Mikaela Davis: Delivery – The Review

Posted: August 19, 2018 in 2010s, 2018, Mikaela Davis
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My original plan was to review this album alongside the disposable camera I ordered from Mikaela Davis’ web store, but the camera was delayed…and then processing the film took two weeks. (Are there no more one-hour photo shops in this land?) And then…well, I didn’t want to rave about this while damning that. It didn’t seem fair.

Make no mistake: Delivery is a superb set. Echoes of the Day-Glo 1970s can be heard throughout the grooves of the full-length debut of the Rochester, N.Y., singer-songwriter (and harpist!). She stirs a sumptuous sonic stew that, somewhat similar to the Staves-branded brew, is spiced by sounds that are simultaneously retro and modern. Her recipe, however, is a tad more funky than theirs. 

And, like theirs, it’s quite addictive.

The title track is a good example. The opening chords conjure Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me,” but morph into a Dylanesque parable about self-doubt (“I’m not in control/I’m not cut out for this/So I took it back to New York/and cried to my mom, oh/I thought I’d know me by now…”).

I’ve featured it before, of course, along with the propulsive “Get Gone.” In another era, both would be getting played to death on radio.

The deceptively breezy “In My Groove” is another highlight. A strong undertow flows beneath its seemingly gentle current. “I’m not the one who’s gonna change the world/or change the way you want to live.”

Here she is in the Paste Studios performing it:

“All I Do Is Disappear” explores love and self-doubt, of pulling away instead of leaning in to commitment. (“My love is like the setting sun/It doesn’t wait for anyone/But how can I make myself clear when/All I do is disappear?”)

Since I mentioned the Staves up top, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the sisters Staveley-Taylor lend their angelic harmonies to two songs. The stark “Emily” explores what happens when a broken heart leads to a broken mind. The sublime “Pure Divine Love,” which closes the album, features a George Harrison vibe alongside Mikaela’s swirling harp.

In short: Seek out Delivery. I’ve been enjoying it since its July 13th release, and enjoying it more with each listen – always the mark of a strong album.

Of Concerts Past: Aretha Franklin at the Kimmel Center, 12/29/2014

Posted: August 18, 2018 in 2010s, 2014, Aretha Franklin, Of Concerts Past
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On a chilly eve in late December 2014, Diane and I traveled from our suburban enclave to center-city Philadelphia, home to the region’s best concert hall (acoustically speaking, that is), the Kimmel Center. It was for no mere concert, however. It was for an audience with the queen – the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. 

She was touring in support of her then-recent Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics.

It was a great, if odd show. The evening began with “(Your Love Is Lifting Me) Higher and Higher,” and included such stalwarts as “I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You,” “Oh Me Oh My (I’m a Fool for You Baby),” “Ain’t No Way,” “Angel,” “Don’t Play That Song,” “Freeway of Love” and – of course – “Respect,” as well as her cover of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” which she turned into a medley with “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” The Williams Brothers joined her for “Precious Memories.” Also in the set: the Christmas carol “O Holy Night”; “The Way We Were” (which she sang offstage); and “There’s No Business Like Show Business.” (Yes, you read that last one right – the Irving Berlin song from Annie Get Your Gun. It was reminiscent of when we saw Van Morrison, decades earlier, cover “Send in the Clowns.”)

Like I said, it was a great, if odd show. 

Other oddities: After 30 minutes, or thereabouts, she left the stage for a full 10 minutes. While the band vamped, we were treated to pictures from her holiday party. And, after singing with the Williams Brothers, she left the stage and let them take the spotlight for a few songs.

It wasn’t the best concert I’ve seen in my life – but it gave glimpses of what Aretha must have been like in a live setting in, say, 1970 or ’71.

I’ve uploaded my video of “Respect” and the Berlin send-off to YouTube (but am leaving it unlisted due to its poor quality):

The Allentown Morning Call reviewed the show, which can be found here. Philadelphia Magazine reviewed it, too. 

