Artist: Album: Genre: SelectFolkCountryRockHard RockAlternative RockBluesJazzProgressive RockMetalProgressive MetalProgressive Rock-MetalBlues-RockInstrumentalExperimentalTechnoDanceJazz-Rock-FusionFusionSurf-InstrumentalElectronicaBluegrassRhythm and BluesMotownJazz-Vocals-LatinReggae-ElectronicaJazz-VocalsRock-Metal-PunkChristian Folk RockDance-Electronica-PopRock-Pop-AlternativeRock-PsychedelicCountry-RockRock-MetalRock-Blues-Jazz-FusionRock-PopAlternative-Rock-FolkInstrumental-JazzChristian-InstrumentalJazz-World-FusionR & B-PopInstrumental-World-FusionRock-Blues-FolkFlamenco-FolkPopBlues-GospelElectronica-Alternative PopJazz-Pop-RockSymphonic RockFolk-RockCountry-Female VocalistInstrumental-RockFemale Vocalist-Dance-ElectronicPop-Rock-JazzRock-PunkNew Age-Dance-PopInstrumental-Rock-Jazz-FusionJazz-Rock-World FusionAlt-CountryClassicalNew Age-InstrumentalSoulSoul-R & BHolidaySoul-Folk-PopRock-Fusion-Jazz-Blues-Techno-Jam BandClassic RockAdult ContemporaryAdult Contemporary-Rock-PopRock-Blues-JazzRock-Country-BluesAdult Contemporary-Pop-Jazz-RockJazz-Instrumental-FusionSmooth JazzSmooth Jazz-InstrumentalR & B-Jazz-PopGarage Rock-PsychedelicSmooth Jazz-ContemporaryAll InclusivePop-Rock-Country-R & BProgressive Rock-FusionProgressive Rock-Psychedelic-ExperimentalCountry-Rock-BluesRoots Rock-PopAlternative Rock-PopRock-Blues-ACRock-Pop-BluesRock-Psychedelic-PopInstrumental-Rock-FusionWorld-InstrumentalPop-Rock-Modern RockPop-RockRock-ElectronicaFunk-R&B-Jazz-Lounge-Soul-Groove-FusionFolk-Bluegrass-JazzRock-FolkWorld-Native AmericanAcoustic-Folk-RockInstrumental-Latin-JazzJazz-PopRock-Country-Americana-FolkElectronica-Rock-PopAcoustic-RockR & B-Jazz-BluesSouthern Rock-BluesMetal-RockJazz-BluesFolk-Americana-BluesHip Hop-Rock-BluesRock-FunkElectronica-Hip HopAlternative Rock-RapHip Hop-RapRenaissance-Folk-RockRock-BluesAdult Contemporary-PopAmericanaNu Jazz-ProgressiveRock-Pop-Power PopPop-Punk-Rock R & B-FusionRap-RockPop-FolkPop-PunkPunk-GarageAlternative-Punk-RockRock-Folk-AmericanaFunk-MetalDeath MetalJazz-ACRapFolk-CountryProgressive-JazzElectronic-PopCountry-AlternativeCountry-PopAcoustic-PopHoliday-Smooth JazzHoliday-GospelWorld-Latin-Folk-InstrumentalAlternative Rock-PsychedelicJazz-Funk-SoulAcoustic-Folk-InstrumentalHoliday-ChristianBlack MetalAcoustic-FolkChristian-Rock-FunkRock-Punk-New WaveMexican American-Roots-AlternativeRock-New Wave-AlternativeAlternative-Pop Swing-Jazz-VocalsAlternative-FolkAlternative-Electronic-PopJazz-AmbientReggae-R & B-Hip HopAlternative-BluesSmooth Jazz-New AgeDocumentaryRock-Blues-PsychedelicElectronic-Smooth JazzElectronic-Pop-Smooth JazzReggaeSoundtrack Soundtrack-Jazz-Swing Rock-Metal-ProgressiveElectronic-FunkAdult Contemporary-Jazz-PopProgressive-Psychedelic- Rock-PopHip Hop-RockPunkRock-Classical-AlternativeWorld-PopHip-HopJazz-Bossa NovaRap-SoulSwing-JazzFunk-Rock-Soul-GospelMetal-Rock-GothicRock-IndustrialFolk-Classical-Pop-RockRock-Country-R & BAlternative Rock-Jazz-BluegrassJazz-RockAlternative Rock-CountryWorldWorld-Brazilian-Latin-Jazz.Instrumental-World-Experimental Instrumental-World-CelticElectronic-Ambient-DanceDance-World-PopJazz-Progressive RockLatin-JazzAcoustic-Folk-Rock-BluesRock-Progressive-JamPop-Comedy-RockGospelFolk-Soul-R&BJazz-Latin-FusionAlternative-Latin RockSpoken WordSka-Alternative-Beach RockElectronic-RockClassical-New Age-ACPop-Teen RockBrazilian JazzRock-Progressive-Fusion Rock-Metal-ElectronicAlernative Rock-Proto PunkSolo PianoIndustrialHardcore-MetalNew AgeAmbientCalypso-JazzElectronicElectronic-ExperimentalGarage RockJazz-Urban/R&B-Neo-Soul RockabillyPunk-MetalNeo SoulSynth Pop-TranceJazz-Avant GardeNew WaveSkaAfro Cuban-JazzPunk-PopChristianMetal-HolidayJam RockFunk-RockDJ-DanceArt RockContemporary ChristianRock-RootsJazz-FunkCeltic-RockRock-Pop-CountryIndustrial-NoiseChristian-Progressive RockCeltic-New AgePower MetalNu-JazzElectronic-DanceSoul-PopJazz-FusionExperimental RockNew Age-WorldAcoustic InstrumentalPost-Hardcore Metal PunkCeltic-ProgressiveProgressive CelticCeltic ProgRock-Americana   View All Keyword: Release Year: Select20072006200520042001200920082003Bunn19891994196920102002   Heart Red Velvet Car It’s hard to believe it has been six years since the release of the fantastic Jupiter’s Darling album. Heart and the sisters Wilson have been very busy with live performances, DVDs, solo albums and various side projects. So are they still relevant as Heart after a six year absence from...   Bray Amphibian   Bray is the kind of talent that reminds you of hit radio when it was good and there was actual talent coming over the airwaves, not processed sounds and girls that just know how to shake their booty around. He has that golden throat that sounds so pleasing and inviting. On top of that his...   There Is No Sin in My Body There Is No Sin in My Body There Is No Sin In My Body is a band fronted by Troy Keiper situated in Portland, Maine. The new CD is the arduous result of a year holed up in nightly tapings from basements, empty offices and spare rooms which is compiled into a single self titled album reaching just under thirty-five minutes....   Kle K-L-E About half-way through the first song on K-L-E, I had to stop and think about what makes a good R&B album. Because while some of the lyrics on K-L-E are absolutely ridiculous, no one ever said they were supposed to be anything else. R&B is entertainment in its most instantly gratifying way...   Miles Davis Bitches Brew Legacy Edition (2 CD/1 DVD) So where do you start with a recording that created a genre? Bitches Brew and its legendary and iconic status has not waned one iota since the celebrated release of the set in 1970. Miles Davis changed jazz forever more than once from the 50s all the way up to this marvelous concoction of jazz-rock...   Blue Cut We Walk In Temperatures   When I first saw the Partridge Family on TV I was fascinated at the thought of starting a band within my family. As it turns out, the wolf pack that raised me were only good at howling at each other and no music can make that sound good. Thankfully, the Latham Family is nothing like...   One Step Away For The Broken Adam Carrington (vocals), Terrence Healy (guitar), Ben Trudeau (drums) and Michael Nuzzolo (bass) are the Boston based One Step Away. The rock pop outfit recently released their self released debut For The Broken.   My first impression of this band was “Oh no, another Disney band clone...   Nic Stevens Willow Run EP I found it hard to write about singer-songwriter Nic Stevens' Willow Run EP. His music isn't bad; in fact I think a lot of people are going to enjoy it. It was hard for me to form an opinion because his sound is so middle of the road and generic I wasn't sure what to say about...   David Wahler A Star Danced On his sophomore album, A Star Danced, David Wahler takes us away from everyday life without ever saying a word. Wahler uses electronic keyboards to create an atmosphere that is simultaneously whimsical and mysterious, and instantly brings to mind images of floating through space....   District 97-PICK OF THE WEEK Hybrid Child Progressive rock is a curious beast. Rising from the psychedelia of Britain's late 60s, its heyday was some forty years ago. Of its reputation, album side-long suites, extensive soloing and cosmic album covers remain their legacy, one that is both revered by some, and dubious to others. It wasn't a...   VJ Kapur Proto EP VJ Kapur provides the vocals, guitar, bass, keys, and does all the writing and arranging on the three songs for the Proto EP. He gives you a chance to listen for free, which has become the way to get your music heard before you sign on with a label and actually try and sell your product.   This...   The Echo Wall These Shipwrecked Words The Echo Wall is an Americana (more specifically alt country and folk) band consisting of Shannon Bailey (vocals & guitar), Nina Goodman (keyboards), Hallsi Killian (glockenspiel & vocals), Mike Shumann (bass) and Audrey Thomas-Googins (violin & vocals). Their EP These Shipwrecked...   Ben Woolman Many Moods   Minnesota based finger-style guitarist, Ben Woolman lends his abilities to his latest album, Many Moods, a vast arrangement of musical genres ranging from the 1920s to the present century. The musician plays homage to the history of finger-style guitar as well as various samples of...   Aoeria Waterwheel   There are a lot of genres of music that rose to popularity in the 1990s; nearly everyone can reminisce, whether they were fans of boy bands, alternative Train-esque bands, nerd rock, or “hard rock”, which is what Aoeria calls itself. If you spent the '90s in Tool t-shirts and...   Jeff Antoniuk and The Jazz Update Brotherhood On their second album Brotherhood, Jeff Antoniuk and The Jazz Update have proven themselves to be a quartet to be reckoned with. They unleash their mastery over 10 songs that will leave you searching for their first album, Here Today, in an effort to buy everything they have on the...   Eleventhe Hour Making It Real Out of Augusta, GA comes the quartet the Eleventhe Hour. They’re very sneaky; they spell eleventh with an “e” on their end, and their album cover shows three people in the band even though they list four of them in the liner notes. The four consist of Ilhwa Gallo (vocals), Michael Ray...   Happy Clinic Memory Mound Happy Clinic - Memory Mound - Stefan Sullivan Happy Clinic is an independent collaborative recording from pianist/philosopher Stefan Sullivan and Tiger Lillies sound designer Claus Buehler. The end result is a strange and (at times) wonderful amalgam of darkness and sound. This does not come as a...   Cheap Trick Setlist: The Very Best Of Cheap Trick Live Cheap Trick has been around for what seems like forever. I swear they were the band that was onstage when Lincoln was assassinated. In reality, it was 1977 when their first album, Cheap Trick, came out. As the story goes, no one in the States paid any attention to them but when the boys went to Japan...   Ross Riskin Keep Moving Keep Moving - Ross Riskin Ross Riskin has a surprisingly mature voice for a 19-year old. His ability to meld some pretty personal lyrics with a soft and yearning vocal ability lends itself well to Keep Moving, the singer songwriter’s first album.   The singer/songwriter from Orange,...   Kito Peters High Road High Road - Kito Peters  Kito Peters' music springs from 60's rebellion, but it's modern enough for boomers and hipsters alike. His songs are mind-expanded folk rock epics in the vain of Leonard Cohen, Cat Stevens, and Bob Dylan, with all the usual modern folk themes. He sings plaintively about...   Lisa Brigantino Wonder Wheel Wonder Wheel - Lisa Brigantino It's hard to place Lisa Brigantino in a genre. Maybe it's her rock background (she used to play in an all female Zeppelin cover band), or her phenomenal talent to play an array of instruments ranging from guitar to accordion, or her full, twangy voice, but something...   Mitch Kashmar & The Pontiax 100 Miles To Go ECARD Good Blues music has a lot in common with good BBQ. No matter where you go in this country someone is cooking it and the way they do it is to their own taste and style. Mitch Kashmar & the Pontiax version of the Blues is like a tour of the country. Somehow he manages to pack each song...   Bob Corritore and Friends Harmonica Blues ECARD Buying a good harmonica Blues album is like buying a cow that provides you with fresh sweet milk every morning. Buying a great harmonica blues album like Bob Corritore and Friends, Harmonica Blues, is like buying a cow that not only provides you with fresh sweet milk but also comes with a...   Hunters & Runners Of Classic Renown Of Classic Renown - Hunters & Runners There are some albums that are good without knocking your socks off. There isn’t anything wrong with them; they’re just missing that extra oomph that would push them from a good album to a great album.   This is the case with Of Classic...   Foghat Last Train Home Last Train Home - Foghat It was no surprise to me when I heard the legendary Foghat were putting together an all Blues album. They have, after all, been cranking out some well influenced Blues Rock for the better part of 38 years and 20 albums. Let us also not forget that the song that put Foghat on...   Magic Slim and The Teardrops Raising The Bar Raising The Bar - Magic Slim & The Teardrops  Magic Slim (born Morris Holt) is a blues musician through and through. Hailing from Mississippi, the recently turned 73 year old blues singer and guitarist began as a pianist, but switched to the guitar after losing his little finger in a...   Beware Fashionable Women Beware Fashionable Women Beware Fashionable Women - Beware Fashionable Women  If playing indie rock means making music you like regardless of how well it's received, then Beware Fashionable Women (or BFW) are surely indie rockers. They do what they like, even if a few musical quirks, like jump jazz guitar chords and...   Laguna Volcano Volcano - Laguna Laguna, a jazz outfit helmed by by Shane Peck who has collaborated with several Seattle musicians in the inception of Volcano, the group’s latest release. The group blends in several different influences that range from psychedelic rock to classical jazz.  While most...   Ran Blake/ Christine Correa Out of the Shadows   Christine Correa has one of those voices that seem destined to sing jazz from an early age. It’s not your classic voice like Ella Fitzgerald. It’s a voice that has been lived in and can easy identify with the struggles of life and love. It’s a voice for a...   Dane Drewis Rock & Soul Dane Drewis brings a slew of different guitar work that are throwbacks to the greats like Santana and Stevie Ray Vaughan while his vocals serve as homage to the Motown Era. A veteran in performing covers of rock and soul classics, the musician has released his third album of original work, aptly...   Spinn She Was Heartache The first thing I noticed about She Was Heartache, the debut recording by rock group Spinn, is the raw acoustic sound. That unprocessed, live sound is used for most of the thirty minute album. It's a refreshing approach and it suits the candid emotions in these nine, heart-on-the-sleeve...   Koshari Reappear Koshari is a three-piece noise-rock band based out of the Arlington, VA/Washington, DC area. Their sound is often described as “shoegaze”, but unless you like that style, chances are you don’t really know what that sounds like. Referring to a band as “noise” usually...   