Album Reviews

Jarrod Dickenson’s Big Talk will instantly demand your attention from the opening track, “Buckle Under Pressure.”

The concept of a fiery, punk/garage trio that saxophonist and composer James Brandon Lewis employs on Eye of I, his eleventh album as a leader, fits in perfectly with the mantra of ANTI records, for which this is his debut

Reimagined versions of original albums can be a hit-and-miss venture but in this case, the endeavor is a worthy one.

The Tubs are a Welsh band that formed in 2018 and has a strong punk and indie rock influence reminiscent of bands like The Smiths and Hüsker Dü. The band is known for their unique sound and style, as well as their tight musicianship and songwriting. The band’s lineup includes several ex-members of the band […]

Take a random handful of both early 80’s hard rock and power pop, toss that in a blender, garnish with a slice of Blink-182 and the resulting cocktail would be called White Reape

The Mother Hips have roared into 2023 with, When We Disappear, their eleventh release as a band, and their third with the label Blue Rose Music.

ltimately, Fragments is yet another thought-provoking installment of the Dylan’s discography, not only in direct reflection of its source material but also on its very own terms.

The 12-track LP sees John Barrett traversing the whole recording process with a full band backing him, creating their most full-sounding album to date.

Having started his career as a garage-rocking party man, Kyle Thomas instantly transformed into his stage persona King Tuff. Now, deep into his solo career, Thomas eases back and luxuriates in the natural world and memories of his hometown, two vitally important pieces to this personal album, Smalltown Stardust. 

The Arcs’ latest album, Electrophonic Chronic, is a masterful blend of rock, funk, and soul that showcases the band’s versatility and musicianship.

Eddie 9V is a guitarist whose main influences are pretty evident. His previous album Black Flies (2021) is a collection of blues songs. Some of the songs like “Don’t Come Around” seem to draw heavily from artists like Buddy Guy, both melodically and vocally. But it’s not something you expect from an artist who is […]

Following up the 2021 Outrunning EP with their first proper full length, Canada’s five piece The Sarandons deliver a satisfying mix of lush indie pop, folk and roots/Americana music that occasionally flirts with more danceable rock here and there. They also manage to incorporate more than the basic guitar, bass and drums formula for a […]

On their latest album, One Day, the band took a different approach to the idea of a concept album than they have in the past. The name explains itself, the album was recorded in single 24-hour spurts despite some members recording their sections remotely.

Benjamin’s fourth release, is arguable as massive in scope with a theme of female empowerment, delivered through her spiritual saxophone playing, smartly placed spoken word segments and key vocal tracks

Pony Bradshaw’s latest, North Georgia Rounder, is a mix of Southern gothic fiction and a travelogue of Appalachia set to a beautifully haunting soundtrack of country music.

JD Clayton put out his 2018 debut EP, Smoke Out the Fire, and was prepared to set the world on fire with what was to come next. Turns out a once in a lifetime pandemic completely shutting down the world – including all forms of touring – was next. So, Clayton put his dreams on hold and […]

Before there was Seattle, there was Athens, GA. Throughout the 1980s and ‘90s you were hard pressed to find a smaller U.S. town with as many brilliant bands growing out of one scene. For every globally revered band like The B-52s and R.E.M., there were groups like Pylon, Love Tractor and Widespread Panic – just […]

As illustrated by David Lemieux and his crack team of Grateful Dead archivists, there’s a big difference between ‘predictable’ and ‘consistent.’ Continuing from late 2021 into and throughout this year, their ongoing efforts to provide provocative exhumations from the vault of the iconic band span decades of performances by the various personnel lineups of the Dead

The Oakland, CA-based Orchestra Gold combine afrobeat with psych rock, reggae and more on their third album Medicine. Singing in the Bambara language, the band delivers unique soundscapes over the course of these eight tracks. The seven-piece fuse a sixties garage/psych rock sound onto the afrobeat formula with mixed results.

Through its simplicity, Five Easy Hot Dogs achieved a level of beauty that redefines Demarco as a musician. Instead of relying on cheeky guitar tones and whispering vocal melodies, Demarco created a project that expresses his diversity without it feeling forced.