Revelator by Tedeschi Trucks Band

There is something about collabs that spike interest to aficionados of any kind or following. For music, it has been that case. From MJ and Paul, to Aero and Run DMC, to P.Diddy and Sir Jimmy, they fuse what they have and create something, not entirely new, but a mixture of something. Now, does it work? Well not always. Really not all of em. But for the collaboration of Trucks and Tedeshchi, what will it do? Let's find out.

The Revelator album came out last May of 2011.



The union of Susan and Derek in an album was inevitable. Aside from being married together, they collaborations was so perfect that its like it didn't need any practice. It was like they could go straight at the studio and record a week's session and you'd get good tape out of it for sure.



Midnight in harlem is smoothly mellow but Susan's Voice didn't mix well, i dunno

Bound for Glory is too predictable and standard. It's like you know what happens after the next riff.

Ball and Chain's partial riff sound's like an excerpt from the Meter's "Yeah your right".

These Walls starts with an indian inspired tune in slow tempo waiting for Susan's claim on the lyrics. I dig this track, it's the most right mix in the album so far.

Mike Mattisons voice is amazing and simply powerful and unique, its explored again on love something else to say.

The album is called revelator. I can't connect. And most tempos are too dreary and similarly sound the same.

TTB is a great idea. It has proven it's formula in various live performances and features in each albums, but for this one, it has that lesser blues and jam strenght versus their own albums. It's too mellow, the crunchy soulful voice of Susan doest reach the pivotal piont. Derek's limitless slide tones are like trapped in a musical box, not hitting one's soul. Why do I feel this way. Why do I feel sleepy after listening to the album. I've listened to these guys for years and they've rocked my ears down straight hitting the hunger in my musical soul. They're a rare gem to music today. Is it possible I have set my expectations to high for them to reach. Or are they premature amidst the vast experience and talent they have. They still have to work on. Don't hurry up ttb to produce one. Wait. Let it come to you. And of course I see you must enjoy. Yup recording maybe fun, but the music you made is lesser that your potential. You have so many talented people working on this, thus we really expect something spectacular. But really thanks for the music as always, this is way way lot better than the norm right now. Awaiting your follow-up album.

My thoughts.

Emotion and Commotion by Jeff Beck

"Mr. Jeff Beck!"....."Jeff Beck!!!"....."Jeeeeeeeeeeeffffffffffffff Bbbbbeeeeeeeeeccccccccckkkkkkkk!". As Mr. Bill Murray's introduction in 2007's Crossroads Guitar Festival sounded like there is no other need for words to add meaning to the guitar player. And repeating it three times depicts the volume of greatness. That is Mr. Jeff Beck.

And that english guitar god Beck just released a new record title "Emotion and Commotion". It carries 10 tracks with 4 tracks featuring powerful female voices of Joss Stone, Imelda May and Olivia Saf. The tracks offer a more behaved and subtle tones and tempo with originals and classic covers.

These are my favorite tracks...

Hammerhead...the track starts with a wah-ful riff that is soon to be joined by symphonic keys leading to the whole caravan in a louder smash of the track. You get instantly floored when this happens.  That beatful drive continues as lead by Beck's strat voice shouting, screaming, grunging it way till chorus and solo and as it ends.  This puts the gatorade on the album.

Lilac Wine...I am a big fan of the late Jeff Buckley, a name so similar to the legendary guitar hero featured.  Mr. Buckley has this purest voice ever to grace the rock scene.  He made anything rock divine.  With Jeff Beck's cover on this featuring Imelda May reminds us of how Jeff Buckley used to do it.  Unpolluted, silent and tearful song.  You could actually play this song on a fine dining restaurant and the seniors would appreciate it.  The chorus is sang by Beck through his strings, and the solo is like the rat pack in pick-ups...dreamy and blissful.

I Put a Spell on You...Featuring the lovely and talented Joss Stone, the bluesy tune sang with soul and force is undeniably puts the whole emotion and commotion in the album.  This pair cannot be replaced.  They have created a bridge from the past and future.  This is what music really is, what it was and how it should be in the future.  A timeless spell.

Well done Mr. Beck.

Battle Studies by John Mayer

I quickly filled up my player, went to my room, grabbed my audiophile earphones , made myself comfortable, made sure I got the L-R right, then relaxed and pressed play.

Battle Studies has begun.

Flashback to June when John himself announced the new album title and the start of a journey he openly shared to all his fans through tweets and blogs, videos and everything. Thus like me, the self proclaimed #1 fan in my city started anticipation and making intelligent guesses as to what this new album has to give.

