review Archive
28 Nov 2020
Book Review: Chris Hillman — Time Between
Musician memoirs/autobiographies are a decidedly mixed bag. Even when an artist is known for his or her songwriting wordsmith skills, that’s not a truly reliable indicator that said artist can […]
27 Nov 2020
Hundred(plus)-word Reviews for November 2020, Part Four
Here’s a quick look at five new releases. Four are reissues; the other is a compilation of previously-unreleased material. All are simply superb; essential, even. For the first time in […]
22 Nov 2020
Hundred-word Reviews for November 2020, Part Three
And here’s the last of this current run of hundred-word reviews covering new releases. Soul, powerpop and blues; something for most tastes. All worth your time. Sonny Green – Found! […]
21 Nov 2020
Hundred-word Reviews for November 2020, Part Two
Here’s five more quick reviews. Powerpop, ambient, jazz and more. Nick Frater – Fast & Loose The title might lead the uninitiated to suspect that Nick Frater’s album is something […]
14 Nov 2020
Hundred-word Reviews for November 2020, Part One
Today marks the triumphant return of my hundred-word reviews. My last roundup of new releases in the form of brief critical summaries came way back in February, before the world […]
02 Nov 2020
Album Review: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (soundtrack)
Even though today I’m (cough, cough) middle-aged, when The Rocky Horror Picture Show first came out, I was too young to appreciate it. In fact, as an 11-year-old, I was […]
30 Oct 2020
Album Review: Anton Barbeau — Manbird
If Todd Rundgren were a bit younger and a dash more underground/indie-inclined, he might resemble Anton Barbeau. Among other similarities, Ant shares with Todd a predilection for going his own […]
29 Oct 2020
Album Review: Dungeon Weed — Mind Palace of the Mushroom God
With their debut album Mind Palace of the Mushroom God, Oakland sludge rockers Dungeon Weed have carved out a niche of their own. Many stoner rock outfits lean toward a […]
25 Oct 2020
Album Review: Juicebumps – Hello Pinky!
For listeners new to the sound of Juicebumps, the opening moments of Hello Pinky! make it difficult to sort out what the band is about. The brief “Scanner” features a […]
24 Oct 2020
Album Review: Halou – Albatross (Deluxe Edition)
For a time in the 1990s, trip hop was a musical sensation. In some ways an outgrowth of the brief lounge/exotica craze, trip hop (also known as chillwave) owed at […]