Reviews

[rating=7.00] For Ronnie Fauss, a musical career came after he’d already racked up some life experience. And it shows in the best way on his new record Built to Break, a follow up from last year’s I Am the Man You Know I’m Not. His songs aren’t overly produced or fanciful. They’re just classic sounding […]

[rating=10.00] When original Byrds Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman oversaw the 2006 box set There Is A Season, they made a concerted effort to highlight the contributions of their band-mate Gene Clark and, in so doing, may well have begun the groundswell of well-deserved recognition the late musician and songwriter is now receiving. This deluxe […]

[rating=9.00] With the release of 2013’s Time Off, Brooklyn-based guitarist and musician’s musician Steve Gunn expounded upon his years of collaboration – raga/blues experimentation with drummer John Truscinski; biting improvisational rock with Cian Nugent; and psychedelic folk with the members of Hiss Golden Messenger – to produce a cohesive yet varied, at times sprawling album. […]

[rating=9.00] Although singer Rhett Miller, himself, tends to look barely a day over 20, his band, Old 97’s, have used this past year to celebrate 20 years in the business. Not 20 years with a few hiatuses here and there or new members being shifted in and out, but instead a solid two decades together […]

[rating=5.00] From its title to the cover graphics and to the music inside, Bob Seger’s Ride Out has all the earmarks of a swan song. Of course, that’s probably not in the offing given the level of success Seger’s nurtured since his break-through in 1976 with Night Moves, including continued sold-out concert tours, but subsequent […]

“The Doors message is uncompromisingly loud,” says the announcer at the beginning of the British documentary, The Doors Are Open. “Do not adjust your set.” On November 11, Eagle Rock Entertainment finally released Feast Of Friends. This long ago film created by The Doors themselves back in 1968, has never been officially released until now. […]

[rating=9.00] Bloodshot Records is so deeply ingrained in the hearts of its followers that it’s hard to imagine a time when it didn’t exist. For their 20th birthday, they’ve collected 38 favorites from their catalog and divvied them up amongst a diverse group of artists to create While No One Was Looking: Toasting 20 Years […]

[rating=8.00] For the first time since 2011, TV on the Radio are back with a new album Seeds, albeit under vastly different circumstances. The three year timespan has brought numerous changes to the band: the unfortunate passing of bassist Gerard Smith, the parting of ways with longtime label Interscope, and the members’ geographic relocation from […]

In what may be an unprecedented set of concerts, Peter Hook and The Light performed six New Order and Joy Division albums in their entirety, during four concerts across Southern California, on the week leading to the Thanksgiving holiday. The band began their week long odyssey with a concert on November 22nd at The Fonda […]

Jessica Lea Mayfield is like a little woodland sprite, all soft-spoken, tiny and fair-haired, until she sings. Her voice is rich and full-bodied, sometimes sultry and always a little sullen. At a recent performance at Brooklyn Bowl, she haunted the crowd with this voice, and though there weren’t many in attendance on a bitter cold […]

[rating=7.00] Twelve years since his first full-length album, Andrew McMahon still does not disappoint. He is now under a new moniker, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, and the self-titled release dropped on October 14. The annoyance from fans and critics alike about yet another name change can be justified, but at the same time it […]

Interpol’s tour in support of their new album, El Pintor, came to a grinding halt when the mega snowstorm that dumped over seven feet of snow in the Buffalo, New York area left them, along with their crew, gear and supporting band, Hundred Waters, stranded on a highway for over fifty hours. Fans could follow […]

Ryan Bingham, dressed in jeans, trademark grey Henley shirt and leather jacket delivered “The Gospel according to Ryan” to the sold out Club 939 Friday night in Boston.  The extremely intimate room (200 capacity), which is run by Berklee College of Music students, is essentially an oversized living room complete with leather couches.  The large […]

The sheer power, strength, and magnitude of what was about to take place in a small venue with a classic, innovative, circus, party band like Jane’s Addiction was probably on everyone’s mind when entering the Ogden Theatre. Everyone knew what to expect since Jane’s is celebrating the 25th year anniversary of their best and most […]

[rating=9.00] There’s something so haunting and dreamlike in Jason Molina’s voice, and when you hear it, you’re left with an inherent understanding that you’ll never be the same again. More than a year since his passing, the music world is still mourning the loss of this brilliant talent through deluxe reissues and touching tributes. Last […]

Lawrence packed The Bottleneck on Friday night for the last stop on Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors’ headlining tour. While backup vocalist Ellie Holcomb was not present on this tour, Holcomb and company put on an energetic show in typical fashion. The night began with Nashville singer/songwriter Neal Carpenter, whose debut album Good Guys was […]

To say The 1975 have blown up would be, with little exaggeration, quite the understatement. From their humble beginnings in Manchester to selling out shows half-way across the world in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Palladium, the British foursome are (and will continue to be) the indie band with huge mainstream appeal, and whether you like it […]

“The reason why we played the first bunch of songs without stopping is because we got a hundred fuckin’ songs to play,” announced Dave Grohl after the Foo Fighters had made it about eight songs into what would end up being close to a three hour set. In only eight songs the band reminded the […]

[rating=7.00] One of the most accidentally astute critiques I’ve ever heard came not from a professional critic but from a co-worker, back in my service industry days. Speaking on Faith No More’s most popular track, “Epic,” he looked at me and said “the thing I love about Faith No More is that there’s this song, […]

When it comes to turning the angst and energy of an album into performance magic, Stars is matchless. Simply put, if you have the opportunity to see them in concert, don’t pass it up. Their packed show Thursday, November 13th at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC was heavy on pomp and circumstance, feeling more like a celebration than […]