Archive: 2020

Wax Charmer is a series of contradictions, a rock band whose members wield widely contrasting tastes and musical styles. Their diverse collection of influences ultimately makes its members more informed and nuanced musicians. The Los Angeles-based band consists of three of the original members of Jubilo Drive, a band who’s diverse collection of influences ultimately […]

This short passage captures this writer’s reaction to the stirring performance of Sammy Miller & the Congregation at last August’s Newport Jazz Festival – “Sunday began in rousing fashion as NYC’s “joyful jazz” ensemble, Sammy Miller & The Congregation—a barefoot clad sextet with three horns led by vocalist/drummer Miller—showed that jazz can be lots of […]

To many Miss Tess is a throw-back, drawing from old school blues, jazz, and country but what sets her apart from others who fall into that realm is her ability to inject more modern elements like punk and psychedelia into her mix. She has been relatively under the radar until perhaps now with The Moon […]

Blues master, John Mayall, and his superlative all-star band made a welcome return visit to Tucson’s Rialto Theatre on February 1st. It was a night of pure blues music that would allow any blues fan to revel in the blues all night long. Mayall was born in the United Kingdom and was drawn to American […]

On April 24th, three-time Grammy Award winner Lucinda Williams unabashedly takes on some of the human, social and political issues of our day with her boldest and most direct album to date, Good Souls Better Angels (Highway 20/Thirty Tigers). During the course of her celebrated four-decade, pioneering career Williams has never rested on her laurels as she […]

Just in time for primary season, Waco Brothers are releasing a collection of their songs about resistance and protest on February 28th, entitled RESIST! The Chicago-based/UK-born country punks have been politically outspoken throughout their career and this release brings together their most inspiring and rabble rousing tracks – many of them from out-of-print albums, all […]

At the risk of sounding lazy, life is so much easier when an album title perfectly describes the work. The Cadillac Three’s Country Fuzz precisely captures the delightfully ragged album, which soaks a straight-forward country in a tub full of distortion, creating music that will delight metal heads and line dancers, both groups previously only […]

The choruses and harmonies in some of these songs on Half Moon Light from Americana trio The Lone Bellow will slay you. It is refreshing to have an album that brings us out of the darkness. Go ahead and sing along and/or dance. That’s what the band intends. These three-part harmonies and killer songwriting mix […]

Award-winning and critically acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter David Myles might be an undercover musicologist. Within his eclectic artistic continuum, he’s reverentially explored jazz, blues, pop, holiday music, French pop, rockabilly, country, folk, gospel, and even hip-hop. The through line in his 10-album oeuvre has been strong songcraft—no matter what genre, David has never sacrificed substance for […]

For more than thirty years and through various lineup changes, the Reverend Horton Heat has been awakening the masses to the power of rockabilly. Helmed by the one and only Jim Heath on guitar and vocals, the band has endured while other musical trends have come and gone. On Saturday, February 1st, the Reverend Horton […]

System of a Down, Korn and Faith No More will perform at Banc Of California Stadium in Los Angeles, California on May 22. Helmet and Russian Circles will also appear on this loaded rock billing. Tickets go on sale this Friday, February 7 at 10 a.m. PT. The Banc Of California concert will mark the first-announced U.S. show of 2020 for […]

The Marcus King Band is touring in support of their latest album release, El Dorado. Their stop at Los Angeles, California’s Fonda Theatre on January 31, 2020 was a tour de force for King and his band as they played several of the new tracks, a few of their older songs and mixed in a […]

Today, Built To Spill is excited to announce Built To Spill Plays The Songs of Daniel Johnston, out May 1, 2020 via Ernest Jenning Record Co. The album is comprised of 11 tracks of Daniel Johnston’s fractured pop, presented through the eyes of Built To Spill. The band recorded these songs as a trio (Doug Martsch, Jason Albertini and Steve […]

A Bowie Celebration returns to North America this March following a major European tour in January this year.  The run kicks off in San Diego on March 3, and will stage 30 shows across The United States and Canada.  The final appearance will be staged April 11 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. A Bowie Celebration features key alumni […]

Cold War Kids played Philadelphia’s Fillmore on Friday, January 31st. The last few months have been an exciting time for the band as they had the honor of having their song “First” named the most-played song of the past decade(on alternative outlets) by Broadcast Data Systems. They are also currently on a major North America […]

The Big Game means big trailers.

Steeped in the white lines, black tar and diesel smoke of the American highway, Tough As Nails—the latest LP from  Craig Gerdes—is raw and real, a document of a road-tested band fast on the rise. Ever since the central-Illinois songwriter released his lauded 2018 debut LP, Smokin’ Drinkin’ & Gamblin’, he’s been on tour almost constantly, […]

When an artist gets a good producer it can usually elevate his career; when the artist gets an acclaimed producer, the trajectory often climbs to an even higher level. That may well be the case for Asheville-based finger-picking guitarist, singer-songwriter Christopher Paul Stelling who teams with Ben Harper on Best of Luck, Stelling’s fifth album. […]