Jason Isbell signed Here We Rest cd
St. Joseph, Missouri is not a punk town. I wish it were, but its not. There is a lack of punk rock bands in St. Joe and also a lack of people wanting to go watch them. In a town that is dominated by cover bands and Nickelback sound-a-likes maybe this shouldn’t have been surprising to me. I also was thinking that I’d never seen a really good punk band in this town and it could be a wrong place/wrong time situation or maybe punk is dead in this desolate midwest town.
The pairing of thrash metal/traditional punk rockers Radkey and 1990’s throwback punk rockers Benkirkland showed promise. The two bands teamed up at The Rendezvous for a Friday night show on October 26th. As far a venues go, I think the Rendezvous would be the best place for a punk show. It is small and has graffiti tagged walls and on occasion can be a crazy place to see a good show. The band backdrop contains records on the wall along with guitars and a ton of posters from past shows at the venue.
Maybe one of St. Joe’s many cover bands were playing on this night, I don’t know; but the crowd was lackluster. Radkey tends to not get the crowds they deserve in St. Joe from my experience. They may very well be St. Joseph’s best band and they get very little hometown love for how good they are.
Benkirkland was celebrating the release of their self-titled CD on this night and despite this fact they would take the stage first. I’m sure the band that originally formed back in the 1990’s knew what to expect with the crowd but they still took the stage and gave their best to win over the crowd of friends and fans. The band not only formed in the 90’s but retained the sound of that era to this day. The show would even contain a “When I Come Around” guitar tease, it doesn’t get much more 90’s punk than that.
Benkirkland throws down at The Rendezvous Bar on 10/26/12. Benkirkland is: Ben Constable, Steve Mann, Josh Kirkland and Bret Yager .
This was the grown-up version of Benkirkland but you could still see the young sillyness and angst in their songs and performance. They would explore all realms of punk on this night too. They would bounce from sounding Sex Pistols-ish vintage punk all the way to a more rap-rock version of the sound. They would hit all check points in-between as well throwing in metal, ska and reggae sounding parts of songs as well.
The band wouldn’t be able to crank up the intensity enough to send the crowd into a frenzy. Their sound was scattered between genres keeping the show interesting but also really keeping it from dropping into a groove as well. They busted out their best numbers along with a couple covers. The guitar playing of Ben Constable was very good along with his vocals on the majority of the songs. He would handle the leads while the rest of the band, including a second guitar, would pound out the rest of the songs. They would climax with a fitting number for the night in “Fuck This Town” which in title alone makes it a punk anthem of sorts. Other highlights would include the vintage punk sounding “Gun Related” and a cover penned by the drummer in “One Shot” that was a very good song although it did break into a brief rap-rock session.
Radkey would headline and do their thing. They would kick ass and get a mundane reception. The band gets kudos and praise by everybody that knows them but it is just sad more people don’t go see them. Their available setlist continues to grow to the amount that they can pick and choose what songs they play each night. This night would feature many of the same suspects as usual on the setlist for the young band. Included in the list were a couple Ramones songs highlighted by a scorching cover of the classic “Teenage Lobotomy.”
Radkey rocks out at The Rendezvous Bar on 10/26/12. Isaiah Radkey on the left, Solomon Radkey on drums.
The three brothers would don their usual apparel; a cut-off jean jacket for bass player Isaiah Radkey, flannel for lead singer / guitarist Dee Radkey,and a mohawk for young drummer Solomon Radkey. The setlist would contain many of the groups best songs like the newer song “Cat & Mouse” for which they have recorded a video and have it posted on their website (http://www.radkey.net/)
The middle brother Isaiah would take his turn on lead vocals for the excellent “Mind Ride” before suffering a nose bleed toward the end of the band’s set. Isaiah moonlights as the spokesman for the band on stage as well instead of the quieter singer Dee, Isaiah often introduces the songs in similar ways like: “This song is called “Is He Alright” its about asking someone if they are alright.” The highlight of the night was (as always for me) the excellent song “Out Here In My Head” with his extreme catchiness and short soaring guitar solo by Dee Radkey.
Radkey lead singer and lead guitarist Dee Radkey plays live at The Rendezvous Bar on 10/26/12.
Radkey has many thrash metal tendencies as well as a lot of funk and of course punk. The mixture makes them unique and one of the more interesting acts to see in town. Of all the bands in the solid St. Joe music landscape they probably have the most potential to bust out and and be “career musicians.” Maybe the fact that they embrace punk makes them less popular in town. As I said, St. Joe is simply not a punk town in my opinion. Sometimes I think Benkirkland said it best… “Fuck this town, this town fucking blows.”
