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Cheryl
Wheeler
WAMC
Performing Arts Center, Thursday
Cheryl Wheeler returns to the Linda Norris Auditorium tonight
because—well, because the people wanted her back. And by “people,”
we mean folks who appreciate emotionally charged, well-crafted
music. Music that exhibits both heart and a sense of humor:
Wheeler has a reputation for being almost as much of a comedian
at her shows as she is a musician. Sure, one of her songs
became a Top 10 hit for Dan Seals in the late ’80s, and, sure,
she did the major-label thing (until Capitol decided that
only Garth Brooks was worthy of their promotional efforts),
but Wheeler’s been proudly independent for a decade and a
half now, going her own way musically and releasing acclaimed
albums through stalwart labels like Rounder. If that’s not
enough, her Web site promises that “almost half of the songs”
she performs live have never been recorded. (May 24, 8
PM, $23, 339 Central Ave., Albany, 465-5233 ext. 4)
Sucka
Brown
Savannah’s,
Friday
Boston band Sucka Brown have been kicking around the Northeast
for several years now, and it seems the years have been kind.
The band’s sound, labeled as “rock-funk-pop” on their MySpace
page, has developed from a Chili Peppers-derived blend that
leaned heavily on the “funk” part of the equation to a more
refined and melodic thing that references moderns like Incubus
and Maroon 5. (In good ways, natch.) Tomorrow (Friday), Sucka
Brown will return to Albany to celebrate the release of their
new one, and first for New York label RoHo Records, What
Elephant? Solid Blue will open. (May 25, 9 PM, $5,
1 S. Pearl St., Albany, 426-9647)
Sloan
Wainwright
Caffe
Lena, Friday
Sloan Wainwright does it all: rock, jazz, blues, folk and
pop. OK, maybe we can’t include rap in that list, but you
get the idea. Wainwright has been an innovator on the independent
music scene since her first self-titled album and has sustained
her reputation for strong songwriting and vocal skills on
her most recent album, The Song Inside. Wainwright
makes a point of reaching and inspiring her listeners; according
to the singer, she and her band “take our audience on a journey,
we come in full tilt and do our show.” Of course, it’s impossible
to write about Sloan Wainwright without mentioning her successful
family. Wainwright’s father was a journalist and songwriter,
and the editor of Life magazine. Her brother, Loudon
Wainwright III, is also a popular musician and proud pa to
musicians Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright and Lucy Roche.
How’s that for a gene pool? At Caffe Lena tomorrow (Friday),
Sloan Wainwright will be accompanied by guitarist Stephen
Murphy and Cadence Carroll on percussion and vocals. (May
25, 8 PM, $15, 47 Phila St, Saratoga Springs, 583-0022)
 |
 Fred
Eaglesmith
Club
Helsinki, Saturday
Deemed a “blue-collar country prophet” by fans, Fred Eaglesmith—like
many great country crooners—sings of love and loss, cowboys
and pretty ladies, and farming and drinking. His recent album,
Milly’s Café, was nominated for a Juno award this year
for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year. Though things
have been going well for Eaglesmith and company, the band
hit a personal snafu last week when longtime band member Willie
P. Bennett checked himself into a hospital after not feeling
“up to snuff.” Turns out he had had a heart attack, and therefore
had to take a leave from the band for a while. Regardless,
the show will go on without Bennett (until he gets the go-ahead
from his doctor to perform again), and Eaglesmith and his
band will perform at Club Helsinki this weekend. (May 26,
9 PM, $25, 284 Main St., Great Barrington, Mass., 413-528-3394)
Freedy
Johnston:
Can You Fly? A Bar/None Birthday Bash!
MASS
MoCA, Sunday
In addition to introducing They Might Be Giants into the world,
Hoboken, N.J.’s Bar/None Records has brought us records from
Petra Haden (her priceless re-creation of The Who Sell
Out), Of Montreal, Evan Dando, Alex Chilton, Mason Jennings,
and many others. The label celebrates its 20th—well, 21st
actually—birthday this weekend in, of all places, North Adams,
Mass. (Maxwell’s must have been booked.) This is fortuitous
for us because another fine Bar/None artist, Freedy Johnston,
will be on hand to perform his acclaimed second release Can
You Fly? in its entirety. Selected as one of the top albums
of 1992 by Musician, Spin, Village Voice,
People, and Playboy, it was the album that established
Johnston as one of his generation’s great songwriters. Also
on Sunday’s birthday bill are New York pop combo Vampire Weekend,
and singer-inventor Brian Dewan. (May 27, 7 PM, $21, 87
Marshall St., N. Adams, Mass., 413-662-2111)
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