Kim Divine Square One If, when I die and go to that magical place called heaven, the angels don’t sing like Kim Divine I’m switching to Hinduism so I can be reborn and have a chance to hear her voice again. When you listen to Ms. Divine’s new album Square One, Irecommend wearing headphones as to...   Tribal Machine The Orwellian Night   Chances are, if you were born past 1980 and you hear the words “concept album”, your mind automatically jumps to Green Day and their most recent two albums. However, they're not the only band making such albums today (and they were hardly the first), and other than a political...   Nnenna Freelon Homefree When you think back to some of the “greats” in jazz history, several of the superstars are women. Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Etta Jones—these women were, and still are, considered among the elite of the jazz world.   With her latest album, Homefree, Nnenna...   Mercury Falls Quadrangle Mercury Falls is a quartet lead by guitarist Ryan Francesconi and baritone saxophonist Patrick Cress. The group utilizes anorganic combination of ambient beats and textures with the free form influences of jazz on their debut effort titled Quadrangle.   The groups’ approach to melody is...   Avantasia Angel of Babylon   Angel of Babylon is the third and final chapter of Avantasia’s Scarecrow Trilogy. I can only imagine the pressure on mastermind Tobias Sammet as he tried to effectively wrap up this project. After how impressive The Wicked Symphony was, I couldn’t wait to hear more Avantasia....   Frank Carlberg Tivoli Trio I’m not really sure if I would get along with pianist and composer Frank Carlberg. In the liner notes of his latest release, Carlberg reminisces about his youthful fascination with amusement parks, carnivals, parades, magic shows, etc.; basically several places full of creepy clowns. However,...   Masterplan Time To Be King Masterplan make their grand return with Time To Be King this year. Jorn Lande, who has been busy providing vocals for likes of Ayreon, Avantasia and others, brings his trademark vocals to the front of the powerful lineup that is Masterplan. Former Helloween member Roland Grapow (guitars) leads...   Jamie Begian Big Band Big Fat Grin   Seventeen seasoned jazz musicians are a powerful force to wield and control, but control (and flaunt) he does as Jamie Begian leads his big band through nine engaging tracks on his new CD, Big Fat Grin. This is the band’s second release, the first being Trance in 2003. Begian,...   Handful of Luvin' Life In Between Handful of Luvin’ is happy feet music. The diverse four piece from the Seattle area offers up energy filled roots rock Celtic influenced tracks on their new release Life In Between. Did you every listen to an album several times, loved it, and then were left feeling perplexed as...   Various Prog Around the World Magna Carta has been a home to many of the world’s greatest prog bands for a long time. Modern prog is a genre, however, that spawns from no single nation. It’s fitting that Magna Carta would take some of its premier international talent to form the compilation disc Prog Around the...   Stevie Wonder Talking Book (24 Karat Gold) When one speaks the word legend in music how many times does it really fit? In the case of Stevie Wonder, he defines the true meaning of the word. He stands tall amongst his peers such as Elton John, The Beatles, and all the other hit makers of his time.   Talking Book is a career defining album...   Smirnov Privet Earth   The first time I listened “Privet Earth!” by Smirnov I thought to myself, “What is this? 1989? This Rock style went out 20 years ago.” I promptly set the disc down and moved on with my life. About four or five hours later I put the cd back on and tried again, I am...   Devin Rice & Erin Aas Arrival Arrival is the aptly-named new recording from first-time collaborators Erin Aas and Devin Rice. The 15 tracks are brand new compositions and the music is New Age. It's all very fresh, but Aas and Rice aren't wet behind the ears. They've each been bustling in the music biz for some...   Matt Farr Matt Farr   Matt Farr isn’t like every other musician we hear about every day. He isn’t about being a “rockstar” or altering his recordings on computers, this native of South Florida is all about bringing the spirit of 60s/70s rock and making music with that vintage sound....   Skip-Dawg Trust Me, I'm A Rapper Don't judge an album by it's cover, or it's ridiculous name, because while Skip-Dawg is less of a rapper and more of an R&B artist, Trust Me, I'm A Rapper isn't half bad.   Consider that the number one song in America is Usher's “Oh My Gosh”, in which Usher literally sings,...   The Primary Days Among Giants   When it comes to musical development, there’s a stage in the game where mixing up one’s style is a worthwhile risk, and stage where it’s not. If you are an established artist/band with a steady fan following, then a bit of change can be refreshing. If you’re just...   Metaform The Electric Mist   At fourteen tracks, The Electric Mist is a fully developed album with a strong underlying use of industrial beats and processed but sincere vocals. Metaform’s years helming the audio controls are displayed in full effect on the record with each track flowing with layers and layers of...   SNEW We Do What We Want SNEW is, almost too fittingly, a hard rock outfit coming out of Hollywood, CA. From the moment you pick up their second album, We Do What We Want, you can pretty much guess where this thing is going to go. You’ve got this AC/DC, Kiss, Motorhead vibe going on, and that certainly doesn’t...   Freak Owls Taxidermy From the opening call of “Whooo Ah” that comes accompanied by a beautiful acoustic guitar, Freak Owls have you trapped into listening to Taxidermy until the end. Luckily, Taxidermy is a wonderfully dreamy sequence of nine songs that only get better with each listen. Considering the...   Brandy Lynn Confer In the Dust When an artist creates an album, there’s an important goal he or she has to achieve right off the bat: grabbing the listener’s attention.   With her album In the Dust, Brandy Lynn Confer accomplishes this, but not really through any effort of her own. What catches the listener...   Willie Nelson Setlist: Best of Willie Nelson Live What can you really say about an American legend who still makes worthwhile music? Plenty of Willie Nelson's musical brothers are churning out poor albums and starring in Victoria's Secret commercials, but Nelson continues to make good music, and even a greatest hits CD is worth your...   Sonya Kahn New Beginning It’s not often that I find myself at a loss for words, but when it comes to defining Sonya Kahn’s album New Beginning that seems to be the case.   There is plenty to be said about New Beginning, but as far as easily categorizing it? Almost impossible.   This album...   Jeconte Sweet Northern California   Cue “Colorado,” an all out celebration of funk and rock, and more importantly, the first track on Jeconte’s 2009 album, Sweet Northern California. The perfect showcasing of the band’s rock/funk style, “Colorado” is the most upbeat song on the album. But...   Judas Priest Setlist: The Very Best of Judas Priest Judas Priest are one of the best metal bands of all time, they did help invent it after all.   The band has a back catalogue that any band on the planet would be envious of. The CD consists of early material such as the legendary “Breaking the Law” from the classic British Steel...   Shakura S'Aida Brown Sugar Shakura S'Aida is an adept and powerful Blues, Jazz, and R&B singer. Her best asset, though, might be her skill as a performer. The 12 tracks on her sophomore recording Brown Sugar sound spontaneous, enthusiastic, and unaffected. She's comfortable with all the broad stylistic ground...   The Actomatics 10 Stories The Actomatics are a quintet out of Longwood, FL fronted by vocalist/keyboardist Shadow Pearson. The instruments are covered by four gentlemen; Rick Thomas (drums), Rich Hewitt (bass), Jamie Wright (rhythm guitar), and John Lathrop (lead guitar).   Whether or not you like the Actomatics will...   Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble Couldn't Stand the Weather: Legacy Edition The blues is not something that can be learned. Great bluesmen are born, not raised. There is something that needs to be present in their very souls from birth that makes them have a deeper connection to the music that seems to flow from them like breath flows from you and I. Stevie Ray...   Jim Guttmann Bessarabian Breakdown Jim Guttmann is having an extraordinary career. His love of music is unbound to a specific genre; from rock in the 60s to jazz and bluegrass in the 70s to klezmer in the 80s to an unabashed mix of genres with the aptly named Mimi Rabson’s Really Eclectic String Quartet (RESQ) in the 90s and...   Traveling in Stereo Traveling in Stereo EP  Making your EP freely downloadable is a great marketing strategy for getting music out there. However, it seems like Traveling in Stereo’s main objective in doing so is to share their voice and message with a larger audience rather than a self serving agenda.   The New Jersey band...   Percy Howard's Meridiem A Pleasant Fiction Before I look at any information about an artist or the album I'm reviewing, I listen to the entire thing first. I did this with A Pleasant Fiction, the 2004 release from Percy Howard, and then I looked him up on his website and on Google expecting to find people like me who didn't quite...   Man the Mighty Beneath the Skin   For crowds that yearn for a taste of both metal and alternative-rock tunes, Illinois-based band, Man the Mighty, may be just what those music fans are searching for. With a consistency of palm-muting, metal riffs, and even potential guitar sweeps, the harder rock scene is in for a treat with...   Jessy Tomsko The Light You Make   The way we experience life, how we think and feel, is up to us. That's the pervasive theme of Jessy Tomsko's debut album The Light You Make.  The disc's ten appealing songs let us in on her philosophy and her gift for effortless warmth. From the cover art to her breezy,...   Jefferson Airplane Setlist: The Very Best Of Jefferson Airplane Live Being one of the unfortunate bastards that missed out on Jefferson Airplane because I was not born yet, my knowledge of Grace Slick was sadly derived from my early childhood exposure to Starship. It was a shock to me when I found out that a few people in this band Starship used to be cool and were...   Heathen The Evolution of Chaos   If you're not a metal fan, then you probably haven't heard of Heathen, but you probably have heard music just like their newest album The Evolution of Chaos.   The lyrics on the album are sometimes smart and sometimes overdone to the point of inducing eye-rolling. A lot of...   Gloria Miller Let Go   Confidence exudes from Gloria Miller’s latest album, Let Go. An experienced artist in both life and music, she puts several layers of genres to work on the record with interesting results. Citing inspirations such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holliday, Sarah Vaughn, and Natalie Cole, the...   Delain Lucidity Delain is a Dutch rock/metal band, though they are often labeled as “symphonic rock”. They are founded by ex- Within Temptation keyboardist Martijn Wetsterholt and vocalist Charlotte Wessels. This release of Lucidity is a re-release of their debut album from 2006 with five bonus tracks....   The Blood of Heroes The Blood of Heroes The Blood of Heroes’ self-titled release is the veritable soundtrack of the post-apocalypse; a post-modern meltdown of genre and form where chaotic soundscapes reign. The album sounds like the evil twin of Prodigy, if he were to light himself on fire and run around the set of Terminator...   Sun Domingo Live in Montreal, Marillion Weekend 09 When it comes to live albums, artists need to be very, very careful in the execution of both the concert being recorded for the album, and the final product of the album itself.   From the sound quality being off—too loud, too soft, too harsh-- to the artist not realizing that the amount...   Various Artists Thalamus III A thalamus is a small structure deep in the brain that helps coordinate sensations and consciousness. If you want to make yours rattle and hum, listen to Thalamus III, a two-disc set of intense ambient music recorded live in 2005. The performance took place in St. Petersburg and the artists...   The Sunset Curse Artificial Heart The Sunset Curse calls their music electronic-thrash-rock. I can agree with that description for the most part. The thrash element is apparent however it’s not one that stands out too much.  Their new album Artificial Heart is primarily electronic-rock and because of that this recording is...   Downchild I Need A Hat   Downchild's current lineup has been together for over 15 years, and I Need A Hat shows their experience and talent. Don Walsh leads the group, followed by Chuck Jackson, Pat Carey, Michael Fonfara, Gary Kendall, and Mike Fitzpatrick, with others scattered in on random instruments.   I...   Alyse Black Hold Onto This Alyse Black has a voice that stops you in your tracks. It’s a natural voice that someone is simply born with rather than worked on over years. She is a natural born singer who thankfully gave up her career in international business to return to her true love, music. Hold Onto...   Phil Sargent A New Day Progressive jazz guitarist Phil Sargent’s second CD, A New Day, is his first release as leader since his debut, For Carl, in 2002. During the intervening years Sargent has been very busy as a sideman working with a variety of well-known band leaders such as Jerry Bergonzi, John Lockwood,...   Acidic Getting Lucky LA band Acidic has a solid release in Getting Lucky.  The 12-track sophomore album brings me back to the summer post high school graduation - Just old enough to have real angst, but not really any other cares besides having fun. It would be a surprise if teenagers everywhere couldn't relate to...   Jameson South Shore Girls... Matthew Jameson is a solo artist on mission to win you over in more ways than one. Let me start by saying that the CD EP South Shore Girls…  Jameson sent came in the most interesting package. In fact, I would say I have never received anything so clever in my twelve years writing reviews....   Johnny Cash Setlist -The Very Best of Johnny Cash Live It’s not often I get to review an artist that I don’t have to give some background on, so I am excited to review a new release entitled Setlist – The Very Best of Johnny Cash Live by the legendary “Man in Black” himself.   