbeat for a change. And then there’s the very 21^st century group known as The Grooveatech Orchestra. Members of this collective are spread all around the globe but still manage to work together (and keep the groove alive) with the help of a little modern technology.

We also go back to our Roots in this edition with some urbane Country from Texan singer/songwriter Kacey Musgraves, some authentic Bluegrass from Edie Brickell & Steve Martin and find clear evidence (as if it were needed) that Joe Bonamassa is every bit as gifted as an acoustic guitarist as he is whenever he plugs in.

Depeche Mode: “Soothe My Soul” (from the album, ‘Delta Machine’)

Iron & Wine: “Grace For Saints And Ramblers” (preview from the album, ‘Ghost On Ghost’)

Billy Bragg: “No One Knows Nothing Anymore” (from the album, ‘Tooth & Nail’)

Banks: “Before I Ever Knew You” (independent single)

Georgi Kay: “Ipswich” (new single)

Grooveatech Orchestra: “One More Time” (digital single)

Kacey Musgraves: “Merry Go ‘Round” (from the album, ‘Same Trailer, Different Park’)

Edie Brickell & Steve Martin: “Love Has Come For You” (preview from the album, ‘Love Has Come For You’)

Micky Dolenz: “Randy Scouse Git (Alternate Title)” (from the album, ‘Remember’)

Joe Bonamassa: “Athens To Athens” (from the album, ‘An Acoustic Evening At The Vienna Opera House’)

Deep Purple: “Hell To Pay” (preview from the album, ‘NOW What?!’)

Just Released is heard Saturdays at 12pm and Sundays at 4pm (AEDT or AEST) on ABC Digital Radio in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, and via the streams of our metropolitan stations on the Gold Coast, in Newcastle, Hobart and Darwin.  You can also listen to the show during the week on ABC Dig Music Mondays @ 2pm, Wednesdays @ 8pm & Thursdays @ 11am (AEDT or AEST) and on Radio Australia throughout Asia & the Pacific.

 To stream Just Released on demand, connect to our web pages via the links above. …

 (or the shiny beast below): 

                                      Find 'Just Released' here.

               ♫

    ♫   {](-_-)[}   ♫         Thanks for listening.

Just Released - 2013 [Ep.9]

“Sift the noise,

Cause I can see it all in you…”

                                          [“Sift The Noise” – Skipping Girl Vinegar (2009)]

Setting off the JR Radar this week was news of the Adelaide-born, Sydney-educated, Melbourne-based and internationally-connected singer/songwriter, Krista Polvere. Her second album of raw Alt-Country will be out early next month. Produced by former Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford and with contributions from Ryan Adams (one of her biggest supporters), ‘Reservoir Drive’ brings the sound of Krista’s songs much closer to a live setting.

At the other end of the spectrum is the neo-Soul debut by English singer/songwriter, Laura Mvula. Her voice may occasionally conjure thoughts of Nina Simone but the music surrounding it challenges conventional description. One critic from the UK’s Guardian suggested ‘Gospeldelia’. That would be Gospel + Psychedelia. (No, really.)

Back in Australia for an appearance at Bluesfest is England’s Ben Howard, with “Only Love” from his current album now (re)issued as a single, while another new single from the UK this week comes from the Villagers album, ‘{Awayland}’.

Melbourne’s vibrant music scene is well represented in this edition with both the new single from Skipping Girl Vinegar (ahead of their appearance at Bluesfest) as well as the first collection of new songs in more than a decade from Underground Lovers.

With her album, ‘The Blue Room’ Madeleine Peyroux and producer, Larry Klein revisit the pattern (and to some extent, the songs) that shaped the landmark Ray Charles project ‘Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music’ half a century ago. With ‘The Blue Room’, Madeleine Peyroux has arrived at a lush and moody return to form.

Also making a convincing return with his album ‘Tooth & Nail’ is Billy Bragg. Dealing more with relationship politics than the politics of international affairs this time – but with Billy Bragg it’s going to be politics, all the same. However, the most astonishing and for that matter, challenging return in this edition comes from avant-garde art Rock veterans, Pere Ubu. The band’s music has both impressed and confounded listeners since the late ‘70s and with ‘Lady From Shanghai’ nothing seems to have changed.