When the movie-ish intro of Heartbreak Warfare started, it was not new to the ear as expected. John has plugged this out to the public prior release. He even released an augment reality video to give touch to fans with the latest webcam flash technology or so. The song's solo is saved this song from losing the battle. I first heard this from a live acoustic set by John on the Mayercraft. People have dubbed it the "Jennifer Aniston" break-up song and whatever TMZ. I didn't care, cause all I could worry is the plain mediocre lyrics that somehow is an understatement of what John could do and has done in the past. I never expected this to be part of a studio album. But it did, and first track even. Hmmmm.

Let's move to the next chapter. This one kinda sets the tone of the album considering Heartbreak Warfare was widely heard already. It would say, "Yes avid fan, this is what battles studies and the rest of the album will be more about". True to the sense of having a heartbreak album. Chorus has a nice sad touch to it, left me singing right after the first one. Its easy to like. Simple but deep.

Honestly going to track 3, I was still convinced that this isn't going to be a good JM album based on my predictions. And what better to justify my claim was Half of my Heart with Taylor Swift. that pop alternative catchy tune that would expectantly have usual love song DNA to it. The Jonas Brothers would be happy and would think they are doing it right.

And what more by adding fuel to the fire with 'Who Says'. This song, i had no idea why this is in the heartbreak album or why even John wrote this. Have they been friends with Kanye too long or have gone too close. I have nothing more to say to it I'm sorry. It's not even worth it to think about it. What is that your saying? there is a video? I think I have intentionally and permanently deleted it in my human memory.

Perfectly Lonely showed a sign of good to this material. It had this upbeat basic rhythm with that tingy tele sound chopped in slabs and coupled with overall pop blues side licks. It has that powerful bridge that shows a variety of that husky pop prince voice that John has. It opens up going to the solo that is short and worthy. You know its a John Mayer solo because it sings to you like you understand what it is saying or sounding. His Fender axes are like his duet singers of some sort.



After the lonely fade, these Japanese inspired bamboo sounds come in. Assassin. From an early observatory standpoint, its that red fender 4 string bass being gamed on by Mr. Palladino. It is in this song, not even on the Try! album, that i had an awe for this guys talent. Please listen to it and concentrate on Pino, you'd want to hear it again. But aside from that, this is the first song in the album or rather is the only song that can be awarded with the Continuum Degree of Great Songs from John Mayer University. I know that song award title was full of corny WTH stuff but mind you this song isn't. It also tells the story of how an self proclaimed heartbreaker has found her match and had reacted with everything to late. Broken Mr. Heartbreaker.

From the title itself, its impossible you would think John would ever make an original song on a very popular title. Its the 'Bold As Love' cover song for battle studies. Crossroads has been reinvented, Mayerized (what he usually does on his covers) and as usual goes away with it. This 1930's song just got a flavor of the 2000's. Robert Johnson would be happy, I'm sure he is. Probably John has made a point that although he is dubbed as the "Slowhand Jr." which is already a huge compliment, is that he has something truly his own, to rediscover and reinvent like the legendary Clapton himself and other notable greats.



From this moment on, confidence is back. Everything is now calmer. Listening to War of my Life makes me damn sad and yet hopeful. I love the low volume guitar plucks on this one and the simplicity of drum beats as if playing with the audience is sleeping and dreaming on their own struggles and pains. Its like a pop psychiatric audio tape that your therapist would recommend to you, its just that your therapist is the Pop prince, new blues god John Mayer. The studies of heartbreak has now almost culminated. Dry that tear and let's move on.

In Edge of Desire, that sad aura still resides. But the dim mood is fought back by that complex guitar plucking rhythm with clear broken arpeggios ringing from pickups. Beautiful. This song crystallizes the clarity of feelings for someone that you'd imagine singing this song while just even saying out in the open. Love is crazy beautiful, and so is the belief of yearning for it and the man made songs to come with it. This song is one of em, this is how love should be depicted in songs. You can't even describe the desire but you can surely sing it. I wont forget to mention the amazingly short and perfect guitar solo on this one. You also have to get a copy of the acoustic version of this, recorded by John in his apartment as appreciation to all of us.