The added danger of thinking you may get held up at gunpoint can only add to the thrill of a show right? Knucklehead’s Saloon is an interesting venue for tons of reasons. Many of which have to do with its location, buried in downtown Kansas City just across the Missouri River in the midst of a large trainyard. Train tracks surround it on all sides as it sits with a small group of run-down houses creating a less than comfortable environment.
The train tracks are literally only a couple feet from Knucklehead’s Saloon. During shows the trains vibration can not only be felt in the concrete floor but the wind can be felt created by the trains. Knucklehead’s has indoor and outdoor venues. The indoor venue sucks. It is easily one of the most uncomfortable places I have ever seen a show. The outdoor venue is much better, it has a small balcony around the main floor with a nice stage and is easy to navigate and see a show. Fortunately, the Todd Snider and Amanda Shires show on October 23rd was outside despite it being an October evening. The weather really couldn’t have been better. A slight breeze blew on the roughly 75 degree night meaning not only did you not need the resident fans on but you didn’t need a coat or even long sleeves either.
Amanda Shires performs live at Knucklehead’s Saloon in Kansas City, MO on 10/23/12.
Amanda Shires would open the night by going on stage very soon after the listed 8:00 start time and would play for just around 35 minutes. She would play to a large, nearly all seated crowd that would remain sitting throughout the night. On the stage Shires had a large sign urging everyone to turn off their cell phones and refrain from talking, this would make perfect sense when Shires’ small but piercing voice would come out. She would only be accompanied by her small acoustic guitar that she would softly strum while playing classic sounding folk songs.
She would mention that Todd Snider was her favorite songwriter and it would show in her songs. The songs were written and delivered in a very similar way to Snider’s. The biggest difference being that her music was absent of the humor contained in nearly all Snider’s tunes. Amanda Shires would be supporting her latest album, Carrying Lightning on the evening and delivering a much more vulnerable version of the songs. Her cover of Leonard Cohen’s “That Don’t Make It Junk” fit well with her songs like the gentle “Lovesick I Remain.” The clear highlight of her set would be the great “When You Need A Train It Never Comes” which was of course coincidentally was accompanied by a passing train at just the right time creating a loud round of applause from the crowd.
Todd Snider performs live at Knucklehead’s Saloon in Kansas City, MO on 10/23/12.
Todd Snider would wander out onto the stage accompanied by his opening act who would play with him for his entire set. Shires played a big part on Snider’s latest record of new material Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables by playing violin and singing on the whole album. Snider would gear up for his 90 minute set that contained 18 songs by blasting into a standard opening song for one of his shows with “Can’t Complain,” ending it with the lyric “How are you all? I can’t complain.”
After adorning the crowd with a couple songs he would give his nightly “18 minutes” speal, warning the crowd of what to expect even though nearly all of them could recite it back to him by heart, I know I could. He wouldn’t waste a lot of time before getting to easily his most requested song “Beerrun” in the middle of which he would explain how much he actually loved the song. It is a crowd favorite and Snider claimed it was his favorite song of his as well. While it is a big crowd pleaser I could easily go the through a Todd Snider show without hearing it and be happy. The song is a gimmick song and Todd Snider is a much better writer and musician than to have to rely on a gimmick song to sell records and tickets. I would also be willing to throw “Conservative Christian, Right Wing, Republican, Straight, White, American Males” into that mix of gimmick songs I’d be alright with Snider retiring but I know I’m in the minority on that opinion. He would of course perform both on this night.
I would much rather hear the sing-along “Stuck On A Corner” that all Snider fans know that he would play soon after, or anything of the new Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables album. He would only play one track off that record, “Too Soon To Tell.” The song, like the album, has a dark, pessimistic outlook with lyrics like “I’d love to trust you buddy but you’re clearly keeping secrets from me.”
Todd Snider performs live at Knucklehead’s Saloon in Kansas City, MO on 10/23/12.
The setlist would be dominated by old favorites like “Easy Money” “Alright Guy” and “Beerrun.” A few nice surprises were thrown in like “Happy New Year” and “Is This Thing Working?” that would keep the setlist fresh. It should be said that any setlist wouldn’t be stale however, with his book-ending stories and frequent ad-libs Snider keeps things interesting. Shires contribution to the live show would be great at times like on “Stuck On A Corner” “Is This Thing Working?” “Too Soon To Tell” and “Ballad Of The Devil’s Backbone Tavern.” It would however seem tacked on and unnecessary much of the night like on “Alright Guy” and “Statistician’s Blues ”
Snider would proceed into “Play A Train Song” after hearing a train start to chug by. He glanced up to make sure it was still there and started the song with a smirk on his face as if he was executing a well thought out plan. The two song encore would contain the Jerry Jeff Walker cover “Mr. Bojangles” and the lively “Sideshow Blues.” Highlights of the night would include “Stuck On A Corner” and the requested “D.B. Cooper” that is always a great addition to the setlist, and the new “Too Soon To Tell.”
