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- Written by Bluebird
From Dublin, Ireland.
Dean Smyth, who last year, sent us the mod, hipster, Beatles hanging over a cliff inspired, Storm and The Dales EP, is back. (See Storm and The Dales: Delusions of Grandeur (EP) ). He hasn't gone far, as recording in his kitchen and videotaping from his bathroom seems to bring out the most raw creative efforts for this artist. Dean directed his friend at skantFlock Industries to catch this video on tape and it has generated a curious buzz throughout the web. Some people can't stop watching it! Tamden Shy has four songs to its name this year. This music will sneak up on you, grab your attention, and have you waiting for the next round of Smyth's talent to bubble up more groovy vibes.
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- Written by Deb Hebert
From A Fan's Eye: Joe Bonamassa at Lousiville Palace
Well folks...if you didn't already realize, Joe Bonamassa doesn't sit home very long. The slogan "Always On The Road", which graces the side of the BonaCruiser, an 18-wheeler to carry sound/lighting equipment from gig to gig, says it all! 
Read more: From A Fan's Eye: Joe Bonamassa at Louisville Palace
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- Written by Deb Hebert
Sunday, October 27, 2013. The Robert Cray Band was welcomed back to Waterville Opera House, Maine by a predominantly mature crowd of music fans. It was evident the foursome had come to play the blues when they launched the 15-song setlist with "Phone Booth" and "Poor Johnny".
Handsomely dressed in a multi-colored, patchwork shirt and slacks, Cray doesn't show visible signs of aging. He's a timeless figure whose vocal tone, power and soulfessness--characteristics that set him apart from other singers since the beginning of his career, remain intact. Longtime bandmates Richard "Barefoot" Cousins, bass, and Jim Pugh, keyboards, drew applause, as did drummer, Les Faulkner.
"Good evening Waterville. Where have you been? I didn't leave." Cray announces, while switching out guitars between one of two Fenders, before segwaying into "Won't Be Comin Home", from Nothin But Love (2012), the latest album produced by legendary Kevin "Caveman" Shirley.
Cray continues to wow the crowd with back-to-back blues staples in "Right Next Door", "I Shiver" and "The Road Down". At various points, the audience is so caught up in the emotion (like Cray himself, who is visibly lost inside the music, with his own eyes closed, muttering to the guitar--as if commanding it to perform), several cues to cheer are missed. This prompts Robert to stop at the end of a run, look at the crowd, tap on the microphone, as if to say, 'What do you think about that?' Of course, this compelled many to shout out "Woo Hoo", "Yeah", or "Give 'er hell." It was when one fan declared, "This is good for my soul", that I could tell the bluesman was pleased.
"The next song's all about the main dish. And guys, you want to be the main dish," says Cray, with a broad smile, introducing the humorous number, "Side Dish". Before long, the crowd realizes the show is nearing the end, as Cray lays into an extended and stripped back version of "Forecast Calls For Pain". The band exits the stage to a standing ovation and returns a few minutes later for a two-song encore which includes "A Memo" and "I'm Done Crying". These two songs were worth the price of admission, alone.
Setlist:
Phone Booth
Poor Johnny
Won't Be Comin Home
It Doesn't Show
Don't You Even Care
Right Next Door
I Shiver
The Road Down
Side Dish
Chicken in the Kitchen
Bad Influence
I Can't Fail
Forecast Calls for Rain
Encore:
A Memo (Nothin But Love)
I'm Done Crying
After a short respite, the tour continues in California on November 7, 2013. For more details on The Robert Cray band, visit the official website.
Yours in music,
DebFromMaine Hebert
Photo courtesy of The Robert Cray band. All rights reserved. 2013.
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- Written by Bluebird
The "Busload of Faith" with "Magic and Loss" are the vehicles we have left of Mr. Lou Reed. He died today, October 27, 2013, on Long Island, NY, after a courageous battle with liver cancer. At 71 years old, the poet, writer, singer, guitarist and cultural diplomat in some scenarios, left a legacy that was beyond music. His portraits of the human condition were seen, heard and experienced world wide, through his poetry, music, films, photography and human consultations.
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Pop music fans will hum along to "Take A Walk On The Wild Side" and Velvet Underground archivists will break out their banana bearing LP's to reminisce the songs that never left their heads. The Lou Reed I know was the ultimate cool. In the late 1980's, I not only listened to his music constantly, I'd randomly buy New York for people after having just a few conversations with them about music. His creation of the world through his own view made his work a translator for other artists. If you looked at an artist through the lens of Lou Reed, things you did not understand could be clear to you. But it was a one way passage, because no one could speak for Lou Reed.
Read more: October 27, 2013. We Grieve The Magic and Loss of Lou Reed.
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- Written by Deb Hebert
Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sandi Thom is a glowing example of humanitarian, musician and business woman. These days, it seems she is somewhere, everywhere, breaking down cultural barriers. She's putting herself firmly on the (global) map, and building a larger fan base, one show at a time.
Go ahead. Google her name to find numerous interviews and reviews, like The Herald Scotland or The Huffington Post. Visit ST TV to hear a 'stripped back solo version of "Help Me", taken from the bluesier fourth album, Flesh and Blood (2012), or the stunningly rich vocal of "I Owe You Zero". Then, follow her social media to learn of an endearing relationship with fans and call for tolerance and world harmony.