Posts by Maeri Ferguson

[rating=7.00] If the way to get through 2017 without going completely nuts is to dance our asses off, Spoon has us covered. On their ninth studio album Hot Thoughts, Spoon doesn’t lose what makes them Spoon, but they’re definitely taking some risks and having plenty of fun doing it. Weird, trippy instrumentals and spaced out […]

[rating=6.00] If you loved Conor Oberst’s last record, 2016’s Ruminations, you’ll probably like his new one, Salutations…but not for the same reasons. The two are essentially fraternal twins, as Oberst has remade and rerecorded Ruminations with a new band and a few additional tracks and called it Salutations. Ruminations found Oberst recovering from health issues, […]

[rating=9.00] It has been a long five years for fans of The Shins, eager for them to put out a new record. And though frontman James Mercer keeps himself busy with side projects (Broken Bells), when it comes to the Shins, we’ve only received a smattering of new tracks here and there since 2012’s Port […]

[rating=8.00] Valerie June has grown in the last four years. While her 2013 release Pushin’ Against a Stone was an anticipated splashy debut, particularly as she collaborated with Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), her new record, The Order of Time, shows an artist who has lived a bit more life, matured and had some time […]

Nikki Lane can set fire to a stage, and she did just that on March 2nd at Music Hall of Williamsburg as part of Highway Queen tour. On the tails of her new record, also titled Highway Queen, Lane and her band has been maintaining a rigorous show schedule. But nevertheless, the energy was high […]

[rating=7.00] Even as his sound has grown bigger and grander over time, Tim Showalter’s songwriting has always radiated with a kind of dark intensity. As Strand of Oaks, he has been consistently making compelling music for years, but it wasn’t until his last record, 2014’s Heal, that he truly emerged as a force of rock […]

[rating=7.00] Nikki Lane has been on a steady rise with each record she makes, garnering praise for her give-no-f***s cowgirl attitude and throwback country queen style. And never has either quality been so sharp than on her new release Highway Queen. A stylish, harmony-heavy record that packs a twangy punch, it finds Lane continuing to […]

[rating=7.00] To say that Chuck Prophet is a rock and roll obsessive would be an understatement. His love for rock music is so deeply rooted in him, it continues to inspire him in sound and in songwriting. On his latest record  Bobby Fuller Died for Your Sins, Prophet pays homage to the genre and to […]

[rating=9.00] Ron Gallo has a sick, twisted worldview, and that is what you’ll love about his new record Heavy Meta. Gallo has an undeniable talent and a penchant for the dark and weird side of things. His commentary can be such a bummer, perhaps because he often hits the nail on the head. But you’ll […]

[rating=8.00] At a Hiss Golden Messenger show last year, front man MC Taylor said of Tift Merritt (who stood by his side providing backing vocals), “This woman has the kind of voice I want to write songs for.” And though her voice wasn’t alone on stage that night, longtime fans of Merritt’s understood. Her lived-in, […]