omnivore recordings Archive

Hundred Word Reviews, February 2023, Part Four

In the last few days I’ve covered new releases; now it’s time for quick looks at five reissue/archival releases of note. APB – Something to Believe In I will admit […]

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 […]

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 […]

Album Review: Linda Hoover — I Mean to Shine

Remember inner sleeves? The 12×12 paper sleeves that held records and went inside of the album jackets? For a time they served an additional purpose, working as advertising media. The […]

Hundred-word Reviews for May 2022, Part 2

I present five more reviews, in capsule form. Three of these are new releases; two are archival titles. All are deserving of deeper investigation. Alice Austin – Goodnight Euphoria Los […]

Album Review: The Loud Family and Anton Barbeau – What if it Works?

When two formidable talents get together, one doesn’t know quite what to expect. Auteurs who are accustomed to having things their own way — and who have long since earned […]

Album Review: The Left Banke – Strangers on a Train

When the terms “baroque pop” or “baroque rock” come up in conversation, discussion of The Left Banke is assuredly to follow. While the group scored only a few hits – […]

Reviving the Old Guard: The Palace Guard, Part Two

Continued from Part One… Far better was the A-side of The Palace Guard’s second single, the moody, minor-key “A Girl You Can Depend On.” The flip side of that single […]

Reviving the Old Guard: The Palace Guard, Part One

Emitt Rhodes’ pre-pre-fame band The Palace Guard gets a career-spanning compilation Emitt Rhodes was something of a cult figure in music. The singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer never achieved widespread […]

Album Review: Explorer Tapes

As someone who follows such things – and as such ought to know better – I nevertheless continue to be amazed whenever I learn about a promising act that recorded […]