“Left Side” is the debut single from Endearments (a.k.a Kevin Marksson). The Brooklyn-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist began writing and composing by and for himself for the first time in fifteen years following the end of synth-pop duo Saint Marilyn in 2019. “Left Side” is definitely a way to start his single career strong.
Album Cover
The song itself is about how O.C.D. (Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder) affects Marksson and his relationships. The resulting track unspools unanswerable questions over mighty pulses from drummer Jonathan Schmidt and Marksson’s own multi-tracked vocals, which flicker, omnipresent and cool, around the edges of the song’s atmosphere. In this song the low-fi beat with his voice is one where you can just close your eyes and vibe out to.
This single has Marksson leaning into his obsessive tendencies pouring over every sound and lyric, tweaking every riff and arpeggiation to convey the inner workings of his mind: disorder and parallelism.
Photo Cred: Rita Iovine
His chosen name, Endearments, is because “I wanted the name to convey affection, even though I knew the music would almost certainly be sad.” Taking inspiration from auteurs like Peter Gabriel and Justin Vernon, Endearments’ lush sonics and careful songcraft reflect Marksson’s avowed status as a hardware-focused composer. Marksson is a longstanding accomplice in the Brooklyn indie rock scene.
The new album by The Tragically Hip, Saskadelphia, is a compilation of songs recorded by the band back in 1990. Recorded in New Orleans in an old mansion that looms over the neighborhood called Vieux Carré, better known as the French Quarter.
Saskadelphia album cover
The Canadian band that has gathered a large following over the years no longer put out new music after the sad death of their front man, Gord Downie. But the band is happy that they were able to put out a ‘new’ album for all of their fans.
With the only exception of ‘Montreal-Live’- you are able to feel the soul of New Orleans come out whether it be strong vocals or the instrumentals that seem to have a southern twist to them. This entire album comes out in perfect time for the summer one that can be played in the car with windows down and playing the drums on the steering wheel while listening to it.
Songs that stand out are “Ouch” and “Just As Well” that have vocals that could fit any country instrumental but are instead met with a harder rock sound that make them unique and frankly better than a lot of other bands. Then it transitions to “Reformed Baptist Blues” that keeps the country undertone but has a heavy classic rock sound.
Just two songs in, “Not Necessary,” is the best song on the album. This song brings back the angst of the early ’90s and late ’80s to now. This song could not only follow along with the trend of playing it in the car on a summer’s day but also could easily be the end to any classic high school movie.
The Tragically Hip’s album Saskadelphia is not only a blast from the past but has turned into a pleasant surprise that will be being played by all fans and hopefully some non-fans alike.
Key Tracks: Ouch, Not Necessary, Reformed Baptist Blues
One of rock journalism’s most experienced, insightful and productive writers, Joel Selvin, has created a fresh take on the telling of the birth of L.A. pop and the California dream of the ‘60s with his latest book, Hollywood Eden: Electric Guitars, Fast Cars and the Myth of the California Paradise.
When it comes to writing about rock music, and writing about it very well, few can match Selvin. From 1969 – 2009, he was a rock music critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, as well as a contributor to Rolling Stone, Melody Maker, the Los Angeles Times and many more. He has written or co-written excellent books on artists like Ricky Nelson, The Grateful Dead, Sly and the Family Stone and Sammy Hagar, events like Monterey Pop, The Summer of Love, Altamont and the birth of the dance craze The Peppermint Twist at one of the pioneering NYC club scenes, The Peppermint Lounge.
Joel Selvin, author.
With his masterful 2014 book, Here Comes the Night: The Dark Soul of Bert Berns and the Dirty Business of Rhythm and Blues, Selvin rescues from obscurity one of the most innovative producers/songwriters of the ‘60s, a man who was largely forgotten after his death in 1967 at age 38. Berns was the man who brought Latin swing to rock with his first hit production, “A Little Bit of Soap,” in 1961, as well as the architect of many of Atlantic Records’ early hits for R&B stars like Solomon Burke, Esther Phillips, Ben E. King and Wilson Pickett. Berns was also the writer of classics like “Twist and Shout,” “Piece of My Heart,” “Cry Baby” and “Hang on Sloopy,” and the producer of mega-hits like the Drifters’ “Under the Boardwalk,” Barbara Lewis “Baby I’m Yours” and Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl.”
