26 Dec 2020
Album (and EP) Review: Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets — ‘Lay it on Me’ and ‘Walkabout’
Sometimes, when two great musical forces meet, the results can be disastrous, or at least unimpressive. I don’t count myself as a fan of the ill-advised Lou Reed and Metallica […]
12 Dec 2017
Lowe’s Straitjackets
Though he’s known primarily for his 1979 hit single “Cruel to Be Kind,” singer-songwriter Nick Lowe is a revered figure in rock and pop music. A key figure in the […]
14 Jun 2011
¡Veinte Preguntas para Los Straitjackets!
I first saw Los Straitjackets onstage in February 2004. Their music and image is – to use a Hollywood term – “high concept.” Picture this: a four piece band, all […]
27 Jan 2008
Los Straitjackets: A New Twist on an Old Sensation
Legendary instro-rockers Los Straitjackets have taken worthwhile stylistic excursions before. While their primary métier is surf music, they joined with a host of vocalists for 2001’s Sing Along with Los […]
15 Jul 2022
30 Days Out, July 2022 #2: The Deslondes, The Aristocrats, Rebekah Todd, L.A. Witch
One act with local ties, a supergroup, an emerging artist to watch and some no-holds-barred west coast rock are among the highlights of live music in Asheville over the coming […]
14 Jun 2021
Musoscribe at 12
This month marks the 12-year anniversary of this here Musoscribe site. I’ve been writing much longer than that, but I started archiving/posting my work online in June 2009. It seems […]
11 Dec 2020
Album Review: The Neptunas – Mermaid A-Go-Go
There’s something inescapably, relentlessly cool about surf rock. The style had its heyday in the early ‘60s, but it’s never gone away. And for good reason: there’s something irresistible about […]
04 Dec 2020
Album Review: The Krayolas – Savage Young Krayolas
In the shady corners of rock’s history, there have been more than a few retro purveyors who managed to breathe new life into well-trodden styles. Occasionally, they’ve done more than […]
31 Oct 2020
It’s a Goolie Get-together!
A little over a year ago I was tapped to write liner notes for the first-ever reissue (on CD and vinyl) of The Munsters, a cash-in album that’s actually pretty […]
09 Aug 2020
Album Review: Turnstyles – Cut You Off
Members of Jack Oblivian’s band, Seth Moody (guitar) and Graham Winchester (drums) are Turnstyles. From Memphis, this group/duo deals in the rocking yet cheerfully loose vibe that characterizes many of […]