Bentley’s Bandstand: May 2025
By Bill Bentley
All Things Swamp, DRESSED. When it comes to New Orleans music, it is such a wondrous gift to the world that when players get together to jump into the bayou spirit there is no way to go wrong. And when the nine-piece All Things Swamp band gets rolling, it heads straight for the glory zone. These musicians are giving all they’ve got to the eight songs on DRESSED, and deliver a non-stop tour of the finest sounds that have ever come out of the Big Easy. For one thing, there are horns all over the place on songs like “Sidewalk Strut,” “Bah-Duey-Duey” and “Dancing Machine” to ensure that the backfield gets thrown into motion from the very beginning. This is music that deeply intersects with the top and the bottom of the human apparatus. With blasting saxophones and trombones jammed together with drums and keyboards, there is no way to not to win. One song in, and visions of the Maple Leaf and Glass House clubs take over the mind and the next thing to remember is those 6 a.m. sets at Dorothy’s Medallion Lounge. The Crescent City sound is not kidding. When it’s time to bust out a Mardi Gras parade throughout the house of the host, ALL THINGS SWAMP is absolutely on the playlist. And as a lagniappe to this entire affair, all proceeds are being donated to the Boys and Girls Club of Silicon Valley, near where the band calls home. Shake a tailfeather.
Valerie June, OWLS, OMENS, AND ORACLES. There are a handful of artists in America that really do mix music up enough to come near to creating their own category. It’s not an easy road to take, because there’s a lot of explaining to do to get across to a big enough audience to sustain them. Most radio stations keep their distance from those with their own style. It’s just too much to reel in the size of audience it takes to maintain ballast. Valerie June sounds completely like she could care less about snagging the masses. The Tennessee woman clearly brings in her share of Southern influences at the same time she is able to color outside the lines so she can grow her sound. It’s really a wonder to behold when all these styles come together so she can shine her light completely. OWLS, OMENS AND ORACLES is true beauty on display. The woman’s voice is full of power, but never used to punish. There is a side-serving of simplicity in her essence, so everything can come together and become a pleasing potpourri of sound that isn’t heard that often. June is someone who if and when she takes off, there will be no stopping her. This is Valerie June’s music, period. The last time an artist hit that singular accomplishment was Tracy Chapman. And surely it is time again to have that kind of greatness in our midst. Be here now.
Charlie Musselwhite, LOOK OUT HIGHWAY. Blues is a never-ending trail. It started so much of what we listen to today–from jazz to soul to rock & roll and more–and those that helped the travel continue are among America’s true heroes. They are dedicated to a sound and feeling that surely is a true bedrock of life. As is Charlie Musselwhite. The man from Mississippi got into that world when he moved to Chicago in the 1950s, and has stuck with it like a holy stone that he will never lose. LOOK OUT HIGHWAY is still a Musselwhite masterpiece. It hits the monkey nerve from note one on the opening title track “Look Out Highway,” and gets rolling from there. Of course, it never stops. The blues isn’t looking to remake the world. Instead it is there to hold us all up during our walk through the world. It is as much of a foundation in life to those who love it as anything they’ve ever encountered. In some ways, blues can’t be explained. It’s like what has long been said: “You either love the blues or you don’t like it at all.” Musselwhite’s music makes it possible to keep that love affair going all these decades, and express his soul with a straight-ahead majesty which is impossible to miss. Charlie Musselwhite’s voice is the sound of deep reality, and his heart-pounding harp playing a cherry on top. Blues or lose.
Willie Nelson, OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WORLD. There is no way that Willie Nelson won’t live forever in our hearts and remind us that life is not only our biggest gift of all, but that eternity is there for the asking to make sure it never ends. This collection is something so purely given to those who want to hear the magic that there is no way Willie Nelson will go away. That won’t happen. Instead, like for the past 70-plus years, Nelson will always be holding out a hand to his listeners to take them gladly through this world. The breathtaking beauty OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WORLD and the 12 exquisite Rodney Crowell songs on it are a part of life where the feelings we’re given become a gift which can’t be lost. The man from Abbott, Texas has taught his legions of listeners so much, it only makes sense that this album is one that removes any doubt that a prophet has been in our midst. Nelson’s choice of the twelve Crowell songs, with co-writers on a few, are meant to allow us to have yet another experience to be moved beyond regularity into a land that cannot be lost. Willie Nelson is not saying goodbye. Instead the man is saying hello. And will always be next to us. Listen and look.
