Five Questions With Linda McRae

Linda McRae, one of the finest musical exports (originally from British Columbia, Canada) who is now a domestic resource living in Nashville with husband, poet and writer James K. Whitmire, will perform a full-band CD release show for her new recording, "Rough Edges & Ragged Hearts," at 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 15, at the Sportsmen's Tavern on Amherst Street in Buffalo. Admission will be a ridiculously low $3.

After gaining notoriety as a bassist/vocalist for Spirit of the West, McRae went solo and has previously released two official solo CDs, "Flying Jenny" in 1997 and "Carve It to the Heart" in 2008, as well as "Crying Out Loud" in 2002 credited to Linda McRae and Cheerful Lonesome. She also added playing clawhammer banjo to her acoustic guitar and bass credits, and has played shows and conducted songwriting clinics for inmates at Folsom Prison in California.

McRae was kind enough to take some time from traveling and rehearsing to answer some questions for The Hosey Report.

 

THR: Tell us about your new CD.

LM: It’s really really good! No really! I’m especially proud of my new CD "Rough Edges & Ragged Hearts" for a number of reasons. First and foremost are the songs. I feel these are some of the best songs I have ever written and five of them just happen to be co-writes with my husband James Whitmire and me. That in itself makes it special as that’s never happened before, this is a first for us!

I recorded it in Vancouver BC with my producer/musician friend Marc L’Esperance. Marc and I worked together on my last recording "Carve It To the Heart" as well. We set out to create an intimate, more stripped down version of the songs, something that is closer to how it sounds live. I think we succeeded. Of course there are some songs that have full band treatment as well.

THR: How has your approach and sound evolved over the years?

LM: It sounds corny but my approach and my sound have matured over the years as I gather more experience as an artist and as a human being. I’ve also been performing as a solo artist for the past four years, a very humbling but exhilarating experience in itself. As a multi-instrumentalist who performers alone I’ve had to up my game so to speak because I don’t have another musician with me to fill in the lead parts so I’ve had to learn how to make it interesting for the audience as well as myself by learning how to do that for myself. 

THR: Explain why you turned to the banjo and what it has done to your music.

 LM: I’ve been studying traditional music (clawhammer banjo, Appalachian vocal styles and acoustic blues guitar) thanks to my new-found love of the banjo. I’m loving it and it’s been interesting discovering the common threads that connect all these different styles.

 I’ve learned that less is more in almost everything. I approach songwriting with much more of a sense of economy that I used to. I have also learned the beauty of dynamics and that people take in more (including myself) when they’re not being shouted at. Don’t get me wrong, shouting can be great…but so are dynamics. I used to push my voice way too hard resulting in some pitch problems and fatigue. I’ve learned how to pace myself and how to get the most from the lyric and dynamics are a huge part of that.

THR: Will the June 15 Sportsmen's Tavern show be a solo show, band or some of each?

LM: It’s going to be a band show. My talented friend and local Buffalo musician/songwriter Jim Whitford has put a dream band together for me and I’m really looking forward to playing with everyone. We’ll be doing pretty much everything as a band…no rest for these guys! Aside from my own material, we’re learning a few covers that will be fun too, some Neil Young, Rolling Stones, Hazel and Alice, Townes, etc. Jim Whitford will be on upright bass/vocals, Randy Bolam on drums, Doug Yeomans on guitar/vocals and no opening act.

THR: How does playing solo or with a band effect your music? 

LM: I love playing with a band but I also love playing solo. I miss the camaraderie, the layers of sound and the sheer power of playing with a band. It’s always fun to hear different musician’s take on the music too. Each player puts his own stamp on the music and it’s exciting hearing it all come together. Playing solo is so different. When I’m really having a great night I can tend to stretch more and not worry about the other players knowing where I’m going. I can experiment more. On the other hand if you have a bad night there’s no one to commiserate with or to blame…haha, not that I ever do that!!!!

People can get the CD at www.gotoagig.ca/merch oh and also at the shows. Come out down and say hi!

