Posts by Lee Zimmerman

[rating=8.00] Matt Pond PA has maintained a somewhat ubiquitous presence. Who is this Matt Pond anyway? Is it a handle that appropriates the name of some obscure historical figure like that of Jethro Tull? And what’s with the PA? A practicing attorney? I mean, we all kind of know that ambiguity doesn’t really meld too […]

[rating=6.00] Three albums on, Royal Southern Brotherhood have moved to the top ranks of the jam band legions, bringing them a certain distinction that belies their relative rookie standing. In truth, they come about their royal moniker quite rightfully, being that two members of this collective are affiliated with one of the most revered families […]

[rating=8.00] Richard Thompson has a unique standing in contemporary music circles. Although the origins of his career can be traced to his tenure in Fairport Convention — a band considered one of the leading lights among the English folk rock vanguard — his ties to any traditional trappings remain tenuous at best. Here was a […]

[rating=7.00] Cynics might be tempted to dismiss Underhill Rose as far too sweet and sincere to give them the necessary edge up. After all, they don’t dwell on politically charged topics or ponder societal ills or fret about disillusionment with the way things are. Instead they proffer a cheery sound that brings to mind an […]

[rating=6.00] Such is the widespread mass appeal popularity of Americana these days that even a band that gives itself an odd handle like Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank can get a measure of credibility, if not based on the name then at least on the music. Minnesota-based brothers Teague and Ian Alexy, the nephews in […]

[rating=8.00] If the title of Jamie Lin Wilson’s first full solo album seems both expansive and inclusive, you can be sure that the heading is actually appropriate. Wilson writes from a knowing perspective, specifically, a life rich in both personal and professional anecdotal experience. A wife, a mother (she was carrying her third child during […]

Rickie Lee Jones could have taken a safer path. That is to say, she could have followed a more predictable path. After winning immediate acclaim with her eponymous debut album and its smash hit single “Chuck E’s in Love,” she subsequently went on to score a successful follow-up with her sophomore set Pirates, accumulating all […]

[rating=8.00] Admittedly, Canada’s Barenaked Ladies aren’t always in the best position to be taken seriously. For starters, there’s their handle, chosen when the group’s founding members Ed Robertson and Steven Page, two former school chums, tossed around ideas for band names after deciding to pool their talents. And then there’s the signature songs on which […]

Even its most ardent admirers are forced to admit that television news has changed significantly over the past decades. Those revered no-nonsense newsmen who helped pioneer the form — Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley — would barely recognize what passes today for real journalism and in depth reporting. The fall from grace […]

[rating=7.00] Every now and then an artist seems to suddenly emerge from the ether and create an album that compels people to literally scratch their heads and wonder where he or she has been hiding. In the case of Rob Nance, he hasn’t been hiding at all, but rather journeying through the heartland, playing his […]

[rating=7.00] After nearly 30 years, the Indigo Girls have achieved far more than their limited musical palette might have initially promised. After all, unless you’re Simon and Garfunkel or the Milk Carton Kids, deft duos with folk finesse generally boast limited commercial possibilities. Better suited to twilight sing-alongs or more intimate encounters, dual guitar and […]

It doesn’t take a lot of prodding to get Chris Robinson to elaborate on his thoughts, philosophy and the thing he does best, which happens to be making music. Then again, with over two decades of touring, recording and generally living life in true rock star form, he’s had no shortage of anecdotes and expertise […]