Charles Hale

DORADO – ANGER, HUNGER, LOVE AND THE FEAR OF DEATH

Mar 142013
 

I snatched up Wilco’s A Ghost Is Born as soon as it was released and listened to it over and over.  But I didn’t understand what was up with all the noise.  That first month it seemed like noise was all over the record and it bummed me out.  I probably put the record away for a month or two and when I listened to it again the noise really wasn’t there and what I heard was a bunch of really cool songs.  Dorado’s Anger, Hunger, Love, and the Fear of Death works about the same way for me.

On the first few listens to Dorado’s debut record all I could hear was the noise but there are some really great songs here.  I don’t know why that happens but it does and so I’m really glad I gave this record more time.

When I loaded the album into Google Play it classified Anger, Hunger, Love, and the Fear of Death as wrong blues.  I think that description works as well as anything but let me reference some bands that if you’re a fan of then I suggest you picking up the whole record and experience it yourself.  Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, 16 Horsepower, Centro-Matic.  Please don’t read that list like Dorado’s ripping off all of those bands, that’s far from the case.  It’s just that Dorado has such a unique sound that I don’t have the vocabulary to adequately describe it.  And since the download price is reasonable then if you’re a fan of any of those bands you should just buy it.

Dorado – Die Trying
Dorado – Wall Brains
Dorado – Temple of the Guiding Light

Official Site, Dorado on Facebook, Buy Anger, Hunger, Love, and the Fear of Death

THE ALLURE & PROMISE OF THE NEW RELEASE:

Mar 112013
 

What’s that song??  ”The waiting is the hardest part”

That’s what the early part of the year feels like for music bloggers and fans.  The new releases are slow to trickle out in January and February and so we’re all left to look forward to the months ahead.  I asked around the Nine Bullets water cooler to see what folks were looking forward to hearing or were curious about.  So here’s our list, let’s hear yours in the comments.

Brown Bird, The Cave Singers, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Sundowner, Tin Armor, Clutch, Noah and the Whale, The Veils, Kent Goolsby (formerly of The Only Sons), Laura Stevenson & The Cans, Lucero (EP), Have Gun Will Travel, The Whiskey Gentry, Two Cow Garage, Guitar Wolf, Austin Lucas, Waxahatchee, Billy Bragg, Sebadoh, Steve Earle, David Bowie, Matt Woods, Fifth On The Floor, Caitlin Rose, Shooter Jennings, Depeche Mode, U2, Johnny Marr, Iron & Wine, Future Birds, Tedo Stone and Besnard Lakes

We’ve also heard there’s some noteworthy people in the studio.  Maybe we get a record from these people this year, maybe not.

Neko Case, Glossary, I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In The House, Drag The River, Will Quinlan, Lenny Lashley’s Gang Of One, Girls Guns Glory, Lydia Loveless and Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit.

Now we really want to hear from you. What have we missed?

BEN HARPER & CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE — GET UP!

Mar 082013
 

There are some of you that will see there is a review of Ben Harper’s newest realease on Nine Bullets and immediately move on to something else.  I accept that but I pity you.  You may know Ben Harper from his “hits” or from that stoner hippy in your dorm room all those years ago.  You may have been a fan in your younger years (that would be me) or you might just know that you don’t like him.  If you haven’t already stopped reading scroll down and start one of the songs at the end of this post before reading further.  It’s not going to be what you think.

Get Up! is a pure collaboration effort.  Ben Harper teams up with old school blues harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite and the results are Essential Listening.  If you’re not familiar with Musselwhite his history goes back to Muddy Waters and is worth a trip to Wikipedia.  Get Up! is a blues record, no more no less, and it’s within the confines of the blues that both men are able to thrive.  Blues has always been a part of Harper’s music but here it is the only focus and it’s possible that he’s made his most lasting album.

There are hauntingly quiet numbers here, a staple of most Harper releases, but what makes Get Up! most exciting is the upbeat, foot stomp on the floor, songs.  On these, like “I’m In I’m Out And I’m Gone” or “I Don’t Believe A Word You Say”, Musselwhite’s harmonica wrangles in Harper’s guitar so there’s never a diversion into a longwinded jam solo.  The joy between the two men is also evident through out Get Up! see “We Can’t End This Way”.

The blues isn’t for everyone all the time.  But everyone needs a little blues every now and then.  Get Up! is your new blues record.  Just trust me.

Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite – Blood Side Out
Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite – I Don’t Believe A Word You Say
Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite – We Can’t End This Way

Official Site, Ben Harper on Facebook, Buy Get Up!

THE ROCK REPORT: McDOUGALL AT SOME STRIP MALL IN DENVER

Mar 072013
 

If you’ve read Nine Bullets at all in the last year or so there’s no doubt you’ve heard the name McDougall.  He’s a favorite of several of the writers, myself included, yet because he lives in the Pacific Northwest the chances to see him live are few and far between.  Or nonexistent.

Last night I drove 65 miles south to Denver because McDougall was passing through on his way to SXSW.  I had never heard of the bar and didn’t know the area but he was playing first and it was only six dollars and I didn’t have anything else to do so I made that drive.

There was a photo we posted on the site a while back and it also made the rounds on facebook and twitter.  It showed a band playing their guts out to one guy standing in front of them.  Well that’s exactly what happened last night.  I heard McDougall playing when I reached the door, I payed the cover and walked in.  The place was empty, and when I say empty I mean there was a bartender and four or so guys sitting in booths  opposite of the stage area.  I later learned they were the other band.  I got a beer and straight to the stage.

Shortly after I reached the stage McDougall finished the song he was playing.  I clapped and the other band clapped.  I said, “I’m just going to stand here if you don’t mind.”  McDougall said he didn’t mind.  And that’s how things went for the next half hour or so.  McDougall fucking played the shit out of his guitar, bass drum, high hat and banjo and it was awesome.  Not a single song he played was on his album A Few Towns More, but it didn’t matter because everything he played was great and I was rocking as much as I rock.

After he finished I introduced myself and mentioned that I wrote for Ninebullets.  We talked a bit and McDougall seemed like a good dude and didn’t really seem to mind that I was the only one listening.

Here’s the thing.  I don’t think anyone in the Ninebullets office has talked about it but I think to several of us McDougall is a kind of a mythical musician.  I think part of it is that his record is so ridiculously good yet next to no one outside of the Pacific Northwest knows he exists.  His singing and playing is captivating and all of his songs are about travel or optimistic restlessness, almost like he might just move on to somewhere else and never be seen from again.  Or that he might not even exist at all.  Now I’ve seen the guy and talked to him and I’m still not convinced he does exist.

McDougall – A Few Towns More
McDougall – 18 Days Of Rain
McDougall – 48 Reasons

Here are the remainder of McDougall’s tour dates. If he’s hitting your neck of the woods go be his Bobby.

Thu, 07 Mar – Denver, CO – Quixote’s
Fri, 08 Mar – Colorado Springs, CO – Front Range Barbeque
Sat, 09 Mar – Amarillo, TX – The 806 coffee + lounge
Tue, 12 Mar – Austin, TX – Firehouse Hostel and Lounge
Wed, 13 Mar – Austin, TX – The Grackle
Wed, 13 Mar – Austin, TX – Firehouse Hostel and Lounge
Fri, 15 Mar – Austin, TX – Frontier Bar
Tue, 19 Mar – Tucson, AZ – The Sculpture Resource Center
Fri, 22 Mar – Long Beach, 98631 – The Pickled Fish @ Adrift Hotel
Sun, 24 Mar – Astoria, OR – Fort George Brewery

THE HENRY GIRLS & THE FOX HUNT – MOUNTAINS TO THE OCEAN

Mar 042013
 

The Henry Girls are from Ireland, The Fox Hunt is from West Virginia and they teamed up in January of 2011 to record the mini album Mountains To The Ocean.  It was released in the last part of 2012 but we’re just getting to it now.  Sue us.

If you’ve been reading Nine Bullets for a while you’re no doubt familiar with The Fox Hunt.  I hold them in high regard and consider the couple of times I’ve seen them play as highlights.  They’ve been rather quiet of late so any new music from them is a welcome addition.

I could just tell you that these seven songs are awesome and leave it at that but I’ll try to do a little better.  The boys and the girls trade off vocals from song to song and on “Dig A Little Deeper” everyone sings.  My favorite song is The Henry Girls led “You Can Leave Right Now” but I also really like “You’re Too Late.”  I could highlight all seven songs here but really you need to buy this and listen for yourself.  It’s Essential Listening, that’s a fact.

The Henry Girls and The Fox Hunt – You’re Too Late
The Henry Girls and The Fox Hunt – You Can Leave Right Now

Henry Girls Official Site, The Fox Hunt on Facebook, Buy Mountains To The Ocean

 Older Entries