When I used to go to bars frequently–this is a long time ago–once in a while a band would rise above the very respectable, predictable and often welcome level of competent bar cover band. At first, this was off putting: Generally, in a bar, I wanted to hear “Honky Tonk Women” and “Ramblin’ Man,” not originals. But the really good bands gradually changed the focus. They were creators, not skilled imitators. The excitement was a bit different than seeing a good cover band.
Pianists face a challenge fronting a band. It seems that Adam Weiner, around whom Low Cut Connie is structured, takes a bit of Jerry Lee Lewis approach: It’s a launch platform as much as a musical instrument. The band’s most recent album is Dirty Pictures (Part Two). Click here or on the image for the record at Amazon. Here it is at iTunes.There isn’t too much information about the group at its website, which is a bit sparse, so to speak. There is a very cool audio recording of a conversation between singer/pianist/composer Adam Weiner and none other than Elton John. Among other things, the two talk about the names they have given their pianos.
The band is from Philadelphia and was formed in 2010, according to Wikipedia. The excerpts from reviews of the group’s second album, “Call Me Sylvia,” mention and quotes AllMusic’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine’s opinion that the band makes 1960s-style music without sounding dated. Most famously, Boozophilia made Barack Obama’s Spotify summer play list three years ago. That’s worthy of mention both because the guy was president and any mention of his name reminds of us of a better time.
The band’s third album, “Hi Honey” received “widespread acclaim,” according to Wikipedia. It was named the second best album of the 2015 by NPR/Sound Recording’s Jim DeRogatis. “Dirty Pictures (Part 1)” and “Dirty Pictures (Part 2)” were released in May 2017 and May 2018, respectively.
Above is “Dirty Water.” Check out the band’s YouTube channel. There is a lot of great and fun music there. (A personal favorite is “Death and Destruction.” A side note to “Boozophilia”: Check out Heavyball’s “The Perils of Midweek Drinking” for another recent excellent song set in a bar.
Recent Comments