Robert Earl Keen Announces Pre-Orders

Robert Earl Keen fans can pre-order an autographed LP of his soon-to-be released album, Ready For Confetti, on his Web site.

Keen’s 11th studio album hits stores Aug. 30. The latest release is on the Lost Highway label.

Based on the title track and the single, “I Gotta Go,” the album sounds like another good one by REK.

He says he tried to concentrate on a few simple themes like joy and happiness when writing the latest batch of songs and then when he went into the studio to record with his band they stripped down the numbers to make them sound as loose and friendly as possible.

That’s completely fitting with Keen’s warm spirit. He’s an artist who easily endears himself to an audience.

Early in his career, he would travel to Santa Cruz, Calif., and perform solo acoustic shows at the tiny Kuumbwa Jazz Center. He would tell funny stories and sing beautiful songs, tell beautiful stories and sing funny songs.

When the show ended, the audience couldn’t wait until the next time the big Texan would come to Surf City.

Santa Cruz has long been a Keen hot spot, largely because KPIG, a local radio station found at 107 oink 5 on the dial, had the good taste and carefree attitude to play a lot of his songs. That’s how I first came across him.

The city became the setting for one of his best songs, “I’m Coming Home.”

As his popularity grew, Keen went on to play larger venues and perform with a bigger and louder band. That’s taken away from the intimacy of those early shows, but even so he still puts on a good show. He's a first-rate songwriter with a head full of colorful characters, a sense of adventure, and a heart full of tender tales.

Keen’s albums always come with high expectations. Lucky for us he usually delivers.

Wilco Album Coming in September

Mark Sept. 27 on your calendars. That's the date that Wilco releases its eighth studio album, The Whole Love.

The album is on the Chicago band's newly launched dBpm Records. The Whole Love features 12 new original tunes and is produced by Jeff Tweedy with Patrick Sansone and Tom Schick.

The Anti Records site provides this description: "The Whole Love opens with the seven-minute “Art of Almost” and concludes with the twelve-minute “One Sunday Morning (Song For Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend).” In between: 10 adventurous tunes (each clocking in at four minutes or less) including the current single, 'I Might.'"

The first single was released on a limited clear vinyl and sold at the band's Solid Sound Festival in June. A limited blue version is available through the band's store. A classic black single is available through retailers and has a July 19 street date.

Upcoming Vinyl Releases

Steve Earle’s first collection of original material since 2007 is scheduled to come out on vinyl July 19. I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive is on the New West label.

Madeleine Peyroux’s Standing On The Rooftop (Universal) also has a July 19 street date. The new album features mostly original materials plus a cover of the Beatles’ “Martha, My Dear.”

Joss Stone releases LP1 on July 26. It’s the first on her own label, Stone’d Records. Stone co-wrote and co-produced the album with Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart.

Patti Smith delivers Outside Society (Sony), a career-spanning retrospective on double LP. It will feature 18 remastered songs from 10 studio albums. Look for this one in August.

Schuur Releases Strong Album

Diane Schuur has always had an open mind about the material she covers. While keeping one foot firmly entrenched in the jazz world, she has easily and frequently crossed into the pop side. She’s teamed with B.B. King, covered Billy Joel, and recorded an album of new Barry Manilow songs.

For her Vanguard Records debut, Schuur does something she’s never done. She performs 10 country tunes. The Gathering, her first album in three years, is a bold move that pays off.

It’s always risky when an artist crosses into a new genre. The effort often comes across as dilettantish. Not so for Schuur. She makes these songs her own.

Schuur removes the twang and plays the songs in a smart, straight-ahead manner that showcases her impressive voice and the strength of the lyrics. She also plays piano.

The vinyl version sounds great, but there is no digital download.

The Gathering works because Schuur isn’t trying to make a country album. Instead, she’s mined songs from the country canon and adapted them into her own expansive style. Nothing sounds out of place.

It’s similar to what Ray Charles’ achieved on his classic Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music.

The album opens with a beautiful version of Hank Cochran’s “Why Can’t He Be You,” which was probably always intended as more of a pop number anyway. Cochran wrote Patsy Cline’s “I Fall To Pieces” and “She’s Got You,” two of Cline’s more pop-oriented songs.

Another highlight is “Til I Can Make It On My Own.” Tammy Wynette filled the song with grit. Schuur gives it grace with her beautiful voice and soulful touch.

On her jazz and pop recordings, Schuur has often played to her big voice. Throughout the new album, she is more understated, and it works well in conveying the sad emotions that mark many of these songs. At the same, she will still add a well-placed touch of vocal flair to the numbers like she does on Willie Nelson’s “Healing Hands of Time,” which is also boosted by a Kirk Whalum’s sax solo.

Even though she owns a pair of Grammys, Schuur is an underrated artist. The Gathering shows just how good she is no matter what material she performs.

Schuur traveled to Nashville to record the album and worked with a strong team of musicians, including Eddie Bayer on drums, Michael Rhodes on bass, Steve Gibson on guitar, Mike Rojas on Wurlitzer piano, Eric Darken on vibes, and Carmella Ramsey, who provides harmony vocals.

She is also joined by some famed guest musicians, including Alison Krauss, who sings on Cochran’s “Dont Touch Me. Vince Gill, Mark Knopfler, and Larry Carlton also appear on the album that is produced by Steve Buckingham.

Tom Waits Haul

I had an amazing time record shopping the other day. Someone had unloaded a great collection of Tom Waits vinyl at the Rasputin store in Berkeley, so I was able to pick up Closing Time, The Heart Of Saturday Night, Nighthawks At The Diner, Blue Valentine, and Heart Attack And Vine. All are in beautiful shape.

Closing Time is Waits' 1973 masterpiece, with “Ol’ 55,” “I Hope I Don’t Fall In Love With You,” “Martha,” "Grapefruit Moon,” “Rosie,” and others. It’s one of the best debut albums that I can think of. It's right up there with Patti Smith’s Horses.

I can’t wait to listen to the other albums. I plan to listen to them, and the other Waits albums that I have, in chronological order to experience his musical evolution. He's increasingly grown more varied and strange over the years. Artists usually go the other way if anything.

Buddy Holly Tribute Shines

A tribute album to Buddy Holly, who would have been 75 years old this year, has just been released on the Fantasy/Concord Music label. It’s available on two-disc 45 rpm vinyl, retailing at about $30.

There are plenty of highlights on this impressive set—The Black Keys performing “Dearest,” Florence and The Machine on “Not Fade Away,” Patti Smith singing “Words of Love.”

However, Lou Reed steals the show with his grinding version of “Peggy Sue,” which is followed by a lovely rendition of “Peggy Sue Got Married” by John Doe.

Rave On is better than most tribute albums because producer Randall Poster pulled together a stellar lineup of legends and young acts and gave them plenty of room to showcase their own styles while still paying their respects to the well-traveled Holly tunes.

This pays off in song after song. A must for Holly fans.

My one complaint is the album doesn't come with a digital download.