pop Archive
03 Feb 2018
Album Review: Jason Vitelli — Head Above Tide
Vitelli’s crystalline, classically-inflected piano style and clear voice give the music on Head Above Tide a regal, refined feel that may remind some of Neal Morse-era Spock’s Beard crossed with […]
07 Jan 2018
Hundred Word Reviews for January 2018, Part 2
As promised, here are ten more capsule reviews of new music. The Sherlocks – Live for the Moment In an era many define as “post-rock,” it’s refreshing to discover a […]
01 Jan 2018
A look back at Love’s ‘Forever Changes’
This article appeared originally on BestClassicBands. From the release of Love’s March 1966 debut single, “My Little Red Book” b/w “A Message to Pretty,” it was clear the Los Angeles […]
24 Dec 2017
Boxed Set Review: Isaac Hayes — The Spirit of Memphis
Isaac Hayes was the man. Certainly, he developed an outsized public persona, with his bare chest, furry boots, wide-brimmed hat, chains and gold-played Cadillac (though not all at the same […]
16 Dec 2017
Hundred-word Reviews for December 2017: New Music
As the end of 2017 approaches, it’s time to clear out some of the backlog on my review shelf. Here are ten titles, all new music, that I think might […]
11 Dec 2017
Sidney Barnes: A Preview
Note: I recently conducted a wide-ranging and lively interview with Sidney Barnes; the result of that is an in-depth feature running soon in Record Collector Magazine. In the meantime, this […]
10 Dec 2017
Book Reviews for the End of 2017
With so much of 2017 spent writing a book of my own, I’ve found less time than usual to read the works of other authors. Happily, three titles that I […]
05 Dec 2017
Olivia Newton-John Returns to Live Performance with All-hits Show
Olivia Newton-John has been a pop star for more than four decades. She got her professional start on Australian TV and radio, and cut her first single in 1966. Newton-John […]
18 Nov 2017
100-word Reviews for November 2017: New Music
So much great music and so little time. Here’s ten reviews: all new music, each summed up in 100 words. All are worth your time. Bryant Fabian Marsalis – Do […]
31 Oct 2017
Peggy Ratusz and Paula Hanke: Celebrating Women Who Make Music History
Note: See the update at the end of the story. — bk Peggy Ratusz and Paula Hanke are among the most well-known musical performers in Asheville; both have played on […]