Sunday 22 April 2012

Callin The Kettle Black

Don't you just fucking love it when you hear a song for the first time and you connect with it immediately?  You can't help but move something, whether you gotta tap your foot, your hand, bob your head or do what I do ...all of the above, plus shake my ass and clap my hands.  That's the reaction I had when I heard C-Leb and The Kettle Black for the first time!  The song was Can't Get That Low and it fucking rocks.  You gotta take a listen....


I tend to get a little excited when I hear new music that I like.  I buy at least one album a month, sometimes more.  I have to limit myself though...a limited income plus the fact that like everybody else I have other shit to buy too... you know, like concert tickets and tee shirts and such.  But when I come across a band like C-Leb and The Kettle Black it doesn't matter how many albums, tickets or tee shirts I've purchased that month...I will buy their album immediately after hearing that one song.

And holy fuck baby, I am so glad I did.  The Kettle Black only took one listen to become one of my all time favorite albums.  It definitely ranks up there with The Black Crows ~ Shake your Money Maker, Dire Straits ~ Brothers In Arms, Lynyrd Skynyrd ~ Pronounced 'Leh-'nerd 'Skin-'nerd...these were also albums I only had to listen to once to fucking love them.  To be ranked as one of my favorite albums means that I will listen to this album over and over again until it is emblazoned in my mind.  I'm well on my way to having The Kettle Black synced onto my brain's internal mp3 player.  That way if my plane ever goes down and I end up stranded on that deserted island, with no power to plug in my devices, I will be able to listen to their album in it's entirety in my head.  In my opinion it never hurts to be prepared.  Take a listen to some more tracks below, you'll see what I mean...this whole album is fucking awesome!


C-Leb and The Kettle Black consist of C-Leb - amazing vocals and mouth harp, he's so fucking cool; Jazz Turnbow - keeper of the beat and very fucking sexy, I'm gonna ask Santa to bring me Jazz this year for Christmas; and Jesse Strasbaugh - killer slide guitarist, I love Jesse, Jesse has serious playing and writing skills!

C-Leb and The Kettle Black hail from Seattle and like so many Seattle bands and musicians before them (Jimi Hendrix, Heart, Nirvana, Pearl Jam just to name a few) they have reinvented music to make it their own, only this time in the form of Urban Blues.  Their soulful sound gets into your bloodstream pumping adrenaline throughout your entire body, taking you over and filling you with energy and excitement.  The lyrics are smart and honest and speak of the everyday difficulties of trying to get fucking by or in the case of Hott Mess of just trying to get fucked (sorry, couldn't help myself *giggles*).

I am so glad I got to hear these guys early... and the chance to connect with a couple of the members personally.  These guys are currently unsigned and taking the Indie route.  I don't think that's gonna be the case for long.  Somebody has got to recognize the huge talent these guys present and offer them major dollars to make their music.  I am going to name drop like crazy when these guys are huge... and oh yes, they will be huge.......... ; )

Visit C-Leb and The Kettle Black on their official website and catch all their links here ----> http://c-lebsounds.com/




Sunday 1 April 2012

The Slice is a Slice!

March 29, my kids talked me into going to see a show with them at The Slice Bar and Grill in Lethbridge AB.  Now, don't get me wrong....I love to go see live shows and normally do not have to be talked into attending but it was the end of the month, I was broke and I hadn't heard a lot from these bands.  In fact I had only heard a few tracks from the headliners, Murder By Death.  You might be wondering why 18 year old boys wanted their mother to escort them to the bar to see a show....well that's easy.  They're even broker than I am and they needed a financier.  Also, music is the area that my boys and I have always connected.  To this day they still bring me their laptops and say, "Mom, listen to this!"  In fact, I first heard about Murder by Death through them so I think they would have wanted me to go regardless....at least that's what I tell myself.  Anyway, they talked me into attending and am I ever glad they did!  What a fucking great show!!
Surprisingly enough it was the first time I had been to The Slice.  I was a little surprised at how intimate it was considering almost every band that comes through Lethbridge at one time or another plays at The Slice.  I know this because almost every show I went to in Lethbridge this year, the band announced, "The last time we were in Lethbridge, we played The Slice."  The Slice Bar and Grill has live music almost nightly and an open mike night on Tuesdays for locals to stretch their live performance muscles.  And that's on top of great pizza and beer!
Black Mastiff opened the show.  This three piece band from Edmonton Alberta is made up of Vasilios (Bob) Yiannakoulias – guitar and lead vocals, Allan Harding – drums and vocals and Clay Shea – bass and vocals.  They have a powerful soulful sound reminiscent of Jimmy Morrison and The Doors that I instantly fell in love with.  Their show and their sound were tight and they really got the hipster crowd swaying and paying attention.



Big John Bates was next and they had me out of my seat and jumping.  This Vancouver based dynamic duo of Big John Bates and Brandy Bones surprised the hell out of me.  Fuck, I'm trying to put a genre on it but I hear blues, rockabilly, burlesque, punk, metal, hard rock (yeah, I hear a bit of Alice Cooper in there)...and probably more....so I'm not quite sure how to define them.  Brandy is an upright bassist and pure fucking metal.  Yet her vocals are unbelievably versatile, ranging through all the different styles of  Big John Bates' songs.  Their performance blew my mind and I have to say their show is a must see!


Then the headliners....the one's my boys had wanted to see, Murder by Death.  These guys bring new meaning to cool.  If their music hasn't been in a fucking Quentin Tarantino film, it must be because Quentin hasn't checked them out yet.  Oh wait....the song "Comin' Home" from Red of Tooth and Claw was featured in a trailer for Quentin Tarantino's award-winning film Inglorious Basterds. And it's featured on Sons of Anarchy Season 4 soundtrack as well!


Haha...told you they were fucking cool!  I am so glad my boys talked me into checking out this show.  Not only did I get to patronize one of Lethbridge's biggest Indie music supporters, The Slice Bar and Grill but I was witness to 3 amazing talents in their own right, live in an intimate setting.  Thanks guys! Life fucking rocks..... ; )

Check out these great bands further by clicking on the links below
Black Mastiff on myspace
Big John Bates official website
Murder By Death official website