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The Proud Truth Awards for Music of 2003
1. Mocker of epic proportion Elephant, The White Stripes
The big thing here is that the band works fast, doesn’t hide it’s influences, and like in the momentous 45 rock era of the 60s, eats those influences for breakfast and spits them out for lunch. This Elephant was recorded in London. And yes there is something of our Coalition Partners there in it. It’s a Mocker epic. From what I read of what Jack Stripe had to say about the making of this one, I would guess people were saying to him: ‘Well you’ll do something different now, right; you can afford other pieces now, right? Time to get out of the box isn’t it?’ And the answer is “Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!” Favorites: I Just Dont Know What to Do With Myself; Little Acorns; Well It's True That We Love One Another; Girl, You have No Faith In Medicine.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00008J4P5/104-1933403-8672708
Read original review from April 2003
New Alternative review of the White Stripes' Elephant
2. In a mist Private Astronomy - A Vision of Bix Beiderbecke, Geoff Muldaur's Futuristic Ensemble
The Jim Kweskin Jugband of Boston once played the rag and the blues, the folk and some vaudeville. A key member of that group was Geoff Muldar. Who returned in 2003 with a nostalgic view on Bix Beiderbecke. In using the variant on the term nostalgia here I seek to imply a wistful yearning for a thing pretty much unrecoverable. The musical world he surveys was really quite brief. It was a dream of the future, of Debussey meeting riverboat jazz. This is truly a project. And it is completely worthwhile. Favorites: Take Your Tomorrow; In the Dark; Ain't No Sweet Man That's Worth the Salt of My Tears; In a Mist; Futuristic Rhythm, Waiting at the End of the Road. Read more.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000C3I2R/104-1933403-8672708
Read longer review
3. A man amongst - Martin Scorcese Presents the Blues of J.B. Lenoir, J. B. Lenoir
In the pantheon of Chicago blues there was room for one really downbeat guy. He had a voice like a woman's and had the flair to refer to it as such in his greatest work, Natural Man. He had a rock sense something like Jimmie Reed on fuzztone and adrenaline on Momma Talk to Your Daughter. ... He had a fairly vivid political sense as in Korea Blues and Eisenhower Blues. All of which put him outside the Chicago mainstream. With a gift for jump, with horns, though simple, unique, sometimes jazzy ... J.B. Lenoir was a man amongst men. And credit 2003 with providing this easily accessible CD... Quibble: It would have bee significantly enhanced with inclusion of J.B.’s lastest sessions on guitar for visiting John Mayhall ... which go a little bit further [with Down in Mississippi and Viet Nam Blues] to showing why J.B. Lenoir was stellar blues poet. Besides J.T. Brown and others, the music here is embellished due to appearance of pianist Joe Montgomery [Little Brother Montgomery’s big brother?] who had a simple role in the J. B. Lenoir Experience, but one played masterfully, sometimes on organ. Favorites: Natural Man; Korea Blues [with Sunnyland Slim!]; Don't Dog Your Woman; Mama, What About Your Daughter.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000A0VA6/104-1933403-8672708
Also Top stuff
*CLASSIC LIVE! – MARIA MULDAUR
A night in say 1973 or 75 or 77, it is kSAN; Come with us now to those exciting days of yesteryear. Who says I don’t have records by girl singers?
*MUSIC FROM THE MIRAMAX MOTION PICTURE COLD MOUNTAIN – JACK WHITE, ALLISON CROUSE, T.B. BURNETTE, ET.AL.
It was the year of Jack. If he hadn’t met Rene during the filming of this reeler he might not have had that car accident which delayed his Boston concert from July to November –and moved it from Boston to Lowell. But Lowell is the town of Jack, and its all good.
*ARTIST’S CHOICE – ROLLING STONES
Found at Starbucks. Via this project, Keith Richard’s learns that Andre Williams is still alive [and not in jail, either].
Further more Top stuff
*MARTIN SCORCESE PRESENTS THE BLUES THE BLUES – SON HOUSE
*AN UNTAMED SENSE OF CONTROL – ROSCOE HOLCOMB
*RED CROSS – JOHN FAHEY
Really the great 2003 “SINGLES” even though there is no single.
* IF I GIVE MY SOUL – Johnny Cash
All this stuff was waiting, and Johnny was gone. He’d recorded tons of stuff, in spite of his physical decline. And there it was. In the middle. Great writer Billy Joe Shavers’ “If I give my soul [to Jesus would you take me back again]” loses the rocking accompaniment of the original, but adds something wholly intangible. Deeply rendered art by the Voice.
*Krazy Man mICHAEL – Natalie Merchant
So I just rediscovered Sandy Denny – so Natalie Merchant did too. To mix olde English balladry with new World ennui was a special Denny tact – and Natalie did it again with a massive bit of creative extrapolation into our era.
*GIRL, YOU HAVE NO FAITH IN MEDICINE – WHITE STRIPES
When will we get the problematic possible paean to acetaminophen we deserve? We already have. Jack White has met a Christian Scientist dream babe. The number has a great solo. Strip the bark right off a tree ... and see. Jack’s given us Tesla, Citizen Kane, and the Death of the Sweetheart. It’s pretty incredible, and many of the numbers on this CD could have got a nod.
Also noted
By Jack Vaughan: Freedom's Child by Billy Joe Shaver [ooops, was 2002..].
By Dennis Pultinas: Jerusalem by Steve Earle.
By Jack Vaughan: Dixie by Bob Dylan.
Got any to add? Please do. If you listened to it in 03, and it hit you, Go to home page. Click on comment. It allows you to email me easily.
Last year’s [2002] Tops. http://radio.weblogs.com/0115044/stories/2003/01/18/musicFavesOfoughtTwo.html
© Copyright 2004 Jack Vaughan.
Last update: 4/4/2004; 8:46:50 PM.
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