Album Review: Umphrey's McGee - The Bottom Half

Yesterday, Umphrey’s McGee released The Bottom Half, a follow up to the group's 2006 studio release Safety in Numbers. Titled The Bottom Half, disc one features ten tracks that did not make the final cut (this works kind of like Ghostface's More Fish, in that there was too much good stuff on the cutting room floor, meriting a sequel of sorts), while disc two offers outtakes, alternate versions, and other happenings from the studio sessions.

The Bottom Half takes a different position than Safety In Numbers (both of which have wicked artwork by Storm Thorgerson), featuring massive instrumental tracks ("Atmosfarag", an apparent play on percussionist Andy Farag's last name; "Great American", featuring Bela Fleck), studio cuts of tracks that have been played live for a number of years and just now put to tape, and two bonus tracks ("Memories of Home", "Divisions") from the vinyl pressing of Safety In Numbers. The Bottom Half comes out as more experimental and more intimate than Safety. The first disc is, in essence, the second half of Safety, a collection of tracks that old fans of Umphrey's McGee will recognize from live shows as well as some gems from the cutting room.

The second disc is the fans' invitation into the studio to get a true insight into the song-writing process, from a capella takes to song snippets to chatter amongst the band members as they iron out the songs that would become Safety In Numbers and disc one of The Bottom Half. The disc will also serve as an introduction of a few new songs that will make their way into live performances.

Bottom Half is more traditional of Umphrey's McGee than was Safety, with more of the jam sound than popular music formula. As the previous studio release was calculated to reach a broader audience with format-friendly three-minute songs, the current release really delivers on what made Umphrey's McGee known: the atmospheric jams that continue developing over time as the band matures. What makes TBH different from the past is that several of these songs have been heard live for a long time, and are just now being pressed to disc, rather than being heard live contemporaneously with a studio release.

Fans of Umphrey's since their South Bend days and newer fans alike will enjoy TBH, as it covers the bases of jam-band sound and verse-chorus-verse formula better than the last album.


Stream select cuts from The Bottom Half, or click the album art above to buy.

Thanks to Sci Fidelity for the copy of the album. Also, coming from Sci Fidelity on April 17: The Greyboy Allstars' What Happened to TV?. I will try to get a review of that one up before the release date (which I was not able to do with Umphrey's McGee, but that was a lot to consume!)

Other hot recent releases from Sci Fidelity that I have had the pleasure of enjoying: Keller Williams' Dream (read Any Given Tuesday's review of Dream here), and Tea Leaf Green's concert film/documentary, "Rock 'n' Roll Band", all available now from Sci Fidelity. And if jam bands aren't really your thing, try DJ Harry's The String Cheese Remix Project, a house music redux of various recordings by The String Cheese Incident.

All Good 2007 Lineup Announced, Advance Tickets Available

All Good Festival 2007's lineup has been announced:

Bob Weir & RatDog
moe. (2 sets including late night all-star jam)
Keller Williams
Michael Franti and Spearhead
Les Claypool
Yonder Mountain String Band
STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) (late night set)
Lotus
Tea Leaf Green
Perpetual Groove
AOD (Assembly of Dust)
PBS (Porter, Batiste, Stoltz)
Soldiers of Jah Army (SOJA)
New Monsoon
Will Hoge
West Indian Girl
Lovewhip
...and much more TBA

The fest is in Masontown, WV and runs July 13-15, 2007. Tickets can be bought here before the March 14 public on-sale date and at a $55 savings over gate price.

Album Review: Keller Williams' Dream

Last week, the Virginian Keller Williams released his ninth studio album, Dream. The album is aptly named, being Keller's "dream album" in which he collaborates with a veritable who's-who of talented artists (most of whom frequent the jam-band scene and the jam festivals), including Bela Fleck, Bobby Read, Bob Weir (formerly of The Grateful Dead, now with RatDog), Charlie Hunter, Derrek Phillips, Fareed Haque (Garaj Majal), Fleming McWilliams (of Fleming & John), Jeff Sipe, John Molo, John Scofield, Martin Sexton, Michael Franti (Spearhead), ModeReko, Samir Chatterjee, Sanjay Mishra, Steve Kimock, The String Cheese Incident, and Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck & The Flecktones). Usually operating as a one-man band, this is a departure for Williams, 16 tracks of eclecticism, with a vast array of instruments and styles.

The lead-off track "Play This" is a tongue-in-cheek take, intended to mix Keller's sound with that of rock radio, with distorted vocals and a lyrical mockery of the pop rock formula. "Cadillac" with Bob Weir is very much like a Dead track, written by Williams with Weir in mind and sung about a surreal ride with Buddha, Krishna, Santa and Jesus as passengers. "Life" is a half plugged-in track with talk box guitar courtesy of Jeff Covert and Keller on slide bass and theremin. "Sing For My Dinner" brings in The String Cheese Incident, with whom Keller has a long-standing relationship, and is one of the better tracks on the album instrumentally, behind perhaps only "Twinkle" with spot-on drumming from John Molo and freewheeling guitar from Steve Kimock. Perhaps the most mesmerizing on the album, "Twinkle" is an instrumental track that capsulizes an improv jam that one would expect to hear at a weekend festival. "Lil' Sexy Blues", another instrumental, employs a bluesy guitar along with the entrancing sound of tablas, creating a unique down-home yet Eastern jam.

"Restraint" is the only solo Keller Williams track on the album, a humorous jaunt about jumping bones. But a song like "Got No Feathers" makes you say "That's John Scofield" after about eight seconds, and displays the real breath of brilliance behind Dream. Unlike recent albums by Santana, Buddy Guy, and Jerry Lee Lewis, all amazing and iconic musicians in their own right, here Keller Williams brings in his heroes to play with him. The older artists are bringing in the currently-hot artists (Rob Thomas, really, Carlos?) to reach the popular audience, but Keller is paying homage to the icons, often taking a back seat to allow their magic to take over.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Visit Keller's website to listen to a podcast in his own words (and that of his guests) about the record. And click the album art to purchase at Amazon.

New Releases For Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Hitting your local record store today, and worth checking out (click on the art to pick up at Amazon):

Bloc Party - Weekend In The City

Peter Bjorn & John - Writer's Block

John Waters - A Date With John Waters

Keller Williams - Dream (I'm expecting a promo of this one soon, so I should post a review by the end of this week)

Kool Keith - Ultra-Octa-Doom

Apples In Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder

Public Enemy - Fight The Power: Greatest Hits Live - One of my favorite rap groups ever. Politically minded hip hop rules.

8-Bit Operators - The Music of Kraftwerk - I don't know. Nintendos hacked to make Kraftwerk songs? I'd rather listen to Kraftwerk.

10,000 Lakes Festival Adds More Bands

10,000 Lakes Festival, held July 18 - 21 this year at the scenic Soo Pass Ranch in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, has just added some new artists to the lineup:

The Disco Biscuits (Philly represent!)
Keller Williams
New Riders of the Purple Sage
Pnuma Trio
God Johnson
GypsyFoot
Bump
Mr. Blotto
The Burnin' Smyrnans
The Heavy Pets

With dozens of bands still to be added in the coming months, the 10,000 Lakes Festival lineup also includes Bob Weir & RatDog, Trey Anastasio, Umphrey's McGee, moe., Gov't Mule, Little Feat, The Derek Trucks Band, Dumpstaphunk, Everyone Orchestra, Trampled By Turtles, WookieFoot, and Moses Mayes.