Second take? Such a treasure! On Wine Dark Sea, Jolie Holland’s sixth LP, the eclectic singer-songwriter doesn’t just sit at the intersection of blues, soul and folk — she proves…
Album Reviews
A lot of singer/songwriters pen songs with a conscience. But, unless they’re Bruce Springsteen, rarely do those tunes mix catchiness and a playful vibe with a biting edge and in-your-face…
Adventures In Bluesland, the newest release from New York-based singer/guitarist Phil Gammage, isn’t what I was expecting, to be frank, and it’s a great/pleasant surprise. I was prepared for a…
When you listen to A Winged Victory for the Sullen’s new record, titled Atomos, it’s difficult not to think about the musicality and inherent narratives of human breathing. True, there…
The latest Ipecac Records serving by proto-punk/metal-heads/Gods of Thunder The Melvins — this one titled, counter-intuitively, Hold It In — sounds like another experiment from the California-by-way-of-Washington grunge founders, and…
Now that the long national terror has abated, we can talk candidly.
The word “concept” album took on a negative connotation by the end of the ’70’s. However, this isn’t the ’70’s and concept albums are a good thing. It’s nice to…
You could make the argument that this is one of those reviews that just writes itself. On first hearing the name of the band, I thought “Who fans”, since instinct…
This is good – this is VERY good. Matt McClowry, a stand-up comic with a sharp wit, wry delivery and perfect sense of timing, unleashes Uncomfortable, an album of every…
There seems to be a stream – not so much a trend – of bands/performers who have been releasing albums as of late with a “soundtrack” feel – small wonder,…
This is an interesting CD to have graced my desk and reached my ears. A lot going on in this album – busy but never cluttered. A good production (how…
A very rich and full debut album from Neulore, a Nashville-based duo, comprised of Adam Agin and William T. Cook. Newly signed to Island Records’ imprint Chop Shop and touring…
A couple of words would fit to neatly describe this Australian-based band and their latest effort, Anyway: dreamy-pop, light psychedelia, nouveaux hippies – all of it is fine but I…
First, I should thank the incredible Cyndi Dawson of The Cynz for having an intuition that I would like this band and their music. She was/is completely right. Second, I…
Did you pre-order Shellac’s Dude Incredible yet? And, give it to me straight, are these Touch-and-Go Records legends still in their prime, still sharp as knives and angry as shit…
Matthew Ryan can write a song and make you feel it in no time at all. He’s got it; he understands the craft. And on this, his newest album, Boxers,…
It’s not enough that I really enjoyed Stop, Look & Listen, the debut album from Bridgeport, Connecticut’s Lines West – now comes the 2nd solo album from the band’s singer…
Atmosphere is the operative word for this debut album from Boston “dream pop” duo, Pale Hands. Comprised of singer Jen Johnson and husband/musical partner Mike Latulippe, these nine songs are…
With a name like “Billy Roberts & the Rough Riders,” one can almost hear the type of proto-barn-stomping, hard-folking, country-shocking rockers made-to-order on the band’s new album, The Last of…
This debut album from acoustic-based, singer-songwriter Johnny Lewis has yet to hit the streets, but when it does, I hope people will sit up and take notice. Hailing from Minneapolis,…
This third album from Brooklyn duo Cinema Cinema is filled with heavy riffs, screaming – sometimes angry but always intense – vocals, but it has a metallic power and sense…
Progressive, experimental, and yet, so personal and universal. Woodstock, NY-based musician Ben Vita deviates from his history of politically-charged material and creates something truly extraordinary — and wholly refreshing. At…
This beautiful, other-worldly sophomore album from Living With Elephants is an emotional and spiritual uplift. The Ulster County, New York quintet’s second album Home is ten tracks of heart, warmth…
This young singer-songwriter from Minneapolis delivers his second album – filled with mature, lush arrangements and fully realized songs that instantly captures your ear. Only 19 years old, John Mark…
A serious, melodic, lush and dramatic stunner. I think that describes with some accuracy International Blue, the new album from Dutch multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Stephen Emmer. For this effort, he enlists the…
Most musicians opt for day jobs as waiters, retail hounds, or administrative whipping boys and girls. Not Just Walden mastermind Danny Ferraro. Before abandoning his civilian life for that of…
Nashville sextet Buffalo Clover come out of the gate swinging hard with two brand new releases – their sophomore studio effort Test Your Love and the live offering of Live…
Imagine being catapulted through a portion of the ’80’s, picking up four fine musicians and then landing around 1966, ’67. That would be my short description of The Empty Hearts,…
Cold Revival is the title of the upcoming new solo album from Matt Turk, a singer-songwriter from Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. The irony of the album title is this album is…
How – HOW can one NOT get excited about an album that was: a) produced by Steve Almaas – of The Suicide Commandos, Beat Rodeo, solo artist and one-time Bongo/sometime…