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MUSIC
Bo Bice has moved on from "American Idol," but how far is open to debate.
(By Chris Pizzello -- Associated Press)
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For his rancorous poverty blues "Don't Do Me No Favours," Hunter finally let his guitar off its leash, scratching out a buoyant rhythm even during his terse solos. With the finale, "Talking 'Bout My Love," Hunter (who later joined Isaak on the Leiber-Stoller standard "Kansas City") proved himself more than ready to rock the big rooms himself, tapping out syncopated blurts on the neck of his guitar while shooting his hips and knees from side to side in a way that would surely cause most 45-year-old men permanent and humiliating injury. A three-fourths standing ovation for the opening act? Believe it. Must be why he called his 2006 album "People Gonna Talk."
--Chris Klimek
Wood Brothers
Upright bass, acoustic or electric guitar, some rack-mounted, Dylanesque harmonica -- the Wood Brothers kept things simple at the Rams Head Tavern on Thursday night. Up to a point, that is.
If the siblings still seem to be under the sway of their father's record collection -- Bill Wood played a minor role in the '60s folk revival -- there were moments when they also sounded as though they grew up playing pots and pans, entranced by sheer clangor and rhythm. Both musicians displayed a highly percussive attack. Bassist Chris favored thick tones, syncopated body slaps and bowed dissonances, while guitarist Oliver produced slashing bottleneck riffs, stinging single-note runs and fat-chord funk vamps.
Well known for his alliance with Medeski, Martin and Wood, Chris occasionally tempered the mood with his soft tenor croon, and sometimes Oliver did likewise by contributing a plaintive blues vocal. But beginning with Bob Dylan's "Buckets of Rain," which was abruptly punctuated by a rhythmic surge, the duo revealed its propulsive force and freewheeling spirit.
What's more, Chris's gift for improvisation and Oliver's affinity for both country and rock blues made for some interesting contrasts during a performance laced with original tunes drawn from the duo's two CDs, including the Southern narrative "Postcards From Hell," as well as covers of Jimi Hendrix's "Angel" and Mississippi John Hurt's "Pay Day." Oliver, who somehow managed get through the show without breaking a string, handled most of the lead vocals with soulful assurance, though a few of original lyrics didn't add up to much.
-- Mike Joyce