As the title implies, this is a compilation...   Christian Fabian Keys In Ascension For many years I have maintained a strict boycott on any music that is made by or performed by anyone from Sweden. This ban is in retaliation for the likes of ABBA, Ace of Bass, and Yngwie Malmsteen. I’m glad to say that my boycott has apparently finally been recognized as Sweden is...   Iron Kim Style Iron Kim Style Iron Kim Style. The name is just about as nonsensical as the music produced by the band members who represent it. I am all about “fusion” but this is just ridiculous. Iron Kim Style even has trouble defining what they are on their Myspace page. Apparently jazz/rock//metal fusion is just a...   Sora Heartwood   I put on Heartwood, the most recent album by Canadian singer/songwriter Sora, for a friend of mine and he said “I feel like I'm in Lord Of The Rings.” With Sora's courtly style, Celtic influences, and operatic voice, she'd perfectly fit the soundtrack of a Fantasy...   Blisted Pearl Blisted Pearl EP For three twenty one year olds living in Essex and going through with writing, arranging, and mostly producing their own music, Blisted Pearl conceived and released their first EP earlier this year. Over Easter the band recorded their first 4 track EP at Stagg Studios in Whitam, Essex. Within...   Bill Price With the Eye of a Skeptic and a Few Other Likely Stories You might be skeptical about Bill Price before you hear his music, but With the Eye of a Skeptic and a Few Other Likely Stories will leave you sure about his talent, not only with music but with songwriting, timing, and vocals.   It's easy to compare a folk album to a Bob Dylan one, but even...   Red Directors Wave It In   We start on Sunday and within the span of 10 tracks end on Tuesday. The Red Directors sure do like the days of the week on their album, Wave it In. With a distinctly west coast sounding guitar sound with New York, East Village vocals they are non pretentious indie rock. It’s accessible,...   Elvin Bishop Red Dog Speaks Ecard These days, true blues-men are in short supply. The music that was so influential in spawning rock and roll has left the limelight, but Elvin Bishop’s latest release Red Dog Speaks proves that the blues is alive. After his critically acclaimed 2008 album, The Blues Roles On, Bishop and...   Downtown Mystic Standing Still Music serves many purposes but mainly it is a good mood changer or suitable for creating a specific atmosphere. With all of that considered, when was the last time you threw a CD into the stereo and knew right from the start that the music you were hearing was going to make you smile and be a...   Christian Scott Yesterday You Said Tomorrow When Christian Scott’s mother and grandmother gave him his first trumpet at the age of 12 they gave a gift to the world. He would take that trumpet and learn to blow it as naturally as the wind blows through the trees on a crisp fall day. His new album Yesterday You Said Tomorrow, makes...   Lisa Downing A Delicate Balance Lisa Downing is a solo pianist that resides in Denver where she has been composing and performing since 1982. On her latest release, A Delicate Balance, Lisa offers up a dozen new tracks inspired by personal moments in her life. Her music is often compared to artists like George Winston, Jon...   MGMT Congratulations My first exposure to MGMT was three years ago when they opened for Of Montreal at a show in St. Louis. Oracular Spectacular had been released about a month earlier, but there were still only murmurings about this band that was bringing a 60s, psychedelic feel back to music. Having seen Of Montreal...   Donna Loren Love It Away Donna Loren is a sixties girl that made appearances on all kinds of TV shows and movies. That work carried her a long way and now so many years later, her voice still resonates and touches those within earshot. Now in her early sixties living in Hawaii, she has embraced new technologies and decided to...   AlukarD One Shot The Rap/Rock scene isn’t what it used to be due to the deluge of bands a few years back that got signed and quickly flooded the scene with more music than anyone every wanted. The scene built it self up high but due to the lack of strong bands it collapsed under its own weight. This...   The Audition Great Danger     I would be lying if I said I don’t like the pop-punk genre. It may not be my favorite type of music to see live, but it’s definitely catchy, and there’s something to be said for that. However, I do find pop-punk to be a fairly stagnant genre- there’s just not a...   Dreyelands Rooms Of Revelation This just in: slammin' virtuoso metal band arrives from Budapest! If you've got a hankering for superior progressive metal, heavy on the chops, then Dreyelands is what you crave. This Hungarian quartet thunders high-energy meticulous rock with a touch of gothic flavor. Each member...   The Goodbye Radio The Year We Didn't Have Every now and then, in a pile of indie albums full of irony and sarcasm, you find one band that screams sincerity. That's exactly what The Goodbye Radio's newest release, The Year We Didn't Have, does, and the summery, almost dreamy songs do the opposite of what most indie music does these days...   Coheed and Cambria Year of the Black Rainbow If you’re a fan of Coheed and Cambria, you were no doubt anxiously awaiting the release of their fifth album, Year of the Black Rainbow. On April 13, the highly anticipated album finally dropped in stores and hit iTunes.   Year of the Black Rainbow is an interesting album, particularly...   Wuthering Heights Salt You’ve got to hand it to Europe, they really put lots of effort into keeping that classic metal sound alive. In this case the metal hails from Denmark in the form of Wuthering Heights.   Wuthering Heights are by no means a new act. They originally formed in the early nineties, but did not...   Paul Curreri California Paul Curreri’s new album California has a dress code. It consists of old comfortable jeans and a worn cowboy style shirt which may or may not contain stripes or plaid. His album is also best heard when driving in an old dodge, circa 1970’s, across the plains of the Midwest....   Tempest Another Dawn Tempest is a musical melting pot, fusing together disparate styles to create a potent sonic signature. Their latest release, Another Dawn, continues their tradition of blending Celtic music with various folk and rock genres. The overall effect, however, is much different than groups like Dropkick...   Beth McKee I'm That Way Recording a cover song is like riding a horse. Treat it with respect and you’ll make it home alive, but give it just one too many kicks and you end up on your head. Recording an entire album of cover songs is like trying to ride 10 horses. If you’re good and lucky you will make it...   Roky Erickson True Love Cast Out All Evil Roky Erickson has many stories to tell, and that may be the understatement of the century. The former leader of psychedelic rock legends (and some consider the founders of the genre) 13th Floor Elevators, has released his first set of recordings in fourteen years titled True Love Cast Out All Evil....   Dream Travelers Little Red Bus Oh Little Red Bus, where do I even begin talking about you? This album is really a musical hodge-podge. There are a lot of different styles and feelings all thrown in with each other, which can work just fine, but in Joel Straup’s case there’s no fusion between those different...   Ellen Rowe Quartet Wishing Well Wishing Well, the Ellen Rowe Quartet’s second release, is, among other things, a concise study in modern jazz composition for small ensembles. The only piece not composed by Ms. Rowe is the Dietz and Schwartz standard, “Alone Together.” Ms. Rowe’s music is highly structured yet...   Sandro Dominelli The Alvo Sessions   I watched a PBS special once about child musicians and one of the kids involved was a ten year old from the Bronx who played drums. He was talking to the camera about why he loved the drums so much, and he mentioned the noise of the city and how easily it turned into a beat. I remember...   Jeff Turmes Five Horses Four Riders One of the most important things that you must do before you die is pick out the song that they will play at your funeral. Mine originally was going to be “Its Raining Men” by The Weather Girls but after hearing “Turn Your Heart in My Direction” from Jeff Turmes new...   The Steel Wheels Red Wing Out of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virgina comes a fine album of good Americana by The Steel Wheels. The Steel Wheels are a four-piece comprised of Trent Wagler (vocals, guitar, banjo), Jay Lapp (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Brian Dickel (bass, vocals), and Eric Brubaker (fiddle, vocals)....   Tunsi Inner-Cept No matter how you find Tunsi's music, you have to admit he's the real deal. A step beyond indie, he's a true do-it-yourself artist. His newest album Inner-Cept is a display of his unique hip-hop style built from the ground up, totally solo. Tunsi writes and produces everything...   Kate Cosco Soul Eyes When I received Kate Cosco’s CD I was surprised to find that the entire recording was all instrumental. You paint a picture of what the music might be by looking at the cover of an album and this time I was totally off base. Soul Eyes demonstrates Kate’s abilities as a pianist and...   Fools for Rowan Twisted. Tied Up. Tangled Combine a plethora of power chords and a belter voice and add a splash of angst and you have got yourself a recipe for a rock band. Fools for Rowan followed the recipe to make their frosh album Twisted. Tied up. Tangled. a treat for those with female, rock inclined ears.   Lead singer Erin...   Various Sev Seveer Presents: T-Roy's Deli Mix tapes are always a great way to sample a lot of different talented artists.   Sev Seveer presents T-Roy’s Deli is no exception. This brilliant showcase of talent really does bring some talented individuals to light.   B!G J of Heroes for Hire’s track “Wrapper of the...   The Britton Brothers Band Uncertain Living The Britton Brothers Band debut CD, Uncertain Living (Record Craft), makes a good first impression for brothers, Ben and John Britton. Although still working on their formal music education (Eastman School of Music and Manhattan School of Music) at the time of the recording, the Brittons had played...   Barry Cleveland Hologramatron Barry Cleveland’s new album Hologramatron starts of with the inspired lyrics of Amy X Nueburg whose voice goes from calm and seductive to angry as hell in .05 seconds flat.    “Lake of Fire” lets Ms. Nueburg rant and rave about the hell of society in which we live...   Evan Spade Evan Spade “I'm hypersensitive, a wallflower,” Evan Spade sings on “Joyride”, the second track on his eponymous first album. Unfortunately, while being a wallflower is about the hip-est thing to be these days, Spade should have just stayed in the background.   It's not that Spade's...   Bumblefoot Abnormal   I don’t know exactly when it happened. I think it was sometime in the early 1980’s when some nameless wizard of the guitar (possibly Steve Vai) ran afoul of an evil witch. I’m not sure exactly what happened to cause the witch to cast an evil spell on every wizard of...   Melissa Bel Brave Melissa Bel proves age means nothing. At 20 she is throwing down soulful melodies that could put even the most experienced singer to shame. She’s got that girl power thing emanating from her lyrics. It’s not that lip gloss wearing, gum smacking, and platform shoe donning girl power....   Justin and Tomek I Need To EP Justin and Tomek describe their music as “knowing no rule, no form, no law; they create them all themselves. They remain an inexplicable phenomenon, a compound of such heterogeneous, strangely mixed materials, that an analysis would inevitably destroy what lends the highest charm, the...   Whiskey Six Whiskey Six The proverbial “they” have been known to make the claim that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. While that may be true in some areas of life, I’m not sure if it’s true for music.   Of course, all bands have their inspirations what they strive to be like, and...   Isaac Shepard The Renewing I have a confession to make. When I received Isaac Shepard’s CD of solo piano entitled The Renewing, I opened it up and saw a bible verse on the inlay cover and let out a deflated, “Oh God…(no pun intended).” I’m not against religion nor am I against religious...   Disaster March Dire Days As the music industry and summer rock festivals are flooded with talent from bands that all seemingly sound the same, it is comforting to find artists that maintain an original sound that can also fit in with a certain subgenre. In Disaster March’s Dire Days EP, the unification of punk,...   Old Man Luedecke My Hands are on Fire and other Love Songs   When I think of love, my hands being on fire is not one of the first feelings that come to mind. After listening to My Hands are on Fire and other Love Songs by Old Man Luedecke, I may have changed my mind.   After winning a Juno Award for Best Roots Album of 2009 for Proof of Love,...   Smash Corps Premeditated Smash Corps slam out of the gate on Premeditated, no holds barred, no prisoners taken. Their style of modern murderous metal with a dash of punk attitude assaults and charms equally. The Chicago-based quintet is aggressive and booming without forgetting the tasty blues-metal riffs and...   Rare Blend Sessions   Let me start by saying that Rare Blend’s Sessions album has grooves on it that are so tasty they should be marketed by Duncan Hines. Hailing from Cleveland Ohio, Rare Blend is a Progressive music band that, though only containing four members, has more elements in it than a high school...   Evangenitals Evangenitals EP I’ll be honest with you. I’ve never ever been into country whatsoever. It must be because I am from Britain and here we are raised on a staple diet of The Smiths, The Beatles and Queen.   I do however respect the greats of the genre, Dolly Parton and Faith Hill to name a few....   Canvas Solaris Irradiance Canvas Solaris is a 5-piece group hailing from Statesboro, Georgia. Formerly a technical death metal band, Canvas Solaris now focuses on instrumental progressive metal. Their forthcoming release, Irradiance, is a full-on abstract metal assault. The album is reminiscent of Liquid Tension Experiment,...   