new release Archive
26 Aug 2025
Film Review: Deep Roots: The Art and Music of Bill Steber and Friends
Documentarian Robert Mugge started making films in the early 1970s. Focusing primarily on music, Mugge’s subjects have included everything from reggae (1983’s Cool Runnings: The Reggae Movie) and zydeco (2015’s […]
22 Aug 2025
Album Review: Big Chief Bo Dollis Jr. — Chip Off the Old Block
While I have deep respect for the Mardi Gras Indian subgenre of funk, it doesn’t rank among my favorite styles of music. But as is sometimes the case, one particular […]
21 Aug 2025
Album Review: Yuka & Chronoship – Ribbon Butterfly
Released in 2015, The 3rd Plantary Chronicles was the third album from Japan’s Yuka & Chronoship. Yuka’s brand of neo-prog on that album was a remarkable synthesis of classic motifs, […]
20 Aug 2025
Ben Folds’ Solo Shows and Orchestral Concerts: But Wait, There’s More
Ben Folds is playing dates with orchestras, and he’s scheduling performances that will feature him alone onstage with a piano. Those solo dates showcase just one of the many dimensions […]
18 Aug 2025
Album Review: The Long Distance Relationship – When the Walls Come Down
The Long Distance Relationship rose out of the debris of Hurricane Katrina, and its leader, Dave Baker resettled in Asheville NC. The “group” has always had a revolving cast built […]
15 Aug 2025
30 Days Out, August 2025 #2: Five Eight, Sixpence None the Richer, Return of the King, Pinkish Floyd
The next 30 days in Asheville live music are filled with gems. Athens alt-rock, ‘90s pop, and tributes to the king of rock ‘n’ roll and one of rock’s best […]
14 Aug 2025
The Polymathematics of David J
Calling David J (Haskins) a bassist is technically correct, but doing so ignores his myriad other artistic pursuits. Singer, songwriter, playwright, film scorer, director, poet, author and spoken-word artist are […]
07 Aug 2025
Duane Betts: Family Business
Having a famous surname often brings with it high expectations. In the case of guitarist, songwriter and singer Duane Betts, it’s doubly so: the 47-year-old musician is the son of […]
04 Aug 2025
Album Review: The Black Watch – For All the World
“Come on,” I can almost hear you telling me. “You’ve told us plenty of times that The Black Watch are prolific. Tell us something else.” Fair enough. John Andrew Fredrick […]
31 Jul 2025
Album Review: Willie Nile – The Great Yellow Light
This just in: Willie Nile has released another very good album. The thing is, the NYC artist has been doing that with regularity for a very long time, rarely receiving […]