Michael Oliver and His Sacred Band - Yin & Yanxiety

            It was almost too long a wait, but now that it is here, Michael Oliver’s new CD, “Yin & Yanxiety,” this time with the Sacred Band, is an absolutely wonderful collection of pop rock songs and worth it.

            After two great CDs with Go, Dog! Go, Oliver moved from Buffalo to attend graduate school and go through other changes in his life, and started writing and recording “Yin and Yanxiety” several years ago. He has returned to perform several Buffalo shows, with progress and changes in his news songs and added to a couple of older ones not previously recorded. Oliver’s talent and regard among other musicians showed with the quality of collaborators, from longtime bassist/singer/jack of all trades Michael Swain, keyboardist/vocalist Paul Zablotski and vocalist Erin O’Brien to singer/songwriter Alexandra (Lynne) Arnold, guitarist Jim Whitford (live) and drummer Howard Fleetwood Wilson III.

            While there are several excellent songs here, it is easy for me to pick a standout, the thick, dreamy, slightly sinister “Stranger from Another Planet.” Using virtual free verse, random comparisons and stream of conscious vocals and lyrics, Oliver sings of current thoughts and problems, and questions where to turn. Apparently, one place is to someone from elsewhere, and whether it is heavenly or gallacticly derived he leaves up to the listener, something Oliver has been successful with for years. Whether this comes from a dream, reality or some kind of inspiration is also left to the listener.

            An example of Oliver’s smart, economic approach to pop rock and power pop is the CD opener, “Complicated,” tough, snarling, melodic music, with particularly nasty lead guitar from Michael Lee Jackson accompanying commentary on technology, personal communications and understanding, including matters of the heart and soul. “Love While It Lasted” continues Oliver’s accurate depictions of romantic relationships ending and people carrying on, a riff and harmonizing vocal-loaded pop rocker on which he won’t deny they had a great thing but admits it is over. “This Close to Heaven” mines the same basic upbeat musical territory but adds a smile-provoking Brian May (Queen) lead guitar riff from Swain, illustrating a successful relationship. “Picture This,“ an old favorite of many longtime Oliver fans, has him thankful for being in love and having someone special to share it with; sometimes, it’s all you need.

            The better slower, sadder songs include “One More Day,” with Oliver’s aching vocals and guitar detailing the pain of loss, loneliness and introspection, nicely colored by Zablotski’s keyboard and T.J. Zindle’s trumpet. “I’m Alright Now,” which ends “Yin & Yanxiety,” shows Oliver to still be alive and kicking after the end of something deeply involving and long lasting. Easy acoustic guitar, light rhythm section and accordion aptly accompany him.

            It is interestingly, but smartly, presented after the majestic, soaring, pained rock of another Oliver classic finally appearing on an official recording, “Setting Sun.” The song goes breathtakingly from a slow, barely-audible start to crashing climax (like a great Neil Young song) on Oliver’s trials, errors, attempts, failures and wondering if he is going in the right direction or even going anywhere. Lost loves, friendships, faith and realizing he has to move on are delivered around stately crashing guitars, swelling keyboards and finally the entire band. As good as it sounds on CD, Oliver almost enters another realm when he plays this live, ripping every emotion and note out of his guitar and song.

            For more information on acquiring the CD and related items, contact www.michaeloliver.us.

The Vores - Albright-Knox Art Gallery

            The Albright-Knox Art Gallery was an interesting and somewhat fitting place for the Vores to perform, as the sometimes noisy art rock/art punk band played old and new songs to an appreciative audience.

            Led by original members and songwriters Biff Henrich (guitar and vocals; he considers the band’s sound as “avant garage”) and Gary Nickard (bassist/occasional vocalist), the band has been fleshed out in its resurgence with Cathy Carfagna on keyboard and vocals, Scott Ryan on guitar and Patrick Heyden on drums. The Vores recently released “Common Scar,” a CD of 13 Vores songs and a cover of Bernie Kugel and the Good’s “Walk Around the World” sung by Kugel. While the filling out and shading of the band’s angular guitar approach (which still remains) may offend some old fanatics, as a more than 30-year admirer of the Vores, I think it works.

