The recommendation from Peter Phythian: “There’s lots of people & bands that I obsess about, but the one I seem to have a real problem with is the Night Tripper series of albums by Dr John (his first four records that is). I don’t seem to be able to stop listening to them & I wake up with the songs in my head on a regular basis.The albums being Gris-Gris, Babylon, Remedies and Sun, Moon & Herbs (even the fact the last has Clapton & Jagger on doesn’t put me off it).”

The Source: Rock Torch exclusive, 2/26/10

More on: The Gilded Palace of Sin
(Editor’s note: This UK outfit has been lauded by The New York Times, Mojo and Uncut. Pete’s lyrics are described as ‘crucial… like he’s just been kicked out of Tom Waits’ bar.’ Hear their rock soundscapes and check info about their fantastic debut You Break Our Hearts, We’ll Tear Yours Out at their My Space page)

More on: Dr. John

New to Dr. John? Start here: “The thing I love about them, Gris-Gris in particular, is that I can’t get a grip on where they came from, where they were born. I can see the influences (well some of them) but Gris-Gris seems like seems like he was trying to make a normal record and something came out of the swamps in waves and took over (that’s what I’d like to think anyway). The record flows like a spirit battle between dark and light (guess that’s where the Gris-Gris is). The first two tracks are pretty voodoo, then Mama Roux seems like he’s just woken from a bad dream and needs to forget what it was about before the dark magik takes over again. I Walk on Gilded Splinters the last track is one of the best album closers ever, like he’s accepted he is what he is, the in-between, the bridge , the Night Tripper, the Gris-Gris man.”

Buy the Album Here:

Gris-Gris