And Diane, who saw Aretha once before, asked to chime in:

The weirdness of the show didn’t matter to me—Aretha invited us (the audience) into her world for a bit and played songs that are the heartbeat soundtrack to my life. Jeff surprised me with tickets to this show, which was a good thing, because the first time I saw Aretha was a show in Atlantic City, and I left it rather disgruntled with the idea of never seeing her live again. She barely acknowledged the audience’s existence and seemed put out at being there.

This show—even with the pictures of her party and the Williams Brothers—was a much better memory to have of the greatest woman performer in rock and soul, the icon, the Queen. I walked down to the front when she performed the song that never gets old or careworn. Aretha may be gone but ‘Respect’ and her musical legacy will never suffer with the aging process.

Thank you, Jeff, for getting those tickets!

R.I.P. Aretha Franklin (1942-2018)

Posted: August 16, 2018 in 1968, 2018, Aretha Franklin
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Shelby Lynne: Here I Am (Movie & Soundtrack) – The Review

Posted: August 12, 2018 in 2010s, 2018, Shelby Lynne
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I am not a film critic, nor do I play one on TV. In fact, these days, I rarely go to the multiplex – the last film I saw in a theater was Jason Bourne (my choice) and before that Love & Friendship (Diane’s choice), and before that Indignation (mine), Spotlight (ours), and whatever the final Harry Potter film (Diane’s) was called. And, at home, despite having an array of options thanks to cable, Netflix and Amazon Prime, I rarely click play on a movie. I don’t care about animation, live-action comic books, or crass comedies, which are pretty much all that the Hollywood studios crank out these days.

In fact, before Here I Am, the last “new” movie I watched was Lady Bird on Amazon Prime, which Diane wanted to see. I found it insightful, poignant and funny, and enjoyed its nuanced, slice-of-life story. 

Written and directed by Cynthia Mort, Here I Am is also a slice-of-life tale, though it’s a music-based drama that includes a layer of metaphysical musings. The plot is straightforward: Successful singer Tommy Gold (Shelby Lynne), who’s been rocked by guilt and self-doubt since a tragic death, deals with the pressures of life while recording a new album and preparing for a tour. In some respects, the film has a cinéma-vérité feel – we’re plopped into the middle of an ongoing story, and it’s left to us to sort certain things out.

As Tommy, Shelby Lynne radiates pain – but also the magnetism that’s made Tommy a star. You believe her in the role. The supporting cast is also strong: Ally Walker plays Walker, who’s either Tommy’s manager or former manager-turned-record company executive, as well as a former lover – aside from Tommy’s internal demons, she’s the main antagonist. Elisabeth Röhm costars as Tommy’s agent, Gail, who defends and explains her boss to those who only see her as a product. Hugo Armstrong plays Colton, a sympathetic record-company man. 

I found it an insightful look at this thing called human existence, and recommend it to anyone interested in adult stories. (And by “adult” I mean “grown-up.”) Don’t get me wrong: Shot on a barebones budget over 15 days, it’s not a perfect film. But the story and performances are compelling enough that you’ll overlook the flaws.

You can buy it and the soundtrack via Shelby Lynne’s web store.

The soundtrack, I should mention, features songs written by Shelby Lynne as well as Shelby and Cynthia Mort. My only criticism: At present, it’s only available on vinyl from Shelby’s store, which means I can only listen when I’m here, at home, and not on the road. Here’s one of the songs, which I’m leaving unlisted on YouTube, as performed at the Ardmore Music Hall a few weeks back:

A few days after the show, Shelby told me via a tweet that the title is “Looking at the Moon/Revolving Broken Heart,” but that doesn’t match any of the songs listed at the end of the DVD or on the film’s website…and our LP, which we picked up along with the Here I Am DVD at the show, doesn’t list titles on the jacket or label. Late tonight (8/12), she said it’s “My Mind’s Riot.” Whatever it’s called, it’s a stirring ode to the downside of love – losing it, or the fear of losing it. It’s the kind of song that lingers in the mind long after the album is over.

And the rest of the soundtrack is as good. Here’s another track, “Off My Mind,” which was released as a single earlier this year.

(To learn more about Here I Am, visit Shelby Lynne’s website.)

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