Krista Polvere: “Jack And Me” (preview from the album, ‘Reservoir Drive’)

Laura Mvula: “Green Garden”/”Like The Morning Dew” (from the album, ‘Sing To The Moon’)

Ben Howard: “Only Love" (new single from the album, ‘Every Kingdom’)

Villagers: “Judgement Call” (new single from the album, ‘{Awayland}’)

Madeleine Peyroux: “Take These Chains”/”Born To Lose” (from the album, ‘The Blue Room’)

Billy Bragg: “Handy Man Blues” (from the album, ‘Tooth & Nail’)

Underground Lovers: “Au Pair” (from the album, ‘Weekend’)

Skipping Girl Vinegar: “Making Our Way” (new single)

Pere Ubu: “Feuksley Ma’am, The Hearing” (from the album, ‘Lady From Shanghai’)

Just Released is heard Saturdays at 12pm and Sundays at 4pm (AEDT or AEST) on ABC Digital Radio in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, and via the streams of our metropolitan stations on the Gold Coast, in Newcastle, Hobart and Darwin.  You can also listen to the show during the week on ABC Dig Music Mondays @ 2pm, Wednesdays @ 8pm & Thursdays @ 11am (AEDT or AEST) and on Radio Australia throughout Asia & the Pacific.

To stream Just Released on demand, connect to our web pages via the links above. .

 To stream Just Released on demand, connect to our web pages via the links above. …(or the shiny beast below): 

                                      Find 'Just Released' here.

               ♫

    ♫   {](-_-)[}   ♫         Thanks for listening.

Just Released - 2013 [Ep.8]

This week on Just Released with Bill Riner & Brandon Stewart:

Saturday 16^th & Sunday 17^th March 2013

“Burn it up, burn it down, let it burn across the town,

My heart will catch on fire when my firebug’s around …”,

                                                                        [“Firebug” – J.D. McPherson]

J.D. McPherson is not exactly the future of Rock ‘n’ Roll - but he represents the spirit of it’s past better than anyone else you’re likely to hear.  His music is no-frills analogue and absolutely authentic. McPherson’s reputation grows mostly by word of mouth. Since first hearing his album, ‘Signs And Signifiers’ we’ve become fans too. At the end of this month, J.D. McPherson will perform a few select Australian gigs for fortunate audiences in Melbourne, Sydney and Byron Bay’s Bluesfest. To coincide with his visit, “Firebug” has now been released as a single from his current album and we’re sharing it in this edition of JR.

Also appearing at Bluesfest this year is Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. The name may be relatively unknown to Australian audiences but the band has been a regular on the USA festival circuit for more than a decade.

Other new names featured in this week’s edition are those of Canadian star, Serena Ryder, American R&B singer Charles Bradley (aka ‘The Screaming Eagle Of Soul’) and an emerging Melbourne talent, Vance Joy.

A name much better known is that of Bob Evans, once again taking a break from his ‘other’ life as Kevin Mitchell of the Perth band, Jebediah to release his 4^th solo album, ‘Familiar Stranger’.

With our eye on the notable as well as the new, it seems only fitting that we pay tribute to a true Australian great in Russell Morris, whose current record, ‘Sharkmouth’ has made a convincing impression on the national album chart. A true labour of love, ‘Sharkmouth’ was recorded and released independently by Russell becoming his first long player to appear on the chart in 32 years. Respect.

And should you ever wonder what a 67 year-old legendary guitarist with nothing left to prove might choose to do on the first independently released album of his career, the answer is:  anything he damn well pleases.

On ‘Old Sock’, Eric Clapton is playing some old favourites. Some of them are even older than the man himself. Do we get some Reggae? Yes. How about an old-timey duet with Paul McCartney? Uh-huh. How about a Leadbelly Folk tune? Sure. But best of all, he’s still got the Blues. One of the album’s highlights is Eric’s tribute to the late Irish Blues guitarist, Gary Moore.  

