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Tom Morello aka The Nightwatchman Keeps it Political: Review of Cambridge, MA show @ TT the Bears
Rage Against the Machine is one of the most political (and successful) of bands out there. Whether lead guitarist Tom Morello, aka The Nightwatchman, achieves those lofty heights in his solo career is uncertain, but there's no doubt about Morello's politics.
During his 80-minute show before a packed crowd of about 300, that came through loud and clear time and time and time again, starting with "One Man Revolution."
Morello focused on songs from his solo disc, "One Man Revolution," released in late April. Morello played only acoustic guitar, and he made it a powerhouse instrument. He plays with vigor and emotion, showing plugging in does not necessarily make a musical statement.
Most of the statements, though were on the political side, usually for working people and definitely against the forces of government. Morello said in introducing the lone Rage song he played, "Guerilla Radio," that he would be happy when it would be played at the war crimes trial of President Bush. Morello was obviously not exactly scared to state what was on his mind.
As for the songs themselves, Morello recalls Iggy Pop vocally, doing a fine job of putting them across. He also has many quality songs including the catchy "The Road I Must Travel." His version of "I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night" was excellent and, of course, appropriate.
Morello also turned in a good reading of Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land," pointing out that several verses were censored when he was growing up with the song really about the powers that aren't.
While Morello comes off as being for and about the People, he could not quite escape some of his rock star trappings. He instructed the faithful a bit too often, probably telling the crowd at about four different junctures to be quiet because a song was about to be played and giving very specific directions, including jumping up and down as they would at a Rage show, not once, but twice.
Morello should have trusted his fans a bit more than to give so many directions.
And another point of quibble - Morello kept referring to himself in the third person. It's not as if The Nightwatchman truly is an alter ego of Morello.
Yet, Morello was very appreciative of the crowd, telling them he meant it at the end when he said this was the best throng he encountered in the tour.
The evening proved to be a real treat in seeing the ace slinger at a small club instead of some large arena now that Rage is playing shows again after a seven-year hiatus (the band's coming out was the Coachella fest in late April). For those unfortunate enough to be shut out of tickets, Morello sad he would return at the fall, playing a bigger venue.
Also going a different route than the norm was opening act Dustin Kensrue, lead singer of the Irvine, Cal.-based band Thrice. Ensure mixed his set up between covers (a good version of Elvis Costello's "Radio Radio") and his own material.
Kensrue, who released a solo disc in January, looked to Dylan and Springsteen (Kensrue turned in a sturdy version of "State Trooper") as reference points.
It's interesting to hear artists mining one musical territory to change gears and go a different path. One got the sense that this was an outlet for Kensrue to express himself in a way he couldn't with his regular hardcore gig, and generally it was to good effect.
However, Kensrue might have been helped by a more formal set structure as he operated without a set list. The result was that the seat meandered a bit instead of building to something bigger, but at least the quality was there.
Thrice fans need not worry that Kensrue has left the fold. He said the group would release two albums apiece in the fall and winter of 2008 and tour before year's end. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© Country Standard Time • Jeffrey B. Remz, editor & publisher • countryst@aol.com
Visit our sister publication Country Standard Time.
During his 80-minute show before a packed crowd of about 300, that came through loud and clear time and time and time again, starting with "One Man Revolution."
Morello focused on songs from his solo disc, "One Man Revolution," released in late April. Morello played only acoustic guitar, and he made it a powerhouse instrument. He plays with vigor and emotion, showing plugging in does not necessarily make a musical statement.
Most of the statements, though were on the political side, usually for working people and definitely against the forces of government. Morello said in introducing the lone Rage song he played, "Guerilla Radio," that he would be happy when it would be played at the war crimes trial of President Bush. Morello was obviously not exactly scared to state what was on his mind.
As for the songs themselves, Morello recalls Iggy Pop vocally, doing a fine job of putting them across. He also has many quality songs including the catchy "The Road I Must Travel." His version of "I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night" was excellent and, of course, appropriate.
Morello also turned in a good reading of Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land," pointing out that several verses were censored when he was growing up with the song really about the powers that aren't.
While Morello comes off as being for and about the People, he could not quite escape some of his rock star trappings. He instructed the faithful a bit too often, probably telling the crowd at about four different junctures to be quiet because a song was about to be played and giving very specific directions, including jumping up and down as they would at a Rage show, not once, but twice.
Morello should have trusted his fans a bit more than to give so many directions.
And another point of quibble - Morello kept referring to himself in the third person. It's not as if The Nightwatchman truly is an alter ego of Morello.
Yet, Morello was very appreciative of the crowd, telling them he meant it at the end when he said this was the best throng he encountered in the tour.
The evening proved to be a real treat in seeing the ace slinger at a small club instead of some large arena now that Rage is playing shows again after a seven-year hiatus (the band's coming out was the Coachella fest in late April). For those unfortunate enough to be shut out of tickets, Morello sad he would return at the fall, playing a bigger venue.
Also going a different route than the norm was opening act Dustin Kensrue, lead singer of the Irvine, Cal.-based band Thrice. Ensure mixed his set up between covers (a good version of Elvis Costello's "Radio Radio") and his own material.
Kensrue, who released a solo disc in January, looked to Dylan and Springsteen (Kensrue turned in a sturdy version of "State Trooper") as reference points.
It's interesting to hear artists mining one musical territory to change gears and go a different path. One got the sense that this was an outlet for Kensrue to express himself in a way he couldn't with his regular hardcore gig, and generally it was to good effect.
However, Kensrue might have been helped by a more formal set structure as he operated without a set list. The result was that the seat meandered a bit instead of building to something bigger, but at least the quality was there.
Thrice fans need not worry that Kensrue has left the fold. He said the group would release two albums apiece in the fall and winter of 2008 and tour before year's end. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© Country Standard Time • Jeffrey B. Remz, editor & publisher • countryst@aol.com
Visit our sister publication Country Standard Time.