Robert Plant and Band of Joy to bring tour to Tulsa’s Brady Theater
Robert Plant (Associated Press file photo)
Fans hoping for a Led Zeppelin reunion tour will have to keep wishing, but frontman Robert Plant announced today a 12-city summer North American tour that will include a stop at Tulsa’s Brady Theater.
Plant will be touring with a new group he has dubbed Band of Joy, featuring singer Patty Griffin, singer-guitarist Buddy Miller, multi-instrumentalist-vocalist Darrell Scott, singer-bassist Byron House and percussionist-vocalist Marco Giovino.
The same lineup is working with Plant on a new album to be released on Rounder Records in late summer or early fall, with Miller co-producing.
Beginning in July, this first leg of shows which will be followed by further dates in the fall that will preview material from a new album, according to a Rounder records tour announcement.
The tour will kick off in Memphis on July 13. The Tulsa show is set for 8 p.m. July 16 at the Brady Theater, 105 W Brady Street in Tulsa.
Tickets are $69 and $58 and on sale at (866) 977-6849 or www.protix.com.
In recent weeks, Plant has been in the studio working on the new album, his first since 2007′s “Raising Sand,” his multi-platinum, six-time Grammy-winning collaboration with fellow Rounder Records artist Alison Krauss. Judging from the new Band of Joy lineup, Plant’s upcoming album likely will be a rootsy album in a similar vein to “Raising Sand.”
“It’s been a blast working on these new songs…and I’m enjoying such creativity and vitality. It’s been a remarkable change of direction for all of us and as a group we all seem to have developed a new groove,” Plant says in the news release.
This is not the first time Plant has made music with a Band of Joy. Plant originally formed Band of Joy in 1966, before joining Led Zeppelin. Several conflicts with management led to Plant defecting and attempting to form his own version of the band, which also eventually folded but not before recruiting future Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, according to AllMusic.com.
As far as Plant’s musical partnership with Krauss, the pair do not expect to announce a new album or tour in the coming year, according to the release. Krauss has most recently been recording with her longtime band Union Station and will be touring with them this summer.
But Plant says in the release that he and Krauss still spend time together: “Oh yes, Alison and I get together quite often … and sometimes we dance.”
The full list of Robert Plant and Band of Joy tour dates is posted after the break.
Video: Writer-directors talk about “How to Train Your Dragon”
In this NewsOK video, writer-directors Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois talk about the making of the new animated adventure “How to Train Your Dragon.”
“How to Train Your Dragon,” opening today, tells the tale of awkward Viking teen Hiccup (voice of Jay Baruchel), a skinny, creative and witty resident of the isle of Berk. Unfortunately, none of his attributes are appreciated by the tough townsfolk, whose chief concern is fighting off the ferocious dragons that regularly wreak havoc.
Despite his scrawniness, Hiccup wants to become a true dragon-slaying Viking, if for no other reason than to please his perpetually disappointed father, Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler).
But when Hiccup encounters a wounded dragon, instead of killing it, he dubs it Toothless and forges a friendship that has him rethinking his tribe’s view of their winged neighbors.
Sanders and DeBlois discuss the film’s themes and comedian Craig Ferguson’s performance as frank blacksmith Gobber in this video.
I highly recommend “How to Train Your Dragon,” especially for children ages 6 and older, and particularly in 3-D.
-BAM
“Lilo & Stitch” filmmakers Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois taking on “How to Train Your Dragon”
A version of this story appears in Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Filmmakers swoop in to save “How to Train Your Dragon”
“I am the one they call when things go wrong, and things have indeed gone wrong,” intones the daunting character Cobra Bubbles in the 2002 hit animated movie “Lilo & Stitch.”
For their latest movie, writer-directors Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois (pictured left to right below) took such a call, facing the daunting challenge of fixing what had gone wrong with a stalled film adaptation and transforming it into a soaring 3-D fantasy-adventure. For their part, the new animated feature “How to Train Your Dragon” might as well be called “How to Revive Your Movie in About a Year.”
“This was one of those situations where we were called upon in the 11th hour to take over the film because the story was mired with trouble,” DeBlois said from Dallas in a recent phone interview with both filmmakers. “Chris and I love the challenge of taking really good elements and trying to create a story around them.”