If all his books have one thing in common, it is Selvin’s skill as a storyteller. His books read like someone spinning a long yarn around a campfire. They are incredibly rich in fact and scene-setting details, and compulsively readable. Hollywood Eden is cut from the same mold.
Selvin’s latest tells the story of a group of young musicians who came together at the dawn of the ‘60s to create the lasting sound that powered the myth of the California dream. Central to the saga is a group of sun-kissed teens from the University High School (Uni High) Class of ’58, which included surf music pioneers Jan and Dean, bizarro rock impresario Kim Fowley, drummer Sandy Nelson, Nancy Sinatra, the Beach Boys’ Bruce Johnston and Kathy Korner, the petite teen surfer who inspired the book and movie Gidget. They came of age in Southern California at the dawn of a new era when anything seemed possible. These were the kids who created the idea of modern Southern California, complete with surf music, hot-rods and electric guitars, that the rest of world saw as a teenage paradise on earth.
The forward to the book sets the Rock-n-Roll high school scenario by also listing the alumni of other schools, like Hawthorne High (Brian Wilson) and Fairfax High (Phil Spector, Herb Alpert, Wrecking Crew sax man Steve Douglas and songwriters P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri), sound-obsessed youngsters who would go on to revolutionize pop music. Some of the Angeleno legends referenced were native New Yorkers or had Big Apple connections, like the Mamas and the Papas and Phil Spector. With all their glorious accomplishments, some of the stories here end with the characters getting burned, for flying too close to the sun or driving too fast and crashing. The latter was the case for Sandy Nelson, who had a smash hit with the drum solo-driven instrumental “Teen Beat” and especially Jan Berry of Jan and Dean.
Berry is the worthy centerpiece of the story, another legend whose accomplishments are getting lost with the passing of time. Tall, blonde, handsome, athletic and with a magnetic personality, Berry’s adventures in music started in the late ‘50s, when he formed a doo-wop group called The Barons, which included folks like Sandy Nelson, Bruce Johnston, actor-to-be James Brolin and, of course, his partner-to-be Dean Torrence.
With his father’s gift of an upright piano and two Ampex reel-to-reel tape recorders, Berry set to experimenting in his garage. He started bouncing tracks and stacking vocals to create a sound that would become the signature of the sunny California dream, it would also serve as the template for a legendary musician he would come to work closely with, Brian Wilson.
When Torrence was conscripted into the army, Berry teamed up with Arnie Ginsburg and scored a hits, including “Jennie Lee” and “Gas Money” as Jan and Arnie. By 1959, he was back in business with Dean scoring a Top 10 hit with the Herb Alpert-produced “Baby Talk.” Even though he was attending medical school, Berry also had the energy to write and produce for other artists like The Rip Chords, The Matadors and actress-turned-singer Shelley Fabares.
Jan and Dean’s commercial peak was from 1963 – 1966, when they scored sixteen Top 40 hits, many in collaboration with Brian Wilson like the Wilson-Berry penned “Surf City,” along with “Drag City” and “The Little Old Lady from Pasadena.” Berry’s fate would be presaged with his #8 hit from 1964, “Dead Man’s Curve.” In April 1966, he would crash his speeding car right near this very curve and suffer serious brain damage and paralysis that would essentially put an end to his creative career.
Also noteworthy in Hollywood Eden is the fascinating career of Bruce Johnston. A child of privilege from Bel-Air, Johnston also made some major strides while still in high school, playing with Richie Valens, The Everly Brothers and Eddie Cochran and producing and playing on Sandy Nelson’s “Teen Beat.” He also produced the Rip Chords and his own string of surf and car singles, with future Byrds producer Terry Melcher. In 1965, he joined the Beach Boys and was featured on some of their classic albums like Pet Sounds, Sunflower and Surf’s Up.
