Anyone
who’s ever spent time listening to Rick Estrin and his band of
melodious merrymakers since their debut in 1987 knows they’ve always
delivered tunes that reflect modern ideas and sentiments with a great
deal of insight and humor. But he and The Nightcats put it in overdrive
for this release, their 15th title in the Alligator catalog.
Even
though they’ve been there all along, it’s a tongue-in-cheek effort to
break through the glass ceiling into the world of mainstream music, and
it works on all counts as the band seamlessly stretches its comfort zone
to include new, no-holds-barred numbers that incorporate elements that
are more familiar in hip-hop and other art forms.
Fear not,
though. Contemporary is cutting-edge blues through and through, a
template that works perfectly as it stretches sounds formulated a
century ago in Mississippi and creates a blueprint that will appeal to
music lovers in all genres in future generations.
The core lineup
of The Nightcats – Estrin on vocals and harp backed by
multi-instrumentalist/producer Kid Andersen and keyboard player Lorenzo
Farrell – remains intact since the band reformed after the retirement in
2008 of guitarist and former headliner Little Charley Baty. Amping
things up on this one is the addition of Derreck “D-Mar” Martin on
percussion. A music educator of note, his background includes 17 years
with Little Richard and work with a who’s who of blues and soul artists,
including Bobby Rush, Carla Thomas, Syl Johnson, Dorothy Moore and
dozens more.
Recorded at Andersen’s award-winning Greaseland
Studios in California, the mix also includes former Nightcat Alex
Pettersen on drums and Quantae Johnson on bass for seven cuts and guest
appearances by Jim Pugh on organ and backing vocals provided by Lisa
Leuschner Andersen and James, Walter and Dwayne Morgan, the gospel trio
who record as The Sons of the Soul Revivers.
One of the most
inventive lyricists of the modern era, Estrin opens the action with “I’m
Running,” an unsettling description of being chased by Father Time and
having “no time for looking back.” His intense mid-tune solo is
interspersed with the ticking and chiming of clocks and the call of the
cuckoo. Andersen’s guitar is featured on the soulful “Resentment File,”
Rick’s advice for men to treat their women better.
The title
tune, “Contemporary,” is up next. After obsessing on claims that “the
blues is goin’ nowhere,” he comes to the conclusion that it’s time to
change his sound. After a light, breezy and bluesy opening verse, the
band erupts atop a deeply funky beat and progresses through multiple
formats, including a stellar rap delivered by D-Mar. By the finale,
Estrin assures listeners he’s got the “key to guarantee triple-platinum
success” and plans to kick everything off with a farewell tour.
Fear
not, though, The Nightcats return to their root with “She Nuts Up,”
Rick’s hipster description of his lady, who occasionally goes off the
rails because of some unexplained past horror. It’s delivered in the
same easy-greasy manner fans have come to know and love. Folks will rush
to the dance floor for “New Shape (Remembering Junior Parker),” which
is propelled by a heavy bass beat and professes love for a woman who’s
gone from rail thin to heavier and extra-fine.
The pleasing
stop-time instrumental “House of Grease,” and anthem to Kid’s recording
studio, features Andersen trading guitar licks with Farrell on keys and
stellar work on the kit from D-Mar before Rick wonders if money is the
“’Root of All Evil,’ what’s it called bein’ broke?”
The slow
blues, “The Main Event,” finds Estrin on chromatic and reflecting on his
inevitable demise, surrounded by friends as his body’s been lowered
into its grave, before the mood brightens for “Cupcakin’,” a jazzy
instrumental penned by Lorenzo on which the entire band has space to
shine.
“New Year’s Eve,” which looks forward to turning the page
on 2019 and flipping the calendar, precedes a cover of Detroit bluesman
Bobo Jenkins’ 1959 hit, “Nothing but Love,” before “Bo Dee’s Bounce,”
another pleasing instrumental, closes the set.
Rick Estrin gets
more space to show off his prodigious harp skills here than most
previous albums, and The Nightcats are at the absolute top of their game
on throughout. Available wherever fine CDs are sold — and definitely a
strong contender when next awards season rolls around.
You won’t be disappointed.
https://www.bluesblastmagazine.com/rick-estrin-the-nightcats-contemporary-album-review/
///////
Cualquiera
que haya escuchado a Rick Estrin y su banda de melódicos juerguistas
desde su debut en 1987 sabe que siempre han ofrecido temas que reflejan
ideas y sentimientos modernos con gran perspicacia y humor. Pero él y
The Nightcats se han puesto las pilas en este lanzamiento, su 15º título
en el catálogo de Alligator.
