Sounds and Words

Underworld "Back to Mine"

2011-06-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

The recent passing of poet Gil Scott-Heron made me think of the album that introduced me to him. Heron was an original voice who expressed his views with humor and clarity.

In 2003, my favorite band, Underworld, released an album in the Back to Mine series. I bought the album on CD the week it came out. The reason I love this compilation is that it represents the staggering range of music that influences Underworld. It's like Rick and Karl made you a mixtape of some of their favorite tracks. The album also introduced me to reggae legends Toots & The Maytals. The half-mixed album is strange, oddball, haphazard, and wonderful. Much like Underworld, it transcends genre categorization. It is something that could have only come from the minds (and record collections) of Underworld. The tracklist speaks for itself.
01 - Gil Scott-Heron - 'B' Movie
02 - TLC - Creep
03 - Dr. Octagon - Bear Witness
04 - CJ Bolland - Horsepower
05 - Remy & Sven - Piano Power
06 - LFO Versus F.U.S.E. - Loop
07 - Toots & The Maytals - 54-46 (That's My Number)
08 - LTJ Bukem - Music
09 - Depeche Mode - Barrel Of A Gun
10 - Aphex Twin - Didgeridoo
11 - Dead Prez - Hip-Hop
12 - Ali Farka Toure - Machengoidi
13 - Tartit - Buloululba (Couldn't find this one anywhere)
14 - D'Angelo - Brown Sugar
15 - Gregory Isaacs - Public Eyes

New Interviews

2011-05-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

Hey all,
I have recently added a few interviews to the site. NOLA garage rock legend Quintron, jazz great Terence Blanchard, and actor Harry Shearer are the newest additions. Upcoming interviews that will be posted in the coming weeks include keyboardist Bruce Hornsby and Widespread Panic archivist Horace Moore. Thanks for supporting the site. Looking forward to sharing some new interviews with you!
Best,
McClain Johnson
http://www.mcclainjohnson.com

Blair Interview Featured in InvadeNOLA Book.

2011-02-25T20:28:00.000-08:00

My interview with singer-songwriter Blair is being featured in the InvadeNOLA book, "Once Upon an Ever After." The book can be ordered here.

My Favorite Albums of 2010 (so far..)

2010-08-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

Caribou "Swim"
This album is a great burst of sun-kissed electronica. The production is lush, and the songs blissfully float along.
Here's the video for "Sun"

The Mynabirds "What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood"
The Mynabirds have released one of the best pop albums of the year. The songs are expertly layered and produced. Laura Burhenn's vocals are heartfelt and soulful. "What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood" has a classic '60s sound, but is rooted in the present by Burhenn's personal lyrics about loss and rebuilding.
Here's the video for "Numbers Don't Lie"

Blair "Die Young"
Blair has created a great indie-pop album. Lyrics hazily emerge like fragmented pieces of dreams. Blair's vocals are passionate and her songs are filled with an honest, simple beauty.
Here she is doing a live version of "Hello Halo."

Blair - Hello Halo

blair | MySpace Music Videos

KC Tour Dates

2010-06-17T23:16:00.000-07:00

Check out our new KC Tour Dates widget. It combines tour dates from Pollstar along with music news and updates from the Pitch and BacktoRockville.

Gov't Mule JazzFest Review

2010-05-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

I recently reviewed Gov't Mule's set at JazzFest 2010. They are such a great live band. I'm really happy with the way the review turned out. You can read it here: http://www.neworleans.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=386744&catid=396&Itemid=2782
Keep rocking,
McClain

The Revivalists Interview

2010-04-27T20:52:00.000-07:00

I recently interviewed The Revivalists, a great, young, New Orleans-based rock band. You can check out in the interview here. To hear more of my podcasts with great New Orleans artists, check out New Orleans Voices.

Nate Russ Interview

2010-04-26T18:38:00.000-07:00

On a rainy day at Tulane, I recently interviewed singer-songwriter Nate Russ. Nate is the lead singer of fun. and was formerly the lead singer-songwriter for The Format. Check the interview out here.

NewOrleans.com Event Listings

2010-04-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

Hey ya'll,
I recent started an event listings column for NewOrleans.com You can check it out here. If you want to know where to see great live music in the Crscent City every week, this is the place to look!

Foburg 2010

2010-03-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

I recently coveredthe 2010 Foburg Music Festival. Foburg featured over 90 bands in three days in venues located on and around Frenchmen Street. The festival howcased a wide range of talented independent music from New Orleans and around the country. I had the chance to interview 16 of these excellent acts for InvadeNOLA. I have created a podcast of the interviews (http://foburg2010.podomatic.com/). So far, interviews with Givers, MyNameIsJohnMichael, Flow Tribe, Alexis Marceaux, the Local Skank, the Blue Party, Glasgow, Vox and the Hound, Booty Trove, Pumpkin, Sun Hotel, High in One Eye, Megafauna, Silent Cinema, Andrew Duhon, and the Bellys have been posted. Stay tuned for more interview additions.

