January 9, 2013

The acclaimed Austin singer-songwriter Jimmy LaFave sticks out from the country crowd thanks to his frayed tenor and penchant for taking chances. He strips the hair gel away from the John Waite pop hit “Missing You,” rubbing it in some honky-tonk dirt. “Red River Shore” succeeds as a ten-minute epic of lost love, grafting a Big Sky sound onto a stark folk song structure bereft of a chorus.

Is the goal of Zionism a democratic Israel with a Jewish majority? Or rule of the entire land, from the Mediterranean to the Jordan?

Founding Allman Brothers Band drummer Jaimoe (aka Jai Johanny Johan­son) treats listeners to an accomplished mix of blues, jazz-pop and jam-band music. The band covers the Allmans’ “Melissa” with sublime sweetness; lead vocalist Junior Mack also shines as a Dobro player on the instrumental “Simple Song.” And in a nod to the harmonic guitar runs gracing many Allman Brothers tracks, “Drifting and Turning” kicks off with flute and guitar galloping down a trail of descending triplets into a supple, jazzy groove.

As generations of coaches have delighted in pointing out, defense wins games. But we’re very far behind in the global warming game.

Four Tar Sands Blockade young people showed up at church one Sunday. They were hungry for fellowship and encouragement—and just hungry.

While many of his contemporaries have ossified, Neil Young claws at the marrow like a deranged miner, digging deep in ways that confound expectation. He launches his new double album with a track that’s almost 28 minutes long—and that largely revolves around two chords. It’s one of three songs on this nine-track effort that top 16 minutes. 

Viewers don’t look to James Bond movies for profundity. Mostly they go to see buxom babes (now brainier and badder) and gravity-defying vehicle chases. But the most recent Bond installment offers some pertinent comments on technology.

Cleverly disguised as bedtime music for young ones, Lullaby doubles as an album of exquisite, dreamy chamber pop that showcases Justin Roberts backed by a string quartet, trumpets and French horn. The plucked strings on “Heart of Gold” infuse the song with a playful sparkle that shimmers like summer twilight. Producer Liam Davis adds piano on “A Wild One,” a song about bedtime stories that recalls the feel of Van Morrison’s “Crazy Love.” Highly recommended.

Obama embraces both the idealistic and realistic poles of Christian action. He recognizes with Niebuhr that politics is inherently tragic.

Steve Dawson of the five-piece band Dolly Varden shows sharp lyrical skill on the plaintive “Del Mar, 1976,” which invokes water towers and “the sad songs of the ’70s playing soft from a radio at the bottom of her stairs.” Dawson and wife Diane Christiansen offer fine vocal interplay on the punchy rockers “Done (Done)” and “Temperamental Comple­ment.” It’s smart, country-tinged alt-pop riding the wings of winning melodies. Highly recommended.