“How to Train Your Dragon,” opening today, tells the tale of awkward Viking teen Hiccup (voice of Jay Baruchel), a skinny, creative and witty resident of the isle of Berk. Unfortunately, none of his attributes are appreciated by the tough townsfolk, whose chief concern is fighting off the ferocious dragons that regularly wreak havoc. Despite his scrawniness, Hiccup wants to become a true dragon-slaying Viking, if for no other reason than to please his perpetually disappointed father, Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler).
But when Hiccup encounters a wounded dragon, instead of killing it, he dubs it Toothless and forges a friendship that has him rethinking his tribe’s view of their winged neighbors.
At the movie’s Los Angeles premiere, DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg called Sanders and DeBlois remarkable talents who have been a credit to the studio since joining it 18 months ago. DreamWorks Animation spent several years trying to adapt Cressida Cowell’s whimsical 2003 children’s book into an animated adventure before asking the dynamic duo to take over.
“When we joined the project, they said, ‘Here’s the deal: We love the world, we love all these different types of dragons, the world of Vikings, the great northern settings. The thing we don’t have is a story that really takes advantage of that world.’ … The story was just maybe a little too small for their aspirations at the studio,” DeBlois said.
“So we were charged with bringing an element of fantasy-adventure to the movie and kind of dialing it up in its scale.”
The film marks a reunion for DeBlois and Sanders, who first met as writers on the 1998 animated Disney film “Mulan.” They then co-wrote and directed Disney’s Oscar-nominated animated sci-fi hit “Lilo & Stitch.” They were working on separate projects when Sanders was tapped to adopt “Dragon” and called DeBlois to help.
“We have similar sensibilities and similar tastes, so when we work together, we’re working on the same movie,” Sanders said.
A united vision was vital since they were working on a tight time frame — and “How to Train Your Dragon” was not only their first computer-animated film but also their first 3-D movie.
“We came on with just a little over a year to not only rewrite the story basically from ground zero but also to get the film done and animate it so that it would make its release date,” DeBlois said.
“Jumping into this was pretty exciting because it was a whole new box of tools — most of which we didn’t know how to use at all. But luckily we were surrounded by people who knew how to use them very well. So in a sense it’s been a great education because it freshened things up for us both technically and creatively.”
Despite the time crunch, Sanders and DeBlois opted to completely rethink Toothless, a tiny iguana-like creature in the book. They imagined the cinematic version as a fierce, powerful, yet appealing animal.
“He actually is inspired by black panthers … so he has a feline quality to him. He’s stout and black and powerful and something that the Vikings would all fear. In their lore, he’s the one dragon that they’ve never seen,” DeBlois said. “It seemed appropriate that if Hiccup was going to befriend an enemy, he should befriend the one that they fear the most.”
While they came up with the concept, the directors left the actual creation of Toothless to character designers Simon Otto and Takao Noguchi. So it wasn’t their idea to give the dragon a distinct resemblance to their rowdy alien character Stitch, Sanders laughingly insisted.
“It wasn’t intentional, but I guess you can’t really separate us from the movies we do,” added DeBlois.
Even the no-nonsense Cobra Bubbles could find nothing wrong with that.
-BAM
Movie review: “How to Train Your Dragon”
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman. 3 1/2 of 4 stars.
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ breathing fire
The creative pairing behind the 2002 Oscar-nominated animated sci-fi feature “Lilo & Stitch” allow the fantastical new animated adventure “How to Train Your Dragon” to soar far higher than anticipated.
Loosely based on Cressida Cowell’s 2003 children’s book, “How to Train Your Dragon” glides over some familiar cinematic territory, with its father-son, boy-meets-wild, man-vs.-beast storyline. But “Lilo & Stitch” writer-directors Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois use quirky good humor, surprising plot twists and wonderfully expressive animated characters to elevate the film beyond the standard clichés.
“How to Train Your Dragon” also boasts stunning visuals, particularly the gorgeous and exhilarating dragonback flying scenes, which are definitely worth the extra cost for 3-D tickets.
Set on the rugged island of Berk, the movie follows the misadventures of teenage Viking Hiccup (voice of Jay Baruchel). Unlike his chieftain father, Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler) and the other villagers, Hiccup isn’t a bold and brawny warrior capable of fighting the marauding dragons that regularly wreak havoc. Rather, he is scrawny, clever, quick-witted and unfortunately prone to disaster.
