DON'T MEAN to be glum or weird. But I was feeling lots of "beyond the grave" vibes rising out of this week's new releases pile from artists like Howlin Rain, Don Bryon, Angelique Kidjo and the Grateful Dead.
HEAR THEM ROAR: Everyone connects music to people and events. For me, Howlin Rain's "The Russian Wilds" (American, A-) will always be associated with a mobile message that came through while I was listening: an alert that Steve Leon had died of a massive heart attack.
Better known to radio listeners of WDAS-FM in its underground rock phase as "My Father's Son" (dad Max owned the station), Steve was one crazy dude. He'd go on the air sounding like he was high as a kite. And he sometimes freaked out listeners by playing two records at once (very annoying, if you weren't in the right mood). I always enjoyed his special taste in soulfully psychedelic rock, though, which is where Howlin Rain fits in, with almost scary synchronicity.