Black Stone Cherry - Secret Session

This Black Stone Cherry acoustic set is the fourth Secret Session that I have been fortunate enough to attend and the first I've been to since Rock Radio became Real XS. It is also the first that I've been to where I was already a serious fan of the band before going to the session.

All four of Black Stone Cherry, a photo
by DavidDMuir on Flickr.

I have been a bit snowed under with work recently and it has taken me too long to get around to writing a review.In fact, it has been so long that the details have already begun to fade from my aged brain, so I'll start with the clearest abiding memory - it was outstanding!

They only played four tracks, the first of which was (I think) In my Blood and I'm pretty sure they also played Blame It On The Boom Boom as well as White Trash Millionaire but as I say, my recollection is a bit hazy so I'm willing to be corrected. Update: I have consulted with Daughter Number 3 and she assures me they only played three tracks. The second was Like I Roll and the third is described below. See told you my memory was going!

I am absolutely sure about what they finished with though - a cover of Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash. It is a track I have attempted to learn to play myself as I struggle on with my guitar lessons and the band did it fairly straight. At least the did so for the first couple of sections until the music began to morph... At first, I thought they were going to segue straight into one of their own songs. But when the vocal came in, it became clear that what they had done instead was get all Black Stone Cherry-esque on Folsom Prison Blues. Rather than just doing a straight cover version of a Cash classic, what they did was take the song and make it sound like one of their own. As I describe it here, it sounds terrible but trust me, it sounded great at the time!

I have posted some of the pictures I took on Flickr but you'll see a much better set on the Real Radio XS website. (I'm fairly sure they took video of the session too, but if they have posted it online, I certainly can't find it.)

And, in the "Isn't that just the way it goes..." category, this is the first Secret Session I've been too where I already CDs by the band, so I took one along to get it signed. But it's also the first Secret Session I've been to where they weren't signing stuff, they were just posing for pictures. Curses!

To finish on a more positive note though, they seemed to be a really great bunch of chaps and handled comments and questions in almost impenetrable (to them) Galswegian accents with good humour. So thanks to all at Real XS and more importantly, thanks to Black Stone Cherry for a great acoustic set.

{Edit: This post was flagged by blogger who claim: "Your content has violated our spam policy...". I have checked their spam policy. It says: Do not spam. This may include unwanted promotional or commercial content, unwanted content that is created by an automated program, unwanted repetitive content, nonsensical content or anything that appears to be a mass solicitation." It does not contain any "promotional or commercial content" - it is a report of an event I attended. It was written by me, not "an automated program". It may be "repetitive" and "nonsensical" in places but that is down to my writing rather than anything to do with spam. I'm not sure what "mass solicitation" means but I'd be happy to edit it out if someone can point me at the offending section. Have asked for the post to be reviewed and await their judgement.}

Free Download Friday #125: Roadrunner Records goes to Download

I've been too busy of late to update this blog but I'm back this week with a link that will net you not one, but thirteen tracks! But first a slight diversion.

For the last couple of Christmases, I've posted links and downloads for Christmas songs from a variety of Pop, Blues and Rock artists. I thought that, since this is Good Friday, I should look for an Easter related song to offer as a download. The problem is, there are next to no Easter Pop, Blues and Rock songs at all... let alone free downloadable ones. At least, I couldn't find any. I guess that Easter is just not seen in the same light as Christmas by the music industry. If any of you can think of Easter songs, I'd be interested to hear your suggestions. The best I could come up with is this YouTube video of Larry Norman singing Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music? which contains the lines: "Jesus is the Rock and he rolled my Blues away." :-)

So, what about the promised thirteen track download? Well, it comes courtesy of Roadrunner Records - probably my favourite record label. Not only are they currently the home of the greatest band in the world but they also give away a ton of free tracks!


And once again, as they did last year, they are giving away a Download Festival sampler. I think this is a brilliant idea and I don't know why more bands/record labels don't do it. There are so many bands at a festival, how do you choose who to go and see? In general, I suspect most people will go to bands they've heard of, bands where they already have at least a couple of tracks in their music collection. So Roadrunner Records gives you a sample track from each of their artists that will be appearing at the festival. As I said, brilliant!

This year, the tracks on offer are:

1. Black Stone Cherry - White Trash Millionaire
2. Soulfly - World Scum
3. Lamb of God - Ghost Walking
4. Revoker - Stay Down
5. Royal Republic - Tommy Gun
6. Kids in Glass Houses - Gold Blood
7. Trivium - In Waves
8. DevilDriver - You Make Me Sick
9. Periphery - Icarus Lives
10. Theory of a Deadman - Lowlife
11. Machine Head - Locust
12. Megadeth - Public Enemy No 1
13. Opeth - The Devil's Orchard  

A really good mix of tracks. My favourite is Black Stone Cherry but there's a really good mix of styles there - pretty much something for everyone. Just go to the Roadrunner Records facebook page, enter your details, sign up for a mailing list and you'll be sent a link to the download page.

