Home is a sweet place on Chrome Dreams II, and no matter what you love about Neil Young, my guess is that you’re going to like what you find when you get there.
On his third Iron and Wine full length, The Shepherd’s Dog, Beam sticks with his token formula of hushed melodies and moving lyrics as the ground-work, but goes in a whole new direction above. Like his flowing mane and beard, Beam grew out the production level on The Shepherd’s Dog, that includes African rhythms and expanded instrumentation of courtesy of Joey Burns and Paul Niehaus from Calexico, Califone’s Jim Becker and Tin Hat Trio’s Rob Burger.
Sadly, Slayer will never get the recognition that they deserve. As has been the story with metal in general, acknowledgement of the influence that Slayer has had on music for the last 25 years is few and far between.
ith their fourth studio release, Structure and Cosmetics, The Brunettes continue a tradition of 1960s pop-influenced indie rock as seen through artists such as The Shins, Belle and Sebastian and others. And what the Brunettes specialize and excel in is the sort of silly, saccharine tinged love songs and danceable pop that haven’t been heard in close to 40 years – but with a modern interpretation.
Newbies may find Live at the Murat a difficult entrée to the band, but Umphrey’s fans should be satisfied with a well-produced if uneven collection.
The title of Josh Ritter’s new album (The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter) is the first indication that the acclaimed folk-singer from Idaho might not be taking himself so seriously.
Mountain's latest release, Masters of War is a Bob Dylan tribute album with original mountaineers West and Laing, Ritchie Scarlett, Brian Mitchell, Kenny Aronson and Todd Wolfe. The CD arrives with uncanny timeliness – in the same way Dylan used his songmenship to protest against the Vietnam War,
Like a good book, Kill to Get Crimson needs some time to get comfortable with, but it’s worth the effort.
The sound on Faces in the Rocks seems to have sprouted effortlessly from a mountain spring or twisting root, nature is imbedded in every note and vocal flutter from Mariee Sioux on her first release.
Singer-songwriter Fionn Regan has a sweet, sincere style that isn’t overtly British folk but has just enough of that emotional feel on The End of History from the tender opener “Be Good Or Be Gone” to the playful finger-picking of “The Underwood Typewriter.”
