Album Reviews

[rating=8.00] On Peace Trail, Neil Young forsakes his recent penchant for pointed social commentary in favor of a disarmingly offhanded approach that’s much more effective. Over the course of ten no nonsense tracks, the Canadian musical icon shines a light on our cultural dislocation without making statements or declaring his opinion in any overt way. […]

In the newest installment of Wannabe, artist Chris Prunckle reviews Teens of Denial, the new album from Seattle-based rockers Car Seat Headrest, in his signature six-panel comic strip form. Click on the image for full resolution (best viewed on desktop): [youtube id=”s_a1hPwXiWw” width=”630″ height=”350″]

[rating=9.00] The Real Royal Albert Hall 1966 Concert is not an entry in The Bootleg Series of  Bob Dylan’s, but it achieves the same effect as the most significant releases in that archive project. That is, it definitively clarifies one of the pivotal points in the 2016 Nobel Laureate’s long career. This two-CD set is […]

[rating=8.00] Canadian songstress Tami Neilson delivers a powerful blend of soul and sass on her sophomore LP, a combination that’s compelling enough to convince anyone who was heretofore unawares just how powerful her potential is within the realms of blues and soul. Despite having accumulated a substantial amount of kudos in New Zealand, her adopted […]

In the newest installment of Wannabe, artist Chris Prunckle reviews My Piece of Land, the new album from singer-songwriter and fiddle player Amanda Shires, in his signature six-panel comic strip form. Click on the image for full resolution (best viewed on desktop): [youtube id=”d1tvmSPD6mc” width=”630″ height=”350″]

[rating=8.00] Crossroads Revisited includes selections from the recorded appearances of various artists who’ve graced the various stages of  for Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festivals 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013.  Those compiling the anthology do yeoman’s work in highlighting not just memorable moments at the events themselves, but revealing the evolution of the rosters involved as […]

[rating=9.00] Anyone who’s ever heard a single note from Melissa Etheridge during her multi-decade career can attest to the fact that she’s not only a tenacious and tempestuous performer possessed with grit and sass, but also an artist that stands apart in terms of her credibility and conviction. That’s something to be relished in these […]

[rating=8.00] Nashville’s Blank Range recently released their EP, Vista Bent, on hometown powerhouse Thirty Tigers. The four song collection travels no distinct path or set of sonic moorings. Part cocaine country, part indie come garage rock, a few stoner, electronic brushstrokes and a heady, jazzier meld than most rock bands can muster. Vista Bent delivers […]

[rating=9.00] Purveyors of their own take on psychedelia, The Green Pajamas have been plying their singular style for the better part of the past 30 years. Having carved something of a legendary stature in their native Seattle, the band remains a cult favorite as far as the world at large is concerned, having been denied […]

[rating=8.00] Amazing, one of the greatest hip-hop acts of all time secretly record an album (their first in 18 years) after reuniting because they were inspired by world events. Unfortunate, one of the founding members passes away before it can be completed. With mixed emotions that this will be the last A Tribe Called Quest […]