Album Reviews

Call it a makeover, or at least a major reinvention of the Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB) sound. New management and the outside perspective of new producer Mike Elizondo, perhaps, account for their shift toward more radio-friendly, albeit less exploratory turf on their sixth studio album,  Future Soul. That’s not to say they’ve lost their rooted […]

A jazz musician has to attain an elite status before being invited to play at the hallowed shrine of jazz, NYC’s Village Vanguard. Like his iconic forbearers, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Joshua Redman, and others, altoist and composer Immanuel Wilkins and his quartet stepped into the venue on May 15th and 16th, 2025, recording […]

Before albums like A Love Supreme and Giant Steps cemented his reputation as one of jazz’s most visionary figures, John Coltrane spent the late 1950s establishing himself as a bandleader after notable stints alongside artists such as Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk. Released by Craft Recordings to coincide with the centennial celebration of John Coltrane, […]

Morgan Nagler has spent years behind the scenes shaping songs for other artists, quietly building a reputation as a sharp lyricist and collaborator. In addition to fronting Whispertown, Nagler has co-written with artists like Phoebe Bridgers, HAIM, and Kim Deal, and her work on Bridgers’ “Kyoto” even earned a Grammy nomination. With I’ve Got Nothing […]

On their sophomore effort Irreversible, Chicago’s Brigitte Calls Me Baby delivers on the promise of their impressive debut, which earned critical praise, a global fanbase, and opening slots for everyone from Muse and Fontaines D.C. to Morrissey. Across nearly a dozen tracks, Irreversible builds on that foundation of classic New Wave and modern indie pop […]

The themes that weave through Mud Blood Bone, the fourth record from Canada’s Cat Clyde, tackle large, universal ideas. Yet, it’s her gift for writing deeply personal lyrics that gives the album both depth and a striking sense of intimacy. From the remarkable opener “Where Is My Love,” which explores longing and absence, to the […]

In 2024, The Black Crowes returned with their first album of new material in fifteen years, Happiness Bastards. The brothers Robinson ended their feud, and critics loved it. GRAMMY nods followed. Glide was the dissenting opinion, but however you feel about that release, A Pound Of Feathers finds Chris and Rich incredibly energized, successfully capitalizing on their recent […]

In the digital age, there are several ways to account for a band’s growth. From their social media following to the number of streams attached to each release, labels, fans, and the bands themselves can watch their career grow through calculations and manipulate that growth through expert analysis of algorithms. With all this technology and […]

Every once in a while, you get the chance to hear an album that refuses to meet your expectations of what music should sound like, not because the band or artist is pushing boundaries, but because the culture that informed the record is completely different from the one you were born into. Hoggar, the tenth […]

Shoegaze is entering a renaissance period before our very eyes, and it couldn’t be a more invigorating revelation for the beloved genre. For the past few years, shoegaze acts have been exploding out of every corner of the world, some dedicating their sonic adventures to preserving the heyday of the sound. In contrast, others see […]

Kim Gordon’s solo career (which didn’t start until she was 66) has been extremely fruitful as 2019’s No Home Record began her collaboration with producer/multi-instrumentalist Justin Raisen, and 2024’s The Collective is one of the best albums of this fractured decade. The pair’s third effort is PLAY ME. While not as exciting as those offerings, it still […]

On February 26, to be exact, Gnarls Barkley released “Pictures,” marking a bittersweet moment for the iconic duo and their long-term supporters. The slow-burning, hypnotic, autobiographical single is the duo’s, composed of vocal legend CeeLo Green and super producer Danger Mouse, first piece of new music in 18 years, and the lead single to their […]

The newest offering from the Fremantle, Australia-based GUM is a swirling collection of psych-pop as Jay Watson (Pond, Tame Impala) lets layers of synths and effect-laden guitars wash over the listener throughout Blue Gum Way.   Watson’s last offering as GUM found him partnering with Amborse-Smith Kenny (King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, The Murlocs) for the more swaggering, […]

For a band that spent nearly a decade on the road — stopping to record albums before getting right back to the grind — Nashville’s The Brook & The Bluff reaped the rewards of living out of a suitcase, winning over fans across the globe, churning out viral hits online, and sharpening their live set. […]

The All-Night Costume Company, the ninth solo effort from Tacoma, WA’s Kye Alfred Hillig, is the album that almost wasn’t. After the release of his double LP in 2022, Hillig was feeling disillusioned and stepped away from music for the first time in more than 20 years. But quitting didn’t stick and instead served, in […]

You can easily read “Twio” as “Trio.” You won’t be wrong. Yet, the obtuse word, in Smith’s witty way, implies fun. Saxophonist Walter Smith III introduced his chordless saxophone trio concept in 2018 with the release of Twio (Whirlwind Recordings), featuring the core unit of bassist Harish Raghavan and drummer Eric Harland with special guests […]

It’s no mystery why Texas singer-songwriter William Clark Green is so popular. He writes relatable songs, has catchy sing-along choruses, clever wordplay, and his unifying rebel persona. Besides, his sentiments are generally right on target. He’s the modern-day Pat Green, for whom he is sometimes mistaken, because of the same last name. Yet, for his […]

Few artists are as closely tied to the foundation of country music as Willie Nelson. Before the outlaw movement, before the braids and bandanas, Nelson was a Nashville songwriter absorbing the work of Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb, and Merle Travis. Originally released in 2010 and produced by T Bone Burnett, Country Music is his direct […]

Nothing, the Philadelphia-bred shoegaze giants, have slowly become one of the genre’s proudest and most innovative leaders. Led by Domenic Palermo, the band has been pushing the boundaries of shoegaze tropes for over a decade, building a cult following and a colorful discography brimming with acclaimed, singular approaches to the genre they hold close. The […]

By 1962, Wes Montgomery had already changed the way jazz guitar sounded. A self-taught player from Indianapolis, he built his style around his thumb instead of a pick, creating a warm, rounded tone that cut through without ever sounding harsh. His use of octaves became a signature, but what really set him apart was his […]