Posts by Lee Zimmerman

[rating=7.00] Jambands tend to get a bad name. They’re either accused of endless noodling or relegated to the category of being strictly a festival sensation, best enjoyed in the context of live performance. Melodies are relegated to being merely an avenue for the musicians’ dexterity, and anything of the hummable variety is few and far […]

[rating=7.00] Much ballyhooed by insiders claiming to know the next hip thing, The Dears have gained a certain ascendency over the past several years thanks to a reputation for procuring stunning and sweeping soundscapes that carry a decidedly dramatic edge. Nevertheless, for that reason alone, they’ve also acquired a reputation for being on an elevated […]

[rating=7.00] Duran Duran has had quite a storied history in the 30 plus years since starting life as part of the so-called “New Romantic” movement of the late ‘70s and early ‘90s. Coinciding with the tail end of the U.K. punk scene, that trendy, timely fad shared the same adventurous attitude punk became famous for, […]

Like most festivals worth their weight in wristbands, the Americana Music Festival and Conference, held every September in Music City, Nashville Tennessee, demands lots of choices. There are so many conflicting concerts and events in fact, that it’s a challenge in itself trying to decide which shows to see and which have to be dropped […]

[rating=8.00] The irony of its title aside, Introducing Darlene Love is latest in a series of continuing comebacks that have brought numerous living legends belated attention in the 21st century. Not surprisingly, their talent proves timeless, and in the wake of the renewed interest accorded Mavis Staples and Bettye Lavette, it seems only fitting that […]

[rating=7.00] Given his impressive pedigree — stints with Gregg Allman, Bonnie Raitt, Widespread Panic, Steve Winwood and Traffic among his many associations — you’d think Randall Bramblett would be better known by now. A multi-instrumentalist who’s equally well versed on keyboards, guitar, horns and harmonica, he’s been the musician that’s been mainly behind the scenes […]

[rating=7.00] Although his partnership with longtime collaborator Gillian Welch has spawned six albums in 20 years, Dave Rawlings’ name has made the cover of only one of them up until now. The sole time he found himself at the helm of a band, Dave Rawlings Machine, was less a solo venture than a communal ensemble. […]

Ah the joy of the festival experience. The wealth of great music. The kinship that comes with being in the midst of your fellow participants. The sunny vibes enjoyed by all. The twirlers. The tie dye. And all that goes with it. The endless traffic. The mud. The crush of humanity. This year’s Lockn’ festival […]

[rating=6.00] Ben Folds’ penchant for pop is well established, first sewn in the guise of the Ben Folds Five and  later as part of an enduring solo career. Indeed, those who can hold the helm seated at the keyboard are part of a very specific breed — with Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elton John, […]

[rating=7.00] As they’ve managed to prove over the course of more than a dozen previous offerings, Low is clearly not the most effusive combo, especially as evidenced by their ongoing MO. For what it’s worth, this Duluth Minnesota-based band has held fast to that palette for the past 22 years, never opting to compromise for […]

[rating=8.00] In his day job as front man for The Hold Steady, Craig Finn has fashioned himself as a performer flush with verbosity and the art of persuading all the air guitar auteurs in listening range to genuflect with inspired admiration. Like Springsteen, Bono, Willie Nile, Willie Deville and all the others that profess to […]

[rating=8.00] With twenty — yes, twenty! — releases to his credit thus far, Dan Bern somehow remains an undiscovered talent, a singer/songwriter whose music is so honest and evocative, it guarantees an immediate positive impression. His music is frequently compared to Dylan, Springsteen and Elvis Costello, but those comparisons somehow fall short, not because he’s […]

[rating=8.00] Debut albums can be a tricky proposition. On the one hand, it’s essential to make an immediate impression. On the other, you don’t want to raise the bar too high so that succeeding efforts dwell in the shadows of that effort that came before. Especially since that initial attempt is the culmination of a […]

[rating=7.00] Despite the somewhat ubiquitous handle — does a White Buffalo roam the musical plain or simply serve as some sort of monumental figurehead worthy of high praise? — Jake Smith has used his alias to purvey some exceptional alt country offerings over the course of the past dozen years. Although his initial independent releases […]

[rating=6.00] Forlorn troubadours never seem to go out of vogue. Whether it’s a teen sensation wailing about losing a lover and crying in the chapel, or a forever downtrodden folkie of Nick Drake’s ilk, loss and lament have always been ideal song fodder. It’s not always the most inspiring subject matter but it does seem […]

Make no mistake. Jackie Greene’s been very busy of late. Never mind the fact that the auspiciously named Back to Birth is his solo first album in five years. That’s hardly surprising considering the extracurricular activities that have occupied him in recent times. For starters, there’s his participation in Trigger Hipper, that super group of […]

[rating=7.00] Sippie Wallace, Big Mama Thornton and Billie Holiday were among the female forebears who transformed the blues from a genre dominated mostly by men into a gender-breaking experience that women could languish in as well. After all, when it comes to heartache and disappointment, men generally prove as scheming and duplicitous as their female […]

There’s an old show biz axiom that suggests there’s no such thing as an overnight success. However Dawes are in a good position to dispute that notion, and for good reason. Their 2009 debut album, North Hills won them an immediate outpour of favorable reviews, much of it pinned to the proposition that they were […]

[rating=7.00] Americana is a crowded field these days, as much or more so when it comes to those purveying tales of wonderment or woe while attempting to emulate the calico tones of, say, an Emmylou Harris or a Rodney Crowell. There are, after all, only so many sentiments the average individual can muster, especially when […]

[rating=7.00] There’s a good chance that most of the people reading this review have never heard of the bluegrass band that calls themselves Cornmeal. Weird band names seem to be more plentiful than ever these days, but Cornmeal is as ubiquitous as any in recent memory. As a marketing ploy, it borders on the ineffectual. […]