album review: Danny Flanigan

Hope Is a Word...
Danny Flanigan
SELF-RELEASED



Nick Hornby wrote once about how he never understood Jackson Browne’s music before he turned 40. Even at a much younger age, I understood the sentiment: Rock is for the young, it’s supposed to be edgy, blah blah blah ... However, most popular music today doesn’t express what life is like for 40-something-and-up parents, and most songwriters aren’t Bob Dylan. Louisville vet Danny Flanigan’s new album is a solid entry into the middle-aged domestic music genre: part Lyle Lovett (clever), part James Taylor (sentimental) and part John Hiatt (both). He’s a skilled lyricist, a natural storyteller backed by solid musicians like Steve Cooley and Todd Hildreth, and the album benefits from crystal clear production by Danny Kiely. Some songs are full of life, though others are a bit too ready for public radio picnics. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry ... but if you’re under 40, this might not be your thing. Yet.

c. 2011 LEO Weekly

White Denim hang on to rock 'n roll

Texas-based rockers White Denim are a modern throwback, a classic rock band who have achieved success through both hard work and Internet-based buzz. Their new album, D, was given four stars by Rolling Stone, which said their “sublime attack often recalls late-Sixties Grateful Dead, when their songs still had garage-rock drive but were exploding every which way.” LEO spoke with singer/guitarist James Petralli.



LEO: You seem to have had an easier time in England than here. From Hendrix to Kings of Leon, why do you think they respond more quickly to American rock ’n’ roll than some Americans do?
James Petralli: I think the main reason is that the U.K. is a much smaller and more densely populated country than America is. We were fortunate enough to work with an amazing group of people that understood our music and where we wanted to take the band on the first two records. The right combination of industry support and social climate made it easy for us to reach the entire country. Also, it could be the school systems. Generally, the people residing in Europe have a deeper inherent appreciation for artistic gestures across the board.

LEO: In the studio, how much do you try to capture your live sound? How free do you feel to experiment with sounds you might not be able to recreate live?
JP: This is a song-by-song situation. On the first two records, our studio space prevented us from capturing the full band live. We spent time trying to capture live individual takes, but were never able to track the trio together. Now that we are in a larger space, we are consistently going to the live band approach to recording basic tracks. Both ways have yielded successful results. We view the studio and stage as two completely independent mediums that may or may not inform one another from song to song. We try not to limit ourselves in either realm.

LEO: How much affect have blogs had on people knowing who you are? Do people tell you how they first heard your music?
JP: Most people that read music blogs have at least heard of us, though many have probably forgotten about us on account of the height of our “blog buzz” occurring in 2008. I really appreciate the support we have received from a few music sites. I do, however, feel that music blogs have had a tremendous impact on the way certain groups of people process music. I am not by any means saying that it is the fault of music blogs, but I think there is something disturbing about how disposable music can feel when you acquire it digitally and how that affects our culture. People generally do not tell me how they first heard our music, though I am interested in that. Maybe they will begin to when they read this.

LEO: Do cool dudes in rock bands still get as much action as they did in the ’70s and ’80s? Or is it more of a business-like atmosphere that you encounter today?
JP: I am not sure, really. I think as long as there are bros and babes in the world, there will always be action. We are a pretty serious bunch, though. Hanging on is much more important to us than hanging out.

White Denim
Sunday, June 19
Uncle Slayton’s
1017 E. Broadway
$10; 8 p.m.

c. 2011 LEO Weekly

Ben Sollee strolls all over the map

Ben Sollee is one of the most popular, acclaimed and surprising acts to emerge from Kentucky onto the national stage in recent years. The singer/cellist from Lexington recently released his second solo album, Inclusions, which Paste magazine said “... is as eclectic as Sollee, exploring post-modern jazz one minute and simple folk the next, with gospel themes running up the spine.” Sollee celebrates with a concert in the park this Saturday, which is preceded by a 5K walk and bicycle ride.



LEO: You’re making a video for each song on this album. What is the value of that medium for you?
Ben Sollee: Well, we’re trying. It’s a rich opportunity these days to explore all the other creative reflections of music through other mediums, like dance and visual art in video. Plus, it’s another chance to include pieces and parts of community in this project. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get all the videos done.

LEO: The intro piece on the album was inspired by the Basque country music of Spain. How did you encounter that, and how did it affect you?
BS: I came across a collection of Spanish folk music at a record shop in Ann Arbor, Mich., that Alan Lomax collected. The recordings from the Basque country were captivating. Many of the dances had elaborate, brash, cadenza-like openings that embodied a certain spirit. So (Louisville saxophonist) Jacob Duncan and I teamed up to create something unique from the idea of those recordings. On the album, it serves as a grand, stumbling entrance that adds to the drama of the heavy groove in “Close to You.”

LEO: You’ve worked recently with an Atlanta DJ and a North Carolina dance troupe. How do you choose your collaborators? How did these and other collaborations work out?
BS: Oh, I just try to work with good folks doing good things these days. Time is too short to do otherwise. I love collaborations because they always test my ideas, keep me honest and on my toes. My work with DJ 2nd Nature and Detroit-based DL Jones was seminal for this record, and I hope we can put out those tracks in the future as well.

LEO: NPR and USA Today have been full of praise for you. How famous can a cellist become in the pop world?
BS: Ha, a fun question ... as famous as any other musician, I suppose. In the pop world, there’s certainly a stigma attached to the idea of a “star,” but, at the same time, the mold is broken often enough. Just trying to play some good music for the time being, though.

LEO: What do you do on the road when something happens to your cello?
BS: You mean other than me? ... Well, we have an official shaman that can heal it from afar. Usually takes two to three days. In all honesty, though, we have had great fortune with people helping out from Twitter and Facebook when we’ve had serious breakdowns in the instrument department.

LEO: Who are some of your favorite Louisville musicians today?
BS: I think violinist Scott Moore is quietly making some really neat things happen with the 23 String Band and some of his own solo stuff. Obviously, I’m a fan of Cheyenne Marie Mize’s work, and I think Justin Lewis is building a nice story. I wish I could be there in the scene more ... busy times these are, friends.

LEO: Anything else you’d like to mention?
BS: I just want to make sure to express my gratitude to Louisville for all of its support. This is a fun ride that would never have taken off without the warm support of the arts community and great audiences.

Ben Sollee with David Mead
Saturday, June 18
Iroquois Amphitheater
1080 Amphitheater Road
www.bensollee.com
$20 (concert), $25 (concert and 5K); 8 p.m. (5 p.m. for 5K)

c. 2011 LEO Weekly