Reviews

Renowned drummer Antonio Sanchez again finds himself in an unconventional trio after convening last year’s BEATrio with Bela Fleck and Edmar Casteneda. This time, Sanchez collaborates with conquero/vocalist Pedrito Martinez and the multi-instrumentalist leader of Snarky Puppy, Michael League, in a rare configuration that features two percussionists and League’s array of instruments. Their mission is to unite cultures and musical genres, […]

Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore, two of the more celebrated and beloved experimental composers in contemporary music, were put into a unique situation for Tragic Magic. The duo’s 7-song collaborative LP was created in just 9 days with producer Trevor Spencer at the Philharmonie de Paris, where rare instruments are collected. The duo was given […]

Minneapolis-based folk rockers, The Pines, have always been led by the insightful songwriting of David Huckfelt. On “I Was Born, But…”, we don’t get his songwriting; instead, we get inspired interpretations of mostly lesser-known works by a wide range of North American songwriters.  In some respects, the album reads much like Dylan’s Self-Portrait. In fact, both have a version […]

It is hard to believe that Oxis, the marine-based electronic singer/songwriter/producer, only started her series of self-titled releases three years ago. Her music reaches a level of intimacy and vulnerable storytelling that makes listening to it feel like a chat with an old, prophetic friend, someone you never forget but can never pin down for […]

It’s hard to believe that James Hunter has been recording for almost four decades now. His Off the Fence is his eleventh studio album and debut for Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound after years in the Dap Tone stable. Ironically, Daptone’s co-founder, Gabriel Roth, produced, not Auerbach. It’s refreshing to see an album without multiple […]

Mike Mattison & Trash Magic make it all sound easy on Turn A Midnight Corner.  A uniformly excellent explorative statement in contemporary blues, this Landslide Records effort is the flashpoint of experience and ambition at which the frontman only hinted by his efforts with his Scrapomatic band and his 2014 release Afterglow. The reputation Mike […]

At this point, we should treat singer-songwriter/poet/visual artist Courtney Marie Andrews’ music as evolving and taking on more polish with each release. Her previous release, 2022’s Loose Future, came with these words in our headline – “Breezier and Poppier.”  Her latest, Valentine, is not anywhere near as uplifting, but some of the vulnerability and fragility […]

Pink Floyd’s recognition of the half-century milestone of Wish You Were Here continues what, with period collections such as 2019’s The Later Years, has become something of a cottage industry for the now-defunct British prog-rockers.  Completists and collectors will no doubt be confounded by all manner of WYWH50 merchandise, not the least of which is […]

Philadelphia is a city that prides itself on family, a sentiment that was turned up to 11 last night at a packed house Johnny Brenda’s. The “Hardcore Friends Show,” presented by Matt DiMaio for his 9th annual birthday benefit, was every bit a living retrospective of a twenty-year friendship with some of the artists who […]

King’s Day on January 6th marks the start of Carnival season, a special time in New Orleans featuring parades, revelry, and more. On January 8th, the Take Me To The River All-Stars traveled north to spread some Mardi Gras infused love in New York City at the gorgeous City Winery.   The sold-out show featured a […]