review Archive
11 Jun 2021
Album Review: Johnathan Pushkar – Compositions
File Under: Too twee for me, but perhaps not for thee. This by-the-numbers powerpop album would seem to have all the requisite elements: catchy choruses, creamy vocal harmonies, and a […]
04 Jun 2021
Album Review: American Folk Blues Festival Live in Manchester 1962
Owing to a fascinating and complicated set of circumstances, for many years American musicians of color were recognized and celebrated more in the UK and Europe than they were at […]
03 Jun 2021
Album Review: Chris Cain — Raisin’ Cain
Though he’s a West Coast musician based in San Jose, California, Chris Cain’s vocal and guitar styles owe a significant debt to Mississippi-born B.B. King. As showcased on Raisin’ Cain, […]
02 Jun 2021
Album Review: David Rotundo Band – So Much Trouble
A protégé of Danish harmonica star Lee Oskar (of ‘70s funk-rock-soul group War), Canadian musician David Rotundo sings, plays harmonica and occasional guitar, and writes all of the music on […]
22 May 2021
Album Review: Last Days of April – Even the Good Days Are Bad
If one were to combine hooky songwriting, a lush pop landscape and a bit of shoegaze, the result might approach Last Days of April’s Even the Good Days Are Bad. […]
21 May 2021
Album Review: The Armoires — Incognito
There’s a proud and creatively fertile tradition in rock’n’roll: playing dress-up, assuming an alter ego. The Beatles may have done it first with Sgt. Pepper, and six months later The […]
19 May 2021
Album Review: District 97 — Screenplay
Like, I suspect, more than a few potential listeners, I looked askance at District 97 when I first heard of them more than a decade ago. What possible skill could […]
18 May 2021
Album Review: Chris Church – Game Dirt
Chris Church is that rare musical auteur who succeeds at most everything to which he applies his talents. And his body of work resolutely resists pigeonholing; he’s done everything from […]
17 May 2021
Album Review: Your Academy
At the risk of over-indulging in generalities and attempting to make things neater than they really are, when one thinks of American powerpop, the style can – to some extent […]
16 May 2021
Album Review: Scott Helland — Guitarmy of One
I’m very much a fan of spy/detective/crime/noir-style music. I was over the moon when I discovered someone – Derrick Bang – had written a book about it. I was every […]