Toulouse Engelhardt Perpendicular Worlds   Toulouse Engelhardt could be one of those legends you never heard of before. The guitar player is distinguished in many circles and particularly well known for his association with the “Takoma Seven”. The magnificent seven were known for being innovators of the finger-style guitar...   Glenton Davis Are You Ready I always think it’s interesting when an artist decides to mesh two different music styles together. What’s even more interesting is when an artist combines two styles that you wouldn’t expect to work with each other.   This is exactly what Glenton Davis does, though. Davis...   Gabrielle Roth & The Mirrors Jhoom I’m running through the woods with “Jhoom”, the third song off of Gabrielle Roth & The Mirrors CD named Jhoom, pounding in my ears. The tribal drum beat pushing further and further up the trail. There is no one else around and I don’t think I’ve ever gone...   Judas Priest British Steel (30th Anniversary CD/DVD) Judas Priest is enjoying their success and with that there are a lot of the past victories to take note of as well. Take their British Steel album released in 1980 that launched the metal genre. To celebrate the groundbreaking album the band has released their 30th anniversary edition with a DVD...   Field Mouse You Are Here  I have never actually thought it possible to “hear” feng shui but after listening to Field Mouse’s debut album You Are Here, I now know what feng shui sounds like and it’s something everyone needs to hear.    Vocalist Rachel Browne has a voice that seems to...   The DeVillebillies The DeVillebillies The DeVillebillies are “the hottest thing to come out of the trailer park since your mother”, or so their website says. They were also “conceived after an all night Old Milwaukee party on the redwood deck of a dilapidated Airstream trailer”. I highly recommend you go check...   Joseph Patrick Moore To Africa With Love   Clearly, putting a bass guitar in the hands of Joseph Patrick Moore is like putting water in the hands of Jesus because the things he does with it are equally miraculous.   On his new studio album To Africa with Love, Joseph opens your eyes and proves that he has much more depth...   Various New World Man - A Tribute to Rush   Magna Carta Records has a very simple slogan: “quality. musicianship.” Their recently released Rush Tribute, New World Man, features an all star cast of performers including “Chris Pennie (Dillinger Escape Plan, Coheed and Cambria), Juan Alderete (Mars Volta), Shane Gibson...   Cancer Killing Gemini It only hurts when we breathe The debut album from Cancer Killing Gemini is equal parts industrial wall of sound with the trade make bass guitar driven beat and melodic ease that could be the soundtrack for a hurricane out at sea.  First though we need to get the comparisons to NIN out of the way. Like Trent...   Shadowplay Shadowplay Shadowplay's self-titled CD took a couple of listens, but definitely continues to grow on you (those lacking in patience avert your ears).  The ten tracks are a tri-brid of Lacuna Coil, Evanescence, and the Kidney Thieves.  With tunes as disarming as they are charming, 70% of the album...   blld Materia Prima Progressive rock aces Blld play with so much intensity on Materia Prima you might need an intermission to collect your wits. It's like experimental rock concentrate, hours of artistry boiled down to just 20 minutes of potent fusion syrup. This album is not easy listening. In fact,...   Taddy Porter Taddy Porter The warm summer air whips through your hair as you drive away from the city lights to a location even you are not aware of yet. You’re on an adventure with an unknown destination. With your car stereo at full volume, you are feeling alive and ready for anything. This is exactly the picture I had...   Gerry Gibbs and the Electric Thrasher Orchestra The Music of Miles Davis 1967-1975 In covering Miles Davis, Gerry Gibbs and the Electric Thrasher Orchestra takes a great risk with the album The Music of Miles Davis 1967-1975. Risk exists in the fact that critics will be more critical, musicians will examine your chops under a microscope, and Wynton Marsalis will automatically hate...   Triumph Greatest Hits Remixed (CD/DVD) Triumph is one of those bands you never forget. If you happened to be around in the mid-seventies and remember how they came out of nowhere (actually they are from Canada) then you know what I am talking about. Their rapid rise to the top helped them become an arena rock favorite selling millions...   Duce Distant Land EP Hip Hop and Rap sounds a lot different today than it did back in the early days. Today the over-processed beats mask a lack of talent or substance.   Duce has a style that is very laid back. It feels like you are listening to him freestyle at an open mic night. It’s raw and can only get...   The Twees Unfair Affair & Hepburn Shades I can’t imagine waking up before 11 A.M. being anyone’s ideal- but when your get-up-and-go seems to have already gotten up and went, pumping The Twees’ new tracks more than encourages a little pre-morning retro-rock out sesh.      The quartet comprised of Jason...   Emrah Kento Culture Shock EP With a significant piece of the music industry relying on singer/songwriters to bust out pop hits to be played in the background of coffee shops, malls, and restaurants, it is to no surprise that the competition between such musicians is so cutthroat. As artists like Jason Mraz, Gavin DeGraw, John...   Tayisha Busay Shock-Woo Within seconds of beginning "Wtf You Doin In My Mouth", the third track on Tayisha Busay’s debut EP entitled Shock-Woo, I found myself unconsciously tapping my foot to the interesting electronic beat this trio out of Brooklyn, New York is bringing to the music world. Tayisha Busay...   The Big Motif The Big Motif (EP) Out of Colorado comes a young band by the name of The Big Motif. They are a “jammy”, funky, bluesy rock band. They are composed of Tony Pacello (guitar/vocals), Hunter Roberts (bass), Jeff Jani (Drums/Percussion), and Sam Crowe (sax/flute). Most surprising is that the quartet ranges...   The Julien Kasper Band Trance Groove   When I was a college freshman, I was introduced to a friend of a friend's band and told that the guitarist was one of the best in the city. I watched the band play, confused, as I had, at the time, only heard my brother, a classic rock enthusiast, talk about guitar playing extensively, and...   Dropkick Murphys Live on Lansdowne (CD/DVD) Sometimes bands come around that must be experienced to be fully appreciated. Often, this happens in the punk genres. The Sex Pistols, The Ramones are a few examples. Now we have the Dropkick Murphys If you’ve never heard Dropkick Murphys before, they are like an Irish pub band, (complete with...   Cling Live Versions   Live Versions is the second album from Cling after the 2006 debut, Sonic Spells.   This release is a collection of the live arrangements of the songs that they have played live over the past year which have been re-recorded in the studio. Don’t be fooled, this isn’t...   Jhameel Jhameel   Don’t be fooled by the Arabic text on the cover of Jhameel’s debut album. The Bay Area transplant is actually a Asian artist who has brought in stark comparisons to the likes of Sufjan Stevens, Imogen Heap and Andrew Bird. On the verge of signing with the Army after graduating...   Harold Nono/ Hidekazu Wakabayashi Harold Nono/ Hidekazu Wakabayashi In listening to Harold Nono’s music, one thing is made clear immediately: unbridled artist expression is paramount in his compositions. His collaboration with Hidekazu Wakabayashi, simply titled Harold Nono/Hidekazu Wakabayashi, is a successful minimalist sonic experiment. Simple textures,...   Ramzi Color Four years ago Ramzi left his workaday life in California and settled in NYC to try his luck as a singer-songwriter. Fueled by dreams of a life less ordinary (“living life from the heart,” as he puts it in the song “Breaking Free”) he sewed his heart on his sleeve and...   Steve Swell's Slammin' The Infinite 5000 Poems Trombonist Steve Swell’s latest release, 5000 Poems (Not Two Records), is the fourth from his quartet turned quintet, Slammin’ The Infinite in its seven year history. Swell has been performing for over 35 years and has performed with the big bands of Lionel Hampton, Buddy Rich and...   Jess Ray and the Rag Tag Army Jess Ray and the Rag Tag Army In case you’ve never noticed, when you rip a CD onto your computer, iTunes will list a genre for that album. With Jess Ray and the Rag Tag Army, iTunes decided that the album fell under the label of “pop.” This could not be more misleading.   When you think of pop,...   Marionette Facing You Richmond’s own Marionette may not be familiar yet, but they certainly seem to be going in the right direction. The quintet comprised of Kevin Cornell, Marshall O’Leary, Adam Rose, Kerri Helsley, and Tom Brickman self-released their debut album, Facing You, late last year. Based on its...   John Mayer Battle Studies I’m going to say this right off the bat. I am unabashedly biased towards John Mayer. He holds a special place in my heart. When I exited the most significant personal relationship of my life to date, John Mayer was there with help me pry open my chest and hold that wounded heart in my...   Devon Sproule Don't Hurry For Heaven! Even Jenny Lewis isn't this Jenny Lewis. You'll turn on Don't Hurry For Heaven!, the newest release from Devon Sproule, and you'll swear it's an old Rilo Kiley demo, re-released in a flowery new package.   But it's not, and Sproule isn't an imposter (for some reason, the indie market is full of...   The Knights Tiempos Malos Tiempos Malos or Bad Times is the title of the most recent effort by the Albuquerque four piece instrumental rock band The Knights. The idea of this collection of 10 tunes is to soften the blow of recent hard economical times and give you music to help you relax and produce a positive vibe that will...   Wordsmith Vintage Experience “Hip hop’s moving on, going beyond,” Wordsmith is bringing the decadence of old school hip hop back. To put in context, Lupe Fiasco and LL Cool J’s sound had a child and what we got was Wordsmith. It goes back to the words rather than the beat. While both are good, you find...   The Reasoning Dark Angel   The problem with The Reasoning is that there's no real reason for them to be as unremarkable as they are. Everyone in the band is obviously talented, but they just don't leave an impression.   Maybe it's the silly lyrics that bog down the otherwise beautiful vocals (“Cast into...   Juergen Reiter Dead On Arrival   Since his start at the age of seventeen as a local musician in Munich, Juergen Reiter has opened for Jazz greats like Ray Charles. A consummate musician, Reiter has studied at Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam, under John Cage in Paris and at SUNY Purchase New York where he graduated with a...   Marier Marier's Variety Pack Marier’s story is one you probably heard before, a 10 year old kid gets a Sears Silverton guitar and the rest is history, well it’s actually true. Marier has released a CD with 16 tracks of pure pop-rock-psychedelic gems titled Marier’s Variety Pack. A solo artist extraordinaire,...   Luther Allison Songs From The Road Luther Allison died four days after playing the concert that is Songs From The Road. I guess he's gone a little Tupac since then, since this is his fifth or sixth release since his death in 1997, but it could easily be called the most appreciated posthumous album release in music...   Silk Tongue Gamblers We're In Business The Silk Tongue Gamblers are a fairly new act that met up while in college in London in 2009. They consist of Varun Atrey (Vocals), Felipe Neves (Guitars), Equival Junior (Bass), and Ollie Hipkin (Drums).   The band mates of STG have influences that are just as diverse as the members themselves....   Jack Gaffney Nothing To Be Afraid Of   Jack Gaffney is a young singer/songwriter from Boulder, Colorado. His new independently-released album is called Nothing To Be Afraid Of. It's five original songs are mediocre mainstream fare, ably produced. Sound like thousands of other unsigned recording artists working hard...   Capelle Money Now, Money How, Money When I don’t think anyone will argue with me if I make the claim that there’s a lot of very good music out there. Every day, new artists break onto the scene, hopefully bringing something fresh to the music world. However, while a lot of the new music we’re graced with is good,...   Jimi Hendrix First Rays Of The New Rising Sun Well here it is the last review in the set of reissues from the Hendrix catalog. I am sure there will be more opportunities in the future with the wealth of music that is continually getting uncovered from the Hendrix estate. First Rays Of The New Rising Sun is making its debut fully re-mastered from...   White Apple Tree Velvet Mustache White Apple Tree is the kind of music that you know has a gimmick (it's about as realistically unique as Juno), but it's so catchy; you can't help liking it anyway.   They've recently been touring with acts that have the same appeal (Asteroids Galaxy Tour and Shiny Toy Guns) – I guess...   Majdanek Waltz Ophelia Ophelia marks the second installment in the trilogy of albums released by industrial folk group Majdanek Waltz. The album was released by the joint efforts of Moscow label Wroth Emitter and St. Petersburg label kultFRONT. The album is comprised completely of the fusing together of spoken word extracted...   Styx Grand Illusion (24kt Gold) As the lead singer of Styx Dennis De Young opens up their classic album Grand Illusion singing “Welcome to the grand illusion, come on in and see what’s happening, pay the price, get your tickets for the show”, you instantly know you will be entertained. Styx was beyond that...   Mitch Burger Reactive I was sitting on my porch when I turned on Reactive, the debut album from Mitch Burger. And from the first note of the first song, I continuously looked around me, hoping none of my neighbors could see (or hear, I guess), me listening to what might be the only embarrassing album I've ever listened...   Scattered Like Birds Trifecta of Love (EP) Scattered Like Birds sounds like a band that’d have a bunch of people involved (a flock even!), but actually, the Oakland, CA based band is really just one fellow, who (so far as I can tell) goes by the name of Paco.   On Trifecta of Love, a four track EP, you get a nice taste of what...   