Peter Case - "The Case Files" CD Review (Alive Records)

DOWNLOAD: Peter Case - "Round Trip Stranger Blues"
Peter Case - (Give Me) One More Mile by alivenaturalsound

Bomp/Alive describes The Case Files as a collection of “demos, out-takes, one live shot & other rarities recorded between 1985 and 2010”. This description doesn’t do the disc justice as this is a pretty solid collection of tracks rather than the half-finished demos and cast-offs found in archival compilations by other artists (maybe Peter Case could give some pointers to whomever is managing the Marc Bolan/T Rex estate).

As this disc spans Case’s solo career post-The Plimsouls, there are some expected stylistic jumps. The music on The Case Files include: roots-rock, a heavy dose of blues, “Woody Guthrie style” social protest songs and a hint of the indie power-pop of The Plimsouls. The traditional blues number “Milk Cow Blues” was recorded live and the remaining tracks are a mix of full band studio performances and Case playing solo acoustic. The songs are a mixture of newly heard originals, early versions of songs that ended up on one of Case’s solo discs and covers of Alexandro Escovedo (“The End”), Bob Dylan (“Black Crow Blues”) and Rolling Stones (“Good Time Bad Times”) songs

The disc starts out strong with the upbeat root-rock tune “(Give Me) One More Mile” before heading into a social indictment of the past Republican administration with “Let’s Turn This Thing Around”. Musically, this later song is somewhat odd as it includes a host of sound effects (crowd noise, safety alarm noise, animal noises, etc.) along with some crazy synthesizer effects, courtesy of Stan Ridgeway. A chunk of the lyrics from this song are repeated on “The Ballad of the Minimum Wage” but on this later song, Case’s vocals are delivered beat-poetry style. Case also uses this spoken word delivery style on the other working class anthem on the disc “Kokomo Prayer Vigil”.

While there is nothing too ‘hard-edged’ on the disc, “Good Time, Bad Times” and “The End” are both bash ‘em out rock tunes. “Anything (Closing Credits)” (which sounds completely different than the version on Case’s 2006 release Torn Again) and “Trusted Friend” capture the pop sparkle of The Plimsouls and this first track features Eddie Munoz and the later was described by Case as a long lost track in between the Plimsouls and his solo career. Lastly, the disc also contains a stripped-down, melancholy version of “Steel Strings #1” (which features T. Bone Burnett) which was given a high-gloss sheen for Case’s first solo disc.



The Case Files Track List:
1. (Give Me) One More Mile
2. Let's Turn This Thing Around
3. Anything (Closing Credits)
4. The End
5. Good Times, Bad Times
6. Milkcow Blues
7. Kokomo Prayer Vigil
8. The Ballad of the Minimum Wage
9. Steel Strings (Demonstration)
10. Trusted Friend
11. Black Crow Blues
12. Round Trip Stranger Blues

Peter Case 2011 Fall Tour
Sep. 9 - Vagabond Blues, Palmer, AK
Sep. 10 - Out North Theatre, Anchorage, AK
Sep. 14 - The Geomatic Attic, South Lethbridge, AB, Canada
Sep. 15 - The Palomino, Calgary, AB , Canada
Sep. 16 - The Roxy Theatre, Saskatoon, SK Canada
Sep. 30 The Record Collector Concert Series, Bordentown, NJ
Oct. 1 (12:30PM) - Bridge Street Live, Collinsville, CT
Oct. 1 (6PM) - The Turning Point, Piermont, NY
Oct. 2 - Roots Hoot House Concerts, Peace Dale, RI
Oct. 4 - Stage On Herr, Harrisburg, PA
Oct. 5 - Thunderbird Café, 4023 Butler Street, Lawrenceville, PA
Oct. 6 - Rumba Café, Columbus, OH
Oct. 8 - Trinity House Theatre, Livonia, MI
Oct. 9 - Columbia Street West, Ft. Wayne, IN
Oct. 10 - WYCE Fall Hat Trick Series,Grand Rapids, MI
Oct. 11 - Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
Oct. 12 - The Good Neighborhood @ The Sportsman, Buffalo, NY
Oct. 13 - Lovin' Cup, Rochester, NY
Oct. 14 - Buffalo Film Festival Opening Night, The Screening Room Cinema Café, Amherst, NY
Oct. 15 - This Ain't Hollywood, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Oct. 16 - Hugh's Room, Toronto, ON
Oct. 20 - Bayport BBQ, Bayport, MN
Oct. 21 - Lee's Liquor Lounge, Minneapolis, MN
Oct. 22 - House Of Righteous Music, Madison, WI
Oct. 23 - Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL

