Reviews

[rating=9.00] There are times where a band’s name and album cover provide little or no indication of what to expect. And when said references offer an image that’s the exact opposite of the music that accompanies those initial impressions, it may dissuade any initial encounter. The fact is, Great Peacock’s handle and the peacock covered […]

[rating=8.00] Within the span of three studio albums, one being a holiday collection, Kacey Musgraves established herself as sharp-witted, sincere, and assured. Her brand of country music recalls the storytelling glory days of the 90s; characters live and die in her songs, holding up mirrors to themselves and thereby to those of us following their […]

[rating=9.00] We are reaching the point where many of our favorite artists are pausing to reflect, as if to ask whether they would record their beloved songs the same way again. We’ve seen this with artists who have re-recorded entire albums (i.e. Lucinda Williams) or taken their greatest hits into a live format with new […]

The Easy Eye Sound Revue rolled into Brooklyn Steel on Tuesday, March 27th  as Dan Auerbach brought a slew of Nashville’s finest to rock and roll around his excellent album Waiting on a Song, as well as a few choice covers and older tunes. Opening the show was the surf-pop on acid styling of Shannon and […]

[rating=8.00] True to her reputation as a singular interpreter, Bettye LaVette will turn heads again with Things Have Changed, putting her own spin on Bob Dylan’s songs much the way she did on her Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook. Despite achieving legendary status, this is the veteran soul singer’s first album release on a major […]

[rating=8.00] Vermonter Caitlin Canty finds Nashville to her liking on her fourth release, a mostly dark, brooding but ultimately hopeful work, Motel Bouquet. Produced by Punch Brother banjoist Noam Pikelny, who in return recruited some of Nashville’s best session players, this could be Canty’s breakthrough. Like her previous work, it’s a blend of folk, dark […]

“Can the rest of my band please come to the stage?”About to kick off the last show of a whirlwind, year-long international tour at Brooklyn’s Market Hotel on March 23rd, Shame frontman Charlie Steen sounded just a little exasperated as he waited for his bandmates to work their way through the packed crowd to meet […]

In the latest Wannabe, artist Chris Prunckle offers his illustrated commentary on Old Scars, New Blood, the new album from Virginia punk rockers Ann Beretta, in his signature six-panel comic strip form. Click on the image for full resolution (best viewed on desktop):

About a third of the way into their Saturday night set at Portland, Oregon’s Doug Fir Lounge on March 24, The Mother Hips guitarist/vocalist Greg Loiacono introduced “It’s Alright,” a song he wrote last summer after waking up from a dream with the chorus in his head. At the time, he probably didn’t know that […]

[rating=7.00] Stars for Eyes is easily Mark Huff’s most accessible effort yet. It’s a set of songs that shows him making a stunning turn, from the darker, drier material that populated his earlier albums to a rich and riveting sound laden with melodies that strike a solid and substantial first impression. At the same time, […]