Drummer Sandy Nelson’s story is another interesting one that was, like his good friend Berry’s, derailed by driving too fast. Nelson served as a session drummer on early hits by Phil Spector and the Hollywood Argyles, before scoring a million-selling, Billboard Top 5 hit with the drum solo driven “Teen Beat” in 1959. Nelson pounded out two more Top 10 hits, including “Let There Be Drums,” before a 1963 motorcycle accident led to the amputation of his leg.
Readers will also be intrigued by Selvin’s telling of the story of Nancy Sinatra. He tells how Ol’ Blue Eyes’ little girl went from nowhere in her singing career by playing the “good girl” before scoring a worldwide #1 as the “bad girl” who snarled “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.”
Selvin’s latest provides tons of enlightenment on the careers of more L.A. legends like performer/record company head Herb Alpert, the Mamas and the Papas and their producer Lou Adler, Phil Spector, Kim Fowley and, of course, Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys. The book ends with the release of Wilson’s crowning achievement, “Good Vibrations,” and beginning of his decline with the commercial failure of Pet Sounds and its abandoned follow-up Smile.
With America hopefully finally coming out of the long Covid-19 quarantine, Selvin’s Hollywood Eden will be a great summer read for music-lovers who want to experience the sunshine sounds and some California dreamin’.
First Generation, born in America, and sitting in the back of her Iranian parent’s car, coasting through Northern Virginia as they all sing along to “How can you mend a Broken Heart” by the Bee Gees.
Moments like these are when Susan Darvishi started to feel connected with the music that surrounded her. And with her debut album 14th and 4th, releasign on May 26th, she is able to take her relationship with music and tell the stories of the past five years living in New York City on 14th and 4th, before moving out to California.
Susan Darvishi
Of the album’s eight songs, she is able to cover five years of emotions from living in the constantly loud pumping heart of New York City. Whether it is falling in love in the city (“Polaroid” or “Dance With You”), keeping with girl code and internal struggles with heart break (“Him” and “No Choice”), or the bitter sweet goodbyes you have to make in order to start a new chapter (“New Salvation” and “Drift Away”), Davishi is able to tell her stories beautifully through songs on this album.
Darvishi’s strong voice pairs appreciably well with the beats, giving most of her songs a fun upbeat electronic pop sound to them. That is said with the exception of “No Choice” and “Drift Away” where she is able to pull away from her other songs and use a slower electric sound to really show off her strong vocals and meaningful lyrics.
From her “love [of] Latin music, I listen to in my free time” and then the “Persian music I listen to with my family” she says “sometimes those two blend. They love fast beats.” These influences of music can especially be heard in songs such as “Him” that is a very upbeat song with almost a Persian music sound to it.
This album has a very good mix between upbeat songs that make you want to get up and dance to songs that give you time to reflect on some of your past chapters. Her sound is with similar likes to artists such as Robyn and the sky seems to be the limit for her musical career.
The stories from her songs about her time in NYC still feel as though they are about a time in your life and manage to still be very relatable. Since she left her job in NYC to pursue her career in music right before covid hit she hasn’t been able to perform live but she is just as excited as her listeners for her to start performing on stage in front of a covid free audience.
On May 26, 2019, The String Cheese Incident played the second night of their Memorial Day Weekend run at the legendary Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. 2019 marked the band’s 25th anniversary. SCI is Michael Kang, Michael Travis, Bill Nershi, Kyle Hollingsworth, Jason Hann and Keith Moseley.
They opened the show with their 2018 single “Vertigo”. Kyle then kicked off a 16 minute version of “Black And White”. That was transitioned very nicely into “Can’t Wait Another Day”. They then kicked off the first of many cover songs with Peter Rowan’s “Midnight Moonlight”, followed by “Valley of the Jig” and “Siren’s”. Both songs were on their 2003 album “Untying The Knot”. The first set ended with “Restless Wind” from the 1998 album “Round the Wheel”. That really highlighted Nershi tearing it up on acoustic guitar.
