Memphis Review Archives
I'll Play The Blues For You
Review of: Albert King
(Stax Remasters) Albert King never tolerated nonsense. His guitar-playing captured the essence of his personality. He played a right-handed guitar upside down, yet he was left-handed. He stands as one of America's seminal bluesman. Born in Indianola, Mississippi, his read more...
Nothing's Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me
Review of: Justin Townes Earle
(Bloodshot Records) Recorded live at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, North Carolina, Justin Townes Earle's Nothing's Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now retains a soulful Memphis sensibility. This counts as his fifth studio album.
Women & Work
Review of: Lucero
(ATO Records) Lucero sends a musical love letter to Memphis on their latest release Women & Work. This collection counts as the group's 8th album. Lucero streamlines musical lineages of Memphis like Sun Records,
Howlin' Wolf/Moanin' In The Moonlight
Review of: Howlin' Wolf
(MCA Records) The Chess Original Masters Two On One Howlin' Wolf collection--Howlin' Wolf/Moanin' In The Moonlight--features the first two albums of one of America's most respected bluesmen.
This Wheel's On Fire
Review of: Levon Helm & Stephen Davis
(William Morrow & Company) "It's a wicked life But what the hell, Everybody's got to eat." --"Goin' To Acapulco"
Straight From The Heart
Review of: Ann Peebles
(Hi Records) Released in 1971, Straight From The Heart counted as Ann Peebles' third album. Produced by Hi Records legend Willie Mitchell, Straight From The Heart generated four hits for Peebles. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Peebles began read more...
Long Live All of Us
Review of: Glossary
(Last Chance Records) Long Live All of Us counts as Glossary's 7th studio album. Glossary hails from Murfeesboro, Tennessee. They transformed a house in rural Rockvale, Tennessee, into a studio where they recorded these well-crafted 12 songs. Band members read more...
True Soul: Deep Sounds From The Left of Stax
Review of: Various Artists
(Now-Again Records) The Arkansas label Now-Again Records release True Soul: Deeps Sounds From The Left of StaxVolumes 1 & 2 contain 60s and 70s Soul, Funk, Disco, Party-Rap and Boogie read more...
The Road From Memphis
Review of: Booker T. Jones
(Anti) The latest Booker T. Jones album--The Road From Memphis--follows his acclaimed release Potato Hole. Jones utilizes the Roots as his back-up band along with musical guests such as My read more...
Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get
Review of: The Dramatics
(Concord Music Group) Stax Records president Al Bell brought in Detroit producer Don Davis to work with artists such as Carla Thomas read more...
Woman To Woman
Review of: Shirley Brown
(Concord Music Group) Born during 1947, in West Memphis, Arkansas, Shirley Brown's first single--"Woman To Woman"--sold a million copies in eight weeks. The Concord Music Group reissues this classic soul album with bonus tracks on September 13. Brown read more...
Transformation
Review of: Eric Gales
(Blues Bureau International) Transformation counts as Eric Gales' 10th studio album. Memphis born Gales learned to play guitar at 4. He strums a left-handed, upside-down six-string--a tradition he learned from his grandfather Dempsey Garrett, Sr., who jammed with
Late Late Party: 1965-1967
Review of: Charles 'Packy' Axton
(Light in the Attic Records) Charles "Packy" Axton--to some extent--was an unsung hero on the Memphis music scene during the late 50s, 60s and early 70s. Axton's mother, Estelle, founded Stax Records read more...
Dedicated: A Salute To The 5 Royales
Review of: Steve Cropper
(429 Records) Songwriter/guitarist Lowman Pauling fronted the North Carolina group the 5 Royales in the 50s. Steve Cropper always cited Pauling as a major read more...
Got To Get Back!
Review of: The Bo-Keys
(Electraphonic Recordings) Scott Bomar owns Electraphonic Studios in Memphis. Bomar composed the score for Craig Brewer's award-winning Hustle & Flow as well as Black Snake Moan. Bomar has read more...
Country Again
Review of: Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Milsap became famous as a country singer. He's won six Grammys and had 40 number one country songs, third all time to only George Strait and Conway Twitty. Considering all of these accolades, it might be a bit of mystery to many as to why he would name his latest read more...
