Posts Tagged ‘Stone Foundation’

Today’s Top 5: New Music, Vol. XLV

Posted: September 8, 2018 in 2010s, 2018, Bob Seger, Chloé Caroline, Diane Birch, Paul Weller, Stone Foundation, Top 5
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I’ve been grooving to tunes this week by way of a new set of headphones – the Tribit XFree Tune Bluetooth Headphones, which go for all of $50 on Amazon. They’re a tad heavier than the lightweight Bose AO2 I’ve used for much of the past decade, but – sound-wise – are as good. If you’re looking for a set yourself, check them out. (CNet thinks highly of them, too.)

And, with that, here’s today’s Top 5…

1) Diane Birch – “In It for the Race.” The latest offering from the Church of Birch pastor is a tasty confection that, like all she does, doubles as a communion for the soul. Lyrically speaking, it’s about a Lothario who’s “in it for the chase.” Musically speaking, it conjures Diane’s debut, the classic Bible Belt, while retaining some of the figurative wisps of smoke that emanate from the grooves of Nous, her moody 2016 E.P.

 

2) Chloé Caroline – “Gypsy Daughter.” Although released in May ’18, this tasty tune is new to me. It’s accented by a Stevie Nicks vibe, and is quite addictive.

3) Bob Seger – “East Side Story.” Years long ago, I created a CDR of all the early Seger sides, from ’66 to ’70, none of which were in print at the time. I gathered them by hook and crook, and – by and large – the sound quality sucked. It didn’t matter. Alone, each track was good-to-great. Grouped together? They showed Seger as one of the great regional artists of the ‘60s. A few, including the Them-like “East Side Story,” surfaced on the Cameo-Parkway box set of 2005, but the rest seem destined to be lost to time. Which is why Friday’s release of Heavy Music: The Complete Cameo Recordings 1966-67 is so exciting. Backed by his first band, the Last Heard, the set collects Bob’s initial burst of singles. Let’s hope it’s the first of several such collections… 

4) The Stone Foundation – “Standing on the Top.” I’ve been grooving to the Foundation’s stellar Everybody, Anyone album this week. It gets stronger with each new play, and is a definite contender for my fabled Album of the Year honors.

5) Paul Weller – “The Soul Searchers.” The teaser tracks thus far released from Paul Weller’s forthcoming True Meanings album (street date: Sept. 14th) are a tantalizing lot, and no more so than this one.

Stone Foundation: Everybody, Anyone – The Review

Posted: September 2, 2018 in 2010s, 2018, Stone Foundation
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Echoes from another era reverberate through much of Everybody, Anyone, the latest offering from the Midlands-based Stone Foundation. The 11 songs conjure, at times, Traffic, Earth, Wind & Fire, Steely Dan, War and similar groove-heavy acts of yore, as well as the Chi-Lites, Marvin Gaye and Van Morrison, yet the influences never overwhelm the music, which sounds fresh and immediate.

Neil Jones (guitar/vocals) and Neil Sheasby (bass/backing vocals) cowrote the songs, with an assist from Paul Weller on “Next Time Around.” Weller also plays on several tracks. (Which makes sense, given that the set was recorded at his Black Barn Studio.) There are additional guests, too, including Weller’s former Style Council mates Mick Talbot and Steve White. Singer-songwriter Kathryn Williams provides a sweet counterbalance to Jones’ grainy timber on “Don’t Walk Away”; and Hamish Stuart, formerly of Average White Band and Paul McCartney’s Flowers in the Dirt-era band, lends his distinct vocals to “Only You Can.” 

Yet the guest spots matter not. The “stars” here are Jones’ expressive voice, the band, and – most importantly – the songs themselves. They feature taut rhythms and lyrics that strive for something more than the rudimentary reflections that make up much of today’s mainstream music. They’re metaphysical musings of the highest order.

Here’s one highlight: the aforementioned “Don’t Walk Away.”

And another: “Give the Man a Hand.”

And another: “Next Time Around.” 

And, finally: “Heavenly Father.”

In short, I’ll be playing Everybody, Anyone again and again for quite some time.

The set is available to stream and buy at all the usual outlets, as well as from the band’s website. (The package I picked up from them comes with a cool making-of documentary, as well as autographed LP and CD.)

The track list:

Today’s Top 5: New (and New-to-Me) Releases, Vol. XXXIII 1/3

Posted: September 1, 2018 in 2010s, 2018, Hannah's Yard, Hanora George, Harriet, Jane Willow, Stone Foundation, Top 5
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In the weeks and months ahead, Diane and I will be sorting through the ephemera of our lives as we prepare to move south. It’s a daunting task, as we’ll essentially be deciding what to keep, what to donate, what to sell, and what to trash. The decisions will be tough: What of the high-school report I authored on Lewis Carroll? (For the record, I got a B+.) What of the middle-school essay that recounted my life up until that point? (An A.) Or the box filled with handouts and notes from various college classes? The boxed-up books in the attic? The old magazines that clutter the den? Our DVDs? CDs? LPs? And what of the many framed and unframed posters and prints currently collecting dust?