The second set began with “Just One Story” that got the crowd immediately charged back up after a quick break. Next up was “Rosie” and the title track to the 2014 album “Song In My Hand”, which both songs also appeared on. Then came the second cover of the night, The Jerry Garcia’s Band’s “Tore Up Over You”. Some of The Grateful Dead’s most legendary shows happened at The Capitol Theatre in the early seventies. That was long before most of the people in the audience, including myself were even born. Then there was a lengthy version of “45th of November” from the 2005 album “One Step Closer”.
Another highlight of the night was the band’s’ cover of The Talking Heads “Burning Down the House”. They also performed “Wheel Hoss” which was written by one of the founders of bluegrass music, Bill Monroe in 1955. The set then ended with a cover of The Weather Report’s classic “Birdland” before they circled back to the sets first song, “Just One Story.” The 4 hour plus show ended with a one song encore of “Barstool.”
String Cheese Incident – The Capitol Theatre – May 26, 2019
Set 1: Vertigo, Black and White > Canât Wait Another Day > Midnight Moonlight, Valley Of The Jig, Sirens > Restless Wind Set 2: Just One Story > Rosie, Song In My Head, Tore Up Over You, 45th of November > Burning Down The House > Birdland > Wheel Hoss > Birdland > Just One Story Encore: Barstool
Born Leonard Albert Kravitz, the multi-faceted artist from New York City, celebrates his 57th birthday today. Known for his contributions to the world of music and acting, birthday boy Lenny Kravitz is known for his flashy style that translates into all areas of his creative endeavors.
Born of bi-racial parents, actress Roxie Roker (The Jeffersons), and television producer Sy Kravitz, Lenny experienced several racial barriers at the start of his career. Often being told that his music was neither black or white enough to appeal to labels’ audiences, Kravitz took the initiative to put out his debut record, Let Love Rule, on his own. While his debut release only reached moderate success in the states, Kravitz used the momentum to land him the position of audio producer for the hit Madona single “Justify My Love” in 1990.
His contributions to the world of record production combined with his 1991 hit ” It Ain’t Over ’til its Over” skyrocketed Kravitz to fame. Throughout his musical discography, Kravitz has shown his ability to blend influences ranging from blues, jazz, contemporary R&B and psychedelia. While collaborating with artists such as Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and even Jay-Z, Kravitz has well proved that his music transcends racial barriers and appeals to audiences of various backgrounds.
Kravitz has several awards under his belt. He is the winner of two Grammy Awards for ‘Best Male Rock Vocal Performance,’ back to back for “Fly Away” and cover of The Guess Who’s “American Woman,” in 1999 and 2000, respectively. You may remember Kravitz stunning performance at the Pepsi Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show alongside Katy Perry during which he performed a handful of hits. Also making a name for himself in the world of cinema, Kravitz has most recently featured in the Hunger Games trilogy playing the role of Cinna, a luxurious fashion designer. Ironically enough, Kravitz also is the founder of Kravitz Design which focuses on residential and commercial creative direction and design working with clients such as Swarovski Crystal.
Kravitz keeps his home close to heart. Known for spontaneously busking on the surrounding streets of Manhattan and shooting several of his music videos in Times Square, Kravitz is certainly a celebrated New Yorker.
“Opera singer-turned-indie singer-songwriter Sally Drutman seemed to appear as a sudden apparition last July when she released her dream-like first single “Milky Blue” as Sally Louise. Less than a year later, Louise has wasted no time in expanding her stylistic palette across a sprawling collection of 10 self-possessed songs with “My Hands Are On Fire,” available via Desert Flower Records…” “
Her vocal sincerity and technical skill seize the spotlight.”-Daniel J. Kushner of City Newspaper “Here lyric writing is powerful and her vocals are stunning.”-Prism Reviews In this episode, host, Ben Albert, and Louise dive deep into performance, practice, marketing, and everything LOVE of music! The best part, we listen to two of Sally’s most popular singles, “I Won’t Call Your Bluff” and “Never Be The Same Again!”