The Vores opened with “Black Words (Part 1 and 2)”, from the new CD, which goes from a neo-surf guitar intro to virtual Willie Nile rock (see “Cell Phones Ringing in the Pockets of the Dead”). Henrich adds jangle to his guitar lines at all of the right and sometimes some of the wrong times to smart effect. The band followed this with another new song, “Bad Date,” a story in part of a man who seems to mistreat and even dislike the woman he is in a relation with, verging on emotional abuse. Henrich’s guitar had a good, scratchy sound balanced by cool, moody keyboard from Carfagna.

After a couple more new songs, Henrich asked the audience if they wanted to hear any specific songs; before I could yell it, someone from the back (the crowd was rather full of musicians, artists and a writer or two) shouted “Love Canal,” an early classic Vores’ song based on the chemically contaminated area in Niagara County and what it wrought. “OK,” he replied with a smile, and the band launched into a hard, harsh, raw version of the song. Ryan added an on the mark, almost dissonant guitar line underneath Henrich, and Nickard’s bass was pulsing and punishing.

Another highlight was “Emily Says,” from “Common Scar.” Henrich and Nickard played countermelodies while Carfagna, Ryan and Heyden supported them, before Nickard recited a spoken verse, partly sermon, partly monologue narrative, in a cold, almost emotionless voice. In the end, it sounded like a great Velvet Underground tribute/parody.

            It was fun to hear older songs such as “Too Much Pressure” and “Heartbeat,” and the Vores were called back for an encore, ending with “Short Story,” a self-descriptive title. As the audience cheered for more, Henrich sheepishly looked out and said, “No, really, we’re not prepared for this. Nothing on out list.” 

The Jim Band - Braymiller's Lanes

 

            The Jim Band, basically the Jim Whitford/Cathy Carfagna Band, played a couple of very cool sets as a featured act of the Hamburg Music Festival at Braymiller’s Lanes.

            Whitford, a Buffalo Music Hall of Fame member, is best known for his guitar playing, singing and songwriting for the Pine Dogs, his solo work and in the Desires and Outlyers, as well as his blues bass playing and steel guitar playing for Stone County and the Twang Gang. Carfagna, a keyboardist, guitar player, multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter, is best known for her solo work, membership in the Jazzabels (with Kilissa Cissoko), Outlyers and the Vores.

            The band has an obvious wide range of songs to chose from, and plays a good number of original songs from each performer, with a few more from Whitford.  The band also has a good roster of cover songs they often play.

            While crowded into a front space near the bar area of the bowling lanes, Whitford and company were in good spirits playing before a rather large, and crowded, audience in a virtual homecoming show. Whitford originals such as “Crash All Night,” “Good Luck, Money and Gasoline” and “Naked Truth” nailed down the roots rock sound of the band, while Carfagna originals such as the moody, bluesy “I’m Going Down to Memphis” and the pop rock optimism of “Turn Your Face to the Sun” displayed her talents well.

            The covers were impressive, starting with Carfagna singing a lovely version of Bob Kozak’s “What Do I Do,” with Kozak, playing guitar and singing backing vocals in the band, accompanying her. Carfagna also sang a fun cover of Tom Waits’ “Jockey Full of Bourbon,” with drummer/vocalist Rob Lynch adding some nice work. Whitford sang a raunchy, wild version of “Country Boy” by Primal Scream that had the lanes stomping.

But the most impressive cover turned out to be the old chestnut “Lonesome Train,” which Whitford and Kozak turned into a high-octane vehicle for their soloing. Each took at least two solos, along with a turn or two at the keyboards by Carfagna, and Whitford and Kozak used rock, country, swamp, power pop and punk energy top blow away the audience.

            It was not only great to see such a fun show in a bowling alley setting, but the Hamburg Music Festival is a fine idea; indeed, almost too good, because between conflicts and other commitments, we were unable to catch shows by the Alison Pipitone Band and the Mark Winsick Band. Kudos to the festival’s organizers, and maybe others should take note; a Kenmore Music Festival could also be something.