new wave Archive
28 Dec 2020
Always Comes Back: 415 Records and the SF New Wave Scene (Part 1 of 3)
An edited version of this feature appeared previously as a cover story in SF Weekly. And LATE BREAKING NEWS: My book about 415 Records will be published in 2021. — […]
12 Jul 2020
Album Review: The Limits – Songs About Girls
Reunions are a common occurrence in rock music. 1960s garage rock band The Limits never achieved any notability outside their hometown, but a new group bearing that name came out […]
03 Mar 2020
Prog in Disguise: The Buggles’ ‘The Age of Plastic’ at 40
The late 1970s were an odd time for popular music. Today’s listeners know that punk made its mark in the middle ’70s, but it’s worth noting that from a commercial […]
15 Dec 2019
Hundred-word Reviews for December 2019, #3
Here’s the final installment of the year (and the decade!) of my quick, condensed album reviews. Ten titles, 100 words each. Seven are new releases; the remaining three are archival […]
22 Oct 2019
Album Review: Roger C. Reale and Rue Morgue — The Collection
An obscure and overlooked bit of music history is revived with a reissue/archival release by Roger C. Reale and Rue Morgue. Reale led a band that was together for a […]
14 Aug 2019
Hundred-word Reviews for August 2019, Part Three (Archival)
Time for a look at ten new albums featuring reissued, compilation and/or archival material. Rock, jazz and beyond. Collect ’em all, kids! Soul Asylum – While You Were Out / […]
09 Aug 2019
The Drive to 1981 Begins: A Look Back at Robert Fripp’s Masterful ‘Exposure’ (Part 2)
Continued from Part One … Fans of King Crimson’s Red receive a wonderful treat with “Breathless.” Though the specific players on each track aren’t noted, the song – very much […]
08 Aug 2019
The Drive to 1981 Begins: A Look Back at Robert Fripp’s Masterful ‘Exposure’ (Part 1)
Guitarist Robert Fripp has long been one of music’s most intriguing figures. Largely operating outside the pop mainstream (and, when he can, outside the traditional machinery of the music business […]
23 Jul 2019
Confusion: A Look Back at ‘Identity’ by Zee (Richard Wright and Dave Harris)
Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright was not what one would call a prolific artist. While he composed some superb songs for the Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon‘s […]
15 Jun 2019
EP Review: Versal
A vocal chorus pad introduces the EP, but that aural texture quickly subsides in favor of crystalline acoustic piano playing a simple yet appealing melody. As “Eternal” unfolds, those electronically […]