So, what's your favourite track?

Free Download Friday #118: Third Download in Advent

I had another post lined up and ready to go... then I saw this advertised on the Roadrunner Records site:

It's gone. :-(

They say it will only be there for one weekend, so go get it now!  If you haven't already downloaded it, you're too late but you can still listen to Santa Claus Is Back In Town on Soundcloud:

I've posted a link to the Joe Bonamassa version of this track before (Free Music Friday #82: Happy Christmas from Joe Bonamassa). This version is much more raw and raucous - dirty even! Excellent!

Free Music Friday #95: Late again

Free Download Friday is late again but that is oddly appropriate because today's free download is from a band that hasn't released anything for a couple of years. Well, perhaps they are not late but they are... anticipated!

The Arctic Monkeys are due to release a new album later this year and have released this track, Brick By Brick, to whet your appetite. As well as the free download, they have also put out this video:

Quite a different sound, eh? If I hadn't been told it was the Arctic Monkeys, I would never have guessed. Less Indie and more Rock. In particular the distinctive vocals seem to have been lost in favour of a more generic vocal sound, which I think is a shame. Apart from that though, I like the track. I like the drumming and I like the overall sound. It will be interesting to hear just how representative of the album it is.


Bonus Free Download

I think this one is time limited and it may already be past time otherwise I would have featured this song: Black Stone Cherry: Blame It On The Boom Boom. Give them your email and they will give you a great track from an outstandingly good band... if you hurry.

Free Music Friday #82: Happy Christmas from Joe Bonamassa

Joe Bonamassa featured in last year's Advent downloads (see Free Download Friday #40: Final Friday in Advent) thanks to his excellent version of Merry Christmas Baby (which is still available for download on the record company's site).

Just yesterday though, I got an email from him (I assume he sends them to me personally even though it looks like a form letter) with this year's Christmas download: Joe Bonamassa - Happy Holidays. In exchange for your email, you get to download his take on Santa Claus Is Back In Town.

I'm not sure if the track starts with a sample from the Elvis version or if Joe has just managed to get his backing singers to do a passible imitation of The Jordanaires but either way, it sets up the Christmas feel perfectly for Joe to pick it up and run with. Now I have to admit that vocally, Mr Bonamassa isn't a match for Mr Presley but but for screaming Blues guitar solos, Joe's version wins hands down. This is a great Christmas track. I hope that Joe Bonamassa releasing a free Christmas download is now established as an annual event!

For another take on the same song, here is some backstage video from Black Stone Cherry:

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM BLACK STONE CHERRY

Black Stone Cherry | Myspace Music Videos

Apparently they streamed their version of this song on Myspace last year but at the moment it is nowhere to be found on the Internet (or at least, I can't find it). It seems, however, that it was played on Rock Radio the other day so I'm vaguely hopeful that they are going to make it properly available as even the rough video clip embedded above, with its poor audio quality, hints at another interesting take on the song.

Free Download Friday #64: Return to Roadrunner Records

After seeing Cohheed And Cambria at Rock Radio's Secret Session, I decided to see if I could track down any free music for download. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything from them. However, since they are with Roadrunner Records in the UK, I found my way to Roadrunner Records in the USA where, as usual, there was some good stuff available.

Claudio

Originally uploaded by DavidDMuir

It is a while since I visited Roadrunner Records (see Free Download Friday #44) and I thought it was interesting that I now own CDs that contain many of the tracks they are offering as free downloads. As I've often said, giving a track away free is a great way to generate interest and (probably) sales. It has certainly worked on me. I suspect I wouldn't have half the Roadrunner product I have if they hadn't given me a taste of their bands on the USA site.

So, in alphabetical order, here are the downloads currently on offer that caught my eye. Some I have already and some are new to me but I think all are interesting:

• Airbourne - No Way But The Hard Way: I thoroughly enjoyed the Airbourne gig in Glasgow recently and if you haven't heard them already, this track gives a pretty good indication of what they are about.
• Blackstone Cherry - Soulcreek: Southern Rock done in a classic style by a band of young whippersnappers. Excellent stuff.
• Dommin - My Heart, Your Hands: When I reviewed the Dommin Secret Session, I used the video of this track and now you can download it for free.
• Dream Theater - A Rite Of Passage: Another band I saw in concert thanks to Rock Radio!
• Parlor Mob - Everything You're Breathing For: There's a bit of a retro feel to this lot and I really like this track. Moments of restraint interspersed with noise and mayhem!