At Rochester Groovecast, the mantra “We’re Fans First!” harnesses the belief that the best businesses are built by fans. The podcast is deeply dedicated to playing an active role in the culture of its local scene.
The brainchild of Rochester native, Ben Albert, was created in 2016 to serve as a portfolio of the city, and nowadays, the entire region.
The podcast believes in the artistic brilliance abundant in Rochester, NY, and the surrounding regions. Ben seeks to play a pivotal role in our community by helping give Rochester a well-earned voice. He has seen first hand the abundance of talent, character, creativity, innovation, and beauty the Flower City has continuously offered. Listen to all episodes of the show:
Closing out Season 46 of Saturday Night Light, musical guest Lil Nas X worked through a wardrobe malfunction as The Queen’s Gambit star Anya Taylor-Joy hosted flawlessly on an emotional finale.
The episode began with a full cast cold open looking back on the ups and downs of the past year, including an appearance by the host of the first episode of the season, Chris Rock. This also marked the first time all season that SNL had full (and vaccinated) in-studio audience.
Just over a week before the start of Pride month, Nas appeared in a pre-recorded take on Madonna’s “Holiday” with Kate McKinnon, Bowen Yang and Punkie Johnson all looking forward to all things Pride – parades, brunch, clubs, drama – that were missed due to COVID-19 in 2020.
For his first song, Lil Nas X performed “Montero (Call me by your Name),” the music video for which he received criticism from the religious right for twerking with Satan. On the stage in Studio 8H, Lil Nas X used a stripper pole while flanked by dancers, and with 30 seconds left in the song, split his pants. Seamlessly, Lil Nas X continued to perform with his hand covering his crotch, ending with a striking image of himself with giant wings projected behind him. He didn’t let on about the malfunction until a Tweet a few minutes later.
The second performance of the night featured the just released track “Sun Goes Down.” The more vulnerable turn finds Lil Nas X wearing a white suit and reflecting on the suicidal thoughts he had while growing up gay and in the closet. With lyrics “Since ten, I’ve been feelin’ lonely / Had friends but they was pickin’ on me / these gay thoughts would always haunt me / I prayed God would take it from me,” “Sun Goes Down” elaborates on why he was so bold about trolling conservatives with more vulnerability than we’ve seen yet.
That’s all for Season 46 of Saturday Night Live. Stay tuned for Season 47 starting in September/October 2021. What was your favorite musical guest of the season? Share in the comments below.
Vision Festival 25: Breaking Free, Coming Home will display hundreds of artists of various disciplines—free jazz, poetry, visual arts, conversations— as one of the first in-person music festivals to return to New York City.
The Arts for Art sponsored event will take place over seven nights, July 22-23 and 29-30 at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn, and July 24-25 and 31 at The Clemente in the Lower East Side, and all events will be in-person, outdoors and livestreamed.
In 1996 the First Annual Vision Festival took place to bring together luminaries from different avant-garde music scenes and to celebrate the important African American leaders of the music. That first Vision Festival was unique in its multi-arts focus featuring poets in collaboration with the music. Each year since the Vision Festival has brought attention to issues of social justice by curating panel discussions, such as “Decolonizing the Music: Reclaiming the Power of Creative Music in Communities of Color” and “How Funding Affects Creative Choices.”
In-person, outdoors and livestream performances will feature William Parker, Amina Claudine Myers Lifetime Achievement, Elder Ones, Jaimie Branch, Fay Victor, Nicole Mitchell, James Blood Ulmer, David Murray, Cooper-moore, James Brandon Lewis, A Tribute To Milford Graves W/ John Zorn, Andrew Cyrille, and many more. Additional programming will be announced in the coming weeks.
Pianist, vocalist, poet, and actor Amina Claudine Myers will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award on July 23. Arts For Art will acknowledge Myers work including her achievements as a pianist, organist, composer, and singer. Her mentoring of many young musicians around the globe, especially women, for which she has been a shining and all too rare example. She is an extraordinary artist who has added so much to the important tradition of African American extended musical forms.
