Shawn Donohue

Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe & Anders Osborne: Performing Sticky Fingers Live – Webster Hall, NYC 2/8/12

Shawn Donohue February 22, 2012 No Comments

The Tiny Universe can encompass a lot these days, including one of the greatest rock albums known to man, Sticky Fingers. This group has been performing the album live across the country with the help of their special guest Anders Osborne on guitar, but before the 70’s swagger was broken out both outfits did a bit of their own playing.

Soul Rebels Brass Band: Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn NY 2.3.12

Shawn Donohue February 7, 2012 No Comments

A Friday night just weeks before Mardi Gras saw the New Orleans bouncing brass boys cruise up north on their nationwide tour to promote their newest release Unlock Your Mind.

Storm Large Crazy Enough

Shawn Donohue January 31, 2012 No Comments

The wild fluctuations of Storm Large come at the reader fast and heavy while she describes her life and growing up in not the most normal of circumstances. She is a sentence or sometimes a mere word or syllable away from proclaiming something The! Best! Thing! Ever! before wanting to destroy whatever it was. Grand statements don’t always end up as amazing events, but Storm has an obvious flair for the dramatic that is on display instantly

Lowry: Emporia

Shawn Donohue January 30, 2012 No Comments

The Brooklyn band Lowry’s newest release is a long running mid-tempo opus which is the end of a trilogy the band started back with 2005’s Awful Joy. Playing at over an hour the disc can lull and blend into the background with its soothing guitar lines and piano melodies floating over vocals that never want to disturb the tranquil mood, no matter what the subject matter addresses.

Craig Finn: Clear Heart Full Eyes

Shawn Donohue January 25, 2012 No Comments

If you thought Craig Finn could get wordy with his Hold Steady band mates behind him wait until you get him alone on Clear Heart Full Eyes and his cinematic tendencies aren’t under any restraints.

Run Dan Run: Normal

Shawn Donohue January 11, 2012 No Comments

The trio of Dan McCurry, Nick Jenkins and Ash Hopkins comprise the Charleston, South Carolina group Run Dan Run and their newest album Normal is a slice of danceable white indie rock. Songs run long with hazy/lazy intros each containing a light airy vibe even when the lyrics border on vengeful.

Nils Lofgren: Old School

Shawn Donohue January 2, 2012 No Comments

Grumpy-Old-Pissed-Off-Man might have been a more apt title for Nils Lofgren’s newest solo album, Old School. He bluntly comes out and says as much via the title tracks first verse:

Steve Bernstein

Shawn Donohue December 12, 2011 No Comments

Opening with an instrumental workout that builds to the lyrical proclamations of “Stand” you witness immediately that MTO Plays Sly is not your ordinary cover album.

Robert Randolph & The Family Band: Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY 11/25/11

Shawn Donohue December 8, 2011 No Comments

Thanksgiving is certainly one of the most family friendly holidays and Robert Randolph & The Family Band made the days surrounding it an extended family throw down. The group decided to host a residency from Tuesday until Saturday, taking Thursday off for the obvious turkey obligations. On Friday night the venue was approximately half to three quarters full for the band's third show at this fantastic location.

The Black Keys: El Camino

Shawn Donohue December 5, 2011 No Comments

With 2010’s epic Brothers, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney were propelled to superstar status and with good reason as the band found inspiration in broken marriages and Muscle Shoals Studio. The expanded musical instrumentation and focus on crafting heartfelt songs paid huge dividends for the band, producing a new album a year later is unexpected and when first announced smelled of leftover tracks.