Mendocino Seasonal Oatmeal Stout Review

Mendocino Brewing Company has been on the craft beer scene for a long time. They have a stable of ales with bird themed names - such as Red Tail Ale and White Hawk IPA - that are good quality, affordable beers, though none are especially bold or adventurous. Their new seasonal release for 2013 is simply titled "Oatmeal Stout." (Fans of feathered animals will be glad to know that even though no birds are used in the name, a bevy of birds adorn the label and six-pack carton.)

The Oatmeal Stout is a worthy addition to the Mendocino lineup. Heavy on the oatmeal, this is a thick and rich brew. The other flavors, mostly chocolate and coffee, are well balanced. There is a hop presence, neither under nor overwhelming. Every bottle we poured had a tan 1/4 - 1/2 inch head. If you are tiring of all the spiced beer seasonal offerings, this dry stout is recommended as a pleasant change of pace.

ABV 6.0%

Southern Tier 2XMAS Seasonal Beer Review

An onslaught of seasonal brews is upon us. Just a few short years ago, it seemed that only a handful of craft breweries came up with special seasonal releases for the winter holiday season. Now, it seems like every brewery does. Finding the diamonds in the rough can be a tough challenge. Southern Tier Brewery's seasonal ale is 2XMAS. The label notes that it is brewed with figs, orange peel, spices, two hop varieties and four different malts. It's a nice balance between all of those; the spices -cardamom, cinnamon and clove - are at the forefront, but hops and the other flavors have a strong presence. Highly recommended as a good sipping ale for cool winter evenings.

ABV 8.0%

Review of Tedeschi Trucks Band: Live - Everybody's Talkin'

The Tedeschi Trucks Band is a musical review along the lines of circa 1970 touring bands such as Joe Cocker Mad Dogs & Englishmen and Delaney & Bonnie & Friends. The sound and attitude of the band draws heavily from that era. They pay tribute to the past without simply repeating it, unlike several current revivals of 1960s bands. Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB) is an eleven piece group with a horn section, two backing vocalists, and twin drummers. It is led by Susan Tedeschi, who has the most soulful voice found in a white woman since Bonnie Raitt, and her husband Derek Trucks. Trucks has been unequaled on slide guitar since he started playing with the Allman Brothers Band in 1999, if not before that, building on the foundation laid down by Duane Allman in that band's beginnings.

TTB is a melting pot of blues, R&B, soul, jazz, blues, and rock, much like those 70s bands mentioned above. It was a time when musical boundaries were crossed much more freely, and in many cases, dissolved altogether.

Everybody's Talkin' was recorded during the tour that followed the release of Revelator, TTB's debut release from June 2011. It features a mix of songs from that record, several covers of 1960s and 70s tunes and at least one previously unreleased song. Most tracks are in the ten to twelve minute range, with long solos that build slowly from quiet beginnings to full band frenzy. Trucks and his distinctive guitar style, where he balances restraint against a tone that usually sounds about one decibel shy of rocket launch, are featured in many solos, but almost everyone in the band gets their turn front and center.

A riff-based version of “Everybody's Talkin'”, the classic Fred Neil song made most popular by Harry Nilsson, opens the record. Tedeschi plays with the melody and as the groove heats up, Truck begins to fill in with his slide guitar. It's nice to hear a reworking of this song, but some of the other covers are more rewarding.

“Uptight” is every bit as funky as the original version by Stevie Wonder. The first solo break features Saunders Sermons on trombone with Oteil Burbridge laying down mile-a-minute bass support. Oteil gets most of the second break to himself, with a long bass and vocalizing buildup before he hands off to Tyler Greenwell and J.J. Johnson for a drum/percussion duet.

“Darlin Be Home Soon” was a Lovin' Spoonful song, also covered by Joe Cocker on his second album. It's perhaps the most melodic song on this record, with a soft trumpet solo and a lovely extended solo from Derek for the full second half of the track.

“That Did It” is a classic-sounding blues song with a tasteful and gritty guitar solo from Tedeschi. “Learn How to Love” is also in the blues mold and has Trucks and Tedeschi trading riffs during an extended guitar breakdown.

Several songs are from last year's Revelator album, including “Midnight in Harlem,” “Learn How to Love,” “Bound For Glory,” and “Love Has Something Else to Say.” These songs have not been significantly reworked, but as might be expected, have extended solos as well as new intros and outros, typically featuring Derek. He displays his Indian raga chops along with a nod to Duane Allman's “Little Martha” as a lead-in to “Midnight in Harlem.”

The album closes with “Wade in the Water,” Staples Singers style, soulful and joyous, with restrained slide guitar, muted horns, and a hammond organ swelling just below the surface. The vocalists trade lines and a fat bass sound holds down the bottom of the mix. It's a musical stew where every ingredient has a chance to shine and the combination of flavors has something for everyone.

Note: this review was originally published at my HubPages site in May, 2012, but has been relocated.

TRACK LISTING:

Disc 1

1. Everybody’s Talkin’
2. Midnight in Harlem (Swamp Raga Intro with Little Martha)
3. Learn How to Love
4. Bound for Glory
5. Rollin’ and Tumblin’
6. Nobody’s Free
7. Darlin’ Be Home Soon

Disc 2

1. That Did It
2. Uptight
3. Love Has Something Else to Say (With Kissing My Love)
4. Wade in the Water