Todd Snider setlist from Kansas City, MO at Knucklehead’s Saloon 10/23/12
Can’t Complain
Is This thing Working?
[18 Minutes Intro]
Greencastle Blues
[Aaron Allen Story]
Ballad Of The Devi’l Backbone Tavern
Happy New Year
Too Soon To Tell
Beer Run>
Age Like Wine> Beer Run
Looking For A Job
Stuck On The Corner
Easy Money
Statistician’s Blues
D.B. Cooper
Alright Guy>
[Hill Country Goodbye Story]> Alright Guy
Conservative Christian…
Play A Train Song
Encore:
Mr. Bojangles
[15 Minutes Story]
Sideshow Blues
Yes Patterson Hood is the main lead singer of alt-country legends The Drive By-Truckers, he also releases solo albums when not recording a ton of albums or doing a ton of shows with his band. Heat Lightning Rumbles In The Distance is his third such release, it is also his best.
The album has sad overtones, songs about leaving home to tour, the Depression and past mistakes pepper the record. What makes the album keep from becoming a moping session? Patterson Hood’s storytelling. Patterson Hood is simply one of the top two or three storytellers in music today. His vivid imagery paints pictures in your mind as clear as the reflection on the mirror on the cover of the album. Some songs like “12:01” and “(untold pretties)” are as visual as a video for the tracks ever cold be.
Songs like “Leaving Time” and “Fifteen Days (Leaving Time Again)” detail life on the road while still keeping the wheels from falling off. “Better Than The Truth” and “Better Off Without” keep the tempo up to keep the record from getting stuck in its own ruts.
The album gets a full half star extra in this review for having a fantastic title as well as probably the best album cover of the year. Many artist don’t pay as much attention to these details as they should. The music is interesting and as always the lyrics are great from Hood, it is bound to be one of the most unnoticed great records of the year.
Key Tracks: “Better Off Without” “Leaving Time” “Better Than The Truth”
Some bands get the album title wrong. It doesn’t make sense and doesn’t give you any insight into the record. It should work as a window into the soul of the music on the album. Embrace The Light Outside is more than an album title the band got right, The Dangers new album title embodies the music as a whole and becomes a state of mind the record takes you to.
You’ll find few frills on The Dangers 2012 release, it is straight forward rock music that doesn’t sound forced or unsure of itself. The short 9 song album will occupy just over a half hour of your time but will flow smoothly and not over-stay its welcome.
Bands like The Hollies and The Box Tops come to mind when you hear the gentle pop hooks of songs like “The Bell” and “Here I Stand.” On the other hand; the hard guitar crunch of “Narrow Way” conjures up images of early ’70s Rolling Stones and the song’s lyrics fit the bill as well when lead singer Chris LeRoy sings “You know Jesus was an outlaw…” like it was something you should have already known. The Danger’s strengths lie in the short tunes that will rattle in your head days after hearing them like “Hello Day Sleeper” which appropriately gave the album its title and serves as a centerpiece for Embrace The Light Outside.
Some records look to the future; some to the past, but it seems like Embrace The Light Outside is more about enjoying right now than either of those. It is a smooth group songs that will fall well short of reaching as many ears as it should.
Key Tracks: “Hello Day Sleeper” “The Narrow Way” “Silent Is The Falling Star”
Bob Dylan is on an incredible run. Since 1997 he has released three stone-cold classic albums and one very good album, then there is Tempest. Tempest is not a bad record but it clearly pales in comparison to the giants that preceded it.
The record is worth the price of admission just to hear Dylan snarl “I pay in blood… but not my own…” in one of the albums better tracks “Pay In Blood.” Other highlights are the very “Love & Theft”-esque “Duquesne Whistle” and “Early Roman Kings.” “Early Roman Kings” may well serve as the centerpiece of the album with its steady boogie that is like a proud peacock strut throughout.
Toward the end of Tempest things get sketchy. The combination of “Tin Angel” and “Tempest” spin for a bloated 23 minutes and don’t carry their weight on the album. “Tin Angel” is a soap opera worthy triangle of love that can’t even be saved by mass bloodshed. “Tempest” unfortunately is one of the worst songs Dylan has recorded since his lull in the 1980s. It is a retelling of the Titanic movie (no, I’m not kidding.) It is a stale reading of a story we all know that doesn’t reveal much else. It is an anti-climactic 13 minute stroll that turns into an endurance test.