Aunque siempre han estado ahí, se
trata de un esfuerzo irónico por romper el techo de cristal y entrar en
el mundo de la música convencional, y funciona en todos los sentidos, ya
que la banda amplía sin problemas su zona de confort para incluir
nuevos temas sin tapujos que incorporan elementos más familiares del
hip-hop y otras formas artísticas.
Pero no temas. Contemporary es
blues de vanguardia hasta la médula, una plantilla que funciona a la
perfección al estirar sonidos formulados hace un siglo en Mississippi y
crear un modelo que atraerá a los amantes de la música de todos los
géneros en las generaciones futuras.
La formación principal de
The Nightcats -Estrin a la voz y el arpa, respaldado por el
multi-instrumentista/productor Kid Andersen y el teclista Lorenzo
Farrell- permanece intacta desde que la banda se reformó tras la
retirada en 2008 del guitarrista y antiguo cabeza de cartel Little
Charley Baty. La incorporación de Derreck "D-Mar" Martin a la percusión
es una novedad. Formador musical de renombre, su experiencia incluye 17
años con Little Richard y trabajos con un elenco de artistas de blues y
soul, como Bobby Rush, Carla Thomas, Syl Johnson, Dorothy Moore y
docenas más.
Grabado en los galardonados estudios Greaseland de
Andersen en California, la mezcla también incluye al ex Nightcat Alex
Pettersen a la batería y a Quantae Johnson al bajo en siete cortes, así
como apariciones de Jim Pugh al órgano y coros de Lisa Leuschner
Andersen y James, Walter y Dwayne Morgan, el trío gospel que graba como
The Sons of the Soul Revivers.
Estrin, uno de los letristas más
inventivos de la era moderna, abre la acción con "I'm Running", una
inquietante descripción de ser perseguido por el Padre Tiempo y no tener
"tiempo para mirar atrás". Su intenso solo a media melodía se intercala
con el tic-tac de los relojes y la llamada del cuco. La guitarra de
Andersen aparece en la conmovedora "Resentment File", un consejo de Rick
a los hombres para que traten mejor a sus mujeres.
El tema que
da título al disco, "Contemporary", es el siguiente. Después de
obsesionarse con las afirmaciones de que "el blues no va a ninguna
parte", llega a la conclusión de que es hora de cambiar su sonido. Tras
una primera estrofa ligera, desenfadada y llena de blues, la banda
irrumpe sobre un ritmo profundamente funky y progresa a través de
múltiples formatos, incluido un rap estelar a cargo de D-Mar. Para el
final, Estrin asegura a los oyentes que tiene "la clave para garantizar
un éxito de triple platino" y que planea arrancarlo todo con una gira de
despedida.
Pero no temas, The Nightcats vuelven a sus raíces con
"She Nuts Up", la descripción hipster que Rick hace de su chica, que de
vez en cuando se sale de sus casillas por culpa de algún horror
inexplicable del pasado. El tema se presenta de la misma manera fácil y
desenfadada que los fans conocen y adoran. La gente se lanzará a la
pista de baile con "New Shape (Remembering Junior Parker)", impulsada
por un fuerte ritmo de bajo y que profesa amor por una mujer que ha
pasado de ser delgada como un raíl a ser más pesada y extrafina.
El
agradable instrumental a tiempo parado "House of Grease", un himno al
estudio de grabación de Kid, presenta a Andersen intercambiando
guitarrazos con Farrell a las teclas y un trabajo estelar de D-Mar en el
kit antes de que Rick se pregunte si el dinero es la "'Raíz de todos
los males', ¿cómo se llama estar arruinado?".
El blues lento,
"The Main Event", encuentra a Estrin en la cromática y reflexionando
sobre su inevitable fallecimiento, rodeado de amigos mientras su cuerpo
ha sido bajado a la tumba, antes de que el estado de ánimo se aclare
para "Cupcakin'", un instrumental jazzístico escrito por Lorenzo en el
que toda la banda tiene espacio para brillar.
"New Year's Eve",
que espera pasar la página de 2019 y darle la vuelta al calendario,
precede a una versión del éxito de 1959 del bluesman de Detroit Bobo
Jenkins, "Nothing but Love", antes de que "Bo Dee's Bounce", otro
agradable instrumental, cierre el conjunto.
