that moment when the soul stirrers lift out into the interpolation of “motherless child”…. just perfect.
Sam Cooke & the Soul Stirrers - Jesus, Wash Away My Troubles
Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons - “Born Again”
the son of a baptist minister, cory chisel grew up immersed in the spiritedness of gospel music. a spiritedness that still informs a sound further influenced by iconic artists like howlin’ wolf, aretha franklin, and sam cooke. the native of the upper midwest breathes a refreshing vitality into a sometimes inwardly-focused prosaic genre. we really dig cory (and his wandering sons), if you’re not already up on him, familiarize yourself.
buy “born again”
the wandering sons on myspace
rating: 7.7
two albums enter but only one can be victorious…..
01. rainbow everywhere: ???
02. beach demon: ok, rock and roll. 4/4 beat. but where is the singing?!?!!! wow, if i listen to this song anymore, i think i’ll die. ok, next.
03. to the dregs: oh baby, this sucks!
04. sun open my eyes: i wish i were able to solar eclipse my ears about now
05. gun in the sun: more like gun in my ears!
06. so bored: agree!
07. goth girls: sucks!
08. no hope kids: agree!
09. weed demon:
10. california goths: not another song with the word “goth” in the title. too much nihilism in my area!
11. summer goth: see above
12. beach goth: wow noise!
13. killr punx, scary demons: i want to “scare demons” by “killing the punk” who recorded this piece of piss
14. surf goth: wow!
01. feel it: i love how amped the crowd is to hear cooke. you can really feel it in the recording. don’t fight it, feel it.
02. chain gang: i love the rawness of the mix….the rattle of drum kit. the urgency of this performance….the looseness of the interplay between cooke and his band and cooke and his audience.
03. cupid: cooke has probably performed this song hundreds of times to thousands of people… but even through the recording it really doesn’t feel that way. cooke wants to sing this song. he wants to sing it you. and nothing else matters to him at the moment than that.
04. it’s allright/for sentimental reasons: hell yes! i love how he sets up the opening few lines of “it’s allright”. don’t hit on your wife or anything like that! just let her know!
05. twistin’ the night away: it’s amazing how happy a song recorded 46 years ago can make you feel.
06. somebody have mercy: amen!
07. bring it on home to me: so awesome. what a vocal. the tension build/resolution dynamic between vocal/band is especially powerful.
08. nothing can change this love: i got into this song through otis redding’s version. i love otis but cooke just kills this.
09. having a party: cooke’s instruction to the audience to continue to party after the show and into the night feels more like a celebration than a valediction.