An obvious disappointment to his father and laughinstock to the village, Hiccup desperately wants to prove his Viking mettle by killing a dragon, but he is relegated to apprenticing with his father’s best friend, the crippled and chronically frank Gobber (Craig Ferguson).
But during a fateful nighttime dragon raid, Hiccup sneaks away from the anvil and uses one of his often-malfunctioning slingshot cannons to bring down a Night Fury, the most mysterious and feared of the interestingly diverse dragon breeds.
Unfortunately, no one witnesses or believes his feat. So, Hiccup waits until his father and most of the fighters leave on a voyage to find the elusive dragons’ nest to hunt for the downed dragon. He finds the injured Night Fury, but doesn’t have the heart to kill it.
Instead, Hiccup tends the dragon, who can no longer fly without aid because of its wounded tail. He dubs the deadly but oddly cute beast Toothless, and his efforts to forge a friendship with the expressive (but thankfully speechless) creature provide some of the movie’s most engaging moments.
As Hiccup bonds with Toothless, he is able to use his newfound knowledge in dragon training class, with his new skills astounding Gobber and his once-jeering classmates, including bulky and brainy Fishlegs (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), blowhard Snotlout (Jonah Hill) and bickering twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut (Kristen Wiig and T.J. Miller). But fierce fighter Astrid (America Ferrera) is suspicious of Hiccup’s sudden prowess and not only uncovers his secret but helps him unravel a key mystery about the dragons.
“How to Train Your Dragon” may prove too scary for tiny or timid tots, but it ranks among “Shrek” and “Kung Fu Panda” as one of DreamWorks Animation’s best films.
— BAM
DVD review: “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
“The Twilight Saga: New Moon”
“The Twilight Saga: New Moon” clearly rises and sets on fervent fans of Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling vampire romance book series.
Director Chris Weitz and screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg faithfully — some would argue slavishly — adapt the second book in the “Twilight” series, creating a sequel that should please the majority of “Twihard” readers and convert virtually no one who has avoided the super-popular supernatural soap opera.
It’s tough to argue with the for-fans-only approach: “New Moon” made more than $296 million at the box office, and “Twilight” has become such a pervasive pop culture phenomenon that everyone who wants to take part certainly can find their way to Meyer’s paranormal realm near Forks, Wash.
In “New Moon,” Bella remains blissfully in love with Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a vampire who abstains from human blood. At her 18th birthday party, a minor accident puts Bella in serious jeopardy. Fearing for her safety, Edward breaks up with Bella, and he and his coven vanish.
Bella drops into a profound depression before discovering she can conjure visions of Edward by putting herself in peril. Desperate for danger, she asks her childhood pal, Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), a Quileute Indian teen and aspiring mechanic, to fix up a pair of junker dirt bikes. Their deepening friendship soothes her broken heart, until Jacob unintentionally taps his tribe’s genetic ability to transform into werewolves.
The sequel’s special effects are vastly improved over the cheesily low-budget visuals of the first “Twilight” movie, and the hulking computer-generated wolves are impressive in action.
Despite an excess of cringe-worthy declarations of adoration, “New Moon,” like its 2008 predecessor, still falls short where Meyer’s books are so effective, in really getting into the head and heart of a teen traversing her first love.
DVD extras: Six-part making-of documentary, commentary and music videos.
— BAM
Medieval Fair bringing Middle Ages to Norman this weekend
Knights do battle at the 2009 Medieval Fair in Norman at Reaves Park. (Photo by Jaconna Aguirre/The Oklahoman Archives)
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Middle Ages arriving in Norman earlier than usual
The Middle Ages are coming to Norman a little early this spring.
The community’s 34th annual Medieval Fair is set for today through Sunday, bringing bold knights, fair ladies and musical minstrels to Reaves Park. The festival usually takes place the first weekend of April, but has been moved up a week just for this year because Easter falls on April 4, said event coordinator Linda Linn.
“There’s no way we could have it on Easter weekend,” Linn said. “This is one of the most unique family events in the state, and it is definitely a family event. Children love it, and 90-year-old children love it.”
The festival features an array of entertaining and educational activities devised to transport fair-goers back to the Middle Ages. Knights on horseback will battle in jousting tournaments, presented by Arthurian Order of Avalon at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day. Human chess games, based on King Arthur and his Knights of Round Table, will play out at 1 and 5 p.m. daily.
