A fundraising album entitled, Red Hot + Fela, was released this week in honor of legendary Nigerian Afrobeat artist Fela Kuti, whose influence was felt worldwide.  The album was produced by the AIDS awareness group Red Hot, and includes Fela covers by Nneka, Spoek Mathambo, My Morning Jacket, Questlove, Alabama Shakes, tUnE-yArDs and other great artists .

Last night on the Jimmy Fallon Show, My Morning Jacket, Merrill Garbus (of tUnE-yArDs) and Brittany Howard (of the Alabama Shakes), sprinkled with some Roots, performed a scintillating cover of Fela Kuti’s Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am. Check out the impressive performance below, with Jim James channeling well the spirit of Fela Kuti.  You can listen to the new album on Canadian Broadcasting HERE.  Following the video is the album’s tracklist.

Red Hot + Fela Track List:
1. “Buy Africa” – Baloji & L’Orchestre de la Katuba featuring Kuku
2. “Lady” – tUnE-yArDs, Questlove, Angelique Kidjo + Akua Naru
3. “Yellow Fever” – Spoek Mathambo + Zaki Ibrahim
4. “No Buredi” – Nneka, Sinkane, Amayo + Superhuman Happiness
5. “Who No Know Go No” – Just A Band + Childish Gambino
6. “Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am” – My Morning Jacket w/ Merrill Garbus + Brittany Howard
7. “Sorrow Tears and Blood” – Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe, Kronos Quartet + Stuart Bogie
8. “ITT” – Superhuman Happiness w/ Sahr Ngaujah, Abena Koomson + Rubblebucket
9. “Afrodisco Beat 2013” – Tony Allen, M1 + Baloji
10. “Gentleman” – Just A Band, Bajah + Chance the Rapper
11. “Hi Life Time” – GendEr Infinity
12. “Zombie” – Spoek Mathambo +Cerebral Cortex + Frown
13. “Go Slow” – King

As we’ve written repeatedly, Wisconsin’s Volcano Choir has a new album out entitled Repave, and it is roundly winning over critics and fans.  We will admit to happily having it on repeat at Chez Lefort.  The band, including Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), is out on tour now to spread the news.   We were excited to find out that the band and NPR had teamed up to graciously share a recent performance by the band at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.  Watch below as the band and Vernon winningly layer on the emotion and effects (including the damnable vocoder–we ask you:  why would anyone with a voice as compelling as Vernon’s want to distort it?) on songs off of their first album and Repave.  Go HERE to check out Volcano Choir’s upcoming tour dates, including mid-January in California. And all brought to you with the band’s Midwestern hospitality and graciousness. Superb.

SET LIST
Tiderays – 1:30
Island, IS – 5:20
Comrade – 10:10
The Valleyinaire – 14:10
Keel – 19:55
Dancepack – 26:05
Blue Ni Ni (The Volcano Schores) – 30:30
Alaskans – 36:05
Acetate – 41:50
Byegone – 46:50

You’ve been thirsting for The National news, haven’t you?  To keep you current, The National were in Austin last weekend for the Austin City Limits Festival, and while there they stopped by Gibson’s Texas Showroom to perform I Need My Girl unplugged.  The Dessner twins thoughtfully brought their Gibson acoustics, and the band played on, with horns hefting Matt Berninger’s vocal.   Great stuff, and love the black and white video treatment.  Check it out below.

As warned, The Avett Brothers will next week release their new album Magpie And The Dandelion.  To prepare for their show tomorrow night at the Santa Barbara Bowl, go over to NPR HERE and listen to this superb new album.  As NPR points out, Magpie is less manic than some of their other efforts.  But what it lacks in commotion, it more than makes up in emotion (and heft).  Check it out at NPR, and we’ll see you at the Bowl.

We were firmly focused last Saturday during the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. Yes, there were fine acts (such as Los Lobos, Steve Earle and The Flatlanders) kicking off their sets late in the day at HSB, but day-long we were zeroed in on the salient task for the day:  getting to the The Make-Out Room in the Mission to catch one of the best performers and songwriters in our fine land, Chuck Prophet and his Mission Express.  Even with this laser-focus and after managing to escape early from the captivating clutches of HSB, we found ourselves still scrambling as Prophet’s taskmaster set-time (7pm–SHARP!!) came around.  But God was on our side, and right as we arrived a parking spot miraculously opened up (in the parking-fiasco known as “The Mission”) directly across from The Make-Out Room.  And soon we were inside and once again entranced, laughing, rocking and dancing to Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express, and their standard show of riches.

We’ve seen Prophet live a number of times (in solo and group settings), and every single time we have walked away afterwards sky-high and knowing that we have been thoroughly entertained and enlivened by Prophet’s rock n’ roll gospel.  On Saturday night it all came together perfectly.  Combine The Make-Out Room’s tiered stage (brilliant!) and hip space, a rapturously-engaged crowd (let’s call ’em “Propheteers“), and an artist and band in phenomenal form while supporting a great recent album (Temple Beautiful), and you have a show for the ages and all ages.

