Athens Ear Buds (11-19-09)

Here's another Athens Ear Buds for your reading/listening enjoyment.

It's plenty big enough but there aren't any left over for next week, so if you have something in mind and have been holding back for whatever reason, now's the time to send it to news@athensnews.com.

Also, you might start putting together your year's best list "“ or, crap, now that I think about it, the decade's best! (Where did the decade go? Before we know it, we'll be having millennial parties for the year 3000.)
We'll plan to run that special "œbest-of" AEB sometime in mid-December.
As usual, Haffa's the local outlet for record purchases and special orders. - Terry Smith, Athens Ear Buds czar

Greg Bikowski, bassist for the Bob Stewart Band and the Bikowski Jazz Trio, paramedic for SEOEMS: It's been over a decade since guitarist Jimmy LaValle established The Album Leaf as a musical experiment. Ten years and five albums later, LaValle continues the experiment. To get a good taste of The Album Leaf, check out "œInto the Blue Again" (Sub Pop, 2006). LaValle plays most of the instruments on the album and does the singing as well. It's mostly an instrumental album of post/quasi rock that creates a brilliant musical landscape. His vocal talent is raw and honest, which adds a slight edge to the album's vocal tracks. Check out his style on "Always for You," "Writings on the Wall" and "Wherever I Go." If you dig this album, The Album Leaf has a new one coming out in February 2010.

John Hurlbut, manager at the Fur Peace Ranch: The Wailers, "Burnin'." This album was originally released in 1973, and it would be the last from the original Wailers. The following year would see a change in the band's makeup and would also signal the start of Bob Marley and the Wailers. I've had this LP (long-play album) since back in my college days. I was lucky enough to get to see Bob twice, and after the first time at the Cleveland Agora in 1975, I quickly bought every Wailers and reggae album I could find. While I always dug the "Burnin'" album, it was the reissued and remastered two-disc Deluxe Edition released by Island Records in 2004 that brought this great record back into my world of music. "Burnin" would be the last Wailers record that had the original lineup featuring the three kings... Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh and Bob Marley. This CD shows them working as a very powerful group with rich harmonies and vital energy. Back then Bob didn't do all the lead singing, so you get to hear the beautiful voice of Bunny singing "Hallelujah Time," "Reincarnated Souls" and one of my favorite reggae songs of all time, "Pass it On." Peter Tosh contributes "One Foundation" and the reggae anthem "Get Up, Stand Up." Of course Bob was already a giant talent as well and his songs "Small Axe," "Duppy Conqueror" and "Rastaman Chant" were all crucial tunes. The big song on the album, "I Shot The Sheriff," would be recorded by Eric Clapton the following year and would serve as a song that really propelled reggae to a wider audience. The most important note here is that at the time they made this album, they played like a band instead of three solo musicians. This Deluxe Edition comes with a second CD that captures the Wailers live at Leeds in 1973. By this time Bunny had stopped touring, and this would be Peter's last tour with Bob. The live recording is crisp and full of life and it is truly a bonus that makes this package a Deluxe Edition and worth getting... Selah.

Leo DeLuca: Moon Jaw Records founder, Southeast Engine drummer, Donkey booking manager: Appalachian Death Ride, S/T 7-inch (Lovehammer, 1990). I'm not blowing sunshine when I say that one of Ohio's greatest artists resides here in our own backyard. Chris Biester (ADR frontman) has been creating gothic-country/rock music since he first migrated to these foothills via Catawba/Springfield, Ohio back in the 1980s. Many folks fail to realize the iconic host of Casa's Open Mic led what could be the greatest Athens band of all time. ADR slayed the heart of the Midwest for much of the '80s/'90s, toured with Guided By Voices, and composed some of the finest songs in Ohio music history. The S/T 7-inch with the original lineup captures the unbridled grit of the band like no other. It can be purchased down at Haffa's Records. Highly recommended.

Paul Tescher, local record collector: Susheela Raman, "Love Trap" (Narada World, 2003). Her voice floats over a percussive potpourri of syncopated rhythms like wings on a thermal breeze, taking the listener along for quite an enjoyable ride. Four of the songs are traditional Hindi chants arranged by her and other band members, which are sung in the native tongue. The other five are covers, sung in English, including a wonderful version of Joan Armatrading's "Save Me." Each song has its own feel and is exceptionally well crafted. Her band consists of two percussionists, trap drums, bass and guitar with numerous other musicians helping out here and there. They can p-l-a-y! This music is sensuous, exotic! It moves through many moods... upbeat to dreamy, and she's a very emotive singer. The title track, "Love Trap," is maybe the best song I've ever heard about love making. "I can't say where I end and you begin..." I highly recommend checking this CD out; it's a good one!

Dale Francis: BLS/MA Electro Acoustic Music; Long Run Audio, Athens: Peter Keane, "The Goodnight Blues" (Northeastern, 1991, produced by Bill Morrissey). This was the debut album for Mr. Keane, who is from Cincinnati (now based in Austin). It's a very simple recording of acoustic instruments that blends songs from blues, Texas swing and rock and roll with his own compositions. An excellent piece of the Americana genre. Another suggestion: Diana Krall, "The Look of Love" (Verve, 2001). Ms Krall's piano and vocal sensibilities accompanied by a small jazz ensemble and orchestra. The arrangements and engineering are superb! I found it hard to believe this woman with such a exquisite voice and phrasing was so young.

Dave Alexander, Athens' resident trainspotter and Dave Rave promoter: David Guetta, "One Love" (released Aug. 25, 2009 on Astralwerks). Even if you've never heard of David Guetta, chances are you have heard this French house-music legend's productions one way or another. Most recently, David Guetta produced and co-wrote the Black Eyed Peas' song "I Gotta Feeling." Whether you love this song or hate it, you have to admit that it has an undeniable effect on the dance floor. Guetta's latest album contains a whole arsenal of songs to blow up the dance floor with hits such as "When Love Takes Over" featuring Kelly Rowland, "Sexy Bitch" featuring Akon, Guetta's remix of "I Gotta Feeling" and "One Love" featuring Estelle. David Guetta will be performing live in Columbus at BOMA on Nov. 26. This event is guaranteed to be one of the biggest dance-music events ever to go down in Columbus.