I read a comparison to Fleetwood Mac -  While I get that comparison I do not concur.  Rilo Kiley’s strength is their ability to take seemingly insipid styles and meld them into the uber cool.  While I am willing to give this album a fair shake I am having a hard time understanding what and why it is 12 songs together under one title.  The track Dreamworld could have been penned by any number of 80’s bands - or with the goal of being picked up by a VW ad exec - the song is pure crap.  A 4/4 high school dance track.

Some times an album like this will grow on you.  I am hoping that this is the case but after Jenny’s stellar album with The Watson Twins released last year there is a tremendous level of expectation.  While I understand that this is not Jenny Lewis with the Rilo Kiley band I wish they had pulled a bit more from the roots and less from the tips.  Playing homage to the producers and the A&R execs by creating a polished radion friendly album is one way to gain new fans but its at the expense of alienating some older one.   The track 15 seems very appropriate for it seems not only to be an ironic tale of “ooops, you are how old? ” but turns out that this is the exact age of the people who will love this album.  Maybe that is the goal all along…

The show started out with a rather rough version of Helplessly Hoping as Stephen’s voice warmed up and his band added the fill.   But this rough start was instantly removed as the band left and Still’s was left with only his Martin d-45.  Stephen was always the talent in the groups.  Not that Graham Nash or David Crosby were hacks but Stills was and as evidenced last night an amazing guitar player and a wonderful, melodic  songwriter.  His guitar playing is what put the audience onto their feet.

Rolling through his catalog of hits Still’s was captivating and clever.  He is a funny man and is quite light hearted.  The acoustic songs got better and better as his voice warmed up.  Clearly still very capable of hitting those high notes and those trademarked shouts many of the songs sounded as good as they did 30 years ago when they were embedded in the consciousness of a generation.   The show took off when during the last part of Suite: Judy Blue Eyes the band joined him back onstage to “fill” in the doo doo doo’s.

The rest of the show was a showcase of why Jimi Hendrix and others admired his playing.  Being a guitar player myself I was thoroughly blow away by Still’s skills.  He simply rips.   Ending the night with a stellar Somethings Happening Here Still’s and crew blew away the audience and left this fan in smiles.   Great show Stephen - welcome back!

Here is one of the tracks available for download on Sea Wolf‘s site. I really like this song The Garden You Planted - what about you?

The Garden That You Planted

M. Ward hails from Portland Oregon, Home to rain, beer and Elliot Smith.  His songwriting proneness is stunning.  His soft warm and inviting vocals welcome the listener with open arms and beckons the ears to pay attention.  I was very much looking forward to M. Ward taking the stage as the sun set over the Pacific and the warm Summer afternoon moved to a cool Summer night.   It was a little disapointing to see him standing solo with just a guitar though.  His songs are deep and take a bit more than a strumming dreadnought to come across.  He opened the show with Norah at his side which helped to woo the few people that had come to see the opener.  After a nice duet with Norah he was joined by a second guitar player who added wonderful strums and harmonies and a dead on whistle.  As quietly as this accompaniment entered the stage he left for a few songs.   The interesting highlight of the set was the accompaniment by a very odd sounding and looking woman - Victoria Williams, perhaps the most colorful singers I have ever heard.  Sounding a bit like a cartoon character or the Ruth Gordon (the actress from that played Maude in Harold and Maude) I wasnt sure if she was a savant or a homeless woman Matt had adopted but I loved her.

So the set was a little slow.  He worked through a few of his “better known” songs from Post War and through in a couple of others which I wasn’t so familiar with and won over a few new fans.  The subdued audience was a perfect match for the subdued solo M. Ward as he ushered in a new season at my favorite venue in all the world.   I would rather see him with a full band though, in a small club with a few hours to play than as a token opener.  If you read this M.  come on back with your band next time!

Speaking of The Beatles;  Somewhere somehow in the last year Jeff Tweedy became the ghost of John Lennon.   Listening to Walken the tune screams of John Lennon.  I can almost see Jeff Tweedy in a white suit dancing about some daisy filled field while singing “The more I think about it the more I know its true” .  Its a high praise for a songwriter but I think Tweedy has pulled of a hat trick of sorts.  Not only has he and Wilco created a masterpiece they have done it without the ussual fanfare and hyperbole that precedes or follows a band of this caliber.  Whether it is the continued lack of real recognition among the masses for their incredible songs or just the fact that Wilco does not appeal to a large popular audience I have been amazed at the lack of praise for this album.  Rolling Stone gave in a 4/5 stars.  It must be a case of mistaken identity how else could a band producing one of the best Rock albums of the new century be granted the silent and soulless praise of a 4 star review? Well then again it is from the same set of critics that gave The Kings of Leon’s new bore the same 4 star.

Regardless of what others have said about this album it ranks up there for me.  I give it a 5 star (out of 5 stars!) review.  It has obtained a classic status and sits proudly next to Neil’s Harvest, Petty’s Wildfire, The Beatles Rubber Soul or Revolver, The Beach Boys Pet Sounds, and a few dozen other albums that are on my desert island list.  Does it make yours?

I have always wanted to head to Austin for the ACL festival and this years line-up may just be enough for me to go.  From the big acts like  The White Stripes, Wilco, Bjork and My Morning Jacket to the smaller up and coming acts like Ben Kweller or the Sippy Cups this year looks like it could possibly be the greatest live music festival ever.     I have heard horror stories of the Austin heat in September and the unavoidable dust and crowds so I took at peek at the VIP options.  For $1700 you get shade, free water and air conditioned bathrooms.  That is $1560 more than the cost of a ticket.  I think I will have to hold off on making a decision on this one for a couple of days.