The record would actually be stronger without those two songs. The remaining record still may not be the classic Dylan of the last 15 years but still make Tempest worth a listen for any music fan.
Key Tracks: “Pay In Blood” “Early Roman Kings”
William Elliott Whitmore is at his best when his voice is at its worst. The more rough and textured his vocals are the better the compliment his music. He sings about what he know and that is the most basic elements of life in the Midwest. He details stories of life and death and the dirt, food and good times in-between.
The man took the stage shortly after his opening act Samantha Crain in a teal collared shirt not looking any different from any of the other couple hundred people at The Granada for the Friday night show until he put on his signature hat, then it was showtime. With only an acoustic guitar, banjo and kick drum for instruments the lag-time between shows was held to only a few minutes. This was important on this night in Lawrence, Kansas because there was actually a show after Whitmore would perform. Some dance party with a band named Bassnectar.
Whitmore’s instructions were clear to be off the stage by 11pm sharp so he took to the mic a little early, 9:30 to be exact, and wouldn’t leave his post at the center of the stage until his 11:00 curfew. This was actually nice for concert-goers like myself with an hour and a half drive after the show. Seeing him in this same venue only 8 months ago I knew what to expect, as you always do with Whitmore. You are going to see a passionate, honest, stripped down show.
William Elliott Whitmore performs live at The Granada Theater in Lawrence, Kansas on October 5th, 2012.
On this October night Whitmore was caught reflecting on the changing seasons and talking about rainfall over the summer and the onset of autumn. Several of his songs land close to these topic lines like “Dry” (very appropriate for the Midwest summer of 2012) “Diggin’ My Grave” and “Black Iowa Dirt.” There were probably more songs about dirt on this night than any other show you will ever see.
Whitmore would blast through 90 minutes of music covering 22 songs of his recorded catalog and creating an intimate environment with the half full club’s crowd by engaging in several conversations and much stage banter. At one point even making an obscure reference to The Simpsons that he seemed to regret. When talking about Bassnectar someone booed and he responded with the classic Simpsons line “are you saying “boo” or “boo-urns?” He would once again invite the audience to come sit on stage with him and many people would, it seemed less spontaneous and the crowds was more hesitant than last time but it was still a very cool thing for him to do.
He made the most of his 90 minutes on stage covering almost all of his brilliant album Animals In The Dark by doing the first 8 of the 10 songs on the record. He would also take on 5 of the 8 songs from his latest release Field Songs highlighted by “Not Feeling Any Pain.” The February Lawrence show was missing “Not Feeling Any Pain” so I was overjoyed to hear it as it is one his better songs from his 5 album catalog.
Other highlights were the deep-cut “Black Iowa Dirt” from his Hallways of Always album, the banjo filled songs “Lift My Jug” and “Diggin’ My Grave” and the always classic “Hell or High Water” and “Lee County Flood.” He would end the night with a passionate and rousing version of likely his most popular song “Old Devils” that builds to a climactic finish before taking his applause from the crowd. He would then say he wasn’t going to the “go off the stage encore shit” and he would take on one more tune before the 11:00 cutoff. He would do the crowd-shout-along favorite “Mutiny” assisted by only his kick drum.
William Elliott Whitmore at The Granada, Lawrence, KS 10/5/12 setlist:
Some bands are meant for Friday night. Every night is Friday night for The Empty Pockets from Chicago, Illinois. Their high energy fun music just doesn’t seem to fit on a weekday. Nevertheless the band hit the best venue Northwest Missouri on a Thursday night to see if they could bring the Friday night vibe on a school night.
It is always exciting when out-of-towners swing through St. Joseph. The local music (even though it is quite good right now) can become stale and it is refreshing to hear a new voice and sound roll through. The Empty Pockets brought a good time energy that isn’t all that common and would make for a great Thursday night experiment.
The Empty Pockets Poster (used without permission (if you don’t tell I won’t))
The band is very pop-rock radio friendly. Their vocals are right on top of the music and easy to hear (which is nice for a change.) They have a very listener friendly sound with a female vocalist in Erika Brett paired with most-of-the-time lead singer Joshua Solomon. The bass player would take the lead on the occasional song (usually a old standard cover song) but would deliver a booming voice to do the songs justice. Brett’s lead vocals were added to the band after their formation and it was very apparent live which songs where written after her addition.
