Fresh Bread

Burning Man Is Back

Burning Spear, Montego Bay Airport, November 2006

"Burning Spear has its own sound...and that sound will never change." - Winston Rodney aka Burning Spear

Jah Is Real is the name of Burning Spear's next studio album.  I'm sure I would enjoy any new album by the seminal performer.  The fact that not only does Bootsy Collins is set to join in on the fun, so does Bernie Worrell.  Wow.

JIR was recorded at Magic Shop NYC in Queens and is due out on August 17th.  He will also do a mini-tour to support the launch of the album...including a stop at the Irving Plaza in NYC.  Awesome news!!  Shitty news on the date, August 31st, the date of a wedding my wife is in.  Fun.  You should go though.  Reggae like you've never reggaed before to the sounds of a living legend....take some pics for me.

A couple cool behind-the-scenes videos on the new album can be seen here.

Listen to some of the new tracks on his myspace page

My Own "Thing To Do - Records By Year" List

This seemed like a fun list to do....which I found via GvB.

List your favorite record from every year you’ve been alive.

1977 - The Grand Illusion - Styx
1978 - tie:  Cool Ruler - Gregory Isaacs, Brutal Outdeh - The Itals
1979 - The Wall - Pink Floyd
1980 - Uprising - Bob Marley
1981 - Wanted Dread Or Alive - Peter Tosh
1982 - Concert In Central Park - Simon & Garfunkel
1983 - Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughn
1984 - Purple Rain - Prince And The Revolution
1985 - Greatest Hits - The Cars
1986 - tie:  Graceland - Paul Simon, Raising Hell - Run D.M.C.
1987 - Appetite For Destruction - Guns N' Roses
1988 - tie:  Straight Outta Compton - N.W.A., By All Means Necessary - Boogie Down Productions
1989 - Fun & Games - The Connells
1990 - Lawn Boy - Phish
1991 - Nevermind - Nirvana
1992 - Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine
1993 - Ring - The Connells
1994 - tie:  Weezer - Weezer, Under The Table And Dreaming - Dave Matthews Band
1995 - Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness - Smashing Pumpkins
1996 - Billy Breathes - Phish
1997 - Live @ Hampton Coliseum NYE 96/97 (live bootleg) - Dave Matthews Band
1998 - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel
1999 - 2001 - Dr. Dre
2000 - Big Cypress, 12.31.99 Midnight set (live bootleg) - Phish
2001 - Quiet Is The New Loud - Kings Of Convenience
2002 - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco
2003 - Give Up - Postal Service
2004 - Let It Die - Feist
2005 - Silent Alarm - Bloc Party
2006 - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!
2007 - Neon Bible - Arcade Fire
2008 - Falling Off The Lavender Bridge - Lightspeed Champion

Macy's 4th Of July Fireworks 2008

Independence Day 2008

My fireworks gallery from last year can be seen here.

Albert Hammond Jr. - Mercury Lounge (Private Showcase) 07.01.2008

 

Last time I caught the Albert Hammond Jr solo show was last June.  I wasn't that excited by the show.  I can't put my finger directly on why but there was some sort of disconnect between me and what was coming from the stage....and it was Webster Hall which is also not that great...but that is for another story.

So fast forward a year, a new album in hand, a new publisher of record ( :) ), and a release party at the Mercury Lounge...that was K-I-L-L-E-R.  Some may doubt my change of heart and say I'm into it now just because I get to work with the music but trust me...I never write about bands that I personally can't attest to liking.  Or check that, i never give favorable opinions without thorough thought.  But back to the show...

AH Jr kicked it off acoustically, unmic'd; standing on the bench stage left Albert played a version of "Blue Skies" to the crowd which was received warmly.  The full band set started with "In My Room" and then continued through the majority of the disc, ¿Como Te Llama? (out next week!).  I thought "Victory At Monterey" was fantastic.

I've been sitting with the album a couple weeks now and I must say...its pretty good on the first listen but by spin 8-9, it becomes a whole new album....truly solid beginning to end.

Setlist:

"Blue Skies" (solo acoustic)
"Everyone Gets A Star"
"In My Room"
"Lisa"
"Holiday"
"Gfc"
"Rocket"
"Victory At Monterey"
"In Transit"
"Miss Myrtle"
"G Up"
"101"
"Borrowed Time"
"Postal Blowfish"

Head over to his myspace to check out some tracks.

see the rest of my pics here