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The new album by The Young Veins, Take a Vacation! comes out tomorrow! If you want to listen to the album right now, head on over to The Young Veins’ Myspace page. Starting tomorrow, you can purchase the album on Amazon, FYE (for $7.99!), or iTunes.

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They Will Rock You:  CD Review: Butch Walker / I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart

Butch Walker and The Black Widows
I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart
Pre-order link

Rating:
Reviewed by: Ryan Labbe

It’s been a little over a year since the release of Sycamore Meadows, Butch Walker’s emotional and critically acclaimed fourth solo album named after the street in Malibu where his home, and all of his master recordings, burned down in the California wild fires in late 2007.  On February 23^rd he  makes his return with a revamped band and a new album.  Butch Walker, musician/singer/songwriter/producer calls his gaggle of band mates The Black Widows, and their new album, I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart, showcases Walker’s knack for unparalleled musicianship and innate lyrical storytelling.

Over the years, Butch Walker’s music has gone from the big arena rock sound that he honed with his former band, The Marvelous 3, to a much more stripped down acoustic style.  Along with The Black Widows, Walker keeps on that path, as well as continues to thrill fans with honest, sometimes whimsical lyrics, set to raw and exciting melodies.

The album’s opener, and first single, “Trash Day” is one of the album’s more upbeat numbers, revisiting a common theme in Walker’s music – Los Angeles, and concludes with another common theme – Atlanta (Walker hails from Cartersville, Georgia). “Trash Day in Beverly Hills, all the sad little mamas with their happy little pills,” sings Walker as The Black Widows, comprised of Fran Capitanelli (guitars), Chris Unck (guitar/lap steel), Jake Sinclair (bass), Darren Dodd (drums) and Wesley Flowers (keyboard), provide the energetic soundtrack. (Not sure who’s playing strings, but thanks in advance!)

The next track, Pretty Melody, has a subtle air of Elvis Costello to it.  Considering Costello and Walker are two of the best out there at weaving a story through a kaleidoscope of music it’s no surprise that they might draw influences from one another.  It’s a beautiful arrangement of keys and strings framed beautifully by Walker’s longing vocals. “You’re such a pretty melody, I’m just another tattooed tragedy, oh baby we don’t have to be like the rest of them.”

Michael Trent (who co-wrote some of the songs on the album) joins Butch and company on the sweet and swaying “Don’t You Think Someone Should Take You Home,” a story of a woman fallen on hard times, including the death of her “old man”.  The percussion is represented only by hi-hat cymbal and bass drum, as a violin weaves a melody over strumming acoustic guitar.  Butch’s descriptive lyrics paint a heartbreaking picture as he sings, “Her smile is like a Jack O’ Lantern trying not to cry” and “She holds her head like she’s got something heavy hangin’ round her neck.”  Walker and Trent sing chorus together, their harmonies simple and sad, yet a perfect complement to each other.

It’s hard to listen to any Butch Walker song without envisioning how it would play out live, because after all, there’s no denying that the live stage is Walker’s true playground and until you’ve seen him live you’ve yet to see the best live performance of your life.  “Temporary Title” stands out as one of the new songs that’s going to be fun to see performed live including a mid-song breakdown that seems like almost perfect placement for a fan favorite cover tune or two.

“She Likes Hair Bands”  opens up with quick acoustic riff that is joined by a mid -temp bass to snare drum beat that reminds me of Tom Petty’s “You Don’t Know How it Feels.” Sings Walker, “She’s got a birthmark on the inside of her thigh, ask me how I know (laugh) about the inside of her thigh.” The chorus is light, memorable and one of the album’s finest.

