review Archive
29 Sep 2019
Album Review: Young Mister — ‘Sudden Swoon’
Young Mister is the performing name of Steven Fiore, a Tryon-based singer songwriter. His background includes membership in the jazz band led by actor-musician Jeff Goldblum, co-writing experience with Art […]
28 Sep 2019
Single Review: The Embryos — Singles Club Volume 2
I was already predisposed toward liking this 45 before I heard it; The Embryos’ Open the Kimono (reviewed a few months back) is an instantly likable collection of chiming, catchy […]
27 Sep 2019
Album Review: Moraz & Friends – Random Kingdom
In 1976, Swiss keyboard virtuoso Patrick Moraz released his debut solo album, The Story of I. In the midst of a successful run as keyboardist for Yes – he’s all […]
25 Sep 2019
Album Review: International Pop Overthrow Volume 22
Now comes the 22nd volume in a long-running series of compilations chronicling the current state of powerpop. If this set is Exhibit A, the evidence is strong that it’s in […]
24 Sep 2019
1969 Okay: The Stooges’ Debut Album at 50
There was little precedent – virtually none on major labels – in 1969 for The Stooges. As a genre, punk rock hadn’t even been conceived, nor had “shock rock.” So […]
21 Sep 2019
Book Review: There Was a Light
I’m a voracious reader. My tastes run decidedly toward nonfiction, but I like a good narrative. And that’s been the case since I was very young. What I never could […]
20 Sep 2019
Hundred-word Reviews for September 2019, Part 2
More capsule reviews! New music! Vinyl titles are noted with the designation (LP). Fastball – The Help Machine If you’re a certain age, you remember “The Way.” If you were […]
09 Sep 2019
Book Review: A Voice of the Warm
Every so often, some of my Facebook friends and I engage in a little game. You might call it Dreadful Earworms: we try to outdo each other by rattling off […]
07 Sep 2019
Album review: Queen Bee and the Honeylovers – Asheville
On their debut CD release, Queen Bee and the Honeylovers pay tribute to their hometown with a collection of original songs in a warmly familiar style. Singer and songwriter Whitney […]
01 Sep 2019
Album Review: Moonlight Street Folk — Collective Will
There’s no shortage of acoustic-based, folky bands in Western North Carolina. Standing out from the crowd is thus more of a challenge than it would be for musicians operating in […]