Prophet and The Mission Express had the good-sized crowd eating out of their hands the entire night.  The Mission Express is comprised of “best friend” (and spouse) Stephanie Finch (keys, etc.), Kevin T. White (bass), James DePrato (guitar) and Vicente Rodriguez (drums), and this iteration of the group is the finest we’ve heard yet.  And Prophet was his usual hilarious self (for a feel, just read some of his newsletters HERE), keeping the Propheteers amused while clearly enjoying himself.  Musically, he and the group were in fine fettle, with Prophet and DePrato meshing perfectly on guitars (sounding a couple of times like a dueling Duane Allman and Dickie Betts, and at others like the oft-cited Thin Lizzy).  The talented Finch added captivating keys and coloratura, and White and Rodriguez admirably held down and lifted up the bottom end.

The show’s setlist was a perfect mix of older favorites (Would You Love Me, which never fails to serve up chills, and Summertime Thing), enhanced takes of songs off the exemplary and ever-growing Temple Beautiful (Willie Mays Is Up at Bat, The Left Hand and the Right Hand, Temple Beautiful, and White Night, Big City stood out), and covers (’60s song Sorrow, which David Bowie covered well on his Pinups covers album, and the Flaming Groovies’ Shake Some Action).  Prophet capped off the proceedings by bringing out the great Peter Case (seen in the middle below, with the band in mid-throttle) to perform a couple of his greats, including the Plimsouls’ Million Miles Away.  As usual, the crowd sang along during the entire set, but particularly on Willie Mays is Up At Bat (during which the crowd even refused to yield to Chuck’s storyline), and on the always-riveting-and-raving set-ender You Did (Bomp Shooby Dooby Bomp).  Even after the last song 2-1/2 hours later, the crowd was on its feet demanding more.  Whatever you have to do, make sure to catch Prophet at each and every opportunity.  You will be justly rewarded.

Speaking of which, Prophet will head out up and down the Pacific Coast solo and otherwise soon.  You can find all of his upcoming dates HERE.  About these upcoming shows, Prophet wrote the following in his most recent newsletter:  “Got some solo shows coming up too. Including one at the Palms in Winters, CA with James McMurtry. We’ve also got a sit down show (with strings) coming up at The Great American Music Hall Nov. 24th.”  Go see him like you vote:  early and often.  For those on the Central Coast, your next opportunity is at the Vines On the Marycrest in Paso Robles on October 19th ($50, dinner and wine included).  As the Jamaicans say: Go ‘dere.

And if you don’t own Temple Beautiful or any of Prophet’s other nine albums, do the right thing by yourself (and the artist), and go pick them up HERE.

The Avett Brothers will play the Santa Barbara Bowl this Thursday (Oct. 10th). Last night on The Tonight Show they performed new song Morning Song off of their impending new album Magpie and the Dandelion (due Oct. 15th). Check it out below at minute 36:42 (the last hash mark on the right in the full episode. “I know there’s hope in every Morning Song,” and especially this one.  Augurs well for Magpie and the Dandelion!  We’ll have a full report on their Santa Barbara Bowl show.

We’ve got a strictly-music hangover.  Hardly, you say?  We’ll take that fifth.  Regardless, we’ve escaped the marathon clutches of the annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, held each year courtesy of its biggest benefactor–the late, great Warren Hellman.  Though not as brilliant a lineup as some prior years (2011’s Elbow, Gomez, Devotchka, Gillian Welch, Broken Social Scene, etc. lineup may never be equaled again), HSB nonetheless provided a weekend’s work of musical goodness.  Our picks of the litter, in no particular order (except No. 1) were:

1.  Bettye Lavette provided hands-down the most entertaining set of the Festival.  The 67-year old Lavette has been in the business for 50 years, and humored and wowed the crowd throughout.  She also has great taste, covering everything from Neil Young to Lucinda Williams with serious aplomb and conviction.  Our first thorough chill-down came on Lavette’s signature Heart of Gold arrangement and vocal, but she also covered Young’s Everybody Knows This is Nowhere (with accent on a gospel interpretation).  Ms. Lavette and her fine band are out on tour now and are highly recommended if she comes your way.  You can see her current dates HERE.

2. Conor Oberst with Sweden’s First Aid Kit and Felice Brothers backing.  Conor Oberst always brings it on Friday to his curated Rooster Stage, and this year was no exception.  Finishing off the day in fine style, First Aid Kit gave a galvanizing reading of Paul Simon’s America and then provided first-chills by backing Oberst on his masterpiece, Lua.

3. The Waterboys’ Mike Scott and Steve Wickham (fiddle), despite a minor technical snafu or two, sang and played with conviction and had the crowd in the palms of their hands.  We could listen to Mike Scott’s impassioned vocals and beautiful songs all day and all of the night.