Willie Nile, THE GREAT YELLOW LIGHT. This is a true blue rocker who will never give up, never turn out the lights and never quit trying to make music that helps change the world. Willie Nile’s twenty-first album is as strong as anything he’s ever recorded. Born in Buffalo, New York, Nile has written some of the strongest songs of the past half-century. The legion of other rock & rollers who put him on the list of artists who truly matter keeps growing, and include a Who’s Who of the very best. He also has a dedicated collection of fans who stay true to his importance. And THE GREAT YELLOW LIGHT is at the top of the list of Nile’s best recordings. What is now so inspiring is this set of songs just might be the man’s most important. There is such a strength of belief in his voice, it’s impossible to miss. He knows the challenges of the roiling boil roaring through America now, and isn’t afraid to take on the uphill road in trying to make a difference. Every song feels like a call to action to turn around the despair and bring about a positive impact. It’s truly amazing just how committed all these songs feel. From new originals like “Wild Wild World” and “Electrify Me” to “What Color is Love” and “Washington’s Day,” there is a muscular aura to all the tracks, and when Steve Earle joins Willie Nile on “Wake Up America,” there is power in the air for those who believe there is hope to heal our divisions. Never give up.
North Mississippi Allstars, STILL SHAKIN’. It is a common-known fact that the Dickinson family, once of Memphis and then Mississippi when the sons Luther and Cody were growing up, were off the map with musical feel and knowledge. Father Jim had been an illustrious producer for years, and then when he switched over to being a founding member of Mudboy and the Neutrons entered into the ultra zone. The Dickinson sons started young at performing and kept getting better and better. Now that the North Mississippi Allstars are at their peak, and with Rayfield “Ray Ray” Holloman and Joey Williams it’s an uncontested fact that they’re one of the very best live bands in the land. STILL SHAKIN’ is full proof the group is ready for any stage in the world, and their talents in the recording studio are at total hightide. There is an ability to switch from rhythms, emotions, spectral visions and anything else the music calls for. These men can deliver, and with guests like Duwayne Burnside, JoJo Hermann, Robert Kimbrough and a handful of other heavy hitters and singers, this album feels in some ways like the absolute peak–so far. It rocks, it swings, it floats, it stings; it does everything. From “Preachin’ Blues” to “Monomyth (Folk Hero’s Last Ride)” is an album for the ages. The South is doin’ it again, and the North Mississippi Allstars are at the head of the march. They ain’t lyin’.
Marc Ribot, MAP OF A BLUE CITY. This could well be the surprise album of 2025. Marc Ribot needs no introduction as a guitarist. His history, primarily beginning playing with Tom Waits, was an ear-opener for all those who seek out musicians who are building their own styles. Born in Newark, New Jersey, the most catching sounds of his early career was Ribot’s way of creating his own sound. It was like he didn’t come from the legions of blues, rock, jazz or anything else. It was Ribot’s own revolution. The way he amalgamated so many areas of music and sounded original from that start opened a lot of eyes about the young musician. And it has grown from there, always traveling its own route. MAP OF A BLUE CITY is one of the most original collections of music in the first quarter of this century. There is a sensitivity in all the songs that lets listeners know Marc Ribot is heading out on his own. Originality is all over each of his originals, from album opener “Elizabeth” to ending track “Optimism of the Spirit.” In some ways, the nine tracks feel like a personal declaration of independence, one that is right up this musician’s history of seeking the unknown. Ribot or bust.
Suzanne Vega, FLYING WITH ANGELS. It’s been almost a decade since there has been a new Suzanne Vega with original songs, and she is definitely FLYING WITH ANGELS in 2025 with this new release. There is such a strength of confidence on new songs like “Speakers’ Corner,” “Witch,” “Lucinda” and “Chambermaid” it feels like Vega has always been in front of us. From her original breakthrough on “Luka,” “Tom’s Diner” and others, a lot has happened. But with this collection, it’s obvious the woman has been out there developing her abilities and getting ready for a new assault. Just in time, because the world needs women who make strong impressions at their beginning, and now show they’re ready for going there again. There weren’t many people like Vega when she first walked onto the world stage. She had smarts, class, new ideas and downright soul, all delivered in her own esoteric style. There was always a deep strain of original attack in her music. She believed in herself and wasn’t afraid to stand up and show it. Listeners are very lucky Suzanne Vega is in the field again and sharing her strengths. It’s needed and now that it’s here, a new perspective has arrived. Again. Listen to someone who made a difference then, and can make a difference now. This is someone who was always real, and still is. Tom’s Diner reopens.
