The News Review:
- Noteworthy new albums: REM and The Black Keys
- Shine a Light
- Scorsese directing a movie that isn’t Stones-age
- n the Road With a Translator
- Band brings back the blues
Noteworthy new albums: REM and The Black Keys
Christian Science Monitor – Apr 4, 2008
” Stipe’s political anger is intact too. It’s a strong album even if it ends with “I’m Gonna DJ” a real groaner. Grade: B+ ? Stephen Humphries [Editor's note: The original version misstated the album that included the song "Daysleeper"] THE BLACK KEYS ? Attack and Release (Nonesuch): The Black Keys two young white dudes from hio have long been making the gnarled chunky blues music that belonged to generations of black troubadours. Now they’ve enlisted the production help of Danger Mouse of Gnarls Barkley fame tossed a few low-end beats into the pot and stirred the whole thing to a screaming boil. “Remember When (Side A)” is the best of the bunch ? 21st-century blue-eyed soul sung through a bullhorn channeled into a broken mic and sent floating above an aqueous blast of reverb. But everything else is grand too as befits Danger Mouse’s talents. Check out the sinewy “So He Won’t Break.
Shine a Light
Deseret News – Apr 4, 2008
The White Stripes singer Jack White joins Mick Jagger on vocals for “Lovin’ Cup” and the veteran shows the younger man a thing or two about stage presence. But the best of these — and arguably the best performance of the night — is a cover of the Muddy Waters standard “Champagne and Reefer” which features bluesman Sonny Guy on guitar and guest vocals. It’s fun to see axeman Guy “duel” with Stones guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood and for the band to acknowledge its early debts to blues music. “Shine a Light” is rated PG-13 for some suggestive language and song lyrics (a few crude references) scattered profanity (including a couple of uses of the so-called “R-rated” curse word) drug references (marijuana and cocaine) and racial and other derogatory slurs. Running time: 122 minutes.
Scorsese directing a movie that isn’t Stones-age
San Diego Union Tribune – Apr 4, 2008
“There were a few songs I just had to hear in the film – 'Sympathy for the Devil' and 'Jumping Jack Flash' key songs” Scorsese says. “But the band had other ideas. They had a way of looking at the flow of the concert the tone what it would start with what it would end with when ballads would be heard when the blues would come in when country music would come in and that sort of thing. “That makes what they do a two-hour piece of music from start to end that they determine just by arranging the songs and picking the songs they would do. ”In “Shine a Light” Scorsese is the “harassed exasperated filmmaker” trying to wrangle out of the band a set list of the songs the Stones would play in the order they would play them. “I'm Edgar Kennedy in the Laurel and Hardy pictures. I'm the straight man the 'master of the slow burn' ” Scorsese says with a chuckle… “But the band had other ideas. They had a way of looking at the flow of the concert the tone what it would start with what it would end with when ballads would be heard when the blues would come in when country music would come in and that sort of thing. “That makes what they do a two-hour piece of music from start to end that they determine just by arranging the songs and picking the songs they would do. ”In “Shine a Light” Scorsese is the “harassed exasperated filmmaker” trying to wrangle out of the band a set list of the songs the Stones would play in the order they would play them. “I'm Edgar Kennedy in the Laurel and Hardy pictures. I'm the straight man the 'master of the slow burn' ” Scorsese says with a chuckle. “The more exasperated I got the more of that we got on film the more fun we had with it in the cutting.
n the Road With a Translator
New York Sun – Apr 4, 2008
During her travels Elizabeth takes on different nicknames and blue-collar jobs learning from the hardships and heartaches of those she encounters in small-town and big-city America. Jones known for her beautiful visage and crooning vocals to headline this project reflects Mr. Wong’s fascination with American blues music a motif that runs from his choice of stars through to the score. Broken hearts idealized diner interactions and working-class hardship are at the heart of “My Blueberry Nights. Wong’s interpretation of American lives and landscapes has an alien quality to it.
Band brings back the blues
Indiana Statesman – Apr 4, 2008
I think even if you may not know a lot about it you can still go and enjoy it. “The group consists of Bruce Katz on the Hammond B-3 organ and piano Chris Vitarello on guitar Ralph Rosen on drums and Rod Carey on bass. “The blues and jazz are true American music” Mitchell said. “I think it is important to give students that opportunity to hear things that are different and I think that the people that walked away really enjoyed what they heard. “However blues was aboutmore than the sound on stage Monday night. Each member of the band used expression and movement to convey the feel and emotion tied in with the songs making it a visual experience as well. Katz rocked back and forth on the piano with his eyes closed Rosen (generally self-contained throughout the performance) raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth wide Vitarello moved his legs contorted his face and dipped through his solos while Carey gently swayed back and forth to the beat… “It definitely has its world influences. “Many of the songs were instrumental though they did sing a few lyrical ones including “High Blood Pressure” a cover from the 1957 doo-wop band The lympics. “Blues and jazz are different from all the other types of music” said Elena Teovska a senior public relations major. “I like it because it is different and it does have a lot to offer. Just the sound of jazz makes me want to listen to it even more. I think it offers listeners to become familiar with this type of music and learn a new culture. “The Bruce Katz Band first began playing in 1991 but members trickled in until recently when Vitarello joined the group as an extra guitar player along with Mike Williams according to their official Web site.