Posts by Shawn Donohue

During his band introductions, Bob Dylan mentioned how nice it was to be back in the Big Apple and to see New York come back alive. The city that he fell in love with sixty years ago is slowly trying to return to normalcy while Dylan, amazingly, continues to evolve live on stage.  Pre-Covid installments […]

The stunning opening title track sets the tone on Black Snake, the Nashville singer-songwriter Sara Jean Kelley’s haunting sophomore EP. The acoustic strumming, weeping violins, rich bass, and otherworldly vocals paint a picture of lonesome despair before a warbling electric guitar line cuts through the song like lightning during a summer thunderstorm.  Kelley’s direct style, […]

On an unseasonably balmy November Friday night at Brooklyn’s Union Pool on November 12th, Silver Synthetic swept up from New Orleans to deliver a set of tight rock and roll for fans at Union Pool during their first New York City show.  Opening with the thumping “Anyway I Can” the four-piece, Chris Lyons, Lucas Bogner, […]

What an astounding career They Might Be Giants have had. Since 1982 John Flansburgh and John Linnell have delivered unique tunes crafted for everyone from hipsters to kids to senior citizens, for educational purposes, wacky cartoons, indie flicks and even CNN, all the while keeping their idiosyncratic style intact.   Their newest offering, BOOK is next […]

The newest offering from Gov’t Mule finds the foursome focusing on the blues via covers and Warren Haynes penned originals which sit comfortably side by side throughout Heavy Load Blues. While this might be the Mule’s first full blues album, the long running band has been infatuated with the genre since they formed, covering Willie […]

For the second show of their three nights run at Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Bowl on November 5th the Drive-By Truckers delivered their workman-like rock and roll with the power and grace that makes them one of the most consistently great live bands in the land.  First Buffalo Nichols opened the night as the Austin, TX based […]

The sophomore album In Plain Sight from the Chicago based singer songwriter Neal Francis is a mix of 70’s radio friendly, piano driven rock and roll and tripped out jam rock. For In Plain Site Francis was inspired by the church he found himself living in, writing and recording the majority of the songs in […]

Spirits were soaring on the night before Halloween in Williamsburg as some fiery guitar players took different paths to deliver the six string goods at Brooklyn Bowl.  Jonathan Long opened the evening with a restrained acoustic set showcasing his blues/country/gospel influenced sound in a relaxed style. Long would save the electric blazing for later, opening […]

The newest record from Lilli Lewis titled Americana begins with her thesis statement “My American Heart (Prelude)”: “My American Heart is alive with the fire and the promise of tomorrow. I’ll speak my story, I’ll sing my song. My American Heart is alive with the fire and the promise of tomorrow.” After her lyrical declaration […]

When an established band decides to put out a mid-career self-titled album it usually signals a reset for the artists involved. My Morning Jacket’s ninth studio album is exactly that as the group was unsure they would ever record again following 2015’s The Waterfall. The quintet (vocalist/guitar Jim James, bassist Tom Blankenship, drummer Patrick Hallahan, […]

With each release, Brooklyn’s Parquet Courts open up their style more and more, on 2018’s critically acclaimed Wide Awake! the band worked Danger Mouse and added a few funky flourishes to their angular rock. For their follow-up, Sympathy For Life, Parquet Courts have made their largest stylistic leap yet with a “dance” album and doing […]

Howlin’ Rain has always bathed in unapologetically retro rock waters, shooting for that laser-lit, big arena sound as they recall a bygone time when full-length album journeys mattered. Right from the mind-altering cover art Howlin’ Rain clearly announced their intentions with The Dharma Wheel, stretching six songs out to almost an hour via elongated prog-rock […]

The Perth, Western Australia-based Pond has been incredibly prolific in the years since they formed (especially considering some members split time with Tame Impala), releasing eight studio albums since 2009. Their ninth, the not very creatively titled 9, finds the band throwing it all on the dance floor for this collection of tunes.  Pond has […]

One of the smoothest labels in all the land is turning 20 years old this year and to celebrate they are releasing a whopping three-LP live set captured at the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York City. The Daptone Super Soul Revue Live at the Apollo was recorded during a three-night, sold-out run at […]

Frank Migliorelli and The Dirt Nappers found inspiration for their new project in bright colors, and fantastical worlds…all captured in the pages of well-worn library favorites. The project combines original songs and videos that celebrate much-loved children’s stories, a few of which are almost 100 years old. Migliorelli had thought about producing children’s music and […]

The career of the Chicago-based gospel-soul legend Pastor T.L. Barrett has been lovingly reissued by the Numero Group as Barrett’s first four studio albums (plus fantastic liner notes, photos, sermons, and singles) are all organized on I Shall Wear A Crown. Barrett has recently been sampled by the likes of Kanye West and DJ Khaled, […]

The first release from Heartless Bastards in over six years was almost a solo album from frontwoman Erika Wennerstrom, but she ultimately felt it tied nicely back into the band’s journey over the last decade and a half. The Heartless Bastards have constantly evolved but Wennerstrom has been consistent, the outfits voice, heart, and soul; […]

Steve Gunn has played all sorts of music, from experimental jazz to noise-punk to country-tinged folk to Delta blues. On his sixth studio release, Other You, Gunn sticks to one style, 60’s influenced dreamy pop-rock, as he delivers his prettiest offering to date.  Physically relocating from Brooklyn to Los Angeles to record with producer Rob […]

Following up on their career highlight, 2018’s Onion, Shannon & The Clams once again teamed up with Dan Auerbach who produced and plays on Year of the Spider. If things aren’t broke, don’t fix them, as the band’s quirky take on surf rock, doo-wop, twisted soul, freak folk, and poppy punk all remain intact. The […]

For the insanely prolific Ty Segall to wait two years between releases there needed to be chaos in the world and some other project which must have consumed his time.  Of course, that was the case as the pandemic and building his new studio led to the break between albums, but now with zero fanfare […]