Marshall Crenshaw Old timey songwriting and crooning, hints of rockabilly, crisp guitars and mounds of hooks have been Crenshaw’s trademark for the better part of a couple of decades. Don Dixon, Mitch Easter, Mitchell Froom and a pile of hipsters have worked with Crenshaw on his open mic styled records of toe- tapping and warm rock tunes. Thursday, Neighborhood Theatre. — SS
Delancey Street If there’s a Rookie of the Year award for local bands, this quintet is a strong contender. Songwriters Melinda Hansen (vocals) and Keith Shamel (guitar) have cooked up an exotic blend of originals: everything from cabaret to Middle Eastern microtones gets tossed into a sophisticated but accessible mix. They’ll rock your world while you travel around it. Thursday, Visulite Theatre. — John Schacht
Richie Havens First emerging from the Greenwich Village folk scene in the early 60s, Havens has been a voice for unity for three decades now. Whether speaking of brotherhood, personal freedom, social consciousness or oppression, Havens’ songs (and those he chooses to cover) are rooted in the deepest folk tradition — if something’s bothering you, get it out there, so you can start to work on it. From electrifying audiences as the opening act at the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair, to performing the Presidential Inauguration in January, 1993, Havens’ career could be described as “been there, doing that.” Right on, brother. Saturday, Neighborhood Theatre. — TD
Jennifer Strip Christopher “Strip” Boone has his newish quartet in fine shape, readying the band for work on a full album after the well-received Another Lover Further, the band’s recent EP. It’s a long way from Boone’s former band Spite, though the necessary bird-flying and distance-spitting attitude remains. And who knew a man once known as “Shittongue” could croon so believably? Good stuff. With Clout, Nemo and Millers Tale. Saturday, Fat City. — TD
Jerry Joseph & the Jackmormons Jerry’s a long-running singer/songwriter — Little Women, solo, and now the Jackmormons — who provides a full acoustic sound with solid strumming and average word play. He has lent his talents to many outfits in indie & Jam lands and just signed with Terminus Records for a label debut in 2002. Opening for Widespread Panic. Friday-Saturday, Cricket Arena. — SS
Tift Merritt Ms. Merritt has seen her gently updated Classic Country acoustic stylings gain quite a following recently, performing shows with current “It Boy” Ryan Adams and others. And for good reason: She packs a hell of a voice into her small frame, something like Dolly Parton mixed with Alison Krauss. Plus, she’s got the songwriting chops to boot, never taking the easy way out by relying on covers. Recommended. Saturday, Evening Muse. — TD
Moon Boot Lover Peter Prince is the main man behind and in front of this oddly funky jam band. The cool spacey CD covers and poster art hint at a Brit-psych sound, but the music is essentially American jam and stuff, custom made for happy hippies. Friday, Visulite Theatre. — SS
Big Bill Morganfield Here’s a blues brat if ever there was one. The standard Chicago fare is updated with jump blues and slow, hypnotic numbers on Morganfield’s sophomore release Ramblin’ Mind (Blind Pig Records). Bill’s burgeoning career and his coming into his own fold get a nice shot in the arm with the new release, while the initial necessary comparisons to his legendary father, Muddy Waters, become fewer. Friday, Double Door. – SS
Nashville Pussy OK, so they no longer have Amazonian bassist (and brother of ex-Dukie Cherokee Parks) Corey Parks on bass anymore. No matter, as the band’s musical ability has gained a boost with new four-stringer Tracy “Kick Ass” Almazan, who nearly tops Parks in (bad) attitude, if not altitude. Not exactly deep in the songwriting department, at least topically, but you could do a hell of a lot worse if you simply want to relive those glory days of cruising the mall parking lot in your friend’s Z-28, just doing nothing. Wait! Most of you still are! Thursday, Tremont Music Hall. — TD
Nebula A trio made up with a couple of ex-Fu Manchu cats piles on heaps of stoner rock on the unsuspecting masses. It’s grunge slowed down with reefer and psyched up with hits of acid. The trio is plugging their latest slab o’ wax, Charged (Sub Pop), and the bit of muddy sound from the last release is cleaned up and infused with raging electric psych blues that’s more focused and raucous. Hey, it may not be anything new, but what else ya gonna listen to, another T&A laced release with a gazillion dollar publicity push? With Immortal Lee County Killers. Monday, Tremont Music Hall. — SS
Red Canyon Wall The self-titled debut album from these Myrtle Beach, SC cosmic alt.honkers suggests a band worth keeping an eye on. The album was mixed by John Keane (REM, Cowboy Junkies, Vic Chesnutt), who lends the proceedings the necessary burn without compromising the smooth, cool finish. Lead singer Teddi Davis is a pixie of a singer who clearly emulates Lucinda Williams but has the necessary cajones (ovaries?) to pull it off. All from the land of the absurd, neon-overloaded Myrtle Beach. Oh, well. Gram had his Vegas, one imagines. With the Stragglers. Tuesday, Double Door. — TD
Soup Atlanta’s Soup are a rare rock animal who unabashedly use an accordion as an active instrument. The resulting music is a party-flavored mishmash of frat-rock, quirky breaks, corky lyrics and homespun rock & roll that sways from solid playing to wacky, ala They Might Be Giants, fun. A fresh new E.P. is out now. Opening for Angie Aparo. Saturday, Amos’ Southend. — SS
This article appears in Nov 17-23, 2001.
Hello there! I’m trying to find more info on JENNIFER STRIP and their “Another Lover Further” release. Could you please help me with that? THANKS!