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Spooner’s Sea Monster

23 Nov

Like many others, a youthful Jason Spooner came across his father’s collection of oldies and was hooked. How can you pass up excellent musicians and song writers that are important threads in the voluminous blanket of excellent music. But, while others simply feel the beat, Spooner decided he was going to create it; a new beat that takes a taste of old and combines it with an emerging modern acoustic/blues trend. Music that never forgets about the important art of lyric. Spooner has grown up and come a long way. He has just released his third album, an absolute gem. As songwriter Christine Lavin wrote about Spooner, “This is someone important.”

A review of Spooner by MaineToday.com summed up his music the best. “Jason’s songs are keys to the locked trunks that hold the artifacts of our lives. You can enjoy the music as top-shelf entertainment, but I guarantee that you’re going to want to come back and dig
for the treasure.”

People are coming back for more.

Spooner released his first album Lost Houses in October of 2002. The album featured a young musician demonstrating tremendous musical maturity. The highlight of the album is his voice. It’s controlled beauty perfectly overlaps a fun acoustic guitar that sings sweetly in “Cry Me To Sleep” and refreshingly twangy in “Pickup Truck.” The album lifted the Maine-based songwriter to the status of musician and soon after he added a rhythm section composing Adam Frederick and Reed Chambers.

The Flame You Follow followed five years later. The acoustic guitar was joined by an organ and horns. The album explored several different genres and portrayed an even stronger grip over instrumental and vocal poise. Like a composed quarterback, Spooner leads his band down field while remaining in the pocket, strong and incredibly talented.

No wonder why he has been recognized as both a musician and lyricist.

Taken from his biography,

“Jason won “Best Singer/Songwriter” in the Portland Phoenix’s annual “Best Music Poll 2008.” Jason also won the International finals of the Mountain Stage NewSong contest held in New York City. He was honored as a national finalist in the Starbucks Music Makers competition in Boston. Jason took part in a tour of the East Coast as a selected member of the Falcon Ridge “Most Wanted” Preview Tour. He was also recently named as a New Folk Finalist in the renowned Kerrville Folk Festival in Kerrville, TX. Jason and his band returned to both festivals as a main stage act in 2007. Previously, he won the Ossipee Valley Bluegrass Festival songwriting contest in NH and was a finalist in the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Competition.”

That is a lot of recognition for a young musician. Well, listen to one reason why. Here is the title track off The Flame You Follow:

Sea Monster, his most recent release, hit the stores in October of this year and is perhaps his best combination of songs thus far in his young career. It was recorded in Maine with his mates and unearthed some new musical territory.

“In the past, I had been so focused on making acoustic music that the electric was relegated to more of a supporting role,” said Spooner in an interview. “One of the smaller brushes in the batch. This time around, I just focused on the right guitar for the right song. There’s no question that the electrics ended up front and center on this record and I’m very happy with the progression.”

This is natural. A musician has to keep experimenting. Like any good professional, you never stop learning and Spooner is still learning. Off of the new album, here is “Half a Mind.”

This is an excellent blues piece that features Spooner’s powerful voice and some awesome instrumentation. I love the raw emotion in the live recording. And then we have this:

A complete change of gears. His voice remains the same, but, the lyric becomes even more personal and somber and the song transforms from blues to a melancholic mixture. But, this expresses a rare skill. He effortlessly switches genre on the same album. Perhaps this is why the album cover features a scuba diver. Spooner dives into the mysterious realm of the mostly unexplored ocean. He is not sure what he will find, but, with his musical talent, it is going to be melodious.

 

Check Spooner out further:

Website: http://www.jasonspooner.com/default.asp

http://www.myspace.com/jasonspooner

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=jason+spooner&aq=f

 

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The Tallest Man on Earth – The Torch has been Passed

22 Nov

Occasionally you find an artist who just turns heads. In this case, it is not because of physical height, but instead an immense presence that is evoked in a brand of folk music that is eerily similar and stupendously different. The Tallest Man on Earth, the moniker of Swedish folk musician Kristian Matsson, plays music that is effortlessly perfect. Rarely do I drag an entire album into my exclusive Favorites playlist on my iPod. But, Matsson’s music is the pinnacle of folk perfection. It calls back to better days. And, his voice…wow…is that Bob Dylan?

That is perhaps my favorite song from Mattson. It appears on his first LP, Shallow Grave, which was released in 2008. Since then, he has put out another LP (The Wild Hunt) and EP (Sometimes The Blues is Just a Passing Bird), while releasing his first single “King of Spain,” which I will include below. The music is immaculate. It is, like I said above, pure folk perfection; everything from the guitar riff to his eccentric and eclectic voice. Is the voice for everyone? No. But, if you are a fan of Bob Dylan’s classic folk music, you will love this.

But, as much as the music may sound similar to Dylan, it maintains some strong differences. The music plays around with more modern musical ideas. It moves away from basic chords and experiments with different techniques. It also implements some strumming original to Mattson.

The voice does sound like Dylan, but, Mattson’s voice is deeper and more guttural. It even sounds more natural on first listen.

The 27-year-old Mattson also plays piano and banjo. This is a talented up and riser and he most certainly deserves some Music Court attention. Enjoy “King of Spain” off his new album.

