Band Weblogs » Lucinda Williams

Lila Downs – NEW ‘Shake Away’ release + tour dates, watch video

bandweblogs — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:13:09 +0000

Exploring and expressing Mexico’s rich culture has been a lifelong passion for Lila Downs. On ‘Shake Away’, set for release September 2, 2008, Downs takes listeners on a journey that’s both intensely personal and vividly universal.

Recorded in New York and Mexico City, the songs range from the pointed “Minimum Wage” to the mystical “Silent Thunder” to a cover of Lucinda Williams’ “I Envy The Wind” in English and Spanish (”Yo Envidio El Viento”) versions.

On ‘Shake Away’, Lila invites a group of special guests, including the legendary Argentinean singer Mercedes Sosa on a duet of her song “Tierra de Luz” (Land of Light); longtime amigo Ruben Albarran from Café Tacuba joins Lila on “Perro Negro” (”Black Dog”); and on a cover of “Black Magic Woman”, Lila switches between Spanish and English with the help of acclaimed singer/guitarist and label mate, Raul Midon.

To bring her vision and songs on ‘Shake Away’ to fruition, along with her seven-man band, La Misteriosa, and producers Paul Cohen (also her collaborator and husband), Aneiro Tano and Brian Lynch, Downs plays guitar and percussion. The band utilizes traditional instruments including accordion, harp and clarinet. The trumpet, trombone and tuba appear in several arrangements, bringing the sound somewhere between Mexico and New Orleans.

Watch “Paloma Negra” video:

Though many new songs address the heated topics of immigration, political justice, and transformation, Downs’ vulnerability, compassion and humor are also clear, her siren song irresistible on ‘Shake Away’. From the Beat poet-style of “Truth” to the spare dolorous “Yo Envidio El Vento”– which is followed up the almost-carnival atmosphere of “Perro Negro”–’Shake Away’ is a triumph.

With a voice that is varied in color and range, Lila Downs cuts a striking figure live as well – she embodies the spirit of her music with an emotion-drenched physicality. She will be on tour this fall in support of ‘Shake Away’.

Lila Downs September 2008 tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

13-Sep Washington, DC Kennedy Center
15-Sep New York, NY Town Hall, Mexican Independence Day
18-Sep Boulder, CO E Town Boulder Theatre
19-Sep Albuquerque, NM Globalquerque
21-Sep Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl (w/Nortec, Michael Franti, & Ozomatli)
22-Sep San Diego, CA House of Blues
24-Sep Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
25-Sep Seattle, WA Moore Theatre (support act: Leroy Bell)
27-Sep San Jose, CA San Jose Mariachi Festival (w/Linda Ronstadt & Aida Cuevas)
28-Sep San Jose, CA Plaza de Cesar Chavez
30-Sep Chicago, IL Harris Theatre

Photo Credit: Elena Pardo

Lila Downs on amazon.com

Lila Downs MySpace
Lila Downs Official Website

Lara Ewen announces midwest dates for July and August

Guest Blogger — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 10:29:14 +0000

Americana singer-songwriter Lara Ewen will play solo shows in Kansas City, MO on July 28th, in Des Moines, IA on July 29th and August 3rd and in Omaha, NE on August 2nd 2007 in support of her new album ‘Ghosts and Gasoline’ (released this spring).

The tour dates are as follows:

July 28th 2007 – 10pm, Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main, Kansas City, MO
July 29th 2007 – 8pm, A.K. O’Connor’s, 4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines, IA
August 2nd 2007 – 8pm, Mick’s Music and Bar, 5918 Maple St., Omaha, NE
August 3rd 2007 – 8pm, Mars Cafe, 2318 University Ave., Des Moines, IA

Lara Ewen’s style has gained her favorable comparisons to Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris and Patty Griffin.

“This is the kind of album which sticks with you long-term, leaving an emotional imprint in the same league with your first kiss, your first road trip and your first heartbreak.” – CD Baby

“Haunting lyrics and effortless-sounding acoustic work.” – Wilmington Star-News

For more information on Lara Ewen or to hear sample tracks from ‘Ghosts and Gasoline,’ please visit Lara Ewen on Myspace or www.unstrungmusic.com.

Gene Butler – Concrete Country review

Guest Blogger — Thu, 10 May 2007 11:06:38 +0000

I love the way this album starts with “Momma Wish I’d Listened to You.” You know the singer is in trouble when he starts the proceedings locked up in a jail cell with black-eyed peas staring him in the face. So it goes when you don’t listen to what momma said.

Gene Butler sings some Concrete Country songs like the intro track then turns on that in your face country charm on “Cold, Cold, Cold Woman.” Music and songs like this are next-door neighbors to the blues, it is an undeniable fact that country is one of the many styles of music that developed a life all its own from the genre. I find myself grinning from ear to ear when I hear songs like that for some reason. I am always able to find the humor in an otherwise potentially painful situation. Guess it’s your own choice to look at the lighter side of life this way, I have a feeling the singer sure is.

Some fine musicians back Butler on every track on this album, besides his harmonica, guitar, and vocals, he gets some stellar support from some foot stompin’ fiddle players like Doug Atwell and Brantley Kearns. Billy Da Mota and Gurf Morlix (also plays the bass and provides vocals) adds some great guitar licks, and we cannot discount the importance of the pedal steel in a country song- Danny Dugmore provides that and does a fine job. Mike Bannister and Phil Mantano beat the skins to provide the bottom end for everyone and Amy Penny and Lucinda Williams (recognize that name?) add some vocal parts. I thought it was important to mention everyone that contributed to this effort and certainly, without all of their support, Butler would not have pulled this off in such a big way. I am not a big country fan but sometimes there is enough rock and a taste of the blues to bring out the latent cowboy in me.

Artist: Gene Butler
Title: Concrete Country
Genre: Country-Rock
Label: VAVV Records
Gene Butler Band Website
CD Baby Link

Tracks:
01. Momma Wish I’d Listened to You (1:00)
02. Cold, Cold, Cold Woman (2:20)
03. Don’t Say Don’t (2:01)
04. In This Lonesome City (3:01)
05. Love’s the Real Thing (3:25)
06. This House That We Live In (4:23)
07. God’s Fallen Star (3:20)
08. You Go On Anyway (3:22)
09. Rip Cord (4:15)
10. Ride That Train (2:33)

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck