Perception always serves up a slice of skepticism for a record that contains more renditions of other artist’s songs than actual original tracks. Creativity? Originality? Individuality? All are characteristics that come into question when taking this approach to an album’s creation. Yet, it’s a method that American blues rock guitarist and singer Joe Bonamassa has utilized significantly throughout a 12-year long career to great success – with critics even calling the 35-year-old musician the “pre-eminent blues-rock guitarist of his generation.”
There's little doubt that Kristian Matsson, better known as the Tallest Man on Earth, felt slightly out of place at Town Hal. At one point, after an inter-song "I love you!" cry from a fan, he mumbled back something along the lines of "I love you too New York. You're big and scary, but I love you."
If you were looking for a good time on a Saturday night, you probably did not want to be at Fiona Apple’s show at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton, MA. Apple, who is in everyway the antithesis of a Katy Perry, is an intense artist whose performance was a captivating and cathartic experience – but not one that would fit under any definition of fun. The 34-year-old singer, who has been laying low in recent years, uses her music as a way to wrestle her many demons from her psyche.
It’s will-nigh impossible to resist the temptation to flip through Canyon of Dreams. Its dimensions may not quite fit the definition of ‘coffee-table book,’ but its plethora of photos make it an ideal piece to casually pick up and peruse.