Myers is a founding member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (A.A.C.M.). She has recorded 11 albums under her leadership. Her recording career combines her gospel and blues inspirations with an improviser’s freedom and includes classic albums like The Circle of Time, Amina Claudine Myers Salutes Bessie Smith and her latest solo piano and voice effort Sama Rou (Songs From My Soul).
As live shows become safer, we’ll gather and share our creative visions to make space for a more compassionate world. Vision’s message this year is about coming home to our strong self. Our home is within. The past year gave us time to listen to ourselves and now we are home.
Arts for Art founder, Patricia Nicholson Parker
ARTS FOR ART PRESENTS
VISION FESTIVAL 25: BREAKING FREE, COMING HOME
JULY 22-31 in NYC
JULY 22-23, 29-30 @ PIONEER WORKS, BROOKLYN
JULY 24-25 & 31 @ THE CLEMENTE, LOWER EAST SIDE
VISION FESTIVAL 25 PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
THURS, JULY 22 @ PIONEER WORKS
159 Pioneer Street, Brooklyn
6:00pm Opening Healing Ceremony: William Parker – bass / Patricia Nicholson Parker – text, movement / Jean Carla Rodea – voice / Michael T.A. Thompson – drums
7:00pm Music for a Free World Septet: Dave Sewelson – baritone sax / Aquiles Navarro – trumpet / Steve Swell – trombone / Dave Hofstra – tuba / Ava Mendoza – guitar / William Parker – bass / Marvin “Bugalu” Smith – drums
8:00pm Cooper-Moore Solo: Cooper-Moore – piano
8:45pm Dave Burrell & Darius Jones Duo: Dave Burrell – piano / Darius Jones – alto saxophone
9:45pm Matthew Shipp String Trio: Matthew Shipp – piano / Mat Maneri – viola / William Parker – bass
FRI, JULY 23 @ PIONEER WORKS
Amina Claudine Myers Lifetime of Achievement Celebration
6:00pm Composers Workshop Ensemble: Warren Smith – drums, percussion / Rod Williams – piano / Larry Roland – bass, poetry / James Zollar – trumpet / Patience Higgins – tenor sax / Don Slatoff – baritone sax / Lloyd Haber – drums, percussion
7:00pm Ingrid Laubrock’s Monochromes: Jon Irabagon – saxophones / Ingrid Laubrock – saxophones / Zeena Parkins – harp / Tom Rainey – drums / performing with pre-recorded tapes
8:00pm fly or die: jaimie branch – trumpet, voice, percussion / Lester St. Louis – cello, voice, percussion / Jason Ajemian- bass / Chad Taylor – drums, mbira, voice
9:30pm David Murray Octet Revival: David Murray – tenor sax, compositions / Lakecia Benjamin – alto sax / Terry Greene II – trombone / Josh Evans – trumpet / Mingus Murray – guitar / David Bryant – piano / Dezron Douglas – bass / Russell Carter – drums
SAT, JULY 31 @ THE CLEMENTE, LA PLAZA OUTDOORS
Tribute to Milford Graves
6:00pm Andrew Cyrille: Andrew Cyrille – drum set
7:00pm Joe McPhee Octet Tribute to Milford Graves: Warren Smith – vibes / Jay Rosen – drums/ Brandon Lopez, Michael Bisio– bass / James Keepnews – guitar / Jason Kao Hwang, Rosie Hertlein – violin / Joseph McPhee – reeds, brass
8:30pm Tribute to Milford Graves: William Parker – bass / Lee Mixashawn Rozie – woodwinds / D.D. Jackson – piano / William Hooker – drums / Francisco Mela – drums9:30pm Drum, Horn, and Dance Tribute to Milford Graves
In Person Tickets: Daily $65 | Full Pass $300 | VIP Pass $750
In May 1971, when Paul McCartney teamed with his wife Linda for his second solo album, Ram, the critics greeted the occasion with guns drawn.
