Reviews

[rating=9.00] Hypnotic Eye is vintage Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. In fact, it may rank as one of the two or three best albums the veteran rockers have ever done. Firing on all pistons like a well-tuned automobile, the band is clearly inspired by songs in which Petty vividly renders his own personality and those […]

[rating=5.00] In theory, everything about Puss N Boots should be appealing. A trio of women made up of powerhouse songstress Norah Jones with Sasha Dobson and Catherine Popper singing twangy folk songs, both originals and covers from the likes of Rodney Crowell and Neil Young. But on their debut record No Fools, No Fun, more […]

[rating=5.00] Whenever an actor attempts to cross over and make music, it’s always smart to manage expectations accordingly, but approach with an open mind. Got a Girl is the project of indie actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead and talented producer and musician Dan Nakamura, and their debut together is cheekily titled I Love You But I […]

David Gray kicked off the most recent leg of his “Mutineers” tour on Boston’s waterfront last Friday.   Where past tours began with a bang and some sizzle, Gray  quietly strolled to the upright piano and  slowly eased into the opener, “Birds of the High Artic.” The six piece band: cello, background vocalist, guitar, bass, synthesizer, […]

[rating=7.00] If Jim Lauderdale weren’t a great songwriter, he’d be playing at your local tavern this weekend, singing spirited versions of country classics. As it is, Lauderdale is an established Americana star and a writer of hits for mainstream artists including George Strait. Lauderdale’s gifts as a composer allow him to easily cross the boundary […]

[rating=8.00] Throughout their twenty year run as a band Spoon has managed to never release a disappointing record. They have also maintained a healthy status as the quintessential hip indie rock band from Austin. The secret to this – if you want to call it a secret – is their ability to play around with […]

There is an ideal destination location proven to permeate a plethora of benevolent vibes – a festival in Bridgeport, Connecticut called Gathering of the Vibes is full of benevolent folks adoringly called “The Vibe Tribe.” The festival steeped out of the Grateful Dead tradition, people with strong values and good souls gathered to share love […]

[rating=7.00] In the ever-expanding genre of dream folk, Duluth, Minnesota natives Trampled by Turtles are continuing to make a name for themselves. On their latest record Wild Animals, their sound is airier and more atmospheric than ever, and they also seem to have honed their instrumental skills, creating lush waves of strings that complement the […]

Celebrities often use their time and money to pursue various creative endeavors that branch off from what they are known for. This usually results in a self-indulgent romp that ends poorly (Arnold Schwarzenegger anyone?) However, in the case of actor and comedian Steve Martin, who has played the banjo for fifty years, it seems likely […]

[rating=6.00] You can’t fake family, and Ohio brothers Zachary and Andrew Gabbard are proof. Their band Buffalo Killers’ latest record Heavy Reverie is a study in the nuances of familiarity and kin, with an authenticity that’s like flipping through an old photo album. Reverie plays like an old 70s record, with Americana themes and straight […]

“Funk Street present by The Floozies” was grooving full steam at The Crossroads in Kansas City as the duo continued to honor their Kansas City/ Lawrence hometown family of fans. Friday the crowd was subject to yet another massive dance party conducted by the talented Hill brothers, as their livetronica act showcased guitar and drums […]

[rating=7.00] The greatest tribute Eric Clapton and Friends offer in their tribute to the late J.J. Cale on Call Me The Breeze is to so accurately emulate the low-key sound the late Oklahoman most often formulated on his own records. The brevity and economy of the tracks just begins to descend into sameness when the […]

[rating=9.00] Hailed as the first stadium tour of its kind, Crosby, Sills, Nash and Young’s 24-city tour across the summer of 1974 is the stuff of pure classic rock mythmaking. And this long-awaited, hotly anticipated 3 CD/1DVD box set, simply entitled CSNY 1974, has been on the minds and message boards of AOR savants since […]

On the final day of Newport Folk Festival, there seemed to be a fast forming nostalgia for the weekend, even as it was still happening. The crowds were still hungry for music, though, despite the constant threat of thunderstorms surrounding us on all sides of Fort Adams. With reminders to seek shelter if needed every […]

“They’re not a tribute band,” once said the real-life Phil Collins, after watching The Musical Box perform. “They have taken a period and are faithfully reproducing it in the same way that someone would do a theatrical production.” Call it a tribute, call it nostalgic tomfoolery. Much like the original Genesis, The Musical Box defy easy categorization.

It was an epic homecoming of all sorts when California-based indie rockers The Neighbourhood played to a sold-out crowd at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre Thursday night. And if the energy of the massive attendance and the way almost everybody was entranced by their entire set is anything to go off of, then it was most […]

Newport Folk Festival day two saw seemingly larger crowds of people, drawn to Fort Adams’ perfect breeze coming off the bay and the allure of endless music. Amidst heaping lobster rolls (so good, Ryan Adams even improvised a song about them on Friday) and stuffed to the rim frozen lemonades, folk acts serenaded and rockers […]

Newport Folk Fest was off to a rip-roaring start today at Fort Adams, with three stages packed back to back with lively sets from newcomers and old favorites, and even a tribute to Pete Seeger in the museum space. As per usual, the Harbor Stage was reserved for some of the quieter, more acoustic acts, […]

Galactic hit the stage Wednesday night for their first of four sold out nights at Brooklyn Bowl with an incredible offering of four singers, yet played one of their more instrumental sets of recent years.  Maggie Koerner, their lead vocalist of the past year or so, got only one song mid set, Aretha Franklin’s “Rock […]

[rating=7.00] A Life Worth Living, the sixth studio album by Louisiana roots singer Marc Broussard, is his most personal project to date. No longer hiding behind ambiguity or his former label’s desire for performances targeted to Broussard’s demographics, this time Broussard opens up and creates a music mosaic straight from his soul. Broussard’s earlier work […]