Trax
By Bliss 09/18/2008
OTIS REDDING, Live in London and Paris (Stax) (3 stars out of 5)
Soul legend Redding gets first-class treatment on this welcome reissue, which pairs two out-of-print 1967 performances. Redding’s tough but sweet vocals and electric fervor are pristinely captured alongside Booker T. & the MG’s and the Mar-Keys on the remixed and remastered recordings, originally produced by Tom Dowd. The downside: several songs are repeated, since the disc pairs concerts from London and Paris. The upside: it’s hard to complain about durable classics (“Try a Little Tenderness,” “Satisfaction,” “Respect”) that opened new vistas in American music. www.concordmusicgroup.com/labels/Stax.
TOM FREUND, ollapsible Plans (Surf Road) (3 stars out of 5)
In the months leading up to the release of his newest disc, hipster folkie Freund did some shows accompanied by only his standup bass that were notable for their lyrical depth and quietly sophisticated musicality. Instrumentation expanded in studio, but that sense of deep musical gratification remains. Longtime pal Ben Harper produced and plays throughout the disc; guests include Shelby Lynne, guitarist Michael Ward and Jackson Browne, whose piano and distinctive harmonies drive the melodic “Why Wyoming.” Other standout tracks include “Unwind” and a stripped-down update of Freund’s “Copper Moon.” At Hotel Café Saturday. www.myspace.com/tomfreundmusic.
NEREA, Footprints (Vocation Records) (2.5 stars out of 5)
Nerea — a California-born, Cape Breton-raised fiddler who now resides in France — celebrates her roots on this collection of traditional jigs, marches, polkas, spritely step-dancing reels and mournful laments. Her resonant fiddle is occasionally augmented by piano, guitar and, on the closing “Steps,” the sound of dancing feet, but it’s the heartfelt simplicity of her playing that ultimately seals her music’s humble appeal. At Coffee Gallery Backstage Friday. www.myspace.com/nereakeltic.
OKKERVIL RIVER, The Stand Ins (Jagjaguwar) (3 stars out of 5)
Less angsty than 2005’s “Black Sheep Boy” and more viscerally engaged than last year’s “Stage Names,” “Stands Ins” is a no-frills announcement of arrival. Frontman Will Sheff’s dark lyrics show no mercy over the faux-cheery riffs pushing “Pop Lie,” “Lost Coastlines,” “Singer Songwriter” and “Calling and Not Calling My Ex.” At times Okkervil River sound disconcertingly like ’80s one-hit wonder Dexys Midnight Runners, but overall they make a convincing case that they’re rocking for the long haul. At Henry Fonda Theatre in Hollywood Tuesday. www.myspace.com/okkervilriver.
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