Walt Wilkins - Plenty

Walt Wilkins is a visionary in the Texas songwriting world. Using just the right mix of Country, Folk, Americana and Soul, Walt can take you to a place you've never been and make you feel at home.  This album stands up with the other great WW albums like Mustang Island, Rivertown and Hopewell. Every track on this album just feels right. A collection of 12 songs and I don't skip any of them. Picking a favorite song from this collection would be impossible. However, one of my favorites is "Between Midnight and Day". This song includes the line "This life that I live is mostly a gift from these songs I play, and they've been fine companions between midnight and day". Perfection Walt, pure perfection.

 Now, go do yourself a favor and head on over to iTunes or Amazon and buy this album.  While you're there, I recommend taking a preview of some of the other stuff.  Especially the "Rivertown" album.  One of my favorites.

I'd like to mention the coolest thing about this guy.  He's just a great human being.  I suggest you check out this project he and his band The Mystiqueros worked on called "Vigil"...  Great story.  Get yourself some great music and help a great cause in the process.

I cannot wait to see Walt live.  We may be planning our next vacation around his shows in Texas!  I love Texas anyway, so why not take in a great show and hopefully meet a hero!

Dusting Off The Keyboard

Wow!  It's been a long time since I've been on here. I'm gonna be getting back in the swing of things and doing more reviews.  Mostly focusing on music.  More specifically indie or at least away from the main stream of music.  First up will be Walt Wilkins.  You guys are gonna love this cat.  Hope to keep this thing going a little more frequently.  Maybe once a week or so.  So if you know anybody who would be interested, send them my way!

Take care out there!

John

Clutch - Strange Cousins From the West

This is a little behind, but I like to get a real good feel for certain albums before I review them. Remember, I review not critique. For starters if you are not a fan of Clutch (you should be), just kidding, it's not for everybody, but I'm a country guy and I love their groove, so check it out on youtube or something. Anyway. This is the follow up to Beale Street to Oblivion. And the band said it would be a more stripped down, straight forward rock without so much jamming. This is true, but the first thing I noticed there doesn't seem to be the presence of the organ on this album. I really liked that sound in the past.

That being said... This is still one of their best albums. I think it is a strong dose of Clutchness that any fan would love to own. I also feel the need to say this about the packaging... The way they packaged this CD is the reason I buy CDs and not download all my music. It is another element of the project, that you just can't get from the net. Also, I did a pre-order from newburrycomics.com and got an extra insert that was autographed by the band. You really can't beat that.

Now to the music, the bread and butter of it all. Sequencing is a big thing to me. I like to see how they order the tracks and the flow of this album is very good. Starting off with "Motherless Child", "Struck Down", "50,000 Unstoppable Watts", and "Abraham Lincoln". I would go on, and almost feel I should mention every track, because they are all that good. However, I will leave you with that for now. 11 tracks total, and a bonus download online that holds up to the rest of them wonderfully.

Now for the best news... I am going to see CLUTCH in KC on Oct 1st!!!! I can't wait to see these songs live. I haven't seen them since before Beale Street came out. So I'm pretty excited. Go drop $15 on this CD... *Mackey's promise, you won't be disappointed. I give it 4/5 Stars.

*Mackey's promise in no way stands up to a warranty or guarantee of any kind, and Mackey's Music Review is not accountable to any disappointed consumer who takes the advice of Mackey. Furthermore $15 is only an assumption of Mackey on the price of the CD and is not the MSRP. LOL!!! I hope you all enjoy that nonsense.

Jamey Johnson

Hey everybody! So I know it's been some time. I'm sorry about that. Well, I just gotta rave about this cat for a bit.

Jamey Johnson got his artist career going with a major label a couple years ago. You might remember a song called "The Dollar" about a father always working and the son giving him $1 to help out so he wouldn't have to spend so much time at work. Well, shortly after that the label dropped a few new artists and Jamey was one of them. Could have been a really sad day for country music...

However, get this after that, Jamey Johnson went on to write or co-write a string of songs that were getting recorded by singers like George Strait. Most of us would kill for talent like Jamey's. It wasn't "all good" after the drop though. The same day the label dropped him, his girlfriend left him. Talk about a day that makes you question loyalty. And the next year was pretty dark.

He is now with a new label and has a new album called "That Lonesome Song". WOW, it is one of the greatest albums in a long time. Look him up on myspace or youtube to hear some of these great songs: "In Color", "That Lonesome Song", "High Cost of Living", "Back to Caroline". There are so many more. Just take my word for it. If you are a fan of Walon Jennings, or if you have any real taste at all, you will Love Jamey Johnson.