I can't quite remember the rest of this song sounds like except for the title line in the chorus. I was not able to pay attention too much as I was running back and forth, replaying the earlier great tracks. It has that similar guitar pattern with Edge of Desire, but the message on Do You Know Me is dreamy. Bloomed picture of vivid colors of that girl in your head, that you seem to have shared precious moments but simply can't utter or recall who she was. Seems like a pitch from a movie set in central park new york. It lasts only 2 mins but the mystery of that person grabs you at the right exact moment.

Last track is Friends, Lovers or Nothing. Song title probably states it all. This is probably the new undying theme song for all best friend relationships on earth. Or for those confused and baffled. It is accompanied with keyboards and John riffs out slow licks to spice up the confused. John has everything right on this one, many will connect, many will realize, because of this song, you will then have to take notice. Even if non-Mayer fans would love this when they come across it. It's real, straight to the point, no mambo-jumbo. Say it love, "just give it up.....". The Coda on this song damn nearly killed me. Maybe it did. I wanted to shout out in the highest voice and sing it....and close it with a lick only John can make. Thank you John.



To conclude, i should lay it out simply. Its mediocre. Its not great. Some tracks made me think John was high on e and and that he was hanging out with the Jonas Brothers or being brainwashed by Kanye while wearing that striped shades of his. But it brings me to a point that some tracks are damn neat. It absolutely killed me on those. I'd then say this is the worst John Mayer ever done on all four. He was absolutely right not compare it with Continuum....he has confessed it already early on. But why is it that I keep on listening and why you should keep it playing if its the worst? Because it is way way better that what else is out there. And it being un-great makes it an underdog that redefines a character you yourself will love and yearn for it years to come. Weird but true.

End of class.

The Definitive Collection by Robert Cray

Fashioned white polo shirts in a neatly cut hair and humble poise when coming up to stage, Robert is a bluesman in his own simple yet provocative way. Started his way in the 80s and till now still saddling up to the blues wagon with his Definitive Collection.

For 3 years since I have started listening to the blues, I've been continuing the long search for the founders, front runners, and the humble few who course through this old genre and keeping it running in high gear. So for blues geeks like me, you definitely should drop by and have this collection.

Robert has this clean strat tingy tone that's equally innocent yet has a deep trojan feel to its body. His words speak of infidelity, passion and everything related to the life and the lover's lane. My faves, "Poor Johnny", "Playin in the Dirt", "Consequences", "I Shiver" and "Survivor"

Skin Deep by Buddy Guy

Every time I would come across newsflashes on on the net about album releases, it would instantly wake me up most specifically on artists and genres that I would die for. But I would always expect I from the new kids on the block still who are still out there to prove their thing and not from such great veterans who are now to the last chapters of a highly legendary careers. But on the July of 2008, it was too much of a big surprise to see Buddy Guy coming out with a new album. Yes you read it, Buddy Guy, born in 1936, with countless albums and 5 Grammys in his 40 years in the industry. The fire was still damn burning in this 72 year old guitar virtuoso.

The album at first hear would make you wish that time would fly so fast that you’d be able to digest and indulge the whole musical work in a couple of minutes. It was too unreal, you’d wonder if it was the 60s or 70s were these songs weren’t considered old school. The album features artists namely Derek Trucks, Susan Tedechi, Robert Randolph, Eric Clapton, Quinn Sullivan, The Memphis Horns and Willie Mitchell. Felt Crossroads right there which ensures one good supporting cast. This comprises the whole 12 awesome hard core blues tracks.

Out in the Woods feat. Robert Randolph. Buddy howls like a wolf with his strat guitar on this one. Solo in this one is totally out there to hypnotize anything that comes its way and devour you with Guy’s music. Skin Deep with Derek Trucks, soulful and emotional song that runs truly deeper than your skin. Every Time I Sing the Blues feat. Eric Clapton. Why we sing the blues? We live the blues, that what we are, we cant explain it, can reason it out, but its true and its basic human nature. Its emotional, inspirational, soulful and most of all honest. Just trying to tell the truth baby! Who’s Gonna Fill those Shoes. First time I heard this song, many times I’ve asked this question myself ever since I have been influenced by such. Many candidates, diverse styles, different paths but truly one origin. Everybody has their own vote, but as of now, while blues’ royalty is still here, lets just here them play for they are living saints in this musical cult. The real blues shady will stand up in his own time.


Many times on many albums I’ve said, this is a must grab on the list. Seldom do we see someone who can still pull off something old in this fast paced digital world, especially wearing those polka dotted shirts. Because they are living icons that still rule the fresh legs who don’t know what there headed. Got to have a Buddy for every bud!