nick frater Archive

Nick Frater is a remarkably prolific artist; in recent months and years he seems to be cranking out new music at a furious pace. And his quality control program is well in place; he clearly holds his work to a high standard, and potential listeners are all but guaranteed that each new release will be

There’s an ineffable character that connects bands like Cheap Trick, Material Issue, The Raspberries, Matthew Sweet, Ben Folds and a select few others. Their various approaches to music may not share a plethora of specific, identifiable characteristics, but there’s something irresistible about their best work. It’s uplifting and breathtaking, and the act of listening to

Time was, Jordan Oakes reigned as the tastemaker supreme in the powerpop world. His Yellow Pills compilation series shone a light on the very best that the genre had to offer. And the four volumes in the series – all quite expensive today if you can even find them (you can’t have mine) – hammered

With the end of 2019 on the horizon, I figure now’s as good a time as any to bring things up to date with another batch of quick reviews. In this edition: all new music, ten titles. Blues, powerpop, jazz and more. All worth your time. Maybe even a Great Gift Idea™. Happy holidays! Coco