The Man That Time Forgot
Review of: John Paul Keith
(Big Legal Mess) Imagine that Buddy Holly didn't die in a plane crash in Iowa, but instead landed safely in Memphis where he spent the next few decades immersing himself in all kinds of music from read more...
Stranger Me
Review of: Amy LaVere
(Archer Records) Real art is personal, close to the bone, unshakable and undeniable. Stranger Me slices throats and raises the black flag. If you've followed Amy read more...
The Set Up
Review of: The City Champs
(Electraphonic Recordings) The Memphis soul-jazz trio's official bio describes The City Champs like this: "The City Champs are the latest in a long lineage of Memphis musicians to grab the mantle of funky, soul-jazz instrumentals pioneered by acts like
Whatever You Want (featuring Cody Dickinson)
Review of: Olga Wilhelmine Munding
(219 Records) Olga Wilhelmine Munding's latest release, Whatever You Want, was written with the
Mule Variations
Review of: Tom Waits
(Anti-Epitaph) Mule Variations contends as one of Tom Waits' finest albums. Recorded in a converted northern California chicken coop--Prairie Sun read more...
Blues Babe
Review of: Olga Wilhelmine Munding
(219 Records) Blues Babe represents Olga's first solo release. There are no guest musicians on this recording--just the songwriter and her instrument. On Blues read more...
Confederate Buddha
Review of: Jimbo Mathus
(Memphis International) Sometimes it is hard to keep pace with Jimbo Mathus's creative path, but he's always made it worth the effort to try. This prolific Mississippian has been making music for decades now, connecting and promoting southern music traditions every read more...
Oxford Basement Collection
Review of: El Obo
(Esperanza Plantation) Colour Revolt, a promising young band from Mississippi, has already had to face some significant early career challenges. After shooting out of the gates when a major label picked up their first EP, the band moved on from there releasing nothing read more...
Man In Motion
Review of: Warren Haynes
(Stax/Concord Music Group) Recorded at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studio in Austin, Texas,
McLemore Avenue
Review of: Booker T & The MGs
(Concord Music Group) Recorded in January 1970, McLemore Avenue was the great Memphis group Booker T & The MGs tribute to the Beatles' landmark album Abbey Road. Booker T. Jones revealed read more...
Live at Fillmore West
Review of: King Curtis
(Koch International) King Curtis, born Curtis Ousley, was a seminal saxophonist from Texas. Curtis turned down scholarships to join the great Lionel Hampton’s jazz band. Curtis later became a session musician in New York where he recorded with Buddy Holly, Andy read more...
Keys To the Kingdom
Review of: North Mississippi Allstars
(Songs of the South Records) “Take reassurance in the glory of the moment and the forever promise of tomorrow. Surely there is light beyond the darkness. As there is dawn after the night.”
Mean Old Man
Review of: Jerry Lee Lewis
(Verve Forecast) Jerry Lee Lewis contends as one of the greatest rock & rollers of all time. Born in Ferriday, Louisiana, during 1935, Lewis’ brand of wide-open piano playing and songwriting ignited the music world. It’s amazing he’s still among read more...
Dusty In Memphis
Review of: Warren Zanes
Continuum I met Warren Zanes at Stanley Booth’s house in the early 90s. Booth plays a major role in Zane’s well-written book Dusty In Memphis published in 2003. In read more...
Live On The Sunset Strip
Review of: Otis Redding
(Concord Music Group) This 2-CD collection documents Otis Redding’s historic 1966 performance at the Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles.
The Deep End
Review of: Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez
(Horizon) If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Christine is the lead vocalist with the Saturday Night Live band. The “Beehive Queen” is a hard rocking Memphis soul fueled dynamo, and The Deep End may be her finest album yet. read more...
Home Sweet Home
Review of: South Memphis String Band
(Memphis International) The South Memphis String Band is Luther Dickinson (
Onward And Upward
Review of: Luther Dickinson/Sons of Mudboy
(Zebra Ranch) Three days after Memphis luminary Jim Dickinson died, his oldest son
Shaft
Review of: Isaac Hayes
(Concord/STAX) Isaac Haynes rose from the Memphis slums to the top of the list in the black music world. In 1971, Hayes’ Shaft soundtrack, recorded at Stax Studios in Memphis, became a read more...
