review Archive
18 Jun 2025
Album Review: Peter Holsapple – The Face of 68
I’m on record – at least I think I am – that for me, the greatest present-day lyricist is none other than Peter Holsapple. While he’s lent his considerable talents […]
17 Jun 2025
Hundred-(plus)-word Reviews for June 2025: Rock/Pop
I launched my hundred-word review format years ago as both a way to provide coverage to deserving music and as an exercise in concise writing. This go-round I stick to […]
13 Jun 2025
Hundred-word Reviews for June 2025: Jazz
More of my capsule reviews. Five great new jazz releases this time. Daggerboard & Erik Jekabson Orchestra – The Axes Volume II Daggerboard is one of the most fascinating jazz […]
12 Jun 2025
Hundred-word Reviews for June 2025: Blues
Capsule reviews of some very worthy new releases. This go-round is all blues, to coin a phrase. Janiva Magness – Back for Me Award-winning blues diva Janiva Magness is the […]
10 Jun 2025
Book Review: ‘Krautrock Eruption’ by Wolfgang Seidel
The term krautrock is a fraught one. The label – applied to a type of music – carries a whiff of bigotry, as “kraut” was a pejorative slur used to […]
05 Jun 2025
Album Review: Mrs. Fun – The Summit
Outside of the classical realm – which is a different bag altogether – when most people think of live music, they picture either a band or a solo artist. Duos […]
04 Jun 2025
Hundred-word Reviews June 2025: Powerpop
Four recent releases in a decidedly powerpop vein. For those who enjoy that style, these guys all get it. All are recommended. And they’re available from Kool Kat Musik. Yours […]
03 Jun 2025
Album Review: Kid Ramos – Strange Things Happening
As a general rule, I steer clear of reviewing gospel or gospel-informed music. I have nothing against the style; it’s simply that the perspective of the core messages don’t resonate […]
02 Jun 2025
Album Review: Southern Avenue — Family
When I first encountered Southern Avenue in 2017, I remarked that their music bore the influence of Steve Cropper. I crossed path with their music again in 2019, at which […]
31 May 2025
EP Review: Pol Sembrano – Anywhere
Some years ago, there was a recurring sketch on Saturday Night Live featuring two dudes in the then-modern-day equivalent of sharkskin suits, clubbing in NYC. They even made a movie […]