A limping fox – and Dan Stuart

As I was walking home from last night's gig, a fox passed me on the opposite pavement and I noticed that it was carrying one back leg off the ground, unable to put any weight on it.

Blasé as we may now be about urban foxes, it's still a thrill to share the Brighton streets with wild beasts. But, as I walked on, the injury bothered me: it can't be much fun getting by like that – pain, lower life-expectancy, no chance of calling in at the PDSA for a plaster cast or splint...

Then it struck me as a pretty good metaphor for my feelings about the Dan Stuart gig I'd just seen at the Prince Albert. As half of the creative heart of Green on Red, alongside the mighty Chuck Prophet, more than twenty years ago now, he certainly counted as a big beast – at least to gentlemen of a certain age. (I note that his website promises that he'll buy a drink for anyone under 30 who comes to a show on the current tour; and at one point last night he surveyed the crowd and exclaimed 'There are females here!' – though there weren't that many, it must be admitted.)

I treasure memories of seeing Green on Red at the Zap Club, under the arches on the seafront - exactly 23 years before today's show. Stuart recalled that visit to Brighton too: apparently it was the first time he and Chuck had taken ecstasy...

The 2014 incarnation was just the second night of the current tour and Dan and his sole accomplice, guitarist Antonio Gramentieri, seemed still to be getting the measure of each other and the set up. Dan noted that he's more used to playing with a full band and missed the backbeat. For the audience, it's odd to have a different Telecaster-wielding guitarist next to him, and as talented and generally nice as Antonio seems to be, of course he isn't Chuck. Dan seemed to be blaming the audience for being quiet - which is seldom a good sign - drawing the response:

'It's Wednesday night',

which continued, with the expository pedantry which seems to come naturally to Brighton punters,

'and there's been a Bank Holiday, so it feels like Tuesday...'.

Anyway, there were good things on offer, with older classics mixed in with newer songs – an early rendition of 'Keep On Moving' and a lively take on '16 Ways' were particularly impressive. During one lull, Dan invited requests and I obliged with 'You Couldn't Get Arrested', only to be answered with: 

I swore I wasn't gonna play that fucking song once on this tour.

He tried it anyway, somehow managing to forget the change to the third chord (of a three chord song), but still ending up with a convincing version.

If Eden On The Line awarded stars, this would be 3 out of 5, I guess: I'm glad I saw it, but the gig never fully caught light and was essentially for established aficionados only. When Dan made clear soon after eleven that there would be no encore, I breathed silent thanks – and headed for my vulpine rendezvous...

For non-aficionados, here's some of what the fuss is about

RSD: Dave & Phil Alvin

So, I did the Record Store Day thing on Saturday, late afternoon when the crowds had died down...

A new four track EP from Bruce Springsteen, a nice live album from Chris Forsyth, but I think the cream of the crop is a lovingly-produced 2x10" set from Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin. The records come in a hardback book-style sleeve, like some 78s used to, back before the dawn of time. Yep Roc Records have even managed to pre-age the sleeve with some imitation ring-wear, but were also thoughtful enough to include a download code.

The packaging is entirely apt for the music: a selection of covers of Big Bill Broonzy songs, which is a taster for an album of the same called Common Ground due out at the beginning of June. I'm slightly wary of covers of classic blues songs, which can often be too studied or too raucous, but I think the Alvin brothers have got it exactly right: respect but no awe, light on their feet, fine playing and no self-indulgence in the singing. A lot of fun.

There's a nice backstory, too, of sometimes warring brothers, with tempestuous times when they played together in The Blasters (think Ray and Dave Davies, or Liam and Noel Gallagher). Since then Phil has had a near-fatal illness and Dave's last album (the wonderful Eleven Eleven) included the wryly affectionate duet 'What's Up With Your Brother?'. Anyway, as Dave has said,'We never argued about Big Bill Broonzy'.

There's an interview and a taste of Common Ground here.

No Bob Dylan in 33 1/3 short list

The short list of possible new commissions for 33 1/3's series of slim volumes on classic albums maintains Bob Dylan's surprising under-representation on that list.

Of course, I find it particularly scandalous that they didn't take up my pitch for a study of John Wesley Harding, but I do find it more generally odd that Highway 61 Revisited remains the only one of the maestro's many memorable releases to be covered. One can argue that the world has enough Bob Dylan books in it already, but I still think that there is room for a rigorous and focused look at an undoubted classic.

You can read a draft introductory chapter here which explains why.

Wussy's Attica streaming now

Wussy's latest album, Attica, will be released next month and you can listen to it now on Bandcamp. The website of Damnably, their UK label, suggests it will be coming out on vinyl, though I haven't seen that advertised anywhere else yet.

Sounding good, so far – there's an encouraging range of noise and softer moments, with Chuck and Lisa both in excellent voice...

I started saying that I hadn't heard a killer song yet, but now 'Halloween' is definitely getting under my skin: lovely arrangement, great singing.

I'll let you know

Ryley Walker

Being on a record label's mailing list is not always productive, but Tompkins Square will seldom steer you wrong...

They have just drawn my attention to an imminent album from a young singer/songwriter/guitarist from Chicago called Ryley Walker. After one listen, I've placed my order.

His singing style is uncannily like that of the late, great Bert Jansch. He's a mean guitar picker. And the arrangements are great too, featuring some lovely viola (possibly the most underused instrument in rock) and a drummer who could be Pentangle's Terry Cox.

That all may sound artificial and knowingly retro, but the end product strikes me as organic and convincingly in the here and now. I'm going to enjoy getting to know it.

There's a nice video here and you can stream the whole album here.