Each week Release Day Picks profiles new LPs and EPs Team JamBase will be checking out on release day Friday. This week we highlight new albums by Willie Nelson, ALO, Michael Cleveland, The National Parks and Frank Zappa. Read on for more insight into the records we have all queued up to spin.
Willie Nelson – I Don’t Know A Thing About Love
With over 150 albums to his credit, outlaw country icon Willie Nelson adds to his impressive resume with today’s release of, I Don’t Know A Thing About Love. Having previously recorded full-album tributes to acclaimed songwriters such as Kris Kristofferson, George Gershwin, Ray Price and Cindy Walker, the 89-year-old Nelson has now taken up the songbook of Harlan Howard. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall Of Fame, Howard, who died in 2002 at age 74, wrote countless hit songs for a variety of country and R&B artists including Ray Charles (“Busted”), Buck Owens (“I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail”), Conway Twitty (“I Don’t Know A Thing About Love”), Bobby Bare (“The Streets Of Baltimore”) and more. Nelson recorded the 10-song tribute album with his longtime collaborator Buddy Cannon and a “murderers’ row of crack Nashville musicians.”
ALO – Silver Saturdays
California-based rockers ALO are back with Silver Saturdays, their ninth studio album, out today through Brushfire Records. The 10-track LP arrives as the quartet celebrates their 25th year as a band. Co-founding members Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz (guitar/vocals), Steve Adams (bass) and Zach Gill (keyboards/vocal) are joined by drummer Ezra Lipp, making his first appearance on a full-length ALO album. Lebo, Adams, Gill and Lipp assembled at Marin County’s Sun Machine studio to record the collection of new original songs mostly live with longtime engineer David Simon Baker, who served as co-producer on Silver Saturdays. The band revisits its roots in the material featured on the LP while fitting in elements of the musical evolution the last 25 years has provided.
“There’s always a moment in the making of an ALO record when we ask ourselves, ‘Why make another record?’” noted Zach Gill. “For me, the answer comes in waves over time. It has to do with the spirit of musical adventure and the rhythms of laughter. It’s about the sweet release of a Lebo guitar lead over an Ezra drum beat as Steve and I weave the bass and keys around each other. Call it a jam, call it a song, call it a feeling, but it has to do with connection. For me, it feels like coming home.”
“It’s a palpable feeling when the four of us are in a room together creating music—having our individual sound waves collide as they transform and morph into one before even getting captured by the microphones,” added Lebo. “My hope for the listeners of ALO’s ‘Silver Saturdays’ is that they get to experience a bit of this invigorating feeling—and better yet, that it stirs up some inspiration of their own!”
Michael Cleveland – Lovin’ Of The Game
Renowned fiddler Michael Cleveland recruited an all-star cast of musicians for his new solo album, Lovin’ Of The Game, which is out now on Compass Records. Jerry Douglas, Tim O’Brien Béla Fleck, Billy Strings, Charlie Starr of Blackberry Smoke, The Travelin’ McCourys and Vince Gill are among the talented players appearing across the album’s 12 tracks. Cleveland’s Flamekeeper bandmates also contributed, along with Cody Looper, Dan Tyminski, Bryan Sutton, Cody Kilby, Barry Bales and Luke Bulla. Cleveland co-produced Lovin’ Of The Game with Jeff White and Sean Sullivan.
“People know me as a traditional bluegrass fiddle player, which is what I love to do,” Cleveland stated. “But this album is more than just the pure tradition. It’s a little bit of a departure for me.”
The National Parks – 8th Wonder
The Provo, Utah-based folk-pop foursome The National Parks issued their fifth studio album, 8th Wonder. Guitarist Brady Parks, keyboardist Sydney Macfarlane, drummer Cam Brannelly and violinist Megan Parks recorded 8th Wonder in Provo at June Audio Recording Studios. Brady Parks and Scott Wiley, who also played bass and other instruments, handled the album’s lush production. Additionally, Dylan Schorer was brought in to add pedal steel guitar parts. Featuring 11 exuberant new songs including the singles “Angel,” “Trouble,” “History Channel,” and the title track, 8th Wonder follows The National Parks’ 2020 full-length Wildflower and their 2021 EP, A Mix for the End of the World. Regarding 8th Wonder, Brady Parks told JamBase:
“Being in the outdoors is something that each of us connects with on a deeper level. Growing up in Utah and surrounding areas, nature has played a big part in the core memories of our lives. We know not everyone might have that same connection and so we wanted to bring that feeling to life through music. We hope this album serves as a reminder that when life gets tough, you can always go outside. It’s a symbol of hope, love, inspiration and making memories with those that mean the most to you. We hope those listening can really feel something from it and that it can be the soundtrack to all of their outdoor adventures.”
Frank Zappa – Zappa 80: Mudd Club/Munich
The latest live archival release from Frank Zappa’s cavernous vault arrived today. Zappa 80: Mudd Club/Munich takes listeners on a journey with The Maestro from New York City’s intimate Mudd Club to Munich’s massive Olympiahalle arena. Besides the contrast in venue size, Zappa 80: Mudd Club/Munich also carries an analog/digital dichotomy. Klaus Weidemann captured the Mudd Club concert on May 8, 1980 on a 2-track Nagra tape recorder. Mick Glossop clocked the Munich show direct to digital 2-track stereo, marking the first time a Zappa live show was captured digitally. FZ would soon switch to and was an early champion of the emerging technology.
Zappa 80: Mudd Club/Munich is also the first archival release featuring Zappa’s shortlived 1980 lineup with the double vocal attack of Ike Willis and Ray White along with bassist Arthur Barrow, keyboardist Tommy Mars and newcomer David Logeman on drums. Produced by Ahmet Zappa and Zappa Vaultmeister Joe Travers with mastering by Bernie Grundman, the Zappa camp previewed Zappa 80: Mudd Club/Munich with “Outside Now” from the Mudd Club. The song originally appears on FZ’s landmark 1979 rock opera Joe’s Garage. Mudd Club also boasts Joe’s Garage cuts like the title track, “Keep It Greasy” and “Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?” among other favorites from Zappa’s catalog. Highlights from Munich include “Cosmik Debris,” “Dancin’ Fool,” “Pound For A Brown,” “The Illinois Enema Bandit” and more. All tracks from both shows were previously unreleased save for “Love Of My Life” from Mudd Club and “You Didn’t Try To Call Me” from Munich.
Compiled by Scott Bernstein, Nate Todd and Andy Kahn.