4.  LA’s Allah-Las acquitted themselves well on Sunday morning, jangling along a la the Byrds and Manchester’s Stone Roses and Happy Mondays.

5.  Upstate New York’s The Felice Brothers played yet another beguiling set and perfectly backed Oberst during his set.  Again, we could listen to Ian Felice’s world-weary vocals all day and all of the night.

6.  Louisville’s Freakwater took us by surprise with their casually delivered gems and voices of the angels.

7.  Athens, Georgia’s Manchester Orchestra again surprised with their well-wrought and well-delivered songs.   This is a band deserving of far more attention.

8.  SF’s own Sonny & the Sunsets provided a great set of slightly off-key (intentionally), slightly familiar songs that matched perfectly with the western Gold Stage.

9.  The Evens’  partners Ian MacKaye (Fugazi, Minor Threat) and Amy Farina gave the Rooster Stage crowd an earful of great political songs and speeches, made particularly enjoyable by MacKaye’s muscular, but inventive, guitar-play and punkish attitude.

10.  Though we might wish she’d stick to covering others’ songs, Martha Wainwright gave an entertaining and vocally stunning performance in new blonde look at the Porch Stage on Saturday.

And in between and around those Top 10, we heard great performances by Boz Scaggs (who sang hits Lido and Lowdown while backed by a a great band), Dave Alvin with Greg Leisz, Emmylou Harris, Nick Lowe, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan’s The Deep Dark Woods (we’ll have more about them and others later), and Nicki Gruhm & The Gramblers (who brought Scaggs out to join them).

For at least a limited time you can check out Ms. Lavette’s entire HSB set below and in particular her definitive interpretation of Neil Young’s Heart of Gold beginning at 19:30, with a vehement cover of Lucinda Williams’ Joy immediately following.  You can check out other videos from this year’s HSB Festival HERE.

We’ll also write soon about the best set of the entire weekend:  Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express (with Peter Case) at the Make Out Room in SF on Saturday night.

After swimming comparatively under the sonar for a while, Moby breached big this week, swamping the media outlets and concert halls alike with scintillating songs and sounds off his new album, Innocents.   The artist and his ardent entourage (including the gifted Damien Jurado) appeared first on Conan on Monday and then broadcast his beguiling Fonda Theater concert last night via EVNTLIVE  (the show is being re-broadcast on EVNTLIVE today (Saturday) at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. PDT).  Before heading to the Fonda, Moby found time to bring the band down to KCRW to perform older hit, South Side (off of his breakout 2000 album Play), and a reprise of The Perfect Life.  Check both out below and go HERE to listen to the entire KCRW session.

As if that wasn’t enough Moby, you can also check out his combination of favored architectures with his chosen musical accompaniment together with illustrations thereof at bottom and by going to the Nowness link there to see the full piece.

Moby: Dancing About Architecture on Nowness.com

Following on the heels of his fantastic showing on Conan this week, watch Moby live tonight on EVNTLIVE at the Fonda Theater. Moby’s concert is in support of his fantastic new album Innocents on at 8:30 p.m. PST / 11:30 p.m. EST.  The show will include performances by special guests, including Mark Lanegan, Skylar Grey, Cold Specs, Damien Jurado and Ingyang Bassey, all of who are featured on the album.  The show (part of a three-night run) is the only concert promotion for the new album and will include songs from Innocents and Moby’s greatest hits. You can log onto www.evntlive.com starting at 8:30 p.m. PDT / 11:30 p.m. EDT on October 4th for the live concert or watch three encore performances the following day.

A teenager introduced us awhile back to the ubiquitous song Royals by the New Zealand teenager known as Lorde (Ella Yelich-O’Connor her given name).  From the get-go, it was hard to deny the charm of Royals, with its spare, but beautiful, melody and provocative (in a decent way) lyrics. Without knowing more, we surmised the 16-year old Lorde would be yet another young, juvenile artist left to be exposed and plundered by the critics.  Well we surmised wrong.  Lorde and her new album Pure Heroine have received near-universal praise from critics (including one of our favorites, the highly-respected and exacting Kitty Empire of the Guardian), with the album receiving an admirable 78 score on Metacritic.  And of those that haven’t fallen in line, they are mostly dismissible (the oft-ridiculous Spin amongst them).

Having heard a few more Lorde songs, we are generally impressed (Tennis Court is another gem).  We like the spare production (not unlike The xx), melodies, vocals and (surprisingly) lyrics.  As to the lyrics, the positive influence of her poet mother, Sonja Yelich, is clear.  Thought and care has been taken in crafting the lyrics, which hold up reasonably well to closer scrutiny.

Tuesday night Lorde made her national TV debut on the Jimmy Fallon Show.  We think she acquitted herself quite well (despite the Milli-Vanilli virtual-choir accompaniment–she should have borrowed Moby’s gang).  Watch below as Lorde performed Royals and then White Teeth Teens.  What say you?