To many fans and music journos, McCartney was viewed as “the man who broke up the Beatles” (he wasn’t, of course; it was John who first asked for “a divorce”). At that juncture, he was also at odds with his brother Beatles over management, so they weren’t inclined to say anything nice about him or his music, especially with all their bank accounts frozen due to the legal machinations. And while Lennon took the PR offensive early and did many interviews to spin history, including the book-length “Lennon Remembers” in Rolling Stone, McCartney was hidden away in Scotland literally inventing the D.I.Y. rock aesthetic with his debut album, McCartney. The majority of his follow-up, credited to Paul and Linda McCartney equally no less (take that John and Yoko!), was largely recorded in two sessions in New York City with session players and the New York Philharmonic.
While the delightfully eclectic Ram received the full production values missing on his handcrafted debut, and while it topped the album charts and yielded a number-one single with “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey,” it was savaged in the press.
The Village Voice called it “a bad record,” NME “unrelieved tedium” and Playboy accused McCartney of “substituting facility for any real substance.” Rolling Stone’s Jon Landau called it “incredibly inconsequential” and “monumentally irrelevant.”
Now keep in mind that Rolling Stone was totally in Lennon’s corner at this juncture, all for the access that sold issues. It was recently revealed that magazine founder Jann Wenner went as far as having a critic rewrite his initially glowing review of McCartney’s solo debut into a pan, all to please Lennon. And let’s face it, Rolling Stone has an absurdly long history of getting it all wrong – of panning a multitude of masterpiece albums in its initial reviews. That includes everything from Jimi Hendrix’s Are You Experienced?, the debut discs of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath to Neil Young’s Harvest and Nirvana’s Nevermind.
As time went by, Ram slowly became noticed for what it is, maybe Paul’s best solo album after Band on the Run, by critics and especially a younger generation of indie-minded musicians. With its 2012 reissue, it’s reevaluation to an ahead-of-its-time classic was complete, with raves in outlets like Pitchfork, Mojo, AllMusic and the like. Music vlogger Elliot Roberts has put the sentiment, that the McCartneys may have created “the indie pop genre” with the disc, into a much-viewed video on YouTube.
The latest evidence of the quirky album’s mighty appeal, especially to younger musicians who weren’t even born at the time of its release, is the drop-dead spectacular new tribute album, RAM ON: The 50th Anniversary Tribute to Paul & Linda McCartney’s RAM (Spirit of Unicorn Music, distributed by Cherry Red Records).
RAM ON is the brainchild of powerhouse L.A. multi-instrumentalist/producer Fernando Perdomo and Denny Seiwell, the drummer on the original album and many of the biggest hits of Macca’s band, Wings, including “My Love” and “Live and Let Die.”
After Seiwell received McCartney’s blessing via text, the duo gathered together over 100 musicians to make it a reality. Veteran guitarist David Spinozza and trumpeter Marvin Stamm returned to recreate their parts from the original sessions – on the off-album single “Another Day” and “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” respectively. Elton John guitarist Davey Johnstone, bass ace Will Lee of The Fab Faux, Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips), Dan Rothchild (Heart, Sheryl Crow), Pat Sansone (Wilco), Joey Santiago (Pixies), Eric Dover (Jellyfish), Durga McBroom (Pink Floyd), Dave Depper (Death Cab for Cutie) are just some of the contributors.
Unlike some tributes which favor radical reinvention, RAM ON works to stay close to the feel, sound and fun-loving spirit of the original. To keep true to the groove, the duo began by first tracking Seiwell’s drum parts as he played along to the original album, on a kit including the original snare drum used in the 1970/71 sessions. Guitarist Spinozza also used his original axe on the remake of “Another Day.”
In recreating all the musical textures on this slyly sophisticated release, Perdomo and Seiwell went with organic sounds, with period instruments like the Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Fender Rhodes and surely a bevy of vintage guitars vs. their sampled counterparts. The playing, engineering and mastering here is all first-rate. It’s like turning the Instagram sharpen tool onto an old family photo to reveal more delicious detail in your past. Perdomo’s skill at bringing a new sheen to vintage sounds was earlier evidenced in his contributions to Echo In the Canyon, the 2019 Netflix musical documentary on the LA/Laurel Canyon music scene of the ‘60s.