This year’s fair will include two genuinely medieval — and legally binding — weddings, at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
“These are real weddings. These are just people who think it would be fun, and they love the fair,” Linn said. “It will be an authentic medieval ceremony. The minister will be dressed as an archbishop, and the bride will be brought to the wedding on horseback. … And there will be knights who proceed with her.”
Starting at 10 a.m. today, the Medieval Fair also will offer continuous live entertainment on six stages. Among the entertainers are Middle Eastern music duo Arabesque, combat dramatists Redland Rogues, traditional music trios Tullamore and Emerald Flame, glass harmonica-playing duo Glasnots, Brother Donald the Storyteller, traditional/Celtic music band Queen’s Gambit, choral music makers The Norman Singers and sea shanty band The Bilge Pumps.
The lineup includes several new performers, including Wolgemut, an internationally known “medieval rock band”; Scottish Rogues, a high-energy Scottish band; Owain Phyfe, a renowned singer/musician who plays 16th century songs; Daniel Duke of Danger, a comedic juggler and tight-rope walker; Brendana’s Dream, a traditional music group; and Bob the Incredible Juggler.
Fair-goers can watch demonstrations of medieval blacksmithing, brass rubbing, chainmail making and falconry. St. Gregory’s University will offer exhibits on labyrinths, monasteries and medieval-style woodblock prints, while the University of Central Oklahoma Medieval Society has crafted a Viking ship for the festival.
Other attractions will include camel rides, a hand-cranked medieval swing carousel and a kingly carousel driven by exotic animals. Costume contests will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The event also will feature 240 arts and crafts booths selling a variety of goods, including pottery, medieval costumes, chainmail, candles, jewelry, stained and blown glass, leatherwork, musical instruments and more.
“One misconception about the fair is that people think everything that’s sold there has something to do with the Middle Ages, and that’s not true. Everything has to be handcrafted or art, but it doesn’t always have to do with the Middle Ages,” Linn said. “I describe the Medieval Fair really as an arts and crafts fair and a living history fair.”
While fare such as turkey legs and homemade fruit tarts are suited to the Middle Ages vibe, the fair will offer a variety of festival foods, such as burritos, Indian tacos and funnel cakes.
The Medieval Fair is the third-largest event in the state, and an estimated 350,000 people will visit the fair over the weekend, said Jen Tregarthen, public relations manager for the Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Linn explained, “There’s a real intrigue with the Middle Ages, if you just look at movies that are out now and even commercials on TV and the number of them that are based on something from the Middle Ages.”
Going on
34th annual Medieval Fair
When: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today-Sunday.
Where: Reaves Park, on Jenkins Avenue, just north of state Highway 9 East, Norman.
Admission: Free.
Parking: At Lloyd Noble Center on Jenkins Avenue, one block south of Reaves Park. Cost is $5 per car.
Information: (800) 767-7260 or www.medievalfair.org.
-BAM
Oklahoma police forensic artist Harvey Pratt to speak about his art today at Science Museum Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation police forensic artist Harvey Pratt shows a skull reconstruction. (Tulsa World Archives photo)
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Oklahoma City lecture to focus on art and science of solving crimes
Harvey Pratt loves a good mystery.
As the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation’s renowned police forensic artist, Pratt often gets involved in solving a variety of crimes and cases.
“A lot of people don’t realize the things that we’re capable of doing for investigations, specifically concerning unidentified remains,” he said.
“There is a lot of interest because there’s so much on the TV anymore with all the ‘CSI’ stuff. I get calls almost daily from some student that wants to know something about it, what we’re doing and how they can get a job. A lot of them want my job.”
The rural Guthrie resident will discuss and show slides of the various forensic art techniques he uses, including witness description drawings, skull reconstructions, age progressions and soft tissue reconstructions, at 7 tonight at Science Museum Oklahoma.
The lecture is part of a series offered in conjunction with the hands-on exhibition “Whodunit: The Science of Solving Crimes.” Bret Mahoney, the museum’s academic networking coordinator, said Pratt was instrumental in creating the forensic science exhibit. Pratt contributed a witness description interview and drawing and a skull reconstruction to “Whodunit.”
