Posts by Shawn Donohue

Dylan and band seemed to be enjoying their only NYC appearance, making the crowd thankful they are still producing such exciting live versions of Dylan’s excellent catalog of music. 

The former drummer of The Derek Trucks Band stays behind the kit but steps out on his own with his first solo offering.  Be In My World is full of jazzy rhythms, R&B workouts and positive vibes. 

Primus (now officially a jamband) saw it’s transformation into a modern day Pink Floyd inch closer to completion with the group adding a new toy to their current tour; a huge LED Screen that tosses 3D images at its audience. 

A DIY production sound on Sundowning adds to the intimacy as if you are in the dark dank club with them as they thrash away.  Nu Sensae has constructed a messy, noisy, confusing full length album, and all of those things make me want to hear it again.

If you like your pop rock with an exotic flair give Diego’s Umbrella’s crisply produced fourth album, Proper Cowboy a whirl.  While the band has drawn lazy comparisons to Gogol Bordello, the San Francisco group is noticeably more commercially bent on Proper Cowboy showcasing easy dance beats, clean vocal choruses and short catchy numbers that wouldn’t be out of place selling hip products to 16-24 year-olds.     

Virtually impossible, but with Beyond, Farm and now I Bet On Sky, Dinosaur Jr. has perhaps matched their initial famous trio of Dinosaur, You’re Living All Over Me and Bug.

Touring on the back of the excellent new album Kill My Blues, the Corin Tucker Band pulled into New York on a high.  Scheduled to play this early show in Manhattan and a later show on Saturday in Brooklyn the band was covering all its bases.  This night saw an older crowd fill up the Mercury Lounge as Tucker took the stage dressed in Sea Green and put together a tight hour long set with her excellent band.

The summer wasn’t technically dead yet, but as front man Matthew Vasquez from Delta Spirit put it, “It’s sweater weather people!  Summer is over!”  The cool temperatures on this night didn’t stop the hot playing and warm emotions found on the Central Park stage as two incredibly talented bands threw down an enjoyable show. 

Whitmore mentioned this show was being filmed so perhaps a DVD will show up down the line and it would be well worth the purchase, but before then, make sure you catch this great artist when he comes a’ramblin’ near you.

The folk-indie group Chamberlin received praise for their debut album Bitter Blood and after a cover disk to benefit Vermont flood victims, the group has returned with their next offering, the Look What I’ve Become EP. 

The husband and wife team of Michael Weston King and Lou Dalgleish have crafted a classic country duet album in How Do You Plead? that should have Americana experts step up and take instant notice. With a top of the line backing band which has played with everyone from Elvis Costello to Van Morrison, the duo pour sawdust and tears into every honky-tonkin’ sad song they present here.    

There were threats of major summer thunderstorms this Friday night on the Brooklyn Waterfront; perhaps that is why one of the vital late 80’s/early 90’s rock and roll acts could only fill about half of the outdoor venue.  Whatever the reason Jane’s Addiction didn’t seem to mind as they played with an energy that proved they still have fire in their veins.

Saint Saviour is the stage name of Becky Jones who first came into the spotlight as a vocalist on Groove Armada’s 2010 album Black Light.  Her first full length solo release Union finds her mixing and mining soundscapes and various singer/songwriting frontiers over the course of 14 songs with various success. 

While the name of the group may be an oxy-moron the trio that makes up Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band has produced some foot stomping tunes with their newest album Between The Ditches.  Coming from the southern foothills of Brown County, Indiana the players put fourth a mix of blues, country, rockabilly that’s meanders in an out of each other during these 14 songs.  

They may not be a more family friendly act in rock and roll today then Wilco and while a brewery isn’t perfect for an all ages show, the idyllic upstate New York Setting brought out the kids and parents alike for this weekend summer show. 

No frills straight ahead rock and roll is what the River City Tanlines offer up on their newest release Coast to Coast.  Lead guitarist, singer/songwriter and front woman Alicja Trout has constructed some tight knit pop rock with a punky vibe as the trio (Terrance Bishop- Bass, John Bonds- Drums) work their way through this ten song release. 

If you slogged teenage nights away riffing next to a water heater down in someone’s basement or slamming a drum kit amidst power tools and your kid sister’s bike in a packed garage this album is for you.  Heavy Blanket was that same type of band, a trio from Massachusetts who got deep into stoner rock grooves, the difference being they had a guitar god in the making firing off leads, and now have the opportunity to release their jams to the world.

Funksters Galactic (and friends) rode north from the dirty south to park themselves at the fantastic Brooklyn Bowl for four nights of gigs to close out May and start June in the city. Each night featured a different opener who would inevitably contribute to the main acts stage and in tonight’s case vice versa. 

Jack White is one damn sexy superstar.This was on full display tonight in front of his female backing band The Peacocks, White dug into his catalog and let loose with a fury, earning his elevated stature among rock and roll fans. 

You may not have heard of Archie Powell & The Exports before, but this Chicago group has just put out one of the catchiest rock and roll albums of 2012 with their second release Great Ideas In Action.  Building on an infectious run of upbeat drums and guitars that call to mind The Replacements and early Elvis Costello the band exudes in tales that flirt with the equal dangers of “Crazy Pills” and “Shooting Sprees”.