Thanks,
John

Pat Green - What I'm For

Ok, so it seems like forever since I've posted a review. Well, I was waiting for a couple albums to come out. Things seem to have been kinda slow in the music world, but on Jan. 27th, there were two releases that I was waiting for all summer and fall long. One of them was Bruce Springsteen's Working on a Dream. I will review that one next. But first let's talk about Pat Green's What I'm For.


The first single off of this album "Let Me" is now well into the top 20 and rising. However, it came out in June, so I'm looking for another release soon. I love this CD, it has everything I look for in a great mix of songs. Some fun, some deep, and something that makes a statement about the artists view point of the world. The song selections they did for this project exceeded my expectations on this front.

"Footsteps of our Fathers" I think would make a great single. And I'd like to see it live as well. It kinda talks about how the constant of our actions, and how what we do today, could carry on to our children and to their children and from a son and a father standpoint this one hits home with me.

"What I'm For" is really just like it says. These are the things that the writer and artist can tell you that they are for. This is the song that makes THE STATEMENT on this record and therefore I understand why it got the "title track" vote.

"Lucky" just sums up my life right now. There was a time I thought, "Man if I could just get a band and go to Nashville and make it big and have the cars, the money the fame..." you know how it goes. But now as a husband, father, son, friend, I have everything I really want in life. Now it's just what I make of it. Plus this is one of those fun ones that you can just crank up and go!

"Feeling Pretty Good Tonight". This one was written by Pat and Bobby Pinson. I have loved Bobby's stuff since I first heard him. He has a "special" way of looking at things and I'm always excited to hear what he comes up with. This is one of those fun songs that you just turn up an sing along and you don't care what the person next to you at the light thinks, because they don't have the pleasure you have getting to hear such great sounds from your speakers.

"In This World". This one had to grow on me. The first time I listened I thoght, "Oh that's a nice little acoustic song to put on there to tone it back a little." But now that I've listened to it a few times, it takes on a deeper meaning. It seems to be more about the human race and the persistance of trying to find a place in the world were we all belong and can come to an understanding.

"Carry On". Now this has been on a couple other PG albums, but this is a little different version. At first I wasn't sure about this, but it was nice to see how it has changed and kinda grown up in Pat's mind.

"In the Middle of the Night". This song is truley great. I think it will stand the test of time. In 10 years I will look back at Pat's entire career and I think this song will stand up there with "Carry On", "If I had a Million", or "Southbound 35".

I'd also like to say, when it comes to Pat Green along with many singer/songwriters who are more underground, I am very torn between trying to promote them so others can enjoy it as much as I have and keeping all the good stuff to myself. Letting the other "Country music fans" be content with the mainstream, believing that that is all there is. But I can't help but to promote such good music. I believe that is why I'm here to help the lost souls find what they are looking for through music. So go buy Pat Green's "What I'm For". I give it 5/5 Stars!

Album Review: AC/DC - Black Ice

OK, so it's been a while since I did a review so I hope people are still reading this blog. Got this CD for Christmas. I had heard all the hype, "It is vintage AC/DC", "It sounds just like the old stuff". Well, while digital technology and the evolving mindset of an artist, makes 30 years of music sound very different, I was pleasantly surprised at the simplicity of it. Straight forward rhythm driven rock with simple lyrics. Much like the old stuff. I know some fans like the old stuff and refuse to even listen to new stuff because they are stuck in the past. Or they are so afraid of getting old, if they never hear new stuff it's like it never happened. Bad news for you, Black Ice just happened. And you're getting old! Who cares, old means something. It means you made it. You survived a lot of crap that was thrown at you and you now have some scars as reminders, but you lived it. Brian Johnson, Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd understand that. They just want you to come to the party and enjoy it.

So 15 songs. I'd say 7 really good ones, 5 decent ones and a couple I'll probably skip over. I think you'll agree, but if you can't spare the price of 2 movie tickets to own 13 good rock songs, then you weren't a fan to begin with. Just speaking in the attitude of rock. Oh yeah I almost forgot 4/5 stars.

Thanks.

Jersey Girl - Movie Review

This is a very good movie. Starring Ben Afleck, George Carlin, Liv Tyler and Raquel Castro. I must say with some of the movies Ben Afleck has done, and with George Carlin being in a more serious role, I was sceptical, but the trailor was so good I wanted to see it. I was not disapointed. Written by Kevin Smith, (Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob), this stepped into a more serious and mature theme. 5/5 Stars.