New Orleans Voices Benefit for the New Orleans Musician's Relief Fund

2010-03-01T16:40:00.000-08:00

New Orleans Voices presents a benefit for the New Orleans Musician's Relief Fund
April 1st at Republic New Orleans.
Tickets: $5
Buy tickets online here
Lineup:
Billy Iuso and the Restless Natives (http://www.billyiuso.com/)
Russell Batiste and Friends (http://www.russellbatiste.com/)
Natalie Mae and Her Unturned Tricks (http://www.myspace.com/nataliemaemusic)
DJ Maddie Ruthless (http://www.myspace.com/maddieruthless)

All sales from ticket proceeds will benefit the NOMRF.

Check out this article on the benefit from www.neworleans.com

Natalie Mae live performance for New Orleans Voices

2010-02-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

Songstress and banjo-uke master Natalie Mae recently performed live on my podcast, New Orleans Voices. For more info on Natalie, please check out http://www.myspace.com/nataliemaemusic

"Sick of Seeing You"

"Waiting on You"

"I Don't Know Why"

My Top Two Albums of 2009

2009-12-31T19:56:00.000-08:00

1. Kid Cudi "Man on The Moon" (The End of Day).

Loved the lonely, spaced out feeling of this album. It serves as a change from the majority of today's self-focused bling rap. "Man on the Moon" is a sad, stoned, personal journey into the mind of Kid Cudi.

2. Fanfarlo "Reservoir."

A lush, shining pop album. No album this year sounded so joyous, orchestrated and fun.

Priscilla Ahn

2009-08-19T16:10:00.000-07:00

Saw Priscilla Ahn live last week. She put on such a great, chilled out show. Her voice was glorious. She really should be playing bigger venues...

Interesting piece on the end of music magazines

2009-08-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

Slate recently ran a piece on the end of music magazines. http://www.slate.com/id/2223381/pagenum/all
It really shows how the music culture has moved online.

Sunday Jam Taper's Special

2009-06-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

This week on the Sunday Jam, I'm going to feature some of my favorite tracks from archive.org. It's a live music throwdown, only on the Sunday Jam!
www.sundayjam.podomatic.com

Albums and Shows of the Year 2008

2009-01-01T18:50:00.000-08:00

1. Drive-By Truckers "Brighter Than Creation's Dark."
Another set of intense Southern story songs. These guys have never made a bad record.

2. Vampire Weekend "Vampire Weekend"
This Cd was addictive. Yeah, they're pompus, but they can write catchy tunes.

3. Girl Talk "Feed the Animals"
Girl Talk was a beast on this album. Great party record. Should come packaged with a bottle of rum.

Shows:
Santana at Jazz Fest.
Santana may be old, but my God he's a beast! The jamming!! Later on in the day, he sat on with the Nevilles and covered "Ain't No Use." My face fell off and my soul left my body.

Wilco at Tip's Night 1:
So crowded, but worth it. "Impossible Germany" "Shot in the Arm" "Jesus etc" Insanity! The show was a perfect fusion of alt-country rock jazzy goodness.

Disco Biscuits at Tip's:
At least five hours of improvised electronica. A Jazz Fest late night throwdown. Mind-blowing..Always nice to walk out of Tip's when the sun is coming up.

Papa Grows Funk at the Po-Boy Fest
The glory of the Papa wiith a big crowd and po-boys..life is beautiful sometimes.

So there are my picks...what were ya'll feeling this year and why?

