review Archive
26 Nov 2022
Album Review: Silent Partners — Changing Times
The stirring, evocative strings that adorn “Ain’t No Right Way to Do Wrong,” the opening track on Silent Partners’ debut album Changing Times, serves notice that the group is no […]
22 Nov 2022
Album Reviews: David Javelosa – Atomic Odyssey! and Modern Work Volume One
David Javelosa is an inspired musician whose work is primarily synthesizer-based. But his bent, whimsical and playful approach to music results in sounds that are far from the “serious” kind […]
21 Nov 2022
Album Review: The New Mastersounds — The Deplar Effect
For more than two decades now, The New Mastersounds have been creating and refining their winning brand of fusion/funk/what-have-you. Right out of the gate, the result of their creative endeavors […]
20 Nov 2022
Album Review: The Rockats – Start Over Again
The ‘80s alternative music scene brought with it a few revivals: the Paisley Underground reconstituted the West Coast jangle-psych with bands like the Long Ryders. And a roots/rockabilly revival got […]
19 Nov 2022
Album Review: John Primer – Hard Times
John Primer has an impressive pedigree; he’s worked as bandleader for Willie Dixon, Magic Slim, Muddy Waters and Junior Wells, which in and of itself is enough to warrant further […]
30 Oct 2022
Album Review: Various Artists — We All Shine On
When thinking back on a particular year in music, there’s often a temptation to focus on a specific subgenre. And most compilations surveying a period tend to organize their selections […]
22 Oct 2022
Album Review: Craig Davis — Tone Paintings
Pianist Michael “Dodo” Marmarosa was a bebop musician whose most celebrated period was the 1940s to ‘60s (he passed away on 2002). In his early years, he played with a […]
18 Oct 2022
Album Reviews: Four from Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers (Part 2 of 2)
Picking up where I left off in my discussion of four Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers reissues from Omnivore Recordings… Rock ‘n’ Roll with the Modern Lovers (1977) Bizarre […]
17 Oct 2022
Album Reviews: Four from Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers (Part 1 of 2)
Certain artists seem to get a kind of free pass from critics. In the cases that come to mind, these artists created something really, really, really special and important, and […]
16 Oct 2022
Album Reviews: Rob Silverman — Drumology Vols. II and III
These two releases offer a fascinating array of musical styles. The unifying characteristic is the involvement of drummer Rob Silverman, but beyond that, it’s a dazzlingly varied collection. Wholly instrumental, […]