Erika Brett is the classic story of a singer who learned how to sing then joined a band. It is always a bit of a fresh sound when this happens, this sequence of events usually avoids a vocalist just trying to shout over the band. The hip-slapping Brett could belt out great vocals but it was still obvious that the driving force of the band was Joshua Solomon on vocals and lead guitar. He has the voice of a less-whiney Rob Thomas from Matchbox Twenty and writes great little catchy pop songs. The music of The Empty Pockets has the vibe of The Barenaked Ladies. It is light, catchy and fun which is not an easy sound to pull off.
The Empty Pockets performing live at the Cafe Acoustic in St. Joseph, MO on 10/4/12.
They would take the stage and blast into an energetic mix of mostly original songs and some carefully chosen covers to bring familiarity to the young band’s set. The most impressive cover delivered on the evening was an appropriate version of Etta James’ “At Last.” The band would also deliver standards like “Mustang Sally” and “Sweet Home Chicago” and make them much less their own than they did the James classic.
As far as the band’s strengths go, it is clearly their original songs. They have a stellar group of songs highlighted by the 98 degrees-referencing “Fall Right Now” and the strongest song of the evening in St. Joseph “All I Need.” They even displayed their soft-touch for music with the slowed down tune ” You’re The One.” The music of the band is very PG rated but is great for a good-time feeling night of music. The group’s influences are all over the map bluesy sounding songs during the second half of the set and many reggae sounding guitar songs filling the initial set. The talent of the band in undeniable, the solid drumming and bass works as the mortar for the guitar and vocals of the band, holding the whole thing together. Brett’s vocals are instantly noticeable and the songwriting and guitar playing of Solomon are both solid. The band has potential to do a lot, it will be interesting to see how far they go.
The Empty Pockets performing live at the Cafe Acoustic in St. Joseph, MO on 10/4/12.
Local H prides themselves on being noisy. They out-due themselves on Hallelujah! I’m A Bum for their seventh studio album. The blast of the album outdoes any of their other records as a whole, Perhaps singer Scott Lucas has exercised his temptation for quieter music with his band Scott Lucas & The Married Men leaving nothing but a sonic blast for his output with Local H.
Hallelujah! I’m A Bum is an ambitious political record split into a side for the democrats and a side for the republicans. The songs are separated by colors; the blue and the red, just like America. Which side is better isn’t too important because the songs aren’t always exactly clear which color they fit under.
Lucas does blast through vintage sounding Local H rockers like “Cold Manor” “Feed A Fever” and “Here Come Ol’ Laptop” like they are second nature to him. As always Lucas and drummer Brian St. Clair hit the softer side as well with “Sad History” and “Say You Will” while never letting the songs turn into a mope. The album is held together by sounds of Chicago’s Blue Line train and howling dogs to fit along with political dialog.
The standard remains true; Local H is best when they are loud. The songs aren’t very hook-laden on Hallelujah! I’m A Bum but they still stick in your head. The best songs here are the fantastic “Another February” along with “Cold Manor” “They Saved Reagan’s Brain” (all rockers,) the (gulp) country, of “Look Who’s Walking On Four Legs Again” and the soft touch of “Say You Will” that promises to be a concert staple in the future.
Key Tracks: “Cold Manor” “Say You Will” “Another February” “Look Who’s Walking on Four Legs Again”
Lucero is one of many solid Texas bands with a string of records already available. So at this point the band knows their strengths and have found their identity so they can put out solid records. Women & Work is very good album that rolls pretty smooth from front to end.
Their raspy smoke filled vocals make their sound very distinct. Their music actually has a very wide range of influences and sounds. On Women & Work you can clearly hear influences from classic rock to blues and country all the way to punk. The band rocks out Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Shuffle style through much of the record. The seem to capture that spontaneous, passionate sound revolving around smooth moving songs featuring guitar all the way to horn sections. The record’s wide range of sounds never hurts it thought, possibly because of the distinct vocals holding the whole record together.
The can jam in a radio friendly style on songs like “On My Way Downtown” and “Juniper” but still have the soft touch to pull off songs like “When I Was Young.” “On My Way Downtown” it super catchy and in a world with better musical taste would likely be a big radio hit. The good time-feeling song is not alone on the record either, other tracks like “Women & Work” deliver the same punch.
The very end of the record drops off a little, mainly because of the overly slow ballad “Go Easy” that ends the album. While it isn’t a bad song it seems to wander and get lost a bid and wander a bit too long. It is a minor complaint on a good record however.
Key Tracks: “On My Way Downtown” “Juniper” “When I Was Young”
Vocals On Top 