Why I Love Jambands

2008-06-12T17:12:00.000-07:00

My passion for the jamband scene began at Wakarusa 2005. The eclectic mix of music won me over. A dance rock band would play right after a bluegrass band. Regardless of genre, all the talent at the festival deserved to be there. The skill and creativity of the musicians and their interplay with one another helped me to see how impressive jamming is in a live setting. The improvisational abilities of the players, and the fact that setlists change every night added an element of surprise and risk that made we want to become more involved in the scene.
The headliners for my crash course on the jamband scene were the String Cheese Incident. The fusion of bluegrass, dance, and rock had 10,000 people grooving. The peaks and valleys of the set sent the crowd into a euphoric state. From that first day at Waka, I learned of so many bands (North Mississippi Allstars, Umphrey’s McGee, The Hackensaw Boys…), that I see every time they come through my neck of the woods. This initial interest has also caused me to keep listening for new bands coming onto the scene.
My appreciation for jamming has increased even more since coming to New Orleans. Almost every band down here jams. NOLA people like their jams nice and funky! People down here love to get rowdy, but they also enjoy listening to the subtle nuances great musicians can create (For the record, the best jam I've ever seen was the Allman Brothers Band doing a face-melting version of "Jessica" at Jazz Fest 2007). However, my love for the scene wouldn’t have been sparked if it weren’t for that first day at Wakarusa.
The happiness and freedom that one feels during an intense jam is like few other emotions. When a band is onstage improvising and they come back around to the main melody of a song, the feeling created is one of pure joy for both the band and the audience. Even with so many different styles of music, the unity between band and fans is what makes being a part of the scene so enjoyable. From these beginnings, I can now proudly say that I will be jamming out for the rest of my life. Come groove with me!

Umphrey's McGee jams out on "In The Kitchen"

Underrated Nights Out in New Orleans: Papa Grows Funk @ the Maple Leaf

2008-06-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

http://www.myspace.com/papagrowsfunk

Underrated Nights Out in New Orleans: Bayou International

2008-06-11T14:07:00.000-07:00

http://www.myspace.com/bayouinternational

Best Shows of 2008.

2008-05-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

As the school year ends, here are my picks for the best shows I've seen in New Orleans this year.

1: Wilco (night 1) at Tipitina's.
Wilco tore it up. They are the best band in America, hands down. The highlight of the night: either Impossible, Germany or At Least That's What you Said.

2: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss at Jazz Fest.
In front of a huge cfrowd, Plant and Krauss stunned the audience with a moving set. It was one of the most beautiful shows I have ever heard. Highlight: Krauss singing "Down to the River to Pray" with Plant on backing vocals.

Best Local Shows:

1. Soul Rebels at French Quarter Fest.
The Rebels brought two hours of the brass band funk and had the whole massive crowd losing their minds. Highlight: A kickass version of "Umbrella."

2. Papa Grows Funk 8th Ann.at the Maple Leaf
One of NOLA's best laid down epic jams all night. Highlight: The Houseman coming and sitting in for three songs. The perfect fusion of soul and funk!

Plant and Krauss

2008-04-27T16:39:00.000-07:00

The Robert Plant-Alison Krauss set at this year's Jazz Fest was one of the best performances I have ever seen. These two greats from different styles of music came together to perform songs that were filled with beauty and emotion.

Plant and Krauss' voices blended effortlessly throughout the hour and 30 minute set. It's reassuring to see that Plant still has his trademark wail after all these years.

A galloping take on Led Zep's "Black Dog," "Please Read the Letter," "Through the Morning, Through the Night" (both from the their album "Raising Sand", were highlights from the set.

However, the pinnacle came when Krauss sang ana cappella version of the gospel standard "Down to the River to Pray." Backed by the vocal harmony of Plant and the other band members, Krauss' voice soared. The song was one of the most beautiful moments I have ever witnessed at a concert. I'm not one to normally start tearing up at shows.

The only misstep was including the Zeppelin song "When the Levee Breaks" in the setlist. Seemed at bit rude considering the show was in New Orleans. However, the show was still one of the most powerful and moving gigs I have ever witnessed.

Mike Doughty

2008-04-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

Mike Doughty just put out a new record, "Golden Delicious." It is not as good as his past solo work (many songs are a bit too middle of the road). It does have some songs that show off his skill as a songwriter. My favorite track off of the album is "I Wrote A Song About Your Car."

Tristan Prettyman

2008-04-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, I am interviewing one of my favorite singer-songwriters, Tristan Prettyman. If you have any questions you'd like me to ask, let me know.

Drive-By Truckers

2008-03-31T09:02:00.000-07:00

The Drive-By Truckers cannot write a bad song. They are one of the most underrated bands in America today. Their new album, "Brighter Than Creation's Dark" is an early contender for my favorite album of 2008.
Here's a live version of "A Ghost to Most"

Ashton Shepherd

2008-03-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

Because the best kind of country music is ass kicking country!
Ashton Shepherd is an up-and-coming singer who has recently released her debut album, "Sounds So Good." She has a great spark and fire in her voice, which reminds me of Miranda Lambert.
Here's a link to her video for her first single, "Takin' Off This Pain.":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JLIqtNrV0o

Popmatters.com Funk Piece

2008-03-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

Here's a great essay from Popmatters.com talking about funk in the 70s and it's cultural importance: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/features/article/54677/funks-death-trip/

Jazz Fest

2008-03-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

It's going to be an odd first Friday at Jazz Fest this year....