The closest show is Saturday, Oct. 1 at The Turning Point, 468 Piermont Ave. Piermont, NY. The show starts at 6PM and tickets are $20.

Links:
Peter Case

Peter Case Kicks Off Fall Tour In Support of "The Case Files" (Alive Records)

DOWNLOAD: Peter Case - "Round Trip Stranger Blues"

Peter Case - Steel Strings No1 by alivenaturalsound

Peter Case released the well-received collection of demos, out-takes, one-time live performances & other rarities, The Case Files (Alive) earlier this year and All Music Guide said "these 12 songs make for an entertaining and empowering album that delivers the goods with smarts and simple, sweaty force. The Case Files proves this man’s cast-offs make for a better album than most acts’ level-best efforts, and with any luck, he’ll offer another look into his archives before long." Case is heading out on a Fall Tour in support of this disc that starts today in Palmer, AK.



The closest show is Saturday, Oct. 1 at The Turning Point, 468 Piermont Ave. Piermont, NY. The show starts at 6PM and tickets are $20.

Peter Case 2011 Fall Tour
Sep. 9 - Vagabond Blues, Palmer, AK
Sep. 10 - Out North Theatre, Anchorage, AK
Sep. 14 - The Geomatic Attic, South Lethbridge, AB, Canada
Sep. 15 - The Palomino, Calgary, AB , Canada
Sep. 16 - The Roxy Theatre, Saskatoon, SK Canada
Sep. 30 The Record Collector Concert Series, Bordentown, NJ
Oct. 1 (12:30PM) - Bridge Street Live, Collinsville, CT
Oct. 1 (6PM) - The Turning Point, Piermont, NY
Oct. 2 - Roots Hoot House Concerts, Peace Dale, RI
Oct. 4 - Stage On Herr, Harrisburg, PA
Oct. 5 - Thunderbird Café, 4023 Butler Street, Lawrenceville, PA
Oct. 6 - Rumba Café, Columbus, OH
Oct. 8 - Trinity House Theatre, Livonia, MI
Oct. 9 - Columbia Street West, Ft. Wayne, IN
Oct. 10 - WYCE Fall Hat Trick Series,Grand Rapids, MI
Oct. 11 - Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
Oct. 12 - The Good Neighborhood @ The Sportsman, Buffalo, NY
Oct. 13 - Lovin' Cup, Rochester, NY
Oct. 14 - Buffalo Film Festival Opening Night, The Screening Room Cinema Café, Amherst, NY
Oct. 15 - This Ain't Hollywood, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Oct. 16 - Hugh's Room, Toronto, ON
Oct. 20 - Bayport BBQ, Bayport, MN
Oct. 21 - Lee's Liquor Lounge, Minneapolis, MN
Oct. 22 - House Of Righteous Music, Madison, WI
Oct. 23 - Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL

Links:
Peter Case

Detroit Garage Rockers The Sights Play Shows at Maxwells (Feb. 15th) and The Bell House (Feb. 18th) Next Week

DOWNLOAD: The Sights - "How Do You Sleep?"
DOWNLOAD: The Sights - "Guilty"

(photo: Doug Coombe)
Now that the White Stripes have called it a day, The Sights are now the uncontested champions of Detroit blues-rock. The band is touring behind their fourth LP, Most of What Follows Is True (Alive Records), which was recorded at Jim Diamond’s (White Stripes, Electric Six, Dirtbombs) Ghetto Recorders in Detroit and released late last year.

