CD reviews

Phish

Live Bait Vol. 01

(Livephish.com)

With Phish finally returning to the Lowcountry after more than a decade, fans (or is it phans?) of the popular jam band will be happy to know that they can prepare for the upcoming two-night stand at the North Charleston Coliseum on October 15 and 16 by downloading a free live sampler from the band's concert download site, livephish.com. The 10-song sampler features performances from earlier this summer at venues in Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and just down the road in Alpharetta, Ga. Songs range from new material (a version of "Backwards Down the Number Line" that clocks in at more than 13 minutes) to old favorites ("Tweezer," "Slave to the Traffic Light"). In addition to this special free surprise release, Phish phans will be able to pay to download all of the shows from the upcoming tour, including the two Charleston gigs. If Phish's music is your thing, then be prepared to be able to download to your heart's content this fall (or is it phall?). (B)

Key Tracks: "Backwards Down the Number Line," "My Sweet One," "Slave to the Traffic Light"

Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs

God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise

(RCA)

There is something undeniably organic about Ray LaMontagne's latest CD, "God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise." LaMontagne's music has always had a natural feel to it, but for this new release the artist repaired to his home in rural Massachusetts, where he has a studio setup. Along with his band, the Pariah Dogs, whose members have performed with artists including Beck, Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams and Ryan Adams, LaMontagne has crafted a collection of songs that draws listeners in and makes them feel as if the songs are being sung to them alone. From the Southern-fried funk of "Repo Man" to the quiet brilliance of tunes such as "New York City's Killing Me" and "Are We Really Through," this is one of those albums that should require the listener to hear uninterrupted from beginning to end. I know that's a tall order in these days of the mindset toward downloaded single songs, but no one looks at just the lower right corner of a painted masterpiece, and similarly no one should be sampling a song or two off this ridiculously amazing collection of music. (A+)

Key Tracks: "Repo Man," "Beg Steal or Borrow," "Like Rock & Roll Radio"

John Mellencamp

No Better Than This

(Rounder)

Leave it to John Mellencamp, aka "Mr. I Fight Authority," aka "Mr. Never wanted to be no pop singer," to take a giant technological step backward when recording his latest CD, "No Better Than This." The songs on the album were all recorded on a half-century-old tape recorder using a single vintage microphone. The actual recording took place in legendary locations such as Sun Studio in Memphis; First African Baptist Church in Savannah; and Room 414 of the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio. (where Robert Johnson made his first recordings). The results are, as one might expect, uniquely shiver-inducing. The resulting tracks encompass a myriad of musical styles, including blues, folk, gospel, country, and rock. Most importantly, Mellencamp doesn't sound as if he is recording this music simply to be different, but instead there is a genuine feeling of warmth and love for the material coming from him. T Bone Burnett produces, which only makes this offbeat recording that much better. Mellencamp scores major points for this old-school analog project, which rocks out like it's 1955. (B+)

Key Tracks: "No Better Than This," "Coming Down the Road," "Clumsy Ol' World"

Brian Wilson

Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin

(Disney Pearl)

When I first heard that Brian Wilson was working on an album that reworked the classic music of George Gershwin, I shook my head sadly. Sure, it was Brian Wilson doing the experimenting, but why mess with musical perfection? I wonder how Wilson felt when David Lee Roth recorded "California Girls"? Happily, now that I have heard "Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin," I can report that I was very pleasantly surprised with the results. Wilson does in fact reimagine some of Gershwin's most popular compositions, recording them as if he wrote them himself at the height of his popularity with the Beach Boys. It is amazing how well the two musical styles meld together. Wilson's version of "Summertime" from "Porgy and Bess" becomes a doo-wop tune, while "They Can't Take That Away From Me" is reminiscent of The Beach Boys' "Little Deuce Coupe." The whole album ends up being much more pleasing to the ear than you're expecting upon hearing the concept. Not every attempt works, but for the majority of the material presented here, I suspect that even Gershwin himself might approve of these loving interpretations, were he still alive today. Kudos to Wilson for taking a chance and experimenting with the music of a fellow songwriting master. (B+)

Key Tracks: "Summertime," "They Can't Take That Away From Me," "I Got Rhythm"