The Cactus Blossoms Announce New Album ‘Easy Way’
Blood Harmony. Whether it’s The Beach Boys, Bee Gees or First Aid Kit, that sibling vocal blend is the secret sauce in some of the most spine-tingling moments in popular music. The Cactus Blossoms – Minneapolis-based brothers Page Burkum and Jack Torrey – offer compelling evidence that this tradition is alive and well, with a […]
Chris Robinson Brotherhood Escorts Portland, Oregon Down The Rabbit Hole (SHOW REVIEW/PHOTOS)
On December 1st and 2nd, the doors of Portland, Oregon’s Revolution Hall became the mouth of the rabbit hole through which one entered the aural world of Chris Robinson Brotherhood. For two nights, Chris Robinson (lead vocals, guitar), Neal Casal (guitar), Adam MacDougall (keys), Jeff Hill (bass) and Tony Leone (drums) took fans on exploratory […]
King Crimson Announces 50th Anniversary World Tour
King Crimson who going big on their 50th anniversary (with Robert Fripp as the only original member) for a 2019 tour that includes three just-announced US dates: LA’s Greek Theatre on 9/3, Chicago’s Roosevelt University on 9/10, and NYC’s Radio City Music Hall on 9/21. The regular public on-sale for NYC starts Friday, December 14 at 10 AM. General ticket info appears […]
Thom Yorke Breaks 21 Year Minnesota Wait With Courageous Solo Set At Northrop Auditorium (PHOTOS)
Thom Yorke nor Radiohead had visited Minnesota in 21 years – quite a wait considering the North Star state has plenty of fans of that band from Oxford. Yorke didn’t disappoint as his show on December 6th at Northrop Auditorium which featured longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich as his only bandmate as they covered the […]
Soccer Mommy Gives Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg A Worthy Match (SHOW REVIEW)
One of the true standout records of the year, Soccer Mommy’s Clean is angst at its refined best. Polished, airtight melodies and Sophie Allison’s delicate coo make for an obsession-worthy collection of songs that will no doubt land on many a best-of list by the end of this year. Performing two nights in a row […]
The Struts Let It All Hang Out At Cincinnati’s Bogarts (PHOTOS)
British rockers The Struts, led by the glam theatrics of frontman Luke Spiller, brought their powerful live show to Bogarts in Cincinnati on 12/5/18. Photos by Tara Pitts
Metallica Deliver Big Stage Antics and Perfectly-Paced Metal Performance in Portland (SHOW REVIEW)
“Metallica family is alive and welcome to everyone,” growled James Hetfield to thousands of fans old and young. This fact alone is fairly remarkable considering that the thrash metal legends have spent 37 years playing music that is heavy, fast and intense. Yet besides some greying hair, Metallica were sharp and agile when they came […]
Van Morrison Rises To The Occasion With ‘The Prophet Speaks’ (ALBUM REVIEW)
[rating=8.00] Van Morrison’s been unusually prolific the past couple years, alternating album releases between the Sony Legacy and Caroline International labels (the latter the source of his latest). But The Belfast Cowboy was getting dangerously close to pure formula until he collaborated with Joey DeFrancesco and his band on You’re Driving Me Crazy, released earlier […]
Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band’s ‘Almost Acoustic’ Gets Special Re-Issue (ALBUM REVIEW)
Comprised of excerpts from 1987 concerts at The Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles and the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco, The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band’s Almost Acoustic deserves its newly-ready availability, whether on compact disc (identical to the previously-released item, right down to the packaging with its scholarly, informative insert) or the colored vinyl version […]
The Reborn Gil Evans Orchestra Evokes Work of Namesake on ‘Hidden Treasures Monday Nights, Volume One’ (ALBUM REVIEW)
[rating=8.00] The name Gil Evans recalls, among other things, those classic collaborations with Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, Miles Ahead, Sketches of Spain, Porgy and Bess and Quiet Nights, not to mention the fine work he did leading his own projects. In his time, pianist Gil Evans was considered THE big band arranger and […]