new release Archive
22 Apr 2022
Album Review: Hoodoo Gurus — Chariot of the Gods
Right out of the gate, The Hoodoo Gurus showcased a high energy, passionate and good-humored approach to rock’n’roll. When they debuted in 1984 with the thrilling Stoneage Romeos, they were […]
21 Apr 2022
Album Review: April March — In Cinerama
I’ve written often (and recently) about Francophone pop of the ‘60s and the way in which its wonderfully insular vibe yielded some wonderfully interesting and durable music. The yé-yé approach […]
20 Apr 2022
Album Review: Sugaray Rayford — In Too Deep
With a brand of blues that draws from the soulful r&b end of the spectrum, In Too Deep follows on from the creatively successful direction Rayford established on his third […]
19 Apr 2022
Album Review: Muddy Waters — The Montreux Years
Claude Nobs was a towering figure in popular music. Founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival, he was responsible for bringing a stunning array of performers together, year after year on […]
18 Apr 2022
Hundred-word Reviews for April 2022, Part 2
Picking up where I left off yesterday, here are five more brief capsule reviews of new albums. This is a remarkably eclectic assortment. Speedfossil – No Anesthesia If you like […]
17 Apr 2022
Hundred-word Reviews for April 2022, Part 1
It’s been awhile since I’ve done a set of hundred-word reviews. Content slowed to a trickle during the worst of the pandemic. But now things seem to be headed toward […]
15 Apr 2022
Album Review: Trees Speak — Vertigo of Flaws
Musoscribe’s latest “vinyl week” wraps up today with a real stunner. When I first heard Trees Speak’s album Ohms back in 2020 I was knocked out; the group’s knowing embrace […]
14 Apr 2022
Album Review: Pepper Adams – Live at Room at the Top
To date, my familiarity to the work of saxophonist and composer Pepper Adams has been minimal. I discovered and enjoyed a 2014 vinyl reissue of Bethlehem Records’ 1960 release Motor […]
13 Apr 2022
Album Review: The Jars — Make Love Not War
My new book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave explores the story of the Bay Area independent record label and the nearly 30 artists – […]
12 Apr 2022
Album Review: Bill Evans — Inner Spirit
A week’s worth of coverage of new vinyl releases continues with the second of two archival releases from a jazz giant. Bill Evans played Buenos Aires in 1973, and a […]