Album Reviews

Sadler Vaden built his reputation over the past decade as one of the most versatile southern guitarists playing today, first putting in time with the raucous country punks in Drivin’ N Cryin’ before switching to Americana’s go-to sideman playing alongside Jason Isbell in his band the 400 Unit. In retrospect, his tenure with both groups […]

At times when the world feels like absolute chaos, enjoying yourself can seem almost like an act of rebellion. There’s a certain defiance in saying “fuck you” to the current events and worries taking up space in our heads, and filling them instead with the kind of music that grabs you by the guts and […]

One of the great things about music is that no matter your mood, you can always find some music to suit the time and place in your life. Sometimes you want music that is loud and aggressive. Other times you want music that is mellow and introspective. If you want the latter, Jah9’s new album […]

The valid fascination with the Grateful Dead’s 1977 activities continues with the release of Dave’s Picks Volume 33. This latest issue in the ongoing vault series follows in the footsteps of 2009’s To Terrapin and, of course, Cornell ’77 (and its attendant box set May 1977: Get Shown the Light) with a fall tour show […]

The 50-plus-year institution known as Roomful of Blues continues to deliver jazzy, poignant jump blues with their 8-piece little big band. Roomful of Blues, established in Rhode Island in 1967 by Duke Robillard, has been led by guitarist Chris Vachon for the past 22 years. Surely, members have rotated in and out of the lineup […]

As documented on this eponymous album, the evolution of Circles Around the Sun isn’t wholly dissimilar from its roots. Originally conceived to create set break music for the 2015 Fare Thee Well concerts, the music on 2015’s Interludes for the Dead might hardly seem of a piece from that which fills this purposefully dance-oriented album. […]

Some of today’s most aggressively, spiritually oriented saxophonists are based in London as evidenced by Shabaka Hutchings, Nubya Garcia, Massimo Magee, to name a few. Add Zhenya Strigalev to that list. Together with drummer Jamie Murray the duo takes the letters of their first names to form JZ Replacement.  The two are frequent collaborators and […]

In the latest Wannabe, artist Chris Prunckle offers his illustrated commentary on 5 Years Behind, the new album from Brooklyn punk rockers Thick, in his signature six-panel comic strip form. Click on the image for full resolution (best viewed on desktop):  

Engineered in Berlin, Nashville and his hometown of New Orleans, Sam Doores, formerly of The Deslondes and Hurray for the Riff Raff, brings a diverse set of elements together for his self-titled solo debut. Written intermittently over the course of several years, his debut is both classic and contemporary.  Mostly, it just feels good as […]

This is a brilliant document of Charles Lloyd’s 80th Birthday concert, performed in his home venue, the Lobero in Santa Barbara, CA.  The 8: Kindred Spirits (Live from the Lobero) features his cor rhythm tandem of bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland with frequent collaborator pianist Gerald Clayton and one-time collaborator guitarist Julian Lage […]

Dave Simonett fronts the popular acoustic roots band Trampled by Turtles and another side project Dead Man Winter. He’s a songwriter with one of those special crooning voices. Its beauty lies more in subtlety than power, a smooth vehicle to drive his melodic songs. This collection of eight songs qualifies more as a mini-album, but […]

If you didn’t hear the 2016 breakout album from Shabaka & The Ancestors, you may still be familiar with Shabaka Hutchings who leads Sons of Kemet and is a member of The Comet is Coming. The UK saxophonist is one of the brightest lights in spiritual jazz, one who absorbed the lessons of Coltrane and […]

Some bands do a tremendous job of carving out a niche for themselves. That can certainly be said for Austin musical collective Brownout, who have melded rock and funk with Latin tones and rhythms. The band carved out an even deeper niche with some Brown Sabbath albums that gave us something we didn’t know we […]

Considered by most to be Duke Ellington’s greatest work, Black, Brown & Beige, the sprawling history of African -Americans has been, recorded several times over the years either in its entirety but performed live just in pieces. Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) performed the entire piece live at Rose Theater […]

Sometime between 1965 and 1968 a shift in popular music happened. It wasn’t something that necessarily defined the time but was more a symptom of it. The acid was taking hold, marijuana was a ubiquitous part of the hiplife and ears and minds were opening to sounds to which they had once been closed. While […]

The album title, Cinema Swing, takes its name from the famed, tiny Cinema Bar located on Sepulveda Blvd. in Culver City, just south of Los Angeles, a place this writer frequented often on trips to L.A. In fact, one night included watching the Lakers at the bar with keyboardist/vocalist Carl Byron. That was a rare […]

The winning streak continues for The James Hunter Six and Daptone Records as Nick of Time is yet another fantastic slice of grooving retro soul. Hunter and producer Bosco Mann merge their Northern English style with classic American R&B over thirteen pristine sounding tracks that lovingly recalls past greats of the genre. Opener “I Can […]

Texas guitar legend Will Sexton, younger brother of Charlie Sexton, grew up in in San Antonio and played with greats like Doug Sahm and Stevie Ray Vaughan as a teenager.  Will is now based in Memphis, having married roots artist Amy LaVere in 2013. He found some time away from his busy session work to […]

In the latest Wannabe, artist Chris Prunckle offers his illustrated commentary on LP5, the new album from singer-songwriter John Moreland, in his signature six-panel comic strip form. Click on the image for full resolution (best viewed on desktop):  

Talented singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, The Mastersons, tap Shooter Jennings to produce their fourth album, No Time for Love Songs. The Mastersons, Chris Masterson and Eleanor Whitmore, are one of roots music’s revered couples, as the driving force in Steve Earle’s long-time band, The Dukes, who tour quite often. Additionally, Chris and Eleanor appear as guests […]