Lucero - Women & Work

Lucero are one of America's finest bands. JS-NYC favorites for the better part of a decade, its always cause for much rejoicing when the Memphis sextet roll through town or drop a new record. Last time they staggered through, Ben mentioned they had a new record called Women & Work coming. Well it's here, courtesy of your friends at ATO Records.

Now, I would never say not to buy a Lucero record, as Women & Work is a decent record, but it certainly has not set me afire like previous releases. The boys are changing: I was pretty cool with the addition of dual monsters Todd Beene from the mighty Glossary on steel and Rick Steff on keys and accordion. Horns have been more prevalent on the record and road in recent years and its been a slippery slope for me. Lucero are from Memphis after all, and I respect the desire to push the envelope a bit, but at the end of the day I wish the songs were better. There's really nothing here that grabs me, but with a back catalog bursting with great tunes, I'm going to fall back on seeing Lucero as much as possible and hope that the songs on Women & Work grow on me.

Keep track of what towns should be hiding their daughters via this handy link and get Women & Work here from the Lucero web presence.

R

Glossary at PopMatters

All:

Those interested in my short take on the absolutely stellar new record from Glossary would do well to avail themselves of this link.

Thanks to Last Chance Records and Sarah at PopMatters.

R

Jaded Scenester NYC: Top 11 Records of 2011

Ok All:

The TBs are back in full effect, courtesy of Time Machine, so without further ado, let's start the recappery for 2011.

Day One: 


Top 11 Records Of 2011

1.  Banner Pilot – Heart Beats Pacific

Longtime readers know that Banner Pilot gets much love at JS-NYC HQ, but even I was a little surprised that they took the top honors for 2011.  I think the CMJ live shows sealed the deal for me, The Fat Wreck deal getting the gents to the East Coast more than in years previously. The gents tore up the Reload store and followed up with a pretty aces set in Brooklyn later that night. Heart Beats Pacific has the same relentless amount of hooks, changing things up on the vocals but still with the bass mixed up front. Eleven songs, and not a bad track on the record. I'm pretty sure the gents are already in pre-production for the next one, plus they are letting the punters pick the set list for the spring tour, so get on over to the Banner Pilot web presence and ruin the spring for me. Get Heart Beats Pacific here.

2.  Centro-Matic – Candidate Waltz

Said it the first time and am now saying it again: Why Centro-matic aren't gargantuanally huge boggles what little faculties I still maintain. Centro-matic are everything that I don't see why people like about My Morning Jacket and The National (who, truth be told, seem like fine people, exclusive of their profoundly unremarkable records). I dare not contemplate what a four hour MMJ set would be like, but every time I see Centro-matic live I wish it would never end. The last show at Mercury was no exception, unsurprising as Candidate Waltz is the finest record to date from a band that continually releases amazing records. Bookmark their web presence here.

3.  Tenement – Napalm Dream

The fact that 2011 brought a new Tenement record was a personal high point. They were top fucking notch a couple years ago in Greenpoint and I've been salivating at the prospect at seeing them again ever since. There are only two solid members in the line-up, which hampers the whole touring thing. It's a shame, as Napalm Dream has some of the best indie rock tracks you'll hear this year. Shades of 90s Boston and America's Finest Rock BandTM The Figgs abound, with the breakdown of Stupid World ranking as perhaps my favorite recorded moment of this year. Keep track of Wisconsin's finest and all things Napalm Dream here.

4.   Restorations – s/t

Restorations are definitely my favorite new discovery of 2011, although sadly my favorite track is from their first EP. Lack of Linear Notes aside, and despite a curious tendency toward black metal in their artwork choices, this fearsome Philly fivesome get high marks from JS-NYC. Now lets see a lot more NYC shows please.

5.  Glossary – Long Live All Of Us

My review is coming up at PopMatters soon, but much like Centro-matic, you cannot go wrong with any release with the Glossary name on it. I generally loathe bands with singers who both live and rock together (see the utterly execrable Mates Of State), but Joey and Kelly make it more than worth your while with Long Live All Of Us.

6.   Bridge & Tunnel – Rebuilding Year

The time Bridge & Tunnel lay fallow has fostered a bumper crop of great music. Rebuilding Year features great J. Robbins-y vocals from Jeff and top-fucking-notch guitar work from Rachel. Along with Iron Chic, there is rarely a safer bet in a local show.

7.  Frank Turner – England Keep My Bones

A close second behind Restorations in the new discovery queue, Frank Turner grabbed my attention on Kimmel and England Keep My Bones quickly racked up neighbor maddening levels of rotation at JS-NYC HQ. I Am Disappeared ranks just as high in singles of the year. FT is going to be a very big deal, very soon.

8.  Samiam - Trips

I think Samiam may have actually deposed the mighty Jawbreaker as my all-time favorite East Bay band. They have made pretty regular appearances out East Coast way this year and been pretty damn great every time. Trips has a gang of great songs and hopefully will usher in a new era of Samiam dominance.

