new release Archive
11 Nov 2016
Sweet Claudette: What We Learned at Bird Camp
On their 2013 For the Birds EP, Sweet Claudette successfully blended classic country and Americana, delivering six original tunes in an intimate, homespun style that focused on their vocal strengths. […]
10 Nov 2016
Album Mini-review: Allyson Seconds — Little World
File next to: Anton Barbeau, Corner Laughers Pop music has long featured engaging artists who don’t write their own material. Going back to perhaps the greatest of them all, Frank […]
10 Nov 2016
Album Mini-review: Beach Slang — A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings
File next to: Replacements, Paul Westerberg One one level, there’s nothing wrong with wearing one’s influences proudly; just be sure not to lose your individuality in the process. The very […]
09 Nov 2016
Elephant Stone’s Rhisi Dhir: Sitar Man
There aren’t many rock bands that feature the sitar as a primary instrument. But Montreal-based Elephant Stone does, and the band incorporates the Indian classical acoustic instrument into its modern […]
08 Nov 2016
Album Mini-review: Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox — The Essentials
File next to: Buddy Rich, Either/Orchestra On paper, it seems like an inspired concept: assemble a top-notch band that can play anything, bring together a wildly varied collection of contemporary […]
08 Nov 2016
Album Mini-review: Pixies — Head Carrier
File next to: The Breeders, Sonic Youth Pixies were one of those bands that nobody really expected to reunite. The acrimony among its members is thought to rival that of […]
07 Nov 2016
Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes Lives in the Moment
Operating just under the radar of the commercial pop landscape, of Montreal nonetheless makes undeniably catchy – if not truly mass-market oriented – pop music. Originally part of the Elephant […]
04 Nov 2016
Jon Anderson: Invention of a New Musical Collaboration
Former Yes vocalist Jon Anderson kicked off a tour with two of his old band mates, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman on October 4; Anderson Rabin Wakeman already has dates […]
03 Nov 2016
Esperanza Spalding’s Musical Evolution (or D+Evolution?), Part Two
Continued from Part One… Working with Tony Visconti In the music business, Tony Visconti is something of a household name. Since his start in 1968, Visconti has produced more than […]
02 Nov 2016
Esperanza Spalding’s Musical Evolution (or D+Evolution?), Part One
Note: portions of this feature appeared previously (and in different form) in altweeklies in Asheville NC, Chicago and Salt Lake City. — bk Cross-genre sensation Esperanza Spalding is something of […]