By the way. “Boots of Spanish Leather.” I see what you did there with that lyric Mr. Mattson.

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The Dogs of Southern Rock…from Seskatoon

11 Nov

We travel in our Music Court time machine to 1973. Nixon is in office and you are about to jump in your 73′ Dodge Monaco for a weekend down by the pond with some beers and good ol’ fashioned southern rock booming out of the radio. Gregg Allman is singing about being a “Ramblin’ Man.”

Cut the nostalgia.

Flash forward to 2010. Most music is watered-down hip/hop, mainstream rock, and rap. A pervasive culture of indie/folk controls a popular underground. There is good music out there, but, let’s be real, not much.

As a music blogger, it is my responsibility to provide readers with music that breaks the barrier of the mediocre. And, I do not shy away from my devoir.

1973 may be in the past, but, the music does live on in the extensive libraries of classic rock radio stations. 1970’s classic country rock is quite accessible. But, the youthful vigor once associated with that music has naturally aged. Gregg Allman is 62 years old (and still freaking awesome). But, he is 62. Who continued the southern rock legacy? Well, do I have a treat for you nostalgics. Time to return home to the 1970s. And, oddly, this return to ‘better days’ lives in the north. Yes, you heard it here first. Southern Rock currently resides in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan…in Canada. Don’t believe me?

Scary resemblance, right. Well, welcome to the world of The Sheepdogs. The torch of classic Southern Rock has been passed on to them and they do rock’n’roll in style.

The band consists of Ewan Currie – lead vocals, guitar, Leot Hanson – guitar, backing vocals, Ryan Gullen – bass, backing vocals, and Sam Corbett – drums, backing vocals. Their Facebook band description states that the band sports, “the long-haired looks of their musical forefathers.” Well, the hair is not the only similarity.

The video above is straight out of “Dazed and Confused.” It is like an ode to the 1970s. And, the music. Wow. “I Don’t Know” features an infectious guitar riff, an effortless chorus melody, and Ewan Currie’s lead vocal which alludes back to southern-rock to greats like Toy Caldwell (just less guttural) and the Van Zants. The guitar solo is flavorful and the toe-tapping repetition ends the song well. “I Don’t Know” may be a song removed from its time comfort zone because of a time separation of 40 years, but, it is right in The Sheepdog’s cozy niche.

The Sheepdogs have independently released three full-length albums. Each album has seen success, charting on Earshot’s national monthly top 200 chart. Their 2010 release, “Lean & Burn” reached spot 21 on the list. The Sheepdogs have toured coast to coast in Canada and have passed over the Canadian border to perform down in the U.S.A. In everything they do, they keep the passion of 70’s music alive. How about another track.
“Southern Dreaming” is just that, a taste of the carefree excellence of double riffing and jamming. The vocals are spot on and I must admit, the harmonies are powerful. It is just freaky how much this band is straight out of the 1970s. And, it is also refreshing. Their brand of rock is authentic, creative and fun.
I classify this band as a must listen. The music is crisp and clean. The Sheepdogs is as close as one can get to the early 1970s in modern music. So, add The Sheepdogs to your classic, southern rock playlist. They certainly have earned their spot.

Check out the Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/thesheepdogs

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The Real Starr of the Day

7 Jul

The Lebron James free agent saga will finally come to a close tomorrow night and all throughout the day today the internet was flooded with NBA rumors. I admit it, I fell into the trap and refreshed twitter far more then a stable human being should. I am consumed. But, while James may be the ultimate star tomorrow, a certain Starr celebrated his 70th birthday today. And, as a present, he just wants “Peace and Love.”

He celebrated his birthday tonight with a little help from his All-Star Band at Radio City Music Hall.

What’s the best part of still playing music?

“Playing with other musicians,” said Ringo.

The now 70-year-old musician, born Richard Starkey in Liverpool, has gone a long way from appendicitis at six and chronic pleurisy at 13 which caused him to be placed in a sanatorium for two years. Can you imagine that after Ringo replaced former Beatles’ drummer Pete Best as the band’s drummer, fans of Best protested by shouting, “Pete, forever! Ringo, never.” How wrong they would be. Ringo has persevered through challenges and has become one of the most liked drummers of all time. He also is pretty darn talented if you ask me.

Here is Ringo with his drum solo in “The End”

Happy Birthday Ringo!

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An Acoustic “Telephone”

1 Jul

Dual Posting Time. A court link and an artist profile; a double dip for the ages. And, boy, do I have a cool link for you all tonight.

There are a select few acoustic guitar masters and Igor Presnyakov is certainly one of them. The Russian born guitarist/composer has been playing the guitar for around 35 years – according to his website – and that has given him a diverse range of guitar experience. He also plays a Russian 7-string guitar, a type of guitar that was popularized in the 19th century. He is one of the few to play it on a professional level.

The invention of the “Russian Guitar” is attributed to Andrei Sychra. It was popularized in the early 19th century and actually remained the popular standard until a strong interest in underground music (including that of Western music like The Beatles) brought the 6-string guitar prominence.

Anyway, back to the 7-string guitar playing of Igor Presnyakov. Here is Presnyakov playing his acoustic version of Lady GaGa’s “Telephone.” Yes, this is very real and very cool.

Like what you hear: http://igorpresnyakov.blogspot.com/

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