Do It Like We Used To Do
Review of: North Mississippi Allstars
(Songs of the South) Do It Like We Used To Do—Live From 96-08—highlights the first ten years of The North Mississippi read more...
Boy Meets Girl
Review of: Stax Records
Boy Meets Girl Classic Soul Duets Stax/Concord Music By James Calemine Stax/Concord Records just released these 18 classic soul duets. Most of the artists compiled on this CD ranks as soul legends such as
Anchors & Anvils
Review of: Amy LaVere
Anchors & Anvils Amy LaVere Archer Records By James Calemine Produced by Memphis luminary Jim Dickinson,
Died of Love
Review of: Amy LaVere
Died of Love Amy LaVere Archer Records By James Calemine Amy LaVere's
127 Rose Avenue
Review of: Hank Williams, Jr.
(CURB) Hank William’s, Jr has released his best album since 1987’s Born to Boogie. There is simply not a bad song on the album. Bocephus manages to combine his Outlaw Country and Southern Rock stylings with thought provoking lyrics that grab your read more...
Love Filling Station
Review of: Jesse Winchester
Jesse Winchester's songs have been recorded by songwriting legends like Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris, Jimmy Buffett, Ralph Stanley, Delbert McClinton, and the Everly Brothers too name a few.
Hot Buttered Soul
Review of: Isaac Hayes
Hot Buttered Soul Isaac Hayes STAX/Concord Music By James Calemine STAX/Concord Records have just reissued
$5 Cover Memphis
Review of: Craig Brewer
$5 Cover: Memphis Craig Brewer MTV Networks By James Calemine The director of Hustle And Flow and Black Snake Moan, Craig Brewer, serves as the catalyst read more...
Make A Move
Review of: Hill Country Revue
Make A Move Hill Country Revue Razor & Tie By James Calemine The North Mississippi Allstars’ Cody Dickinson formed the Hill Country Revue in 2008. The group includes Cody read more...
Warpaint Live
Review of: The Black Crowes
Warpaint Live The Black Crowes Silver Arrow Records By James Calemine Last March The Black Crowes released their first studio CD in seven years,
Potato Hole
Review of: Booker T. Jones
Potato Hole Booker T. Jones Anti Records By James Calemine Memphis luminary Booker T. Jones released his first solo CD in two decades on April 21, 2009. This instrumental CD, recorded in Athens, Georgia, and San Francisco, California, proves a read more...
Black Moses
Review of: Isaac Hayes
Black Moses Isaac Hayes Concord/STAX By James Calemine Isaac Hayes proves a pivotal figure in Memphis music. Hayes, a multi-instrumentalist, played sax with The Mar-Keys and began his recording career with
Dixieland Delight
Review of: Clay Travis
As we head into the off season, now that the recruiting season is over (mostly), there might be no better time to pick up and read Clay Travis's
Piece Of My Heart: The Best of 1969 - 1978
Review of: Bonnie Bramlett
(Raven/Australia) I maintain my opinion that Bonnie Bramlett is still the "Queen of Southern Rock and Soul." If you don’t believe me, just check out this new compilation disc from Raven Records in Australia. It’s enough to make a brother shout.
Ike & Tina Turner Sing The Blues
Review of: Ike & Tina Turner
Ike & Tina Turner Sing The Blues Ike & Tina Turner Acrobat Music By James Calemine Ike & Tina Turner Sing The Blues serves as a definitive collection of their musical roots. In 1969, Ike Turner leased two albums worth read more...
Midnight In Mississippi
Review of: Blue Mountain
Mississippi's Blue Mountain has regrouped after splintering few years back, done in by divorce, disappointing sales, and overall malaise. It's easy to see why a band with such great promise could have let a series of heartbreaks get to them. But like
Nudge It Up A Notch
Review of: Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere
Nudge It Up A Notch Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere Concord Music/STAX By James Calemine Recorded last year in Nashville, Nudge It Up A Notch features the latest work of Steve Cropper and Felix Cavaliere.
Deep Cuts
Review of: Tony Joe White
Tony Joe White Deep Cuts Swamp Records Tony Joe White, quite simply, is one of the most underappreciated musical forces of the last 50 years. This doesn't mean that people haven't read more...