9.  Gateway District – Perfect’s Gonna Fail

Without disparaging Maren and Carrie's significant contributions to Gateway, the idea that Nate could write two amazing records worth of music (see #1) deserves notice. I really need to get to Minneapolis.

10.  Direct Hit! – Domesplitter

Got this one cold in the mail, maybe through the good folk of Southern Lovin' and the terrible cover art kept me off listening for a bit, but once I did I was more that stoked at what I heard. Obvious D4 and Screeching Weasel earmarks, but with enough personality to not get lost in the shuffle. 

11.  Money Making Jam Boys – The Prestige
2011 has been a terrible year for hip-hop, but this Philly all-star team fucking kills it on their debut mix tape. P.O.R.N, Truck North, Dice Raw and STS rhyme hard but MC juggernaut Black Thought is the hero here, asserting himself as one of the pre-eminent mic stylists of our generation and saving this year from being over-saturarted with Odd Future fomented Asbergers Rap.

Live: Lucero with Glossary @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg 3.30.10

You can't sell camaraderie short. If you are unaware or without a working set of ears, Murfreesboro, TN's own Glossary are a great fucking band. So are Lucero, who have utilized the talents of Glossary guitarist/steel wunderkind Todd Beene for the last couple years as a touring member. For a lot of up-and-coming (or NYC) bands that would be both a death blow and a shrewd political move to keep the next band from overtaking their 21st Century devaluated five minutes of fame but Lucero have actually upped the ante by taking Glossary on the road and signing them to their own Liberty and Lament imprint. Sure Todd has to play two sets rather than one, but there are worse crosses to have to bear.

The first Glossary for their new bosses is called Feral Fire. Look for a full review soonish, but be informed that said record posits the valid question: What would Thin Lizzy sound like if they loved Fleetwood Mac and were from Tennessee rather than Dublin? Pretty fucking great sure seems to be the answer. Glossary have been beating their head against the wall for the last ten years and it's nice to finally see them getting some headway. They got a lot of notice for giving their last record away for free. For better or worse, they also got a nod from that fuckwit Conor Oberst, but let's not dwell on the negative. I showed up during the first song of their hour-long set and had my ass rocked for the duration. Joey seemed pretty shithoused, but he and his wife Kelly harmonized like a Volunteer State John and Exene nonetheless. I had hoped that the two were siblings, but my creepiness aside, one can only hope their relationship is as harmonious. I'd like to see Glossary at Mercury very soon. Here's hoping.

I had missed Lucero when they came through last time, as I was recording my bands debut EP with Mr. Dean Baltuonis, but was pleased to find that they were touring as a ten-piece with. I was also pleased to run into a gang of the Unified Scene kids, including the estimable Lawyer Chris and John Cake. They were in their cups, as was most of the younger part of the crowd. Why the crowds in recent years have gotten so rowdy with young drunk asshats, I am unsure, but know that they were out in force. I managed to stay on the periphery of the fray for the most part, but enjoyed John's simple and effective foot-dispensed prevention of douchebags stage-diving to Memphis roots rock immensely. We got most of the new 1372 Overton Place record, along with a healthy couple hours worth of back catalog. Cake cajoled Ain't No Sunshine out of the boys and Ben closed things with a solo version of the stellar Lonesome Dogtown Nights. I will again go on record with my incredulity over how that was left off the new record, but I assume we'll see it in some formally released version soon. Hopefully we'll see these two bands back in town soon as well. There are only a few dates on the docket at present, but keep checking in here to see when/if they are coming your way. Alone or together, Glossary and Lucero are two of America's finest bands. You would do well to save the cash from that Wilco ticket and see this bill twice.

R

Ben Nichols - The Last Pale Light In The West

If you've made it this far, you probably already know that Ben Nichols is the singer from the Memphis rock juggernaut that is Lucero. It's been almost ten years for the band and they've been on a steadily rising trajectory since their inception, moving from local Memphis labels like Madjack, through Tiger Style and East/West imprints to their recent signing to Universal Republic. I trust that the boys know what they are doing and hope that they get some serious gas and distro out of the deal.

Lucero guitarist Brian Venable just had a baby and the band has been lying low while his family gets their affairs in order, giving our Ben time to drop a little bit of a solo release. It's called The Last Pale Light In The West and is allegedly a series of Cormac McCarthy characterizations from his Blood Meridian novel, ala Richard Buckner and his Edgar Lee Masters homage The Hill. There are only seven tracks and they are pretty spartan. Todd from Glossary adds some steel and the accordian guy from Cat Power pops up, but things are pretty stark for the duration. Ben's got the kind of voice that I'd listen to even if he was doing Matt & Kim covers. Luckily, he's not.

The Last Pale Light In The West will be released in tangible form in early 2009, but if you do the pre-order here, you'll get a link for a digital download to tide you over. There's also a cd/t-shirt deal here. Hopefully we'll see some random Lucero tour dates as the holidays draw nearer. In the meantime, check out Ben on the Suburban Home Revival Tour with Chuck Ragan and various regional guests like Tom Gabel and Jon Snodgrass. Dates are here.

R