'Waiting Out the Storm' with Jeremy Ivey
Maybe it’s because of his use of futuristic themes or the fact that he named his band the Extraterrestrials, but Jeremy Ivey’s latest record Waiting Continue Reading
John Lennon's Minimalist Journey to Independence
By 1970, John Lennon struggled to break free from his former Fab Four image and transform himself into a more cynical, hard-edged solo artist. John Continue Reading
Bright Eyes' 'Down in the Weeds' Is a Return to Form and a Statement of Hope
In 2004, as I hobbled toward my frumpy 40s, I became enamored of a band that, at the time, appealed primarily to angsty teens: Bright Continue Reading
Dianne Davidson Comes 'Full Circle'
There are several versions of the jokey saying, “Old musicians never die.” The most popular are: “they just get played out”, “they just decompose”, and Continue Reading
Old 97's' 'Twelfth' Is Masterful
Dallas’ Old 97’s tend to break expectations. For one, they’ve been working with the same four members for 27 years. That’s so rare it’s nearly Continue Reading
The Beatles' 'Help!' Redefined How Personal Popular Music Could Be 55 Years Ago
“When Help! came out in ’65, I was actually crying out for help. Most people think it’s just a fast rock ‘n’ roll song.” That’s Continue Reading
Counterbalance 25: Television – 'Marquee Moon'
Klinger: Now here’s a real puzzler of a record for our Counterbalance purposes. Most everything we’ve covered so far has either been an immediate game-changer Continue Reading
Chris Stamey Paints in "A Brand-New Shade of Blue" (premiere + interview)
A Brand-New Shade of Blue is the new release from Chris Stamey and the Fellow Travelers. Omnivore Recordings release the digital album on 17 July. Continue Reading
Journalist Jonathan Cott's Interviews, Captured
Jonathan Cott’s Listening: Interviews, 1970 – 1989, is a welcome companion for challenging times. Cott, author of 20 books and a contributor to The Washington Continue Reading
The 50 Best Albums of 2020 So Far
Ambrose Akinmusire – on the tender spot of every calloused moment [Blue Note] Ambrose Akinmusire seems particularly mature as an artist and particularly within the Continue Reading
Staying In Amid Coronavirus Scare? Watch These Music & Concert Films to Escape
It was the empowering motivator known as Lizzo who ordered us to “kick off your shoes, take a deep breath, time to focus on you.” Continue Reading
2020 Reggae Grammy Nominees Weigh In on the State of Their Genre
The 2020 best reggae album Grammy nominations speak to a few trends for the genre and the Recording Academy: independent labels issue the most favored releases, Continue Reading
2023 Oscars Winners List Revealed
2023 Oscars day has arrived! Who will take home the coveted trophies? On Sunday (March 5), the 95th Annual Academy Awards will take place at Continue Reading
Steve Wynn Cracks Open the Archive with 'Decade'
Steve Wynn has the patience of a saint. When he formed the Dream Syndicate in 1981, he was up against it, as all the hip Continue Reading
Fleet Foxes Take a Trip to the 'Shore'
The most notable aspect of Fleet Foxes’ appropriately titled latest release, Shore, is just how much it sounds like being at the beach. That is Continue Reading
Brian Bromberg Pays Tribute to Hendrix With "Jimi" (premiere + interview)
Bassmaster Brian Bromberg has remixed and remastered his 2012 album Bromberg Plays Hendrix to mark the half-century passing of guitar master Jimi Hendrix. One of Continue Reading
Makin' Tracks: Niko Moon Blends Country, Hip-Hop and Apple Pie Moonshine in ‘Good Time’
The bone-rattling synth bass tones and the ricky-ticky sound of programmed snare in Niko Moon’s debut single, “Good Time,” are sure to rouse the ire Continue Reading