So, that's my picks. Have I missed any? What would you recommend.

Paint it Black

I think it was the chaps on the Classic Rock Progcast that first brought Crippled Black Pheonix to my attention. I was pleased to discover that some of the work was available for download from eMusic and so I acquired 200 Tons of Bad Luck. This is a great album. I would describe it as progressive rock but other descriptions I've seen include ambient and post-rock. Probably my favourite track is 444 which includes samples of Donald Sutherland as Oddball from the film Kelly's Heroes. "Crazy! I mean like so many positive waves maybe we can't lose! You're on!" Brilliant.

Black Rainbow
Originally uploaded by The Kozy Shack

Then, I discovered The Black Keys. I'm not sure where I first heard about these chaps but, again, I was pleased to discover them on eMusic. I downloaded Rubber Factory and really like it. Stripped back, lo-fi Blues that sound a bit like The White Stripes in approach and feel but much more blusey.

It struck me as I listened to these two albums that both bands had the word black in their name, not a particularly profound observation I realise but I started thinking of other artists with the word black in their name.

• Black Sabbath: Seminal band, practically invented Metal... I like them. (Unfortunately, Black Sabbath are not on eMusic, but Heaven And Hell are.)
  
• Black Crowes: Excellent Southern Rock band who have featured here before and have just released a new album.
• Black Stone Cherry: Another band that have featured here before and currently one of my favourite new bands.
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo: A cappella four part harmony with a Zulu twist. Great stuff! eMusic have good live recording of Ladysmith in action.
  

I realised that I couldn't think of a single group with the word black in their name that I didn't like. I thought I'd discovered the secret to musical success... just use the word Black in your bands name!

And then with crashing horror, I remembered Black Lace and my theory was blown completely out the water!

Over to you
Is that the exception that proves the rule? Can you think of any other examples either for or against the proposition that bands with the word black in their name are worth listening too?

(Small Print: I've talked about eMusic before. Please note that if you sign up after following the links on this blog, I get a few extra downloads for sending you in their direction. You can get fifty free downloads just for checking them out and, as long as you remember to cancel your subscription, those fifty downloads are yours to keep for free. However, I think you will find plenty of music to download if you choose to pay your money and sign up fully.)

Free Download Friday #29: Mellow Metal

I remarked to a student recently that I couldn't see the attraction of Slipknot. My preference is for classic, progressive and blues oriented rock, though I'm not adverse to a bit of metal now and then. What little I've heard of Slipknot hasn't impressed. However, the student suggested I should give Stone Sour a try, a band founded by the lead vocalist from Slipknot.

Stone Sour Download

Originally uploaded by Andy_Pattison

To my surprise, I discovered that I had a Stone Sour track on my iPod already. It came from a Classic Rock magazine cover mounted CD. I'd given it five stars. To be honest, it had never occurred to me that there was any connection with Slipknot as the Stone Sour track has a very different feel to it. The track is called Through Glass and is beautifully melodic with a an acoustic beginning and a great noisy rock climax.

I decided to look far something else of theirs to listen to and found my way to their label's site - Roadrunner Records. Roadrunner Records featured in my very first Free Download Friday post and so it is about time I checked back there to see what was new. I was pleased to see a Stone Sour track available for download. The track is off their Come What(ever) May album and is called Zzyzx Rd. The best description I can come up with for it is: power ballad. Piano features heavily at the start of the track and Corey Taylor sounds lost and vulnerable as his vocals join the piano. I must look for the lyrics to see what this track is about because even as the other instruments kick in and Corey's voice becomes stronger, the sense of vulnerability remains. The guitar solo that features towards the end is well worth hearing. It is loose but controlled in a way the fits perfectly with the mood of the song - beautiful. As I said, I'm not sure what the song is about but it reminds me a bit of Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb - in tone at least. It has the feel of a song by someone who has reached the bottom.

Re-reading the last couple of sentences, it doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement but I like this track (four stars on my iPod) and I strongly recommend you check it out.

Black Stone Cherry Download
While you are at the Roadrunner site, you should also look for Black Stone Cherry. Currently they are offering Things My Father Said for download, another ballad. A bit different from the Southern Rock sound that has made them famous but a track that's had a fair bit of airplay on Rock Radio and one that's definitely grown on me.

And Finally...
I don't know whether to be pleased or worried that Jeff (from Totally Free Music) also headed over to Roadrunner Records to recommend a free download this week. Is it that great minds think alike or a case of fools that seldom differ? First Suburban Home recordings and now Roadrunner. Hopefully next week we'll end up in different places. :-)

Sorry that things have been so quiet in this blog but I was too busy over the last week with education stuff. I'll try to do better next week.