Steve Palmer Band Apparition At some point while listening to the Steve Palmer's Band's debut album, Apparition, you'll think you're listening to all the classics – Skynyrd, Springsteen, Dylan, and Tom Petty will all come to mind, if not more.   However, Apparition doesn't sound like a cover album or one band...   King Crimson In The Court of The Crimson King (40th Anniversary Edition CD/DVD) The first incarnation of the legendary King Crimson was Robert Fripp (guitar), Ian McDonald (reed, woodwind, vibes, keyboards, mellotron, vocals), Greg Lake (bass, lead vocals), Michael Giles (drums, percussion, vocals) and Peter Sinfield (words and illumination).   With a prolific cover and...   The Sojourners The Sojourners   Do you ever find yourself just needing to listen to some straight-up feel good music? You know, the kind that puts a smile on your face and makes you want to bebop along with it as you listen? If so, The Sojourners self-titled album is a must-listen.   The Sojourners is a brilliant...   Brian Lindsay Esperanza   I 'm not entirely sure why Brian Lindsay's sophomore album is supposed to be the epitome of Americana but has the Spanish name Esperanza. Lindsay isn't the first artist to name an album this, but most of the others who have had at least a touch of Spanish in their heritage and...   The Jimi Hendrix Experience Electric Ladyland How was the Jimi Hendrix Experience going to top the previous release Axis: Bold As Love? Two albums had been released, Hendrix was already a legend, and everything he and his band did was groundbreaking and mind blowing. We all know now that the ride was not over yet - enter the incredibly...   John Micah Rapp February Themes To attempt to write a song every day for a year is no mean feat. With February Themes, John Micah Rapp has not only completed a month’s quota, but he has also provided enough sounds to keep each song interesting.   Describing his music as ‘stoner rock’, some may consider Rapp...   The Nighthawks Last Train to Bluesville Okay, the title Last Train to Bluesivlle may be a bit corny as far as titles go, but The Nighthawks certainly seem like a group of guys that I’d want to jam with in the yard on a hot summer day.   The Nighthawks are a D.C. based blues band currently comprised of Mark Wenner...   Gato Libre featuring Natsuki Tamura Shiro Shiro is the fourth CD release from jazz improv quartet Gato Libre. Natsuki Tamura, the group’s leader and trumpeter, is a native of Japan who first came to the United States in 1986 to study at Berklee College of Music and later at the nearby New England Conservatory of Music. Both he and his...   Avantasia The Wicked Symphony Avantasia’s The Scarecrow was a confusing album, drifting between the power metal of The Metal Operas and a pop-rock sound previously unheard of from Avantasia. It wasn’t a huge disappointment, but The Scarecrow didn’t live up to the standard set by previous efforts. Fortunately,...   Chris Cagle Best Of Chris Cagle I always feel kind of squirmy when a label announces that they're going to release a greatest hits album. I can't help but imagine the artist standing behind a business man at a press conference, rolling their eyes and sighing. It always feels like a shove out the door (Hilary Duff?) or a quick way...   Jeff Callahan Empty Swings Jeff Callahan is a talented poet. That fact cannot be denied. However, based on what his audience gets with Empty Swings, I’m not sure the same can be said of Callahan’s musicality.   Empty Swings is a spoken word album, so rather than hearing Callahan sing his poems as lyrics,...   Deena Chappell Smith Voices Of The Archetypes Voices Of The Archetypes is a smart, eclectic blast of psychedelic folk music. You could call it a concept album, the concept being the quirky subconscious of charismatic singer/songwriter Deena Chappell Smith. It's loaded with stories told in clever poetry and a wonderful palette of...   Bill Wren One Day In A Life   Bill Wren calls himself a songbird from Texas – and that's exactly what he is. It's not clear if his name is just that ironic, or if he changed it somewhere down the line, but for novelty's sake, let's assume it's the irony.   I assumed, when I read that Wren thought he was a...   Timothy Crane Dragonfly In 2004 pianist/composer Timothy Crane released his first album, The Other Life I Dream, a collection of soothing instrumental piano pieces. Now, six years later, the Denver native has released his follow-up album Dragonfly, an assortment of 11 piano-drive originals with some backup orchestration....   Winger Karma Winger wasn’t your typical hard rock act of the 80s. The music they wrote was technically complex, but still held on to mass appeal, as proven by hits “Seventeen”, “Headed for a Heartbreak,” and “Miles Away.” After releasing three successful albums,...   Abnormal and The Mafioso of Murderapolis The Suffix-Cide The Suffix-Cide is most likely nothing like anything you have ever heard before. This can be a good or a bad thing, and for most of you, this is probably a good thing.   As you might imagine, when reviewing an album, it’s hard not to think about offending the vision of the artist....   Neal Morse So Many Roads (3 CD Live Set) Neal Morse is a prolific musician with a long and successful career. With So Many Roads, a three disc live set recorded in Europe, he gives the listener a glimpse of his career. The discs span his lead role in progressive rock band Spock’s Beard to his more recent solo career creating his...   Oto Spooky Oto Spooky   The biggest criticism of Oto Spooky is that this isn’t an easy listen. In fact it is quite the opposite.  Whilst appreciating the unique, progressive sound Oto Spooky are aiming to achieve, the opening to the album, particularly “Gypsy God” suggests they have gone one...   The Jimi Hendrix Experience Are You Experienced How many debut albums had such an impact as Are You Experienced? Long after the release of this cornerstone for psychedelic rock came onto the scene it still has the ability to get inside your head and turn you inside out. This music has the power to mesmerize and tantalize the senses with unbelievable...   Sister Loolomie Signals When the classic horror film The Blob hit theaters back in 1958, one of the taglines for the movie was “Run, don’t walk, from The Blob!” Now, within the context of The Blob, this line was referring to a globular alien that was eating everything in its path, but the advice applies here...   The Mannish Boys Shake For Me   The Mannish Boys are less of a band and more of a royal jam session. Every big name around today in blues is (or has been) involved with the band, and their latest release, Shake For Me, shows their combined talents off even more impressively than their previous four albums...   Kirk Fletcher My Turn It certainly is Kirk Fletcher's turn. On his third solo album, the guitarist is stepping into the spotlight after touring and guest starring for years. And he handles the spotlight with technical and vocal skill that makes you sure he's ready for it.   The lyrics on My Turn are good, as are...   Morre ...Out There I really can’t tell you how to say the name of this band. Is it “more”, “morey”, “moray”, I haven’t a clue. When I loaded it into my iTunes it came up as “& More”, so that didn’t really help either. This seems to sum up my...   Brian Landrus Forward A debut album like Forward, from saxophonist Brian Landrus, is often difficult to classify without an existing body of work as reference. But, in Landrus’ case we can base a foundation for critical analysis on the compelling testimony of unquestionable authorities, his teachers and...   Stephen Soul Wingless Not Hopeless At some point in your college or high school career, you probably went to a house party where an artist like Stephen Soul was set up in the corner, playing music and selling CDs. You probably didn't like it then, and you probably won't like it now.   The problem with artists like Stephen Soul is...   Quakers on Probation Every Living Thing The Quakers on Probation are an interesting blend of musicians including a veteran session man that played with everyone from Elvis to the Beach Boys and a father and son team. There is Daniel Craig senior and junior and Larry Knechtel, who passed away during the sessions, and Graig Markel. Every...   Jenny Whiteley Forgive Or Forget How would you answer the question “What kind of music do you like?” Maybe a list of favorites, or a single genre label that mostly describes your taste? One common answer is “I like anything but country.” Jenny Whiteley's recent release Forgive Or Forget is a...   Kirsten DeHaan Thorns On A Crown   I wasn't impressed with Kirsten DeHaan's Thorns on a Crown after the first few songs, but the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. The problem with that is that the five song album is hailed as containing five different genres of music. But you can't please everyone, and DeHaan should...   Ann Sweeten Just This Side of Spring Were I allowed to use only one word to describe pianist Ann Sweeten’s new album, Just This Side of Spring, it would be, plain and simple, “lovely.” But, since I’m not restricted to using this lone word, I’ll elaborate.   Instrumental—particularly...   Poostosh Herbarium   Poostosh's Herbarium is the kind of album you need to listen to while watching the visualizer available on whatever media player you're using. (What our parents did with records and cassettes, without visualizers to stare at, I have no idea.)   Watching a visualizer highlight the beats...   The Jimi Hendrix Experience Axis: Bold As Love One of my fantasies as a hard core music fan was that Jimi Hendrix never died and he continued to make amazing music and produced some of the most phenomenal artist we would ever hear. While all of that is nothing but a series of “what could have been” scenarios it sure would have been an...   Olenka Rhythms of Another Life Olenka was born in communist Poland and escaped with her family when she was nine. After spending time in a refugee camp in Italy her family finally settled down in New York City. While in the city, she was exposed to the cultures of Latinos, Irish, and Asians. All this reached its fruition on her...   deVries Death to God With a sound that brings to mind bands from across the pond like The Stone Roses and Suede, DeVries has brought British pop sensibilities to his latest release, Death to God. The release, laced with 60s style guitar melodies showcases Travis DeVries newest incarnation on the indie-rock scene....   Deep Purple Machine Head (24kt Gold) The Deep Purple classic rock-metal album Machine Head (1972) is another one of those “must have” titles regardless of how many copies or versions you have now (I have the re-mastered 2CD anniversary edition from Rhino). If you do not have this recording in your collection, you have no right...   Light In August Places It's unclear if Light In August's name has anything to do with the Faulkner novel of the same name, but since it's a band consisting of three guys with beards, one of which plays the flute, it probably does.   In any case, their new album, Places, is basically an indie dream –...   Stereo Reform The Whitestone Session In a mini follow-up to their first album Robots of Evolution, Stereo Reform came back with a four-track EP recorded at Whitestone Studios.   The album features three brand new tracks, plus a re-recording of Robots of Evolution’s “There’s No Time.”   With The...   Cow Pals Eskimo Kisses So I’ll be honest, when my new stack of CDs for review showed up, I picked this one first since it had the oddest album cover of the bunch. I mean look at it, what’s really going on there? And shouldn’t the guy on the right think about doing a little shaving or put on a shirt? It...   Simon and Garfunkel Parsley, Sage, Rosemary &Thyme (24kt Gold) Simon and Garfunkel were a rare duo that left an indelible impression on us when they first hit the music scene in the sixties. In 1966 Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme came out the Columbia label and it was a marvel considering that it was two men and primarily acoustic guitars. The beauty of this...   Jesse Payne Nesting   Coming into a genre full of such established artists as Bright Eyes, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, and Andrew Bird, Jesse Payne certainly had his work cut out for him to make his mark.   And with his album Nesting, Payne definitely delivered. From start to finish, it’s is a solid...   VW Brothers Muziek Muziek is Paul and Marc van Wageningen’s first release as band leaders, but the ubiquitous brothers have performed and recorded extensively since moving from Amsterdam to San Francisco 30 years ago.  Perhaps unaware of him by name, you may have heard (and seen) Marc on bass in the...   Elliott Murphy Notes From The Underground Elliott Murphy's first album came out in 1973, and he's released 29 more since then. His most recent is Notes From The Underground, a classic Americana/Folk album that recalls every folk star you can think of, from Dylan to Guthrie. The fact that Murphy is sixty years old doesn't seem to inhibit him...   Stereo Reform Robots of Evolution Ladies and gentlemen, funk is back, and the guys in Stereo Reform are the ones bringing it to the forefront.   The band’s debut album Robots of Evolution feels like a throwback to the funk scene of the 60s, but with a fresh, modern spin to it.   Despite that, the album is...   Craig Maher Propel   Craig Maher is a New York-based singer/songwriter/guitarist that has been gathering some momentum with a strong grassroots following emerging from the New York metro area. He has been at it for over twenty years now and with a new album titled Propel, he may have tapped the mainline of rock...   Arise The Reckoning At the end of 2005, and three albums in, Swedish thrash/death band Arise were forced to make a lineup changed due to musical differences within the band. With The Reckoning, Arise makes their return to the scene, debuting Patrik Johansson on vocals, Sternberg on guitar and Kaj on bass. One can only...   Santana Supernatural-Legacy Edition As Hal Miller indicates in the liner notes of the Legacy Edition of Santana’s blockbuster album Supernatural, it is hard to believe it has been ten years since this musical work of genius came to our attention. With over 25 million copies sold worldwide we now have the opportunity to hear the...   