Ram was one of rock’s most stylistically diverse albums at the time of its release. It mixes the quaint ukulele folk of “Ram On,” with screaming rockers like “Monkberry Moon Delight,” the acoustic blues of “3 Legs” with fully orchestrated suites like “Back Seat of My Car” and “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey.”
High praise should go to the many lead vocalists who had the task of trying to match the many voices of Paul McCartney at his peak, from the gentle crooner to the tonsil-ripping rocker.
Wilco’s Pat Sansone nails the vocal vibe on “Ram On,” while Nick Bertling recreates all the musical fabric of this seemingly accidental sounding masterpiece, from the reverb piano arpeggios of the opening to its footstomp rhythm and ukulele strums. Timmy Sean comports himself with the proper vocal gusto on both “Smile Away,” which features a slide guitar solo from Elton’s string man Davey Johnstone, and especially on the extra manic “Monkberry Moon Delight.” The latter is one of highlights of both the original and this tribute disc. Dan Rothchild also hits the nail on the head in his duo of lead vox on the. album opener “Too Many People” and “Heart of the Country.”
Paul was definitely deep into the ganja at the time he penned these incomprehensible lyrics, the kind of madcap nonsense (that’s a compliment, folks) for which Pink Floyd’s acid waylaid founder Syd Barrett is so revered. This track, and so many on this album, just capture an army of musicians having fun, pursuing simple, communal sonic joys rather than trying to make the grand artist statement. Beach Boys’ offspring Carnie Wilson and Rob Bonfiglio do a great job on “Long Haired Lady,” while someone called The Dirty Diamond (?) and Durga McBroom, Pink Floyd’s recent femme fatale tour vocalist, nail the dirty blues of “3 Legs.”
Perdomo and Seiwell do take subtle liberties with the orchestrations as heard in “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey.” The intro on the tribute features some beautiful vibraphone chording, something that sounds as if it was lifted from “Pet Sounds”-era Beach Boys. It made me go back to the original album to find that it wasn’t there in Macca’s version. This is one of many smart little additions from the tribute’s producers that make the listening experience so rewarding.
The secret spice of Ram, and much of the Wings’ output for that matter, is the background vocals by Linda McCartney. No less an authority than the curmudgeonly Pete Townsend has praised her contributions. It’s a sometimes wavery, sometimes pitchy but always honest and human sound which, if stripped from the album, might’ve cost it a key ingredient in its appeal. In retrospect, Linda’s voice is a sonic signature that gives Ram and Wings a truly unique character. Imagine “Whiter Shade of Pale” without the organ, “Strawberry Fields Forever” without the mellotron, and you see what Linda’s absence might mean.
Lauren Leigh, Emily Zuzick, Beatrix Coyle, Jody Quine, Cyndi Trissel, Cait Brennan, Marisol Koss are among the vocalists called upon to perform Linda’s parts. The background vocals are expertly arranged throughout and include more than a dozen voices on tracks like “Monkberry Moon Delight.”
In addition to wrangling this cast of 100, Perdomo wears many hats instrumentally, playing many of the acoustic and electric guitar and some keyboard parts.
RAM ON will make more people realize just how great and groundbreaking Paul and Linda’s initially maligned 1971 offering is.
For the variety of sounds, its performances and sheer reckless joy, it should be placed among his and the Beatles’ best. It is an album made by a man who was done with making grand lyrical statements or politicking through sound, at least for the moment. And the way he worked, his ability to do things from personal joy and not to please or outdo the Beatles’ myth is something that may indeed have served as a kind of template for the indie pop sound. Sure it was shoegazing, a reflection of his commitment to his relationship, family and the simple joys of life and love in the country, but it was five-star. Word from Seiwell, who remains close to Paul, is that he is pleased with the result of Perdomo and his old drummer’s efforts.
That should be enough for you to check it out, don’t you think?
KeyTracks: Monkberry Moon Delight, Ram On, Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey”
For more, check out this recent interview with Seiwell and Perdomo with Elliot Roberts on his podcast
