Review: Rockin’ into the weekend!

Goin’ into the weekend with some new albums to play on the patio …

Stone Temple Pilots reformed earlier this year to perform at SXSW, so a few months later their new, eponymous album is on the shelves, and it’s a good one.  This band sounds better than ever, particularly on those mid-tempo rockers they do so well.  “Take A Load Off” and “Dare If You Dare” fit into this mold, but there’s always a gut-crunching riff around the corner: “Hazy Daze” is almost stoner rock, while “Bagman” slyly evokes the old “Batman” TV show theme song.  And opener “Between The Lines” could be Pearl Jam, if you squint your ears (don’t ask).  Stone Temple Pilots!  It ain’t the ’90s, but I like it!

MP3: “Between The Lines” by Stone Temple Pilots

Stream the whole album at Billboard.com

It ain’t so easy with Love Is Strange, a live 2-CD collection from Jackson Browne and his longtime sideman David Lindley.  On one listen, I like the mostly acoustic settings, the introductions done in Spanish (this was recorded during a tour of Spain) and the obtuse humor of Lindley.  On another listen, I’m put off by the overly reverent treatment of a few of the songs, and the overly bloated feel of the album (do we really need an acoustic-fiddle version of “Take It Easy”?).  To his credit, Browne shares the stage also with some talented Spanish artists like Luz Casal, who takes over lead vocals on Browne’s classic “These Days” and Kiko Veneno, who puts his stamp on what Browne introduces as “a very famous Eagles song.”  In the end, I’m drawn to the spare, affecting versions of “For Everyman” and “Running On Empty,” both powered by Lindley’s incredible guitar work.  Browne/Lindsey kick into their cover of the Mickey & Sylvia classic “Love Is Strange” and I shouldn’t have been surprised how it ended.  I shouldn’t have enjoyed this album, but I did – immensely.

MP3: “Tu Tranquilo” by Jackson Browne & David Lindley with Kiko Veneno

Live: Everest, Houston

Everest performs an acoustic in-store at Cactus Music in Houston.

We caught a special in-store performance at Houston’s Cactus Music and Video May 14 by Everest, the great L.A. rock band currently touring in support of their new album On Approach.  This was an acoustic performance, so the short set focused on the band’s roots rock like “East Illinois” and “Tall Buildings.”  It would have been cool to hear the plugged-in-with-drums version of “Let Go,” the nifty first single from the new album – which I’m sure Everest performed later that night at House of Blues (opening for Minus The Bear).  I have had a chance to hear On Approach, and it’s excellent – on only their second album (and first for a major label), Everest has hit its stride and rocks as confidently as Wilco or the Jayhawks in their prime.

Read a great review of On Approach by our friend Ken Shane at Popdose

Everest official website

Stream songs from On Approach on Everest MySpace page

Video: “Let Go” by Everest

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