Album Reviews

[rating=7.00] Music lovers are likely more familiar with John Andrews’ backing work on drums and keys in the rhythm section of bands like Woods or Widowspeak than they are with his solo recordings under the title John Andrews and the Yawns. That may soon change, however, as the multi-instrumentalist has proven himself a more than […]

[rating=8.00] Because of Jerry Garcia’s death in 1995, the decade of the Nineties casts a long shadow over the legacy of the Grateful Dead. Yet it’s not just the actual passing of the iconic band’s titular bandleader, but his painfully inexorable slide toward his eventual demise that’s so disheartening. Add to that the unwieldy scene […]

[rating=9.00] The Grammy winning bassist-composer-singer Thundercat has come out with his biggest, most ambitious and best release to date. Drunk fuses Stephen Bruner’s (aka Thundercat) humor, bleakness, self-doubt, and modern age technique with retro love for early 80’s pop and digital beats over a long and winding road, bringing in perfect guests with zero hangover. […]

[rating=9.00] Last Place shows no signs of the rust you would expect from a decade-long recording hiatus. Reunion albums have a notorious track record, but Grandaddy is able to recapture the spirit of their original albums without ever sounding like an old band imitating its former self. The California quintet disbanded shortly after the release […]

[rating=9.00] Not only is Chicano Batman’s newest album the most soulful, emotionally moving/political album of their career, it is also their most complete. Freedom Is Free finds the group continuing their South American rock influences but also diving head-first into classic American R&B with grace and passion. Opener “Passed You By” effortlessly flirts with dreamy […]

[rating=8.00] Comprised solely of percussionist Russ Lawton and keyboardist Ray Paczkowski, the simplicity of the Soule Monde lineup belies the density of sound they conjure up. As a result, the title of their second full-length album, Must Be Nice, might represent a remark rival musicians would make in admiration of this alliance between the two long-time members […]

[rating=7.00] The singer/songwriter/trombonist Natalie Cressman has already had a whirlwind career and she is just twenty-five years old. Having been a key member of the Trey Anastasio Band Cressman has sung and played trombone everywhere from Red Rocks to Madison Square Garden and now she releases her newest EP titled Traces. On past offerings, Cressman […]

[rating=9.00] You have to give Curtis McMurtry credit. As a musical denizen of Austin, Texas, he could have continued the standard approach that complies well with the tack taken by the typical singer/songwriter. To his credit, however, he opts to branch out into other realms, specifically a jazz/chamber hybrid that brings him more into a […]

[rating=7.00] “There’s nothing like a Grateful Dead concert”  became a truism long ago and it might well also be stated “There’s nothing like a Grateful Dead concert in Boston.” The hub of the northeastern United States became one of this iconic band’s favorites stops over the course of its career and. in turn. the venue […]

[rating=6.00] Old 97s are returning to their roots…sort of. Their new record Graveyard Whistling was recorded in the same studio in West Texas as their now 20-year old release Too Far to Care. And though they’ve come a long way since, they’re one of the most consistent bands of the last two decades. 2014’s Most […]