On all of Butch’s albums’ there is always one song that stands out to me as the most emotional.  2004’s Letters had “Joan,” and 2006’s Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Let’s Go Out Tonite’s had “Dominoes.”  It’s now 2010, and I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart has “Be Good Until Then,” a solo acoustic performance showcasing a vulnerable side to Butch, and one that we have not seen before; the voice of a parent.   Not in a “eat your veggies” way, but advice that a loving father might impart on his son in hopes that he grow up to be a better man.  The music is stark and beautiful, but it’s the lyrics that really take center stage.  Sings Walker, “Always know the road you’re riding on, always know the words to your baby’s song, try to make the most of Friday nights when they come.  Maybe turn a stranger to a friend, never break a heart that’s on the mend, never let the romance ever end like I’ve done.”  In the chorus, Butch sings, “It’s okay to cry, if you feel it coming on.  It’ll let you know you’re human in the end.  All these things will mean more when I’m gone, just be good until then.”  It’s the album’s final track and, as the final notes ring out, the listener may find themselves a bit teary eyed. “Everybody loves a hero, not so much when they fall short, so try to keep your cape on underneath.  You don’t have to try so hard, to be the best, just know you are, that’s all that’ll matter to me.”

From “Trash Day” to the charging rhythm of “Temporary Title,” the romping “Days/Months/years” to the emotional “Be Good Till Then,” Butch Walker and the Black Widows make you want to listen, to know what happens next and to enjoy every moment as you find out.  I Liked It You Better When You Had No Heart shows that while Butch Walker can write, record and produce with a variety of artists, he always saves the best for himself and his fans.

Track Listing:

1. Trash Day
2. Pretty Melody
3. Don’t You Think Someone Should Take You Home
4. Stripped Down Version
5. Canadian Ten
6. Temporary Title
7. She Likes Hair Bands
8. House of Cards
9. They Don’t Know What We Know
10. Days/Months/Years
11.  Be Good Until Then
Bonus Track

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*To Pre-Order I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart head over to Butch’s website
*Stream the album now
*Butch Walker and The Widow Makers will be hitting the road with Train, check here for a full list of dates

Butch Walker to Release New Album

Updated: Thursday, 14 Jan 2010, 9:00 AM EST
Published : Thursday, 14 Jan 2010, 9:01 AM EST

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/good_day_atl/Butch-Walker-to-Release-New-Album-011410

Butch Walker

Though he’s been a first-call songwriter and producer for artists ranging from Weezer to Pink to Hot Hot Heat for some time, Butch Walker has never had more to write about than he does right now.  In recent years he has witnessed the birth of his first child, lost his home (and recording masters) to Malibu wildfires, and turned 40.  Appropriately then, Butch’s new album ‘I Liked You Better When You Had No Heart’ (One Haven Music) is about beginnings, endings, and the long journey in between.  The album, featuring eleven new songs co-written by Walker and his songwriting partner Michael Trent, will be released exclusively on vinyl on February 2, followed by a cd/digital release on February 23.

Unlike Walker’s previous, critically acclaimed solo works, ‘I Liked It Better’ was recorded quickly and collaboratively, with his band The Black Widows.  “We literally went into the studio the day after our tour ended,” recalls Walker.  “So the wheels were greased.”  The album was recorded mostly “live” over just five days, using first and second takes.  Strings were subsequently added at Abbey Road Studios in the UK, providing some of the album’s most interesting textures.

The songs on ‘I Liked It Better’ range from the anthemic first track “Trash Day,” perhaps the catchiest-ever meditation on the absurdity of modern life, to the poignant closer “Be Good Til Then,” a lullaby to his young son that imparts some advice “my dad would have given me if he could have put it in a song,” says Walker.

Likewise, the album reflects a broad swath of Butch’s favorite music including the country-tinged work of songwriters like Gram Parsons and Kris Kristofferson, and the gold-standard ‘70s pop of ELO and T. Rex.  It’s an improbable combination that sounds completely natural in Butch’s hands.

