Posts by Shawn Donohue

Harmonicraft isn’t paint by numbers hard rock, but it also isn’t breathing life into arena rock at the moment.

The North Mississippi All-Stars seemed right at home during the second night of their two show stay at Brooklyn Bowl.  While Williamsburg is a far cry from Hernando, the love of southern fried electric delta blues is universal, noted by the varying ages and races of the fans in attendance. 

Carnivale Electricos straight through represents one of the group’s famous Lundi Day concerts, playing the jambalaya funk til sun up.  Galactic are already ambassadors to the town, but now they add one more staple to their collection and in doing so show the rest of the world just how vital New Orleans is to the sound of life. 

Herzog are a new band (much like Surfer Blood) that swims in the same waters of late 90’s indie guitar rock made popular by Modest Mouse and Built To Spill.  The guitars are layered and textured at times reaching arena ready levels while the grooves always seem incredibly bouncy.  The lyrics are secondary and at times buried to deep but focus on heartbreak or distance without ever becoming bitter. 

The emotional rock and roll comes back to close things as “Be Mine” and “On Your Way” both burn in the vein of a textured, rich Southern style.  Boys & Girls is a song focused effort from Alabama Shakes, showing off their talent as writers excellently; those searching for blissful blues/soul/rock in 2012 need look no further.     

The New Brunswick, NJ punk/power trio Screaming Females have continually produced some of the most kick ass music in this country over the last few years, now they release their newest effort that keeps the bar high, Ugly.  The disk has a lot in common with the band’s 2010 Castle Talk but also steers a bit darker, especially when it comes to the lyrics/vocal theatrics from front female, Marissa Paternoster.    

Playing with a dynamic group of musicians that includes Nels Cline, John Medeski, Alan Licht and SY drummer Steve Shelley (as well as others) has Lee Ranaldo focusing on song oriented offerings that are tight yet far from restrictive. 

Craig Finn’s first solo tour made its stop in the singer/songwriter’s home town of Brooklyn on Thursday night, but with the troubadour having played multiple shows in the area, tonight’s attendance seemed sparse throughout the Music Hall.

On “Phantom In The Valley” lead singer/guitarist/song-writer Ethan Miller sings about “Dusty notes of music/at the far end of the world!” but you don’t need to travel all that way to find Howlin’ Rain’s inspiration.  Just head into your parents basement and dust off the milk-crates that host your big brothers mid 70’s “classic” rock albums from a time gone by.  This is a big meaty album, a return to arena rock pomp and excess; knowing that in advance will clue people into the pluses and minuses fairly early of Howlin’ Rain’s newest release The Russian Wilds. 

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.