Gamma Ray To the Metal! You may be more familiar with bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, but metal veterans Gamma Ray rock just as hard on their latest release To the Metal!   Gamma Ray is a German metal band formed by Kai Hansen after he left Helloween in the late 80’s. They have gone through some...   Uriah Heep Celebration-40 Years of Rock 40 years of rock, that adds up to a sizable amount of music, shows and hotel rooms. Uriah Heep still carries on after all these years and they can dig in, give their fans a great show, and produce great studio albums. In 2008, Wake The Sleeper was an excellent return to form. Now we have Celebration-40...   The Black Noodle Project Eleonore A concept album by a French progressive rock band that sings in English: is it ambitious or are they writing their own death certificates? The Black Noodle Project really hasn't done either on Eleonore; mostly, they've just recorded some prog rock songs and put it to a story you can't really...   Zdenko Ivanusic Quartet Free Fall In late 2009 Zdenko Ivanusic, Zagreb jazz saxophonist (tenor, alto, soprano and flute) and composer, released Free Fall, his fourth album for Zivaldo Records. While not well-known in the U.S., Ivanusic has garnered well-deserved respect in Eastern Europe and praise for previous recordings such as...   Transatlantic Whirlwind (2 CD/DVD Box)   With several years between studio albums Transatlantic felt it was time to meet again and record some more new tracks. Mike Portnoy (drums, Dream Theater), Neal Morse (keys, vocals, Spocks Beard & Solo), Pete Trewavas (bass, Marillion) and Roine Stolt (guitar, vocals, The Flower Kings)...   Pete Lockett's Network of Sparks One   Pete Lockett's name might not be familiar to you, but at least half of the impressive list of people he's played with will be. Lockett is a percussionist who has played with the likes of Robert Plant, Damien Rice, Bjork, and Peter Gabriel. On One, he teams up with Bill Bruford for an all...   45th Parallel Take 2   It's called Take 2, but it's the first release from Washington-based hard rock trio 45th Parallel. At first I was struck by how similar their sound is to overplayed mainstream 1990's radio staples like Staind and Creed. Any song on Take 2 could be slipped, unnoticed, onto a mix CD...   Donna Sammarco Here I Am, Lord Donna Sammarco’s second solo piano album Here I Am, Lord is a triumph in many ways. Her strong faith and talented hands come shining through again on an all instrumental inspirational set of songs. Donna overcame some physical hurdles to make the release complete and it stands as a testament to...   Jimi Hendrix Valleys of Neptune Even in death, Jimi Hendrix continues to amaze and impress listeners everywhere. An innovator of his own generation, he manages to inspire and influence the musicians of every new generation. With his most recent posthumous release “Valleys of Neptune,” his legacy through music continues,...   Subcon Antitoxin I've always been impressed with the confidence of rappers. Something about the hip-hop genre demands an ultra, almost absurd arrogance, and when the artist is as good as he or she says, it works, and it somehow makes the music more sincere. But when the artist isn't as good as they think they are, it's...   Jason & The Scorchers Halcyon Times They may be nearly 30 years old as a band, hell, they may have even already won a Lifetime Achievement Award at 2008’s Americana Music Conference, but you wouldn’t guess it by the freshness of the latest release from the Nashville Americana legends Jason & The Scorchers. Halcyon Times...   Lucerne Jazz Orchestra Don't Walk Too Far Don’t Walk Too Far is the culmination of two years of developing, and intensively rehearsing a group of nineteen soloists to create what is now known as the Lucerne Jazz Orchestra. Directed by David Grottschreiber, this cohort of individuals, each armed with a specific talent as an...   Jordyn Jackson September in the Garden Although September in the Garden (so-named for the Garden District of New Orleans where she lived and recorded the album during September 2009)is her 5th recording project, 25 year old Jordyn Jackson is a relative newcomer, especially to the jazz vocal genre. Ms. Jackson has paid her dues over the...   Steve Lieberman The Gangsta Rabbi DikTatoR 17 Have you ever heard a song on the radio and wondered how that artist managed to get a record contract? That’s the feeling that Steve Lieberman The Gangsta Rabbi’s newest album, DikTatoR 17, leaves the listener with.   Upon seeing an artist who refers to himself as “The...   Bill Nelson Fancy Planets With Fancy Planets, prolific recording artist and revered experimental rocker Bill Nelson creates his own, rather well removed, sonic universe. The cover art depicts a buxom damsel distraught in the arms of a soaring space villain. Rest assured, the music is a trip too. Between lyrics on...   Scattergun Life at Fantasy Lounge   Americana is a weird genre – you can basically call any band from the United States with at least a little bit of twang involved “Americana”, from Elvis to Johnny Cash to Wilco. Scattergun is a Chicago-based band that makes what they call Americana on their debut Life at...   The Burned The Burned The great thing about The Burned (which is really just Kurt Baumann's name for his solo project) is that it sounds like music Zach Braff might pick for a movie soundtrack, but darker. It's got an original edge to it that makes it far more interesting than the dainty indie rock most of us are used...   The Town Pants Shore Leave   The Town Pants aren't Irish – actually, they're Canadian – but they make great Celtic music and most of it's about drinking. Shore Leave is basically a collection of raucous drinking songs, but they're so catchy that even if you're a Teetotaler, you'll like it.   Shore...   Last Perfect Thing The Signal I don’t know if I’d go so far as to call them the last perfect thing, or even a perfect thing, but New Jersey’s own Last Perfect Thing do have a pretty good album that you should give a listen to.   Last Perfect thing is a quartet composed of Greg Wilkens (vocals/guitar),...   Hulon First Impressions Hulon believes in good First Impressions and does he ever get off on the right foot with his maiden solo voyage with the same title. This album put me in a great mood; it allowed me to focus on how good one can feel when you listen to the right music. There is something about instrumental jazz with a...   Randy Newman 12 Songs 24kt Gold Randy Newman’s 12 Songs (1970) is considered a classic rendering of blues influence pop-rock. A literal slice of Americana, cynicism, sexual references, and humor that today would be politically incorrect. Come to think of it, nearly everything you say could be considered that now so it really...   David Bowie A Reality Tour Six and a half years ago, glam rock musician David Bowie went on the road in support of his most recent studio album, 2003’s Reality. A tour that was anticipated to take place in 24 countries, it was not only rearranged due to postponements, but cut short due to the icon’s health...   Nick Curran & The Lowlifes Reform School Girl If you do an online search for Nick Curran, you'll find hundreds of blogs, articles, and comments, all of which say, in one way or another, that he's a bad ass musician – and all of them are right. If Curran had been born in the '50s, he would still be a household name today.   Reform...   The City Skyscape The City Skyscape With The Postal Service on an apparent indefinite hiatus, someone's got to fill Ben Gibbard's sweet little shoes – enter The City Skyscape, a band so similar to Gibbard's side project that they might actually be him in disguise.   Not that that's a tremendously bad thing – The...   B-52's Cosmic Thing 24kt Gold The B-52’s sound is filled with pop hooks galore and funky grooves and those elements were at their zenith on Cosmic Thing (1989). Now with this reissue of their highly successful Cosmic Thing in Audio Fidelity’s famous 24 karat gold format I have to say what they mean to me has taken on...   David MacKenzie and Josh Johnston Notes Home Partners in jazz David MacKenzie (violin) and Josh Johnston (piano) recently released a second studio album called Notes Home. It's a flavorful mix of vintage and contemporary sounds. The classic swing music of Stephan Grappelli (a jazz violinist like David MacKenzie can't avoid this...   New X Art Ensemble New X: Trios & Duets Billy X. Curmano and his New X Art Ensemble featuring the Amazing Tess Toster Tones is described as a free form group known for their odd instrumentation and experimentation. On New X: Trios & Duets, this definition stands true and tested.   Indeed the majority of the record is filled...   Various New England Conservatory Affiliates Art-I-Facts: Great Performances from 40 Years of Jazz at NEC When considering Boston institutions of jazz education and performance the venerable New England Conservatory (NEC) might not be the first that comes to mind—Berklee College of Music is just down the street—but NEC has a very long and rich jazz history. Gunther Schuler, classical French...   Ahmond Monster & Minstrel Ahmond is an indie kid's dream – a Sufjan Stevens/Andrew Bird-esque singer-songwriter that self produces his albums and isn't too famous to pretend you don't like. If he garners the critical acclaim that artists similar to him have recently, he'll soon be the guy everyone liked before he...   The Murder of My Sweet Divanity Upon hearing the name The Murder of My Sweet, my initial thought was that it was, forgive me, a typically long-winded name of a newer metalcore band. So, I approached Divanity, the band’s upcoming debut release with a little bit of skepticism. Yet, here we have is another example of an...   Jackie Ryan Best Of Love Songs I didn't glance at the album title of Jackie Ryan's newest album before I started listening to it, and after the third or fourth song, I was convinced that it was either a greatest hits album or one of the fullest, most thoughtful albums I had ever heard. Even though Best of Love Songs is a collection...   Daywalker Through the Rain EP  Daywalker is a Liverpool based trio that has existed for about five years. Despite going through some line-up changes over this period, the band continues to push forward comprised of Dave Robinson (vocals), Barry Waring (guitar/keys/backing vocals), and Dave Kinder (bass). There are drums on...   Jacob Merlin Alchemy of Soul If you’re looking for just an all-around stellar album, Jacob Merlin’s Alchemy of Soul is it.   From beginning to end, Alchemy of Soul delivers a sucker-punch of great music. The songs are fun and energized, while maintaining the mellowness typical of R&B. However, this album...   Lily Holbrook Wicked Ways Lily Holbrook's press release announces that she is the Real Deal – and while that may be a terribly cheesy thing to say about an artist, it's true. From her image and the art on her newest album, Wicked Ways, I was expecting a completely different sound and style, but Holbrook is a folk...   Arcangels Living In A Dream (CD/DVD) The Arcangels seemed to disappear as quickly as the appeared back in 1992. It was Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton’s soul salivation at the time after the tragic death of their brother Stevie Ray Vaughn.   Living In A Dream was more than a musical experience for me, it gave me a better...   Melinda EP On her forthcoming EP, Pittsburgh native Melinda Grey sings bluesy rock with a whiff of country and pop. Her previous release titled The Melinda EP, from 2007, leaned more toward pop music. She attempts a rougher, more down-home sound this time around. Her new style is part Etta James,...   Sunstorm House of Dreams   When I first listened to House of Dreams, the second album by the hard rock band Sunstorm, I, for the life of me, could not place the vocals. I could recognize them like anything, but where did I hear them? A quick trip to Google, and I was informed that it was Joe Lynn Turner, whom I knew...   Suzi Ragsdale Best Regards/Less of the Same Suzi Ragsdale has been in the recording studio her entire life, and considering that most of this time has been spent in Nashville, it's no wonder that her newest release (the double album) Best Regards and Less of the Same is an adorable country and folk album that makes the listener feel right at...   George Winston Love Will Come: The Music of Vince Guaraldi, Volume 2 Grammy Award Winning Pianist George Winston has released a new CD of solo piano music in a tribute to Vince Guaraldi: Love Will Come: The Music of Vince Guaraldi, Volume 2. Vince Guaraldi will always be associated with the “Charlie Brown” television specials and the...   SOS Adult Situations You may not know of SOS, but they are a band that should seem rather familiar to you. SOS formed in New York City in 1995, when grunge was still quite big, and was clearly heavily influenced by the genre. Five albums and over a decade later, SOS’s latest release, Adult Situations, shows that this...   Audra Connolly Dear Friend   There is a quote from once-indie band Rilo Kiley about folk singers that I continuously thought about while I listened to Audra Connolly's newest album, Dear Friend: “Folk singers sing songs for the working, baby. We're just inspiration for all those doctors and lawyers.” Connolly...   Herb Alpert & Lani Hall Anything Goes: Herb Alpert & Lani Hall Live   Sometimes within a few notes of a recording you can identify polished, seasoned, talented professionals. That is the clearly the case with Anything Goes. Alpert—founder of the incredibly successful “Tijuana Brass” and A&M Records, and also a successful Broadway...   Actual Proof Paradigm Shift Here is Actual Proof that a band of talented musicians can break the mold of what you expect from any one particular genre. On Paradigm Shift Eric Mullis (vibraphone), Phillip Berkley III (bass), Scott Brower (drums) and Silas Aldridge (keyboard) throw away the book and write their own for...   Tiny Little Blackouts Idea Of Alice   Tiny Little Blackouts is what indie musicians often strive for and fail at, which has turned the genre into a cliché: delightful music with just the right amount of irony.   Idea of Alice, the first album released by the band, is a fantastic, eight-song journey into the right...   Steve Hackett Out of the Tunnel's Mouth Out of the Tunnel’s Mouth, the most recent solo release from ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett, is a prime example of something being “worth the wait.” An album that had to be put on hold due to some legal troubles, fans eagerly awaited Mr. Hackett’s return to progressive music...   