Some of those questions are easier to answer than others, of course. And while we’ll keep much, we’ll part with much, too. The thing about growing older is this: You realize your life’s treasures aren’t the things you collect, but the people you hold in your heart.

And, with that, here’s today’s Top 5: New Releases, Vol. XXXIII 1/3

1) Harriet – “You Get What You Give.” The dulcet tones of Harriet are utterly addictive, and this infectious shot of upbeat philosophizing – a cover of the New Radicals’ modern-rock smash from 1998 – is, too. It’s one of four tracks from her new EP, The Universal Sessions, which she recorded for BBC Radio 2’s “Alan & Mel’s Summer Escape.”

2) Jane Willow – “Onward Still.” Speaking of philosophizing… I cannot get enough of this song from the Dutch-Irish singer-songwriter. The martial drums, strummed guitars and Jane’s warm vocals, and her lyrical insights, are balm for the soul. The future is in front of us, all, and what becomes of us is up to us.  

3) Hanora George – “The Fallen.” I discovered Hanora, who’s based out of Cork, thanks to Karrie, who shared an interview with the singer on her Facebook page. Wow. What’s amazing is this: Hanora didn’t begin her musical journey until her college years. 

Here’s the interview in question:

4) Stone Foundation – “Next Time Around.” The Midlands-based band’s latest release, Everybody, Anyone, is an addictive set of R&B-infused rock, echoing the likes of War and Traffic, among others.  

5) Hannah’s Yard – “Feels Like Home.” The Buckinghamshire collective covers this classic Randy Newman song on their current release, the four-song Reflections EP. It’s a stirring rendition.

Today’s Top 5: Major Moves

Posted: August 26, 2018 in 2010s, 2018, Diane Birch, Erin O'Dowd, Hank Williams Jr., Juliana Hatfield, Stone Foundation, Top 5
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Most folks are familiar with the cliche “where all the bodies are buried,” and understand that it’s a metaphor about knowing secrets. In my case, though, it’s more like I know where all the pot holes are – and I’m speaking literally. From sunken manhole covers to tire-killing craters, I know when and where to slide to the side to avoid a slew of unpleasant bumps regardless of how fast or slow traffic is going, and whether or not I can actually see beneath the car in front of me. Like others in countless communities across the country, I’ve been driving the same set of streets for the bulk of my life. Some take me to work, some to family and friends, and some to stores. No matter where I’m going, the odds are good that I’ve driven the same roads before.

Which leads to this: Just as my life’s trek was grooving along with minimal bumps, I’ve hit a stretch of ripped-up road: In the coming months, the OGC’s HQ will be transitioning from the Philly ‘burbs to North Carolina’s Durham region.

Yeah, I know. Talk about your major moves.

But the thing about a ripped-up road is this: It’s rarely ripped up for long. In this neck of the woods, the cause is usually due to PennDOT milling old asphalt before laying down a new batch. It’s temporary, in other words, and in time the ride will be better than before.

On Thursday, Diane and I drove down to explore the area. The small slice of Durham that we saw, the American Tobacco Historic District, reminded me of Philadelphia’s brick-laden Old City neighborhood, while the outlying communities of Cary and Chapel Hill conjured such Philly suburbs as Horsham, Warminster and Warrington. Carrboro – home to the legendary Cat’s Cradle – had a funkier, New Hope/South Street vibe. Each looked like a good place to call home.

Anyway, on the ride down and again on the ride north on Saturday, we listened to – what else? – music. But unlike years long ago, when one was at the mercy of the radio, or the tapes and CDs one remembered to bring, we simply clicked on Apple Music, picked a title, and hit play.

Our first agreed-upon choice: Diane Birch’s Bible Belt. The album (my top pick for 2009) has retained its original luster, and rightly deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Carole King’s Tapestry – not that anyone but my Diane and I would say so, I suppose. It has a timeless vibe.

I should add that the Church of Birch pastor has a new single slated for release in the next week. Look for it. Buy it. She has a knack for writing songs that take up residence in the soul like few others.

My second choice: Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John, which – thus far – rates as my favorite album of 2018. “Suspended in Time” is simply sublime, as is the album as a whole.

My third choice: Another of my favorites of this year, Erin O’Dowd’s Old Town. To quote my wife, “It’s excellent.” (There’s magic to be found in the album’s grooves.)

My last choice: the new Stone Foundation album, Everybody, Anyone, which I plan to review in full next week. It mixes a wide variety of influences into a very cool, original whole.

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