Riverbend Music Festival: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Review of: The Black Crowes
The Riverbend Music Festival Chattanooga, Tennessee The Black Crowes 6/6/08 By James Calemine Chris and Rich Robinson played their first official gig in read more...
Amy LaVere: Live at The Variety Playhouse
Review of: Amy LaVere
Amy LaVere Live Variety Playhouse Atlanta, Georgia 5/30/08 By James Calemine “We gon’ read more...
Lay It Down
Review of: Al Green
Lay It Down Al Green Blue Note By James Calemine Soul legend Al Green needs no introduction… Lay It Down marks Green’s first studio album in three years. On this disc, Green employed hip-hop read more...
Brothers of the Southland
Review of: Brothers of the Southland
Brothers of The Southland is one of the best of the plethora of “all star” bands playing today, and their debut CD is a sheer joy from beginning to end. This is the kind of music that gets me downright excited. Maybe that’s why I named it as the best Southern Rock read more...
Lovers
Review of: Bobby Whitlock & CoCo Carmel
(www.bobbywhitlock.com) Joined by a stellar group of musicians, music icon, Bobby Whitlock and wife, CoCo Carmel, have released a new CD, appropriately titled “Lovers” for Valentine’s Day. The ten tracks, recorded and produced mostly in Austin, TX chronicle read more...
Hernando
Review of: North Mississippi Allstars
Hernando North Mississippi Allstars Songs of the South By James Calemine Hernando is the town in Mississippi where legendary producer Jim Dickinson read more...
Meat Market
Review of: Bruce Feldman
Meat Market by Bruce Feldman ESPN Books Bruce Feldman wrote Meat Market to read more...
The Woodstock Album
Review of: Muddy Waters
The Woodstock Album Muddy Waters Chess/MCA Records By James Calemine Recorded in two days at Levon Helm's studio in Woodstock, New York, during February 1975, this album marked Muddy Waters' last session for Chess Records after 27 years of read more...
Song of America
Review of: Various Artists
Song of America Various Artists 31 Tigers Records By James Calemine This 50-song, 3 CD collection tells the story of America through songs from the year 1492 through modern times. Song of America contains a diverse line-up of artists read more...
Dreams To Remember: The Legacy of Otis Redding
Review of: Otis Redding
Dreams To Remember: The Legacy of Otis Redding Otis Redding STAX Records By James Calemine Dreams To Remember emerges as the first full-length Otis Redding DVD. December 10, 2007, represents the 40th Anniversary of Redding's death. This read more...
I Don't Want No Trouble
Review of: Don Nix
I Don't Want No Trouble Don Nix Section Eight Productions By James Calemine Songwriter Don Nix's latest CD, I Don't Want No Trouble, should attract a wide audience of music fans. Nix, an obscure music hero, helped create 'The Memphis read more...
Killers From Space
Review of: James Luther Dickinson
Killers From Space James Luther Dickinson Memphis International Records By James Calemine Recorded at Zebra Ranch in Independence, Mississippi, during February and March of 2007, Killers From Space marks another interesting release by read more...
Live at the Bohemian Caverns
Review of: Carla Thomas
Live at the Bohemian Caverns Carla Thomas Stax Records By James Calemine Recorded live at the Bohemian Caverns in Washington, D.C. on May 25, 1967, this new Carla Thomas CD serves as timeless testimony to her golden voice. Carla Thomas, daughter read more...
Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built
Review of: Ahmet Ertegun
(Atlantic DVD) Let me tell you a story. According to The Rolling Stones and Led Zappelin, that is the way Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun began his conversations, almost every time. When Ahmet was 14, he read more...
Black Snake Moan
Review of: Craig Brewer
Black Snake Moan Craig Brewer-Director Paramount Vantage By James read more...
Come Early Morning
Review of: Joey Lauren Adams
Come Early Morning Joey Lauren Adams-Director The Weinstein Company
Stax Records 50th Anniversary Celebration
Review of: Stax Records
Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration Concord Music Group By James Calemine This 50 song, 2 CD boxset stands as the most comprehensive Stax collection ever. Concord Music Group has released various classic Stax CDs and prepares to release other recordings. Stax read more...