Soul Doctor Way Back To The Bone Soul Doctor was not what I was expecting – at all. With “soul” in the band name and an album called Way Back to the Bone, I was expecting the blues or folk, and when I put the album on, I was instead greeted by heavy rock, but I'm not complaining.   I've never personally been...   Age of Evil Get Dead (EP) Age of Evil is an interesting metal band. They consist of two sets of teenage brothers, Jeremy (vocals/rhythm guitar) and Jacob Goldberg (bass), and Jordan (lead guitar) and Garrett Ziff (drums). They also seem to be students of the metal that people were playing before they even born.   Get...   Martigan Vision Martigan both is and isn't your typical prog band. Upon first listen, it's hard to distinguish what sets them apart, but after pouring time into each track on their newest album, Vision, you begin to see what they do, and you can see that while they fit within their genre, they are stepping out of it,...   VK Lynne Whiskey or Water VK Lynne is a blues rocker with soul. Soul that’s derived from strong Christian beliefs and a stark honesty that’s unfiltered in her music. It’s readily apparent that she’s being doing this for a while - an inherent confidence flows through Whiskey or Water, punctuating each...   Osada Vida Uninvited Dreams I had high expectations for Osada Vida’s third full length album Uninvited Dreams. A progressive rock act from Poland, their career is already well established, with their first release, Critical Moment, back in 2000. But how does Uninvited Dreams hold up on its own?   Opening with its...   Corrin Campbell Game Night   Hailing from  Minnesota, Corrin Campbell and her band, The Election embark on their first full length album, Game Night. Corrin, who served in the 1st Calvary Division and currently works with the Army Materiel Command Band has performed for the troops numerous times while drummer Tony...   Sun Cut Flat Running of the Bulls Music is often a craft of context, and Sun Cut Flat’s Running of the Bulls is no exception. Hailing from Boston, songwriter Nick Lattanzi makes guitar music that feels like it’s freezing, like any minute it’s just going to stop because the cold is locking everything up in a state...   John Wort Hannam Queen's Hotel Since quitting his teaching job in 2002 to focus on his music, John Wort Hannam has done pretty well at getting himself noticed within the world of folk music.   While he may not be a huge star yet, the former language arts teacher has consistently been nominated for—and won—awards...   Jeff Jolly Band Jeff Jolly's Pizza The Jeff Jolly Band plays an eclectic and inventive mix of styles that includes rock, roots, country, Americana and R&B, all written by Jolly (except “Trip Through Your Wire,” U2). That originality is what makes Jeff Jolly’s Pizza well worth listening to. It communicates...   Trizonna McClendon NewFamiliar I seriously don't know what to make of Trizonna McClendon. No matter how many times I listen to her latest album, NewFamiliar, I'm still thoroughly confused. Some of the songs are fantastic, well written, lyrically clever, and groove in a completely original and addictive way. And then the song...   Tim Pepper Beautiful Frustration Tim Pepper knows how to write. His intelligence and way with words shows not only on his latest album, Beautiful Frustration, but on his website and his personal blog. He calls himself quiet, saying he does more listening than talking. Maybe he should speak up more often; he clearly has a lot to...   Conil Strange Part of the Country Lo-fi rock meets folk on Conil's debut album Strange Part of the Country. Although Conil doesn't escape the outlines of what many other British rockers have done, he brings enough raw talent to the table as a singer/songwriter to distinguish himself. Conil doesn't really seem to find his...   Black Bonzo Guillotine Drama Upon hearing Black Bonzo, a progressive hard rock act from Sweden, listeners tend to draw similarities between their music and bands we now know to be classic rock. And with Operations Manual: The Guillotine Model Drama, their third release, there is no exception.   Most prominent of these...   Souljourners Mind Control Souljourners is an unsigned progressive metal act from Southern California. The four-piece consists of Michael Couts on guitar and vocals, Scoops (David Brockenborough) on bass, Paul Ellingson on keys, and Paul Zimmer on drums.   Before doing any research, the first band that I thought of...   Hollywood Blue Flames Deep In America The Hollywood Blue Flames are Kirk Fletcher (guitar), Al Blake (vocals, harmonica), Larry Taylor (bass), Richard Innes (drums), Fred Kaplan (piano), Junior Watson (guitar) and the late great Michael “Hollywood Fats” Mann (vocals, guitar). Chances are if you love the blues like I do...   Glass Delirium Thanks to a Monster's Many Heads Glass Delirium is one of the most unique bands I’ve heard in a long time. Debuting with Thanks to a Monster’s Many Heads, they’ve executed their classically tinged progressive hard rock with near perfection.   Immediately noticeable in the intro track “Seeing...   Astral Travellers The Truth Beyond If the best music comes from outside the United States, and the classics influence the best musicians, then Astral Travellers are two for two. Their name, which they plucked from a Yes album, isn't the only evidence on their newest album The Truth Beyond of their wide range of influences. A mix tape...   Twaang Dark Angel Twaang is Roland Billberg, a D.I.Y. musician and producer from Staffanstorp Sweden. Twaang’s music can range from metal to electronic. On Dark Angel it’s straight up metal.   I have to be honest, when I saw an email come through and it was signed Twaang I did not know what to think....   Loam Nervous Grooming Gestures Loam is the indie-rock creation of multi-instrumentalist songwriter, Chris Rousseau. Loam's sound is comparable to Spoon, Tom Petty, and R.E.M. Founded in Massachusetts, the project has released a string of indie rock albums that have resonated with fans and critics alike.   Tracks like...   Chops Livin 2 the Fullest I like hip-hop, but it generally takes a lot for a hip-hop artist to really “wow” me. Consequently, I was pleasantly surprised by Livin’ 2 the Fullest, the self-released debut album by California hip-hop artist Chops.   Despite being a first release, Livin 2 the Fullest is full...   Patrick Yandall Going for One It’s hard to believe that this is Patrick Yandall’s 11th release and with it came a nice surprise; it’s a collection of instrumental rock tracks! I have been hinting around this for years in my reviews and it seems friends and family have been doing the same, so Yandall put away the...   Distant Lights Simulacrum   I've always found progressive music to maintain certain exclusivity. Often, I find people who believe it's pretentious in nature, which at times may be understandable, given its tendency to push limits. But when I heard Simulacrum, the debut release from Distant Lights, I found no reason for...   Concrete Cowboys Next On their follow up to 2008’s Hard Country, Portland’s Concrete Cowboys return with more upbeat country tunes for the masses on Next. This six-piece is composed of Chad Kessner (vocals), Travis Dow (guitar/vocals), Ed Mesa (drums), Darin Wirth (bass/vocals), Al Carness (guitar), and Katie...   Dynamo Bliss 21st Century Junk As a newly minted band, it’s a powerful thing that Dynamo Bliss knows exactly who their influences are. The trio pays respect to the stylings of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and the Electric Light Orchestra while they claim their lyrical influences to that of John Lennon, Neil Young and Roy Harper....   Laurie Morvan Band Fire It Up!  Laurie Morvan has been through a lot of heartache in her life – I guess that's why she loves the blues so much. Her biography reads like a tragedy, but her accomplishments (from a college volleyball scholarship to earning her degree in electrical engineering to becoming a teacher),...   Hamilton Loomis Live In England Hamilton Loomis’ association with Bo Diddley has certainly been a promotional boon to his career, and while he often honors Diddley in performances and recordings, he is not an imitator. In addition to the overt homage, “Who Do You Love Medley,” during which he plays a signed Bo...   Thai Paul P S Love Thai Paul seems like a traveling powerhouse, a seasoned DJ who has spun in London, Hawaii, and Thailand, this disk maestro has taken inspiration from mixing other people’s music, to finally creating his own.   Gearing up with guitarist Tommy Spurlock and vocalists Candi Sanders and...   Lubriphonic Soul Solution   Lubriphonic decided to place two versions of “Mixin' In the Kitchen” and “Rain Keep Falling“ on Soul Solution, one studio and one live cut. Why? Because they are a jam band. Considering the majority of the tracks on the album take off like a fired up groove session,...   Why Make Clocks These Things Are Ours Why Make Clocks is the plugged – in folk-rock brainchild of singer/songwriter Dan Hutchinson. The 2009 release These Things Are Ours is the third full – length album from this Des Moines – based artist. The first release was in 1998 and, for better or for worse; the...   Tokyo Tramps With These Hands It’s not every day that you stumble across a Japanese blues rock trio, and Tokyo Tramps are just that.   Oddly enough, Satoru Nakagawa (guitar/vocals), Yukiko Fujii (bass/vocals), and Kosei Fukuyama (drums) didn’t meet in the Land of the Rising Sun, but actually Boston after...   St. Madness Saintanic Upon first glance at the members in St. Madness, to assume they're a Norwegian black metal act wouldn't be that far off. Adorning what looks like the typical corpse paint of said genre, this band has branded themselves “carnimetal.” Kind of gimmicky, it would seem, but after listening to...   Nathaniel Sutton Starlite   Nathaniel Sutton takes DIY to a new level on his latest release, Starlite. He plays all of the instruments (guitar, piano, drums, harmonica, and synth), as well as writing the lyrics, and mixing and producing the album. And it sounds good, for something recorded at home, except for the...   Joshua Bell Joshua Bell At Home With Friends Renowned violinist, Joshua Bell has released Joshua Bell At Home With Friends, an eclectic mix of selections from disparate genres (bluegrass, jazz, classical, rock) and featuring a very diverse group of guest artists. At Home With Friends is meant to convey the experience of an intimate evening...   Paul Grenier Human We live in a world where it has become possible and economical for just about anyone to obtain the tools to produce and record an album in his or her home. While this has given a great many people the opportunity to pursue the dream of becoming a recording artist, it has also devalued the...   Jeremy Mitchell Band Delusions of Grandeur   There were a lot of exciting things happening in music last year and certainly many of the acts that performed beyond expectations once again fell under the radar and the select few made their millions as usual. One of those unsigned artist that impressed me the most was guitar maestro Jeremy...   Dana Edelman Blue Roses Maybe I’m a sucker for a slow jam, but Dana Edelman’s soothing collection of songs for his latest album, Blue Roses, really hits the spot. Edelman co-produced the record with Joshua Paul Thompson, the Grammy winning producer who’s worked with the likes of Alica Keys, Joe, and...   Dark Hollow Band Real Monsters Look Like Men   I'm not sure if it's pure coincidence that the Dark Hollow Band claims their name originated from the street they lived on and that it's also the name of a Grateful Dead song. In “Silent Prayer”, the chorus talks about listening to the Dead. Coincidence or not, the Dark Hollow...   Engineers Three Fact Fader   Engineers managed to build an impressive fan-base, given the success of their self-titled debut album. Do they continue to live up to it in the followup Three Fact Fader, or was it just beginners luck?   The music can be classified as part of the newly revived shoegaze movement. With...   Guilt Machine On This Perfect Day Arjen Lucassen's latest release for his new band Guilt Machine is On This Perfect Day. This release is a departure from the complex Ayreon projects that included a multitude of musicians and vocalists. Instead he favors one small consistent lineup made up of his partner, manager and lyricist Lori...   Chris Kasper Chasing Another Sundown On Chris Kasper’s third release¸ Chasing Another Sundown, the singer/songwriter expands on his previous work with his first fully produced studio recording. Along with a bunch of his friends from Philadelphia, Kasper gives us nine new songs that are poppy, folky, with a country vibe,...   Mike Longo Trio Sting Like A Bee   On 2009's Sting Like a Bee, the sequel to the 2007 release Float like a Butterfly, the listener will again find pianist Mike Longo ensconced comfortably in a trio setting. Holding down the rhythm this time are a couple of jazz heavyweights: go-to session drummer Lewis Nash and the...   Bernie The Legend of the Mythical Man-month... Bernie Durfee records under just his first name, Bernie. After listening to his brand new, first – ever release The Legend of the Mythical Man-month and More Tales from the Confines of the Corporate Cubicle, with its quirky humor and clumsy charm, the name seems to fit just...   Marshall Ruffin Morning Glory One might pick up Marshall Ruffin’s second release Morning Glory and assume it is an EP. You would be surely mistaken after 40 solid minutes of quality fuzzy, dirty, bluesy rock heard over these five tracks.    While Ruffin’s name is on the front of the album, this is not...   The Fringes The Fringes   By now it's obvious that certain styles of music are making a pretty strong comeback. In rock, classic influences, like Led Zeppelin and Hendrix, are currently running rampant, however subtle or obvious they may be. L.A. native band The Fringes, with their recent self-titled debut,...   David Pinsky and his Rhythm Kings Live at the Bella David Pinsky has spent over 30 years playing the blues, and on his latest release, Live at the Bella, he shows off what he's learned: how to have fun while talking about misery.   Pinsky obviously has fun with what he's doing. He laughs in between songs and jokes with his Rhythm Kings. Before...   