Serena Ryder: “Stompa” (from the album, ‘Love And Harmony’)

Vance Joy: “Riptide” (from the EP, ‘God Loves You When You’re Dancing’)

Charles Bradley: “Strictly Reserved For You" (preview from the album, ‘Victim Of Love’)

J.D. McPherson: “Firebug” (from the album, ‘Signs & Signifiers’)

Russell Morris: “Sharkmouth” (from the album, ‘Sharkmouth’)

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals: “Stars” (from the album, ‘The Lion The Beast The Beat’)

Eric Clapton: “Gotta Get Over”/”Still Got The Blues (For You)” (from the album, ‘Old Sock’)

Bob Evans: “Wonderful You”/Maps” (from the album, ‘Familiar Stranger’)

Just Released is heard Saturdays at 12pm and Sundays at 4pm (AEDT or AEST) on ABC Digital Radio in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, and via the streams of our metropolitan stations on the Gold Coast, in Newcastle, Hobart and Darwin.  You can also listen to the show during the week on ABC Dig Music Mondays @ 2pm, Wednesdays @ 8pm & Thursdays @ 11am (AEDT or AEST) and on Radio Australia throughout Asia & the Pacific.

To stream Just Released on demand, connect to our web pages via the links above. .

 To stream Just Released on demand, connect to our web pages via the links above. …(or the shiny beast below): 

                                      Find 'Just Released' here.

               ♫

    ♫   {](-_-)[}   ♫         Thanks for listening.

Just Released - 2013 [Ep.7]

This week on Just Released with Bill Riner & Brandon Stewart:

Saturday 9^th & Sunday 10^th March 2013

“I’ve never done good things,

 I’ve never done bad things,

 I never did anything out of the blue …”,

                                                                        [“Ashes To Ashes” – David Bowie [1980]

Oh, yes, he did.

In his long career, David Bowie has done all of the above - and much more.

The “good things” weigh heavily in his favour, the “bad things” of course, are purely subjective (Tin Machine, anyone?) and as for “out of the blue”, ‘The Next Day’ fits that category, perfectly. The album is now out and in this edition of JR we give it some deeper consideration. ‘The Next Day’ may just be seeing first light but already there is talk of a possible follow-up being recorded later this year. Bowie is back.

In total, we spotted four horsemen on the Comeback Trail this week. Apart from Bowie we also heard from Eric Burdon, Boz Scaggs and James Hunter.

Now in his early 70s, Eric Burdon is in surprisingly good voice.Following an independently released EP late last year, Eric returns with a major album of original songs. Meanwhile, Boz Scaggs leaned on Memphis for both the sound - and the title of his new album, on which he revives songs by the late Willy DeVille, Moon Martin and Steely Dan. Acclaimed English R&B singer, James Hunter travelled to New York, to record his first album in 5 years. Recorded at Brooklyn’s Dap-Tone Studios (home of Sharon Jones) with his band, The James Hunter Six, it sounds to us like his best album yet.

It’s not all about vintage though. We also check out the debut album from young Perth band, San Cisco. Playing together since they were in High School (and now with an average age of 19), San Cisco is already attracting attention far beyond our shores.

Another young name to watch, this one from the world of (genuine) Country music is Caitlin Rose. Her second album, ‘The Stand-In’ shows this Nashville-based storyteller/song-crafter to be someone on the verge of a much more promising future.

David Bowie: “Valentine’s Day” (from the album, ‘The Next Day’)

Boz Scaggs: “Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl”/”Dry Spell” (from the album, ‘Memphis’)

San Cisco: “Beach”/”Awkward" (from the album, ‘San Cisco’)

Eric Burdon: “Devil And Jesus” (from the album, ‘’Til Your Well Runs Dry’)

David Bowie: “Boss Of Me” (from the album, ‘The Next Day’)

Caitlin Rose: “Pink Champagne”/”Golden Boy” (from the album, ‘The Stand-In’)

The James Hunter Six: “The Gypsy”/”Minute By Minute” (from the album, ‘Minute By Minute’)

David Bowie: “The Next Day” (from the album, ‘The Next Day’)

Just Released is heard Saturdays at 12pm and Sundays at 4pm (AEDT or AEST) on ABC Digital Radio in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, and via the streams of our metropolitan stations on the Gold Coast, in Newcastle, Hobart and Darwin.  You can also listen to the show during the week on ABC Dig Music Mondays @ 2pm, Wednesdays @ 8pm & Thursdays @ 11am (AEDT or AEST) and on Radio Australia throughout Asia & the Pacific.

To stream Just Released on demand, connect to our web pages via the links above. .

 To stream Just Released on demand, connect to our web pages via the links above. …(or the shiny beast below): 

                                               Find 'Just Released' here.

               ♫

    ♫   {](-_-)[}   ♫         Thanks for listening.