Live At The Summit Club
Review of: Johnnie Taylor
Johnny Taylor Live At The Summit Club Stax Records R & B great Johnny Taylor existed on the classic Stax/Volt roster. Born in Crawfordsville, Arkansas, in 1938, Taylor began performing in Memphis after honing his vocal skills in gospel read more...
The Queen Alone
Review of: Carla Thomas
Carla Thomas The Queen Alone Stax Records By James Calemine Carla Thomas--the great Rufus Thomas' daughter--experienced a first rate musical experience growing up in Memphis, Tennessee. The angelic Thomas was later dubbed the Queen of Soul and Stax read more...
New Lease On Life
Review of: William Bell
New Lease On Life William Bell Wilbe Records William Bell's music epitomizes the classic Stax/Volt sound. With Stax Records, Bell joined other musicians like Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, The Staple Singers, Eddie Floyd, Albert King, Issac Hayes, read more...
Portraits and Songs From the Roots of America
Review of: Various Artists
Enclosed within the new Music Maker book titled Portraits and Songs From the Roots of America rests a CD featuring 22 different Music Maker artists. This collection reveals some of the country’s most neglected Southern musicians who remain pioneers and vital sources read more...
Electric Blue Watermelon
Review of: North Mississippi Allstars
The Dickinson Brothers pay homage to their Hill Country brethren and Memphis musical kin on Electric Blue Watermelon. The album was produced by their father Jim Dickinson. Luther and Cody rise to the read more...
Home
Review of: Delaney and Bonnie
Delaney and Bonnie Home (Stax) For their second album back in 1969, Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett found their true “home” among the black musicians at Stax Records. Backed by Booker T. and the MG’s and an read more...
This World Is Not My Home
Review of: Amy Levere
Amy Levere This World Is Not My Home (Archer) My first spin of Amy LaVere’s new CD evoked memories of my first exposure to Norah Jones or Jewel. They all have one thing in common, real star quality. Amy is assisted by some read more...
Last Man Standing
Review of: Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis Last Man Standing (Artist First)
Lonesome In Black - The Legendary Sun Recordings
Review of: Johnny Cash
This definitive collection features Johnny Cash's recordings for the Sun Records label from 1955-1958. These stark classics serve as a strong foundation to Cash's undeniable legacy. Born in Kingsland, Arkansas, John R. Cash joined the air force and spent his early years read more...
The Heroines
Review of: Tony Joe White
Tony Joe White's work inspired many great musicians like Ray Charles, Brook Benton, Elvis Presley, Tina Turner, Dusty Springfield, Joe Cocker, John Mayall, Waylon Jennings, and many others to cover his songs. Just tunes like "Polk Salad Annie", "Rainy Night in read more...
Donnie Fritts and Friends
Review of: Various Artists
Donnie Fritts and Friends Norton Auditorium University of North Alabama Florence, AL January 22, 2000 Donnie Fritts began his lifetime in music read more...
Muscle Shoals Sounds: The Rhythm Of The River
Review of: Various Artists
Back on November 13, the University of North Alabama hosted a symposium dedicated to the musical history of the Muscle Shoals area. The event mainly covered the area's musical past, but also included segments on the business of songwriting, modern studio production, read more...
Gentleman Of Leisure
Review of: Jesse Winchester
(Sugar Hill Records) Born into a Memphis family of prominent heritage, young Jesse James Winchester hightailed it to Canada when he received his Vietnam draft notice. Filled with the sounds of Memphis music in his head, he started writing the songs for read more...
Say It One Time For The Brokenhearted
Review of: Barney Hoskyns
In the wake of Ray Charles's new country music box set as well as Lambchop's recent soul dabbling both on their own and with Vic Chestnutt, this reprint of Barney Hoskyns's "country soul" study couldn't have come at a better time. "Say It One Time For the read more...
Rest Of Our Days
Review of: Pawtuckets
Memphis has always seemed to exist in contrast to Nashville. Years ago as Nashville grew with country music, Memphis became one of the birthplaces of rock and roll. The dicotomy between these two Tennessee cities has been immortalized by fringe Nashville artist John Hiatt in his read more...