Album Reviews

Chicago artist Chris Prunckle never set out to review albums in comic book form. He has a background in the arts but is mostly self-taught and these days he enjoys making all kinds of art like designing beer labels, t-shirts, logos, posters, and even painting and sculpting. An artist he may be, it was a […]

[rating=9.00] Considered by most Dylantologists to be the definitive period in Bob Dylan’s nascent development, the mid ‘60s found him moving at stratospheric speed in an evolution that took him from starry-eyed folk troubadour and populist hero to an influential and revolutionary rocker. The three albums produced during that narrow span of time — Bringing […]

[rating=9.00] We’ve heard this story before. An extraordinarily talented artist cuts one perfect record and, too often under tragic circumstances, the album is lost in time. Then, years later, a dedicated archivist or a savvy record label comes upon this artist as if discovering a shipwreck deep below the sea that holds stories upon stories […]

The incense was lit. Classical music and Nordic metal flowed out from the PA’s into the ears of the horde that had gathered at the Mohawk on Saturday night. Like an ancient clan gathering before battle, the black-clad cretins of heavy metal were angsty and restless for their music show. Swedish death metal showmen Tribulation […]

[rating=9.00] It is a rare and astounding privilege to be able to watch the evolution of a young artist over the course of only a few years. And thanks to wunderkind label Light in the Attic, we lucky listeners now have access to a sweet little package of French pop sensation Francoise Hardy’s discography. As […]

[rating=7.00] Don’t be fooled by the name. Wild Child aren’t nearly as unhinged as their handle might otherwise suggest. And yet, they’re no fools either, the handle of their third long-player not withstanding. Still, there’s something to be said for their giddy exuberance and the communal bond of comradery that echoes from these grooves, making […]

[rating=7.00] With his third full-length album Age of Transparency, Autre Ne Veut (real name Arthur Ashin) continues to explore the fringes of post-R&B. He expands upon the eclectic experiment on the genre that was 2013’s critically acclaimed Anxiety by incorporating more elements of jazz into the mix. Ashin began recording by playing with a full […]

[rating=9.00] Somewhere between the sparse, sly delivery of Mark Sandman’s Morphine and the formidable big brass sounds created by acts like Tower of Power lies Josh Hoyer and Soul Colossal. Having recently undergone a name change, (formerly Josh Hoyer and the Shadowboxers), their second LP is a lush, atmospheric record, one that paints an anthemic […]

[rating=7.00] It’s a strange title. Likewise, it’s not immediately clear what it might refer to. If one was a marketing guru and wanted to play off it in some strange way, there’s room to insist on 10,000 reasons to love it. Granted, that’s an exaggeration, but considering the fact that this is Emilie & Ogden’s […]

[rating=6.00] You’d hardly be blamed if you questioned why, after 45 years, Billy Gibbons felt the need to make a solo album. After all, he’s one third of ZZ Top and from all accounts, the one largely responsible for writing the material and singing the songs. Backed by a handpicked group of musicians dubbed The […]

[rating=7.00] U.S. Elevator cite some formidable sources of inspirations on their self titled debut — The Beatles, Neil Young, the Hollies, and Gram Parsons among them. The similarities aren’t all that clear in the listening, but there’s little doubt that there’s some exceptional musicians involved in the album’s making. The band is the brainchild of […]

[rating=8.00] ChessBoxer’s public profile has leapt upward dramatically concurrent with their collaboration with Warren Haynes (and Jeff Sipe) on the road during the fall of 2015. It only makes sense for the band to have recordings available, even if not the full length sort due next year, to solidify the impression the band makes on […]

[rating=8.00] Maia Sharp has accumulated quite a career in the nearly 20 years since she was first came to the attention of the well known record exec Miles Copeland in 1997. She’s acquired all sorts of accolades along the way, and even managed to participate in a superstar summit of sorts when she joined Art […]

Kool Keith is a little bionic, at least on the inside. He dreams of interplanetary adventures, supersonic time travel, and juicy brown booties. He’s equal parts Dr. Octagon, Dr. Dooom, and the Ultraman himself, all personas released via past records, and it’s a wonder he can find himself amidst his many on-stage personalities. The only […]

[rating=8.00] Philly rockers Beach Slang have been gaining attention with their first few EP’s and now arrives the band’s debut full length release whose title, The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us is almost longer than the album itself. These short catchy punk infused tracks are infectious with a positivity in […]

[rating=7.00] Jeff Campbell’s like a thousand and one other starry-eyed dreamers desperately hoping to carve out a career making music. However, unlike many others, he was willing to stake his fortunes on making that dream come true. Once a successful investment advisor, he sacked that stable career to pursue his muse, roughing it out in […]

[rating=7.00] If the title of Jeffrey Focault’s latest endeavor, Salt As Wolves, seems somewhat ominous at the outset, then mood is quickly affirmed by the music contained within. Considering the fact that Foucault’s often typecast as a pensive folkie — he’s married to a likeminded singer/songwriter and a notable artist on her own, Kris Delmhorst […]

[rating=8.00] When Bloodshot Records signed a little known trio from Denver called the Yawpers earlier this year, it seemed like a move out of left field. Then again, in its 20 year history the Chicago record label has always had a gift for discovering and signing fresh talent (Ryan Adams, Old 97’s, Waco Brothers) before the […]

[rating=7.00] As The National sifts their way through a bit of a hiatus, front man Matt Berninger is using the extended time to step out with a new collaborative project. El VY (plural of Elvis, in case you were wondering the proper pronunciation) features Berninger teaming up with former Menomena and Ramona Falls musical whiz […]

[rating=8.00] After the seminal alt-country/Americana band Uncle Tupelo dissolved following the ironically-titled (?) Anodyne of 1993, co-founder Jay Farrar (READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH JAY) established Son Volt as a means to continue  the pioneering of American roots music. The  well-prepared and stylish twentieth anniversary package of their debut album from Rhino Records, Trace, both extends […]