Butch Walker recently completed sold-out, multi-evening runs at LA’s Hotel Cafe, and Joe’s Pub in NYC, performing a different album from his back catalog in its entirety each night.  Upcoming  residencies in Chicago (January 5-8 at Schuba’s) and Atlanta (January 13-16 at 7 Stages Theater) all sold out in 15 minutes.  He will tour extensively in support of ‘I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart’ in 2010.

http://www.shorefire.com/clients/bwalker

For more information on Butch Walker please contact Carrie Tolles (ctolles@shorefire.com), Andy Silva (asilva@shorefire.com) or Matt Hanks (mhanks@shorefire.com) at Shore Fire Media: 718.522.7171

The contemporary blues album is quite appropriately named Live & Mo.  It features six awesome live performances from notable moments on the road, and four brand new studio recordings, including the anthemic song A Brand New America, a band version of the inspirational medley Victims of Comfort, the funky sound of Government Cheese, and the back-porch rhythm and blues of Hole in the Bucket.   If you already know the mood and style past releases Keb’Mo, you’ll dig “Live & Mo”.

Release Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Official Tracklist: Victims of Comfort More Than One Way Home Change Shave Yo’ Legs Hole In The Bucket One Friend The Action Perpetual Blues Machine Government Cheese A Brand New America

Check out the official Keb’ Mo website: http://www.kebmo.com/

Keb’ Mo’ National tour dates:

Wed., Oct. 14 PORTSMOUTH, NH Music Hall**

Thurs., Oct. 15 MONTREAL, QU Metropolis

Fri., Oct. 16 TORONTO, ON Koerner Hall

Sat., Oct. 17 OTTAWA, ON Boulton Hall**

Mon., Oct. 19 NIAGARA FALLS, NY Niagara Casino**

Wed., Oct. 21 NEW YORK, NY Nokia Theater*

Thurs., Oct. 22 BURLINGTON, VT The Flynn*

Fri., Oct. 23 BOSTON, MA Somerville Theater*

Sun., Oct. 25 ALBANY, NY The Egg*

Mon., Oct. 26 ANNAPOLIS, MD The Rams Head

Tues.-Wed., Oct. 27-28 ALEXANDRIA, VA Birchmere

Thurs., Oct. 29 RED BANK, NJ Count Basie Theatre*

Fri., Oct. 30 GREENSBURG, PA Palace*

Sun., Nov. 1 WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY PAC*

Mon., Nov. 2 PRINCETON, NY McCarter Theatre**

Tues., Nov. 3 RIDGEFIELD, CT Ridgefield Playhouse*

Thurs., Nov. 5 ENGLEWOOD, NJ Bergen PAC*

Fri., Nov. 6 TARRYTOWN, NY Music Hall*

Sat., Nov. 7 PHILADELPHIA, PA Keswick Theatre*

Sun., Nov. 8 WILMINGTON, DE Grand Opera House*

Mon., Nov. 9 STATE COLLEGE, PA State Theater*

Wed., Nov 11 ANN ARBOR, MI Michigan Theater*

Thurs., Nov. 12 KALAMAZOO, MI State Theatre*

Fri., Nov. 13 CHICAGO, IL House of Blues*

Sat., Nov. 14 MILWAUKEE, WI Pottowatomie Casino**

Tues., Nov. 17 DENVER, CO Paramount**

Wed., Nov. 18 SALT LAKE CITY, UT Depot**

Fri., Nov. 20 SPARKS, NV Nugget**

Sat., Nov. 21 OAKLAND, CA Paramount Theater (SF Jazz Fest); co-bill with Solomon Burke

Sun., Nov. 22 CARMEL, CA Sunset Center**

Tue., Nov 24 09: Aladdin Theatre – Portland Oregon

Wed., Jan 13 10: Lobero Theatre – Santa Barbara CA

Thu., Jan 14 10: The Coach House – San Juan Cap. CA

Fri., Jan 15 10: Belly Up Tavern – Solana Beach CA

Sat., Jan 16 10: Cerritos Center for Perf. Arts – Cerritos CA

Sun., Jan 17 10: Pepperdine University – Malibu CA

Sat., Jan 23 10: Rhythm & Blues Cruise – Ft. Lauderdale FL/Caribbean

Tue., Feb 23 10: Walton Arts Center – Fayetteville AR

Thu., Feb 25 10: Paramount Theatre – Austin TX

*with Kristina Train; **Evening with

Please reply with all requests for audio, bio, artwork, photos, interviews.

Online Contact

The Orchard/James Volpe

jvolpe@theorchard.com