“They called me the storyteller in the exhibit,” he said. “It’s really been a success for them. They’ve had a huge amount of interest in the program. People are calling me regarding it all the time. …
“We need to educate people about what law enforcement does, and the Science Museum has done an awful lot to help promote law enforcement in those areas.”
A lifelong artist, Pratt joined the Midwest City Police Department in the 1960s. He did his first witness description drawing when a police captain was working on a homicide case and wasn’t sure an injured victim was going to live. He asked Pratt to talk to the victim and draw a picture of the suspect. The drawing led to the suspect’s capture and conviction.
Pratt, who joined the OSBI in 1972, continued to do double duty as an investigator and a forensic artist. He researched and refined his technique for drawing witness descriptions. He also researched and learned other forensic art techniques and innovated the method for creating soft tissue reconstructions of unidentified bodies.
“I make them look alive and uninjured … paint out the bullet wounds and the knife wounds and the burns and the cuts and open up the eyes. And make them look alive so they can be identified,” he said.
Pratt, 68, works both freehand and with computer programs. Some of the high-tech software available is prohibitively expensive, he said. Many of the techniques he has mastered over the past four decades can be used in different kinds of investigations; for instance, his age progressions might help track a fugitive or a missing person.
“We put beards on, and I take beards off and change things, put glasses on them and age them a little bit,” he said. “I do that by looking at photographs of their family, see how their family genetics change and follow those lines and follow the characteristics in their face. I might add a little weight or take a little weight, depending on how the family goes.”
The variety of artistic methods he gets to use keeps him on the job.
“That’s why I’m still in it. … I retired once, but I still enjoy coming to work,” said Pratt, who became the state’s only full-time forensic artist after retiring as OSBI assistant director in 1992.
Although tonight’s lecture will focus on his police work, Pratt also uses his artistic and analytical talents in other areas. A Southern Cheyenne traditional chief, Pratt explores his heritage by creating American Indian paintings, crafts and sculptures. Some of his paintings and woodcarvings are on view in the new downtown Red Earth Museum’s grand opening exhibit.
“That’s an honor. That’s a good deal. I’m glad they got down there. There’s a lot of activity down there and they’re going to have a lot of interest in downtown,” he said.
About three years ago, the California-based North American Bigfoot Search hired Pratt to do witness description interviews and drawings with credible people who claim to have seen Bigfoot.
“They sent me to about 10 states and I interviewed people and did drawings of what they saw. And the people I interviewed were firemen and policemen and game rangers and schoolteachers and business people, and they all told me their stories and gave me their descriptions,” he said.
“I think there’s something going. I’ve never seen … the being but there are some pretty credible people that have seen stuff. And one of these days there’s gonna be some physical evidence.”
He has illustrated two books on the subject, “The Hoopa Project: Bigfoot Encounters in California” and “Tribal Bigfoot,” both written by former police investigator David Paulides.
“I love a good mystery. And it is a mystery,” Pratt said. “If I close my mind as a forensic artist and as a police officer, then I’m not a very good investigator. So, I try to keep a very open mind about everything that I do.”
Going on
Harvey Pratt lecture: “Police Forensic Art”
When: 7 tonight; reception begins at 6 p.m.
Where: Science Museum Oklahoma, 2100 NE 52.
Admission: Free.
Information: 602-3760, www.sciencemuseumok.com or www.harveypratt.com.
-BAM
Mark Chesnutt staying true to Texas music roots, playing Saturday in Oklahoma
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Chesnutt stays true to country roots
Two decades after the release of his debut album, country hitmaker Mark Chesnutt is still making the kind of honky-tonk music he grew up listening to in Texas.
At a time when pop-flavored contemporary country dominates the charts and airwaves, the singer of 1990s smash singles “It Sure Is Monday,” “Almost Goodbye” and “Bubba Shot the Jukebox” continues to stay true to his neotraditionalist roots.
“I’m just a boy from Beaumont, Texas and always will be. I still live there when I’m not on the road, so it’s not hard for me to stay true to my roots,” Chesnutt said in an e-mail interview. “There are a lot of new artists who bring a fresh face to country music and they do it very well. There isn’t any temptation to do something new; I like what I do and so do my fans.”
Chesnutt’s fans can hear him play at 7 p.m. Saturday at Yukon Fine Arts Center. He said concertgoers can expect to hear “traditional country performed with high energy.”
