new release Archive
08 Aug 2018
Book Review: Richard Macphail — My Book of Genesis
I really enjoy reading behind-the-scenes and/or personal memoirs about the different corners of the music world. While reading autobiographies by big names has its rewards, I tend to find greater […]
07 Aug 2018
The Ru-Jac Records Story, Part Two
Continued from Part One… Something Got a Hold on Me covers 1963-1964, the earliest years of Ru-Jac, ones that featured the Kay Keys Band, Little Sonny Daye, Brenda Jones, Parker, […]
06 Aug 2018
The Ru-Jac Records Story, Part One
Beginning operations in 1963, Baltimore-based Ru-Jac Records was an African American-owned and -operated record label. Founded by Rufus E. Mitchell and Jack Bennett, Ru-Jac was a singles-only label that released […]
04 Aug 2018
Album Review: Pale Blue Dot — Anatomy
From a music standpoint, Charlottesville, Virginia is perhaps best known for the jam-band hero Dave Matthews (who’s South African, but is associated with the city). Appalachian music plays a part […]
04 Aug 2018
Album Review: Randal Branham – Simple
Piano players have an uphill battle when trying to place themselves at the center of a rock band (I say this as a keyboard player myself). When it works – […]
02 Aug 2018
Through the Glass: Doc Aquatic
The hypnotic grooves and commitment to melody on Shadowless Man, the latest release from Doc Aquatic’s latest album, display the group’s skill at both drawing from classic influences and filtering […]
01 Aug 2018
Sloan: A Question of Balance
Canadian rock foursome Sloan is unusual in the context of popular music: the band has been together for more than 25 years without a single change in its lineup. Even […]
31 Jul 2018
Coming Through: Andrew Scotchie & the River Rats
Andrew Scotchie and the River Rats recently debuted their third album, Family Dynamo. The album represents a step forward for Andrew Scotchie & the River Rats. “It definitely has more […]
28 Jul 2018
Album Review: Jared Weiss – Isolated Thunderstorms
The press kit tells us that Isolated Thunderstorms began its life as a folk record, and evolved into a rock one. I’ve no particular reason to doubt that sequence of […]
28 Jul 2018
Album Review: The League of One – Dispatch
Drawing from ‘70s sludge metal (Black Sabbath) ‘80’s hair bands (pick any one; they’re pretty well interchangeable) and modern-day speed metal, The League of one makes the kind of hard […]