Best gig(s) of 2008..so far

2008-03-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

The best show I have attended this year was Wilco's two night invasion of Tipitina's in March. Wilco proved why they are the best American rock band today by being able to go from folkie pop to psychedelic noise freakouts back-to-back. Both nights had many highlights, but "Impossible Germany from the first night was my personal favorite. It was glorious!

Upcoming Interviews

2008-03-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

I will be interviewing two singer-songwriters in the coming months. The first will be with Tristan Prettyman. I will be doing the interview before her April 24th gig at the HOB in New Orleans.

I will then be interviewing up-and-comer Colbie Caillat on May 5th at the HOB. Caillat put out my favorite album of 2007, "Coco."

Badal Roy

2007-03-24T22:16:00.000-07:00

I went to see Tabla master Badal Roy play at Snug Harbor on Saturday night. He had an amazing sense of timing, and flow was outstanding. He even tapped with each of his fingers in exact time with the beat. Badal said that Indian tabla playing is based around the concept of "singing the sentence, and then playing the sentence." The night was a great example of a player being one with their instrument. Here is a link to his bio: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:gcfpxqw5ld0e~T1

Bhangra

2007-03-11T15:40:00.000-07:00

A musical style that I'm really starting to get into is Bhangra. Bhangra is a fusion of traditional Indian musical genres and Hip Hop beats.
Here is a link to my favorite BHangra show on the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork/breakdown/
The show gives you a great idea of what Bhangra sounds like today.

Robert Randolph

2007-02-25T23:04:00.000-08:00

Saw a jaw-dropping show by Robert Randolph and the Family Band at Tipitina's Uptown Saturday night. They played for over two hours and ended at 2AM. It was my fifth time seeing them, and they never fail to amaze. Randolph's playing was funkier than I have ever seen before. I still firmly believe that he is the best guitarist alive. After the show, I ended up on the band's bus doing shots of Patron. It was an intense night for sure!

Tracey Thorn "It's All True"

2007-02-23T19:55:00.000-08:00

Tracey Thorn is a former member of Everything But The Girl. Her amazing new single, "It's All True," is out now. She is one of my favorite vocalists of all time.
Here's the video:

Phix/Lack of Oxygen Debate

2007-02-23T18:59:00.000-08:00

Wnt with some friends to see Phish tribute band, Phix (http://www.phixband.com/), in Baton Rouge. They put on a great three hour set, which included a mind-blowing "Wolfman's Brother." The band members all had excellent interplay and it was an amazing evening. On the way to the show, my friend was blaring Phish's new Colorado '88 collection. The Cds give a great look at what Phish was like when they first started touring outside of Vermont. I started thinking about all the great bootlegs I've heard from Colrado shows and all the great bands that are from the Rocky Mountain State. One of my favorite bootlegs ever is of a 2002 Robert Randolph and the Family Band show in Boulder (http://www.archive.org/details/rrfb2002-03-03.sbd.shnf). For some reason, bands seem to throw down excellent shows in Colorado a lot. I think it has something to do with the lack of oxygen. The same theory applies to New Orleans, because everywhere else bands play they get a normal amount of oxygen. This means that good bands will play adequately in almost anywhere, but when they reach the extremes of New Orleans or Colorado, they go nuts and throw down!!!

RIP Kirk

2007-02-23T18:39:00.000-08:00

I saw Split Lip Rayfield live twice and they were my favorite local KC area band. They played the fastest, most maniac bluegrass I have ever heard. Kirk will be missed. Here's a link to an article on Kirk's passing from Jambase: http://www.jambase.com/headsup.asp?storyID=10001 Here's a link to a great The Kansas City Star's top music writer, Tim Finn, has posted a great article and Split Lip videos on his blog: http://backtorockville.typepad.com/back_to_rockville/2007/02/split_lips_kirk.html#more

Recommended New Releases for 2/6/07

2007-02-06T19:44:00.000-08:00

Sondre Lerche "Phantom Punch"
Sondre Lerche is a singer-songwriter from Norway that is on the quest to craft the ultimate pop song. He reminds me of a young Burt Bacharach because of his excellent skill at crafting melodies. However, Lerche rocks harder than Burt could ever dream of and knows how to find the perfect balance between rock and pop. I haven't heard "Phantom Punch" yet, but if his past work is any indication, it may be one of my top albums of 2007. I'll keep you posted....

Video link:"Phantom Punch" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL6fIpGR5lc

Welcome

2007-02-05T14:44:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first post of Sounds and Words, the blog of McClain Johnson. On this blog I am going to post some of my comments on new releases, music news, favorite music videos, and oh so much more dedicated to this glorious world of music in which we live! Enjoy!