Billy Ebeling and the Late For Dinner Band

“A Thing for You”

This local blues, folk and zydeco troubadour spends much of his time playing every back-alley joint from Tonganoxie to Gladstone, Mo. — if it’s got “BBQ” or “kitchen” in the title, Billy Ebeling’s probably been there.

Since so much emphasis is placed on being a live entertainer, Ebeling’s recordings (of which there are nearly a dozen) strive to recreate that experience and rarely stray from the beaten path. Traditional bar-band instrumentation — bluesy electric guitar, harmonica, electric bass and drums — complements Ebeling’s gentle voice, and a cast of local musicians put in guest spots on banjo, fiddle, mandolin, Hammond organ, harmonica and horns.

Ebeling’s strength is his relaxed delivery and its interaction with his bluesy slide guitar stylings. His original songs sound instantly familiar, utilizing age-old blues and zydeco progressions. While Ebeling seems to have a firm grasp on these traditions, he doesn’t seem to want to push the envelope on any of them. Songs travel exactly where you’d expect them to: verse-chorus-verse structures interspersed with predictable solos.

For fans of Ebeling’s live shows, “A Thing for You” is probably just what they’d want to take home with them. If you’re looking to check Ebeling out for the first time, save your money for his next show — heck, it’s tomorrow night!

The Life On Earth

“Your Karma Is Coming”

If Animal from The Muppets discovered Sun Ra and Philip Glass and holed up in his basement for a couple of months to record an album, you might have The Life On Earth.

Actually, The Life On Earth is the brainchild of Ben Tuttle, a local multi-instrumentalist who has played drums for Everest and also manned sound for a number of other local bands, including Lawrence expatriates Mates of State. Tuttle is the kind of guy who always seems to have a hand in local projects but rarely ends up in the spotlight.

With “Your Karma Is Coming,” the stage is all his. The nine-song instrumental disc features Tuttle on drums, vibes, percussion, keyboards, saxophone, tape effects, bass and assorted noisemakers (the only guest on the album is Brian Schey, who contributes bass to three tracks).

Like Tortoise or The Sea and Cake (minus the vocals), Tuttle builds ambient soundscapes around thick, percussive grooves littered with jazzy vibes and assorted tape effects. Electronica effects and assorted samples buzz in and out of songs, lending a mysterious edge to the recordings.

The album is a bit of a slow burn, focusing the listener’s attention on the entire experience rather than individual cuts. Certain tracks do stand out, however, such as the head-bobbing “The Ladybug” and the Latin percussion-tinged “A Sudden Road to Mexico.”

At 27 minutes long, “Your Karma Is Coming” is just the right length to throw on while preparing a meal or running on a treadmill. But don’t underestimate it — the album is as engaging in the background or the foreground.