5 day forecast
New music this week: Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite, Kris Kristofferson, Local Natives, Miles Davis Quintet
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Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite, "Get Up!":
Now, with nearly 20 years of traveling down his own versatile and communal road behind him, Ben Harper finds himself sharing the stage with one of the most gifted harmonica players in modern day blues, Charlie Musselwhite. The result, "Get Up!," is a rowdy 10-track set that is as moody as it is delicate, as invigorating as it is subtle. Together, Charlie and Ben have become a force from which it may be impossible to turn away. There's a palpable sense of comfort between these two, and each listen becomes yet another illustration of how strong their musical connection is. (Colin McGuire, popmatter.com)
Kris Kristofferson, "Feeling Mortal": On an album centered on death, Kris Kristofferson's laugh -- old and true, tiny and visceral -- sums up where he is as an artist these days. When you're young, you feel invincible, and when you're old, you feel, well, you feel mortal. These 10 tracks prove that while Kristofferson may finally be coming to terms with what it's like to be old, there will always be a young spirit running rampant somewhere within his soul. (McGuire)
Local Natives, "Hummingbird": The critically acclaimed band worked with Aaron Dessner from The National to forge this dark and hopeful follow-up to "Gorilla Manor." (Geoff Nelson, popmatters.com)
Miles Davis Quintet, "Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2": Those unsure what to make of the massive and still mounting set of Miles Davis box sets and reissues should put their mind at ease. Though there are lesser releases than others -- "Bitches Brew Live" is solid but not revelatory, for example -- for the most part we're still learning Miles. Still piecing him together, parsing out what was myth and what was real, what was man and what was musician. Or maybe not, maybe this is just another phase of myth building, and if so, so be it. Because "Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2" is as vital a live release as we've ever heard from Davis, and lives up in every way to the gauntlet thrown down by the equally essential "Bootleg Series Vol. 1." (Matthew Fiander, popmatters.com)
Other notable releases this week: Eric Burdon, "Til Your River Runs Dry"; Fleetwood Mac, "Rumours" Expanded Edition; Hatebreed, "The Divinity of Purpose"; Lisa Loeb, "No Fairy Tale"; The Mavericks, "In Time"; Tegan & Sara, "Heartthrob"; Tomahawk, "Oddfellows." -- popmatters.com
First Published January 31, 2013 12:00 am