Webb Wilder, HILLBILLY SPEEDBALL. This wild man needs no introduction. Webb Wilder has been setting fire to music stages since he escaped the reservation in Hattiesburg, Mississippi all those years ago. He loaded up his pickup truck, shook his head in circles to come up with a new direction and lit out for the promised land: Music City. Wilder’s true love of raucous fun and socially-direct musical attack found a crowd almost instantly in Nashville and other known-homes of pickers and tricksters, and before you could say “Turn it up,” his music started making dents around the South. And then the entire USofA. HILLBILLY SPEEDBALL holds nothing back. There are outrageous originals, dream cream-filled covers and anything else that tickles the man’s nervous system. He’s got none other than Guitar Guru David Grissom, the Voice Clincher Vince Gill, Studio King Richard Bennett, Piano Punisher Fats Kaplin. Stun Drummer Greg Morrow and a few other instrumental tricksters onboard the disc to make sure the notes and pokes are in all the most advantageous places. By the end of HILLBILLY SPEEDBALL it feels like Webb Wilder has once again hit the limit and is still all in it. This is one country-rocker who ain’t stopping for nothing or nobody. Believe or leave.
Wilder Woods, CURIOSO. Sometimes the big picture can get tricky, and the best way forward is to take things slow and steady. Wilder Woods is a name William Rinehart came up with for his new music. His previous band Needtobreathe had taken him nine albums into the world, but it was time for a different tag. Life was changing. CURIOSO is Wilder Woods’ third release, and to say it is one of the best set of songs this year might just be an understatement. There is a deep-seated depth to the album’s originals that opens a wide-open–uh–curiosity about CURIOSO that will not stop. The best albums have a forward-pushing power to them, like they have found a sound that cannot be deterred. Songs like “Time On My Hands,” with guest Jim James, “Where Do We Go From Here,” “Kind of Magic” and, really, the other seven tracks all ring so true that this album feels like a breakthrough. Rock should always be a sound that is ready for the future, no matter where it leads. Wilder Woods is most definitely on the hunt for what comes next, both for him, them and the sounds created. It’s an evolving event of prime power and grace, and however William Rinehart steers the ship it will always be one to keep eyes and ears on. The journey’s begun.
Song of the Month
Grant Lee Phillips
“CLOSER TONIGHT”
Sometimes the simplest songs have the most to say, and how they can transfer emotional evenness is a hidden secret only the best artists can achieve. Grant Lee Phillips has had his heart on his soul for over forty years, and it’s a quality that he can impart with unerring precision. “Closer Tonight” is the kind of song that might feel instantaneous, but it is also one that can grow with time. The beauty is in the ease it slips into the deepest recesses of the soul–and stays there. This man has done it again. What a world.
Reissue of the Month
Ruth Brown
SECRET LOVE
Ruth Brown, in all the roll call of rhythm & blues, is a badass. Her hits started in the late 1940s, and went straight through the 1950s. They didn’t call Atlantic Records “The House that Ruth Built” for nothing. But then in the 1960s time rolled by her and things got tough. She once said later, “If they can shoot the Pope, imagine what they can do to Ruth Brown.” Still, these 1970s recordings helped start the comeback for Brown’s swinging resurrection and shine as a soulful example of what can happen if determined perseverance is practiced. The woman eventually won Grammy and Tony awards, and a chance to show what self-belief can accomplish. And even if the second part of a glowing career didn’t quite equal her early hits on Atlantic, they still have plenty of creative kick. Brown’s voice never went away, and the sassy spirit the woman always had (listen to the song “I Want to Sleep with You” ) is a jumpin’ joy to hear. Never forget that Ruth Brown is one of the first female stars of rhythm & blues, and knocked down a lot of walls that had never been scaled when she started. SECRET LOVE is straight-up beauty, delivered by a voice that was integral in getting the first grooves going. And never gave up. Bless her heart.
Book of the Month
Peter Wolf
WAITING ON THE MOON: ARTISTS, POETS, DRIFTERS, GRIFTERS, AND GODDESSES.
There are music books and then there are music books. WAITING ON THE MOON is a full-tilt thrilling excursion through Peter Wolf’s life, featuring the music he made fronting the J. Geils Band and beyond. Way beyond. This is one of the most perceptive and intriguing life stories ever written. Really. Maybe that’s because Wolf’s life turns in all kinds of fascinating directions right from the start, and while there was serious success, there are also heart-tugging periods of life where the man shows enough resilience in what he goes through to earn him a life medal. The years swing from blues-soaked beauty to high-life living, and everything in between. As the Bronx-raised boy dives into painting and literature young, it is almost a surprise when a Boston rock & roll band takes the reins of his life. Which is exactly why WAITING ON THE MOON is a must-read. Peter Wolf’s whole story is a study in real life, all the way through. He is a unique example of how setbacks and surprises are all a part of the road to the future. And moving forward is the most wonderful hope of all. Hit the gas and enjoy the ride. Peter Wolf sure has. Woofa Goofa rules.
Bentley’s Bandstand: May 2025