Rick Estrin tiene más
espacio para mostrar sus prodigiosas habilidades con el arpa aquí que
en la mayoría de los álbumes anteriores, y The Nightcats están en la
cima absoluta de su juego en todo momento. Disponible dondequiera que se
vendan CDs de calidad, es sin duda un buen candidato para la próxima
temporada de premios.
No le decepcionará.
https://www.bluesblastmagazine.com/rick-estrin-the-nightcats-contemporary-album-review/
rickestrin.com ...
Tracks:
1 - I'm Running
Songwriter – Rick Estrin
2 - Resentment File
Songwriter – J.L. Walker, J. Russo, Rick Estrin
3 - Contemporary
Songwriter – C. Andersen, D. Martin, Rick Estrin
4 - She Nuts Up
Songwriter – Rick Estrin
5 - New Shape (Remembering Junior Parker)
Songwriter – Rick Estrin
6 - House Of Grease
Songwriter – C. Andersen
7 - Root Of All Evil
Songwriter – Rick Estrin
8 - The Main Event
Songwriter – Rick Estrin
9 - Cupcakin'
Songwriter – L. Farrell
10 - New Year's Eve
Songwriter – Rick Estrin
11 - Nothing But Love
Songwriter – J. Jenkins, J. Moore
12 - Bo Dee's Bounce
Songwriter – Rick Estrin
Credits:
Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Derrick D'Mar Martin (tracks: 2, 5), Kid Andersen (tracks: 2, 3, 5)
Bass – Kid Andersen (tracks: 1)
Booking – Blue Mountain Artists
Design [Packaging Design By] – Kevin Niemiec
Double Bass [Upright Bass] – Kid Andersen (tracks: 4, 7, 11, 12)
Drums – Derrick D'Mar Martin (tracks: 2, 3, 5 to 7, 9)
Effects [Sound Effects], Sounds [Sound Effects] – Kid Andersen (tracks: 1)
Engineer [Assistant Engineer] – Robby Yamilov
Featuring [With], Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Lisa Leuschner
Andersen (tracks: 3), Quantae Johnson (tracks: 2, 5), The Sons Of The
Soul Revivers (tracks: 2, 7)
Featuring [With], Bass – Quantae Johnson (tracks: 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 to 10)
Featuring [With], Drums – Alex Pettersen
Featuring [With], Organ – Jim Pugh
Featuring [With], Performer [The Sons Of The Soul Revivers], Backing
Vocals [Background Vocals] – Dwayne Morgan (4) (tracks: 2, 7), James
Morgan (18) (tracks: 2, 7), Walter Morgan (tracks: 2, 7)
Guitar – Kid Andersen
Lead Vocals, Harmonica – Rick Estrin
Mastered By – Bruce Iglauer, Collin Jordan
Organ, Piano – Lorenzo Farrell
Percussion – Derrick D'Mar Martin (tracks: 7, 10), Kid Andersen (tracks: 2, 7)
Photography By [Photos By] – Rachel Kumar
Producer [Produced By] – Rick Estrin
Producer [Produced By], Recorded By, Mixed By – Kid Andersen
Rap – Derrick D'Mar Martin (tracks: 3)
Synthesizer [Moog], Synth, Drum Machine – Kid Andersen (tracks: 3)
Notes:
Recorded and mixed at Greaseland Studio, Santa Cruz, CA
Mastered at The Boiler Room, Chicago, IL
Tracks 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12 published by Locked In Music, BMI
Track 2 published by (R. Estrin) Locked In Music / (J.L. Walker) Yancy Music, (J. Russo) JoJo Russo Music, BMI
Track
3 published by (R. Estrin) Locked In Music, BMI / (D. Martin)
Percussive Music Publishing, ASCAP / (C. Andersen) Eyeball Music, BMI
Track 6 published by Eyeball Music, BMI
Track 9 published by Lorenzo Farrell Music, ASCAP
Track 11 published by Scion III Publishing, BMI
Rick
Estrin plays Hohner Marine Band Harmonicas customized by Joe Filisko
and Hohner Chromatic Harmonicas cutsomized by Steve Malerbi. Rick uses
Lone Wolf pedals, and mics by Dennis Gruenling, Mark Overman and Greg
Heumann.
Kid Andersen uses ThroBak Pickups. pedals and strings, Grez guitars and Vero amplifiers
Label: Alligator Records – ALCD 4996
Country: US
Released: Sep 20, 2019
Genre: Blues
https://www.discogs.com/release/14267754-Rick-Estrin-The-Nightcats-Contemporary
This file is intended only for preview!
I ask you to delete the file from your hard drive or device after reading it.
thank for the original uploader
No comments:
Post a Comment