“Most of What Follows is rooted in the tough, straightforward, R&B-based rock that's the Sights' bread and butter, though the pedal steel on "I Left My Muse" suggests they've also been listening to some classic country sides, and "Maria" is spot-on pure pop. The album is long on great tunes and rock & roll swagger, but Baranek and his latest edition of The Sights (Dave Lawson on bass, Gordon Smith on keys, and Skip Denomme on drums) never sound arrogant or gimmicky -- what comes through most strongly on Most of What Follows is the sound of four guys playing rock & roll because they love it, and even when the music takes a dark detour on "Take & Take" or slips into the blues on "Back to You," there's an honest joy and enthusiasm that infuses the music at every turn. Baranek sings with an unaffected passion and force that's truly impressive while he and his bandmates play with lots of heart and soul and no false moves; this is strong, rootsy, meat-and-potatoes rock & roll played with gravity, skill, and the enthusiasm of true fans.” – ALL MUSIC GUIDE

For the show at Maxwell's on Feb. 15th, The Sights are playing with The Godfathers and Frosting. Tickets are $15 in advance and $17 DOS.

For the show at The Bell House on Feb. 18th, The Sights are playing with Reigning Sound and Guitar Lightnin'. Tickets are $13 in advance and $15 DOS.

Links:
The Sights

The Sights (Detroit Garage Rock) Play NYC Shows on Dec. 3rd and 4th

DOWNLOAD: The Sights - "How Do You Sleep?"

Today marks the release date for Detroit garage rockers The Sights' fourth LP, Most of What Follows Is True (Alive Records). The band has been together since the late 90's and the group's rotating lineup centers around guitarist/vocalist Eddie Baranek. This new disc, which is the follow-up to the band's 2005 self-titled release, was recorded at Jim Diamond’s (White Stripes, Electric Six, Dirtbombs) Ghetto Recorders in Detroit and it is a raw slice of Detroit-style blue rock.

“Five years after their last album, The Sights have returned with its strongest effort yet. Leader Eddie Bararenk has found the sweet spot in his songwriting, harnessing the melody of British-influenced power pop to the R&B-fueled garage rock of the band’s earliest days with tighter craft than ever before.” – THE BIG TAKEOVER

The band is currently playing a handful shows before the end of the year which includes two shows the weekend of Dec. 3rd in NYC. The December 3rd show is at Rockwood Music Hall. The Sights is playing with Apollo Run (CD Release show) and The Statesmen. Apollo Run opens the show with a set time of 10PM and The Sights follow at 11PM. The December 4th show is at The Rock Shop in Brooklyn. At this show, The Sights is playing with First Nature and tickets are $8.

Links:
The Sights

Trainwreck Riders (San Francisco Cow Punks) Are Playing Two Shows in Brooklyn Next Weekend

DOWNLOAD: Trainwreck Riders - "Safety of a Back" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Trainwreck Riders - "Chug Along" (MP3)

Trainwreck Riders finally got around to releasing a follow-up to 2006's Lonely Road Revival. The new disc, The Perch, came out in May on Alive Records.

The last time that I remember the band being in town, they put on a wild show at the Cake Shop. Here is one of my favorite quotes describing the band: "Trainwreck Riders play twisted Americana, with a hint of madness and lots of goodtime energy, that ensures the songs rock along with vigour and purpose." --Simon Lewis / Terrascope Rumbles

Trainwreck Riders are playing July 17th at The Jungle (286 Meserole St in Bushwick) and July 18th at Goodbye Blue Monday.

Links:
Trainwreck Riders' MySpace Profile