Posts by Shane Handler

2004 should have been a time for the Drive By Truckers to finally capture a well deserved rest. The past three years saw the band mature into a critic

t’s difficult to find the notable stand-out of the band, though ironically,
that’s Lotus’ greatest strength – playing as equals. Together, Nomad
exhibits Lotus’ tight ability to blend shades of organic groove with elements of urban house, quite a laudable feat considering the band was born within the sunny festival circuit.

The Thrills top criticism to date was they sounded too much like their idols: Neil Young, The Beach Boys, Beatles. Lets Bottle Bohemia sounds almost entirely familiar again, so the mix of these influences are now welcomed at the real Thrills, even with all the ooohs and ahhs.

With the third installment in the tech trilogy, Matters & Dunaway have finally risen to respected LP status, and deservedly so. A richly delivered work, Hightech is yet another instrumental album, full of textured soundscapes and patient breath.

Having recorded Attention Dimension as a five-year project, while healing from anxiety disorders, Jack Irons’ solo album has an obvious new-age feel, sounding like a yoga/meditation soundtrack in between guest spots from Eddie Vedder, Flea, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament and Les Claypool.

Halcyon may mean being “at peace,” but Bruce Hornsby’s lates is more a reflection of comfort in one

Come See Me: The Very Best Of The Pretty Things features 25 songs garnered from the band

It

Critters Buggin may very well be the most heard about band you haven

i]The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads reveals the group at their most
new-wave, experimental and funkiest, covering three distinct creative
periods of their career. A classic already in the making, the album covers
live hidden gems in the early years which produced their first four albums – 77, More Songs About Buildings And Food, Fear Of Music, and Remain In Light.

Trent Dabbs, follows in that mold of minimalist serenity with his debut Quite Often. Refusing to write formula songs, Dabbs takes his brand of celestial folk and makes it float quietly and peacefully aboard lush instruments, proving Dabbs is an artist with a knack for entrancing songwriting.

After two self-released EP

The Drive By Trucker’s sixth album is a sweaty collection, capturing true down and out Alabama living, where people have no choice but to lead a life of crime. Tales of tragedy, incest, hardship, struggle, blood, sweat and tears ramify the aura of this narrative release, led by five southerners who lived to tell the tales of “The Dirty South.”

Promoter Ken Walker decided to enlist the Grateful Dead, The Band, Janis Joplin, Buddy Guy, Flying Burito Brothers, Sha Na Na and others for an east to west journey in the summer of 1970 along the Canadian frontier, noted as the Festival Express. Thankfully, a new documentary unleashes never before seen footage of the iconic musicians in this rare setting, basking in true flower power camaraderie.

As the lead guitarist for Natalie Merchant

Blues and hip-hop purists must have thought it was Armageddon when a white skinny kid from Philly named Garrett Dutton broke out under the alter-ego G Love. Turning out a chill, sloppy blues sound spiked with scratchy R&B, hip-hop overtones, G Love and his two man band, Special Sauce, delivered a new sound flavor in the mid 90

The kick back low-key tunes on Songs From The Front Porch probably won’t make Michael Franti

For twenty one years, Phish continually challenged our ears with their complex compositions and unpredictable musicianship. For their final shows – the multi-day “Coventry” festival in Coventry, Vermont – Phish challenged their fans to the physical extremes. Of course for others, the final shows put some fans through emotional extremes as well, as a chapter in not only the band

Beneath the wool hat, great talent lies within Badly Drawn Boy, but disappointingly One Plus One Is One equals nothing.

Mofro sets you down on a rickety porch in the everglades, rocking chair underneath you, and a hot summer breeze rolling over the murky waters.