“I feed off the crowd and they feed off of me. I love being on stage and hearing people sing my songs back to me!” he said. “My favorite aspect of my job is the fans; they’re the reason for my success. Playing shows for them is what I live for, whether it’s a honky-tonk or an arena.”
Chesnutt, 46, grew up steeped in classic country music. His father, Bob, was sang country music locally and owned an extensive collection of country records. The younger Chesnutt learned to play guitar and drums and started crooning in local clubs with his father’s band at age 15, covering songs by Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard, George Jones and Waylon Jennings.
Bob Chesnutt sometimes traveled to Nashville to record and began taking his then-17-year-old son along. After nearly a decade of recording on regional labels, the younger Chesnutt signed with MCA Nashville in 1989. His 1990 debut album, “Too Cold at Home,” produced five hits: the title track, “Brother Jukebox,” “Blame It on Texas,” “Your Love Is a Miracle,” and “Broken Promise Land.”
He became one of Billboard’s 10 most-played radio artists of the ’90s, with four platinum and five gold albums, 14 No. 1 hits and 23 top 10 singles.
While the mainstream country sound has changed, Chesnutt has maintained a busy tour schedule and loyal fan base. Among his upcoming tour dates are shows at Kunsan Air Base and Camp Humphreys in South Korea next month and two concerts in Romille, France, in May.
“The shows in Korea will be for the troops, and I love playing for my fans, but especially for the men and women serving our country,” Chesnutt said. “Playing in other countries is great; it’s always a new experience, but I also enjoy returning to Beaumont after being away for so long. Fans will be fans, audiences love to sing along with every word, and that’s what keeps me playing shows.”
Chesnutt is revisiting the classic country he never really left behind with his new album, the follow-up to his well-received 2008 record “Rollin’ With the Flow.” Chesnutt is working with producer/guitarist Pete Anderson on the new album, titled “Outlaw,” which will feature the singer reinterpreting 12 songs from the peak of the outlaw country period in the 1970s.
While no release date for “Outlaw” has been announced, the “boy from Beaumont” plans to cover songs by many of the artists he grew up admiring, including Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams Jr., David Allan Coe, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson.
In concert
Mark Chesnutt
When: 7 p.m. Saturday. Doors open at 5 p.m. The show follows WEOKIE Credit Union’s annual membership meeting.
Where: Yukon Fine Arts Center, 850 Yukon Ave.
Information: 235-3030 or www.markchesnutt.com.
-BAM
CD review: Travis Rush, “Feel”
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Country
Travis Rush “Feel” (Mason Records)
Country newcomer Travis Rush makes a solid but not standout impression on his second independent album, “Feel.”
The Oregon singer follows up on his 2006 debut “Come and Get It” with 10 country-rock everyman anthems that bear more than a passing sonic resemblance to the recent catalogs of Rodney Atkins, Zac Brown Band and Jason Aldean. Sure, those guys are admirable mainstream country stars for a self-described family man to emulate, but even the cover art for “Feel” looks like it was ripped off Atkins’ 2006 album “If You’re Going Through Hell.”
Rush simply doesn’t do enough to establish his unique artistic identity with his sophomore effort, and his slightly twanged-up cover of Edwin McCain’s 1990s hit “I’ll Be” doesn’t help his cause.
“Feel” starts promisingly with the foot-stomping nostalgia trip “She’ll Take You Back,” and then gets timely with “You’ll Find Your Way,” a chin-up anthem dedicated to single moms and laid-off auto workers. He recruited fans to vote online in rounds to choose “You’ll Find Your Way” as the album’s first single, and in a thoughtful and savvy gesture, he lists all followers who went through the whole voting process in the CD’s liner notes.
The divergent ballads “Feel” and “Some Things Just Go Together” highlight Rush’s warm vocals and knack for accenting a song’s best lyrical attributes. But his sappy easy-listening-meets-country piano ballads “If You Loved Me” and “All Night to Get There” are more likely to induce cringes than romantic emotions.
Rush’s new album feels like it has promise, but unfortunately, it’s a bit too derivative to know for sure.
— BAM
What to do in Oklahoma on March 26, 2010
Today’s featured event:
Spend “An Evening with Joe Bonamassa” when the blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter plays at 8 tonight at the Civic Center, 201 N Walker.
For more information, call 297-2264 or go to www.jbonamassa.com.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