Koldasee Messiah (remastered) Contemporary Christian singers Koldasee aptly title their latest album, Messiah: Cradle That Rocked The World, a release that focuses soley on the Messiah, thus celebrating the significance of the holy event known as Christmas.   The album’s opener, “Mother Of My God” is a...   The Complaints Sunday Morning Radio It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while I find myself stumbling upon an album where the band sounds like they were just trying too hard. Unfortunately, Sunday Morning Radio, the newest release by The Complaints, is one of those rare albums.   Sunday Morning Radio...   Makajodama Makajodama   Like the work of fellow Swede Gustav Ejstes (of Dungen fame), Matthias Danielsson’s instrumental post-prog experiment, Makajodama, is rife with psychedelia. But while records like Ejstes’s Ta Det Lugnt explore the pop influence of the flower generation, Danielsson and his quartet...   Zac Mac Band Don't Look Down I don't really know what to make of the Zac Mac Band. I tried to like it, and I tried to get past the overwhelmingly cheesy lyrics, but I just can't manage it.   Some bands are all about the music, and the lyrics don't matter. The Zac Mac Band is not one of those bands. Zac McIntyre, the...   Myra Flynn Crooked Measures Neo-soul and folk blend together on Crooked Measures, the new release from Myra Flynn.   Singer/songwriter Flynn uses her gospel-tinged voice to accentuate her thoughtfully penned lyrics on the eleven original songs that make up the album. Her songs – mostly about breakups or...   Bill James The Love Doctor Bill James is at least 56 by now, considering that he sings “somebody told me you can't rock and roll at 52“ on “You Never Get Too Old To Rock And Roll” and The Love Doctor came out in 2005. While his age makes him an experienced guitarist and lyricist, his music isn't too...   Kansas There's Know Place Like Home Kansas keeps rolling right along after all these years they still have an appeal that reaches far beyond generation separation with a classic sound and tracks that everyone knows.   There’s Know Place Like Home is a stunning live DVD recorded at Washburn University’s White Concert...   The Aviation Orange The Aviation Orange Brooklyn's The Aviation Orange refers to themselves as “New York's hottest new band”. They may be jumping the gun a little, but they're on their way to becoming just that.   Their debut album, The Aviation Orange, is a synth-driven post-punk garage album full of marvelous...   Halford Winter Songs What do we have here? It sure ain’t Santa and his elves! It is Christmas music with balls, and no, not the balls you hang up in your doorway this time of year. When you think of Rob Halford many things come to mind-the metal god, Judas Priest, leather, to mention a few but the last thing...   Super 400 Sweet Fist   Ask most modern rock fans if they've heard of Super 400, and most likely, unless they’re fairly knowledgeable about bands local to the state of New York, they’ll say no. Which is a shame, actually, because they’re a band deserving of recognition. Recognition that they may...   Tom Braxton Endless Highway Tom Braxton is one of the most respected artists on today’s jazz scene, and with his newest album Endless Highway, it’s not difficult to see why. Braxton’s saxophone playing is absolutely flawless. Sax is an instrument that can sometimes get overshadowed by supporting...   Koldasee Journey I feel that Christian music tends to get a bad rep. No matter the style of it, any Christian music is automatically assumed to be overly zealous religious music. As such, it is a genre many people tend to shy away from. Journey, the latest album from Christian group Koldasee Journey, is a pleasant...   Eban Schletter's Cosmic Christmas Eban Schletter's Cosmic Christmas At this time of year it is only fitting that we review some holiday albums, so I was pretty excited to land Eban Schletter’s Cosmic Christmas recently. I have never reviewed anything like this before, so I was thinking about how a holiday album should be probably be reviewed in a different...   Alice Cooper Love It To Death (24 Karat Gold) Love It To Death (1971) was the beginning of a long run of successful major label releases for Alice Cooper. This being their first major label release after Pretties For You (1969) and Easy Action (1970) got them enough attention to kick start their career. If you have been picking up the 24-karat...   Joe Walsh The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get (24 Karat Gold) Now here is an album I have not heard in a long time and it happens to be one of my all time favorites. I had the vinyl version when it first came out and distinctly remember playing it several times a week. I liked Joe Walsh’s voice and guitar playing. For this listener both of those factors...   Sean Chambers Ten Til Midnight   To say Sean Chamber's latest release Ten Til Midnight is a guitar heavy album is a bit of an understatement. Though certainly adept as a singer, the six-string is where Chambers truly shines, and he does so on this CD with enough intensity to give his listeners a dark suntan. Chambers'...   Jakob Elvstrom SaxClub Vol.1 You would think that an Alto Saxaphonist with roughly twenty years of experience on the modern jazz scene would have pumped out a slew of records to accent such an illustrious career, but SaxClub Vol.1 is Jakob Elvstrom’s first solo record.   Written primarily by Elvstrom and produced by...   Michaela Rae Blues With A Backbone   You won't believe Michaela Rae's first CD, Blues With a Backbone, when you hear it. Rae is fourteen years old, but plays guitar like any legend you can name. She's been playing basically her entire life, and Blues is full of one super charged song after another, none of which sound like...   Keith Hartman Whatever Happens Happened The moment the mellotron-tinged strings seep in on "It Feels Right," it's clear that pure-voiced San Diego singer/songwriter Keith Hartman is bringing a subtle, experimental edge to the modern acoustic alterna-rock of his debut album, Whatever Happens Happened. Filled with whispery synth...   Thelonious Dub Thelonious Dub Thelonious Dub is a project created by musician Joe Bartone in August of 2007. Bartone specializes in guitar, but also plays sitar, melodica and keyboards on the album. On this self-titled release, he is joined by several skilled musicians for T-Dub’s take on songs by Thelonious Monk, Miles...   22nd Century The Twenty Second Century Canadian power-rock trio 22nd Century is fronted by Tim Plommer (guitarist/vocalist) with Duane Chaos (bass /vocals) and Glen Gauphaum (drums) to round out the lineup and make up one complete juggernaut firing off on all cylinders. There has always been something appealing about a good power...   Mostly Autumn Pass The Clock-1998-2008 Remastered (3 CD Set) Mostly Autumn has been one of the most productive progressive rock bands over the last ten years. They also quickly became one of the best even though flying slightly under the radar initially did not position them ideally or fairly. Most deservingly that changed and now its over ten years later...   Rush Working Men I love Rush. I really do. They're the only band of their distinct brand of progressive rock. Unique in their own right, it would seem, up until now, that any release by Rush would at least hold some merit. But upon listening to Working Men, the new live release from the trio, I'm not so sure....   Nosound A Sense of Loss   Nosound’s album A Sense of Loss is interesting to say the least. This band’s name, Nosound, is more appropriate than the LP title with its serene melodies and gentle vocal harmonies that has the potential to unconsciously blend into your daily routine. Consequently, A...   The Arkitecht Hyperstructure   The Arkitecht is an interesting take on metal music. A “one man band” type project, put together by Genaro Ochoa, it was created to prove that musicians do not have to be dependent upon other musicians, to create the typical “band” sound and feel. A difficult...   Mr. B and Bob Seeley Back to Back Boogie-woogie piano acolytes Mr. B (aka Mark Lincoln Braun) and Bob Seeley have each dedicated their careers to keeping the genre alive. Their joint release, Back to Back, features each in a solo piano setting, working through a list of stride piano classics. The album takes a unique, if somewhat...   I Love Rich Season of the Rich When listening to Season of the Rich, the latest release from Chicago rockers I Love Rich, one thing about the band is obvious: I Love Rich loves Kiss. A lot. In fact I would guess they started as a tribute band and evolved gradually into an original outfit, possibly without...   Jackie Ryan Doozy   As with many words in the English language Doozy has a dual meaning. In the case of the new Jackie Ryan release with the same name it is without a doubt a positive connotation. The one factor that I found amazing about this two disc set is that it was all recorded in just two days during...   Katie Locke & Bullet Proof Tiger Katie Locke & Bullet Proof Tiger Plain and simple, Katie Locke & Bullet Proof Tiger’s self-titled EP is wonderful.   The music falls into that genre of jazzy tinged pop that you hear from artists like Dido, Feist, and Norah Jones. However, Bullet Proof Tiger stands apart from those, thanks largely to vocalist...   Random Ninjas Whatcha-Wanna-Gotta-Getcha!   Donning ninja masks and stealth appropriate monikers gives Random Ninjas an interesting edge in self definition as a new band from Los Angeles. With a debut EP drawing from various sounds such as the beat of taiko drums juxtaposing western drums and  influences from both heavy metal and...   The Starting Line Somebody's Gonna Miss Us The summer of 2008 saw the final tour (for now) of pop-punk band The Starting Line. This tour provided the content for the band’s recently released CD/DVD combo Somebody’s Gonna Miss Us.   The CD part of Somebody’s Gonna Miss Us is a live recording of The Starting Line’s...   Poncho Sanchez Psychedelic Blues Poncho Sanchez is back with a great collection of material written by jazz greats Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, John Coltrane and Horace Silver, as well as a couple of original compositions from within the band, all performed in the venerated traditional Afro-Cuban jazz style. The new release,...   Ruder Than You Creation Sounds   Ruder Than You is the unsung epitome of modern ska. Although the most popular subgenre of third wave ska is ska-punk, Ruder Than You has avoided this kind of exclusivity. Obviously taking some influence from punk, they also have derived their sound from the more traditional dancehall,...   Eldorado Golden You likely have not heard of Eldorado, but if you like to rock, you need to check them out.   Hailing from Madrid, Eldorado formed at the beginning of 2007 and released their first album En Busca de Eldorado to strong reviews in May of 2008. The group consists of Jesus Trujillo on vocals, Nano...   KR Morales Simple Man In this, our ADD era, when our collective attention span has killed the album and declared the single king, KR Morales’ Simple Man will be right at home in your iPod’s “Shuffle Songs” or “Dance Party” playlist. Just don’t expect to remember what you hear....   Rod Stewart Never A Dull Moment-24 Karat Gold I always loved the early Rod Stewart and when he was with The Faces. The music was gritty to suit his voice and it was all so pure. After Stewart reached mega superstardom things changed and mainly his sound ultimately paid the price. He left his roots behind and started pumping out disco flavored...   John Mayall With Eric Clapton Blues Breakers-24 Karat Gold The Blues Breakers was Eric Clapton’s first step to his soon to be iconic status. People were writing “Clapton Is God” on walls already and he was just getting started. This album will help you understand why he ascended to this lofty status. The John Mayall With Eric Clapton release...   Shannon Corey Unsaid   The music industry is littered with female singer-songwriters, but Shannon Corey is far more talented than her more well-known coworkers such as Sara Barellies and Vanessa Carlton.   Corey's album Unsaid is a beautiful collection of melodies and lyrics that blend together to put her on...   The Flaming Lips Embryonic The Flaming Lips have never been conventional. They've always been doing something different or unusual, and besides a phenomenal live show, they're known best for their experimental approach to modern rock. With Embryonic, their most recent release, they continue to deliver new and eccentric...   Roger Salloom Last Call Roger Salloom was not what I was expecting. His opening song on his latest CD, Last Call, instantly brought Bob Dylan to my mind, but the more I listened, the more he started sounding like just Roger Salloom.   The crowning achievement of his songwriting is that he tells stories –...   Folio Great Divide   For a group of Los Angeles natives familiar to its bustling music scene, Folio takes a unlikely direction into the sounds of 80’s New Wave for their debut EP Great Divide. Comparisons to popularized faux New Wave rock outfits like The Killers and Franz Ferdinand are easily discerned...   David Bowie Space Oddity 40th Anniversary Edition Originally released as Man of Words/Man of Music, Space Oddity was David Bowie's first successful attempt to transform into a character portrayed in his music. As all Bowie fans know the next incarnation was the legendary Ziggy Stardust that launched him to superstardom.   This Special 40th...   Mike Rinta Eponymous Mike Rinta’s resume as a sideman is as impressive as it is varied: he’s backed up jazz legends Herbie Hancock and Arturo Sandoval, but he’s also shared a stage with Jerry Garcia, Santana, and, just recently, Sly and the Family Stone on an international tour. Rinta’s...   Jack O' The Clock Rare Weather I really wanted to love Jack O' The Clock' s newest release, Rare Weather. From the artwork to the band's description (majestic junk folk) to the list of over a dozen “extra” instruments used to make the songs, I was expecting something refreshing, exciting, and new. But exciting...   Alva Nelson Soul Eyes   Hard working pianist Alva Nelson puts forward a solid, if derivative, jazz album with his new release Soul Eyes. The album features Nelson solo on piano or accompanied by Harry Anderson's upright bass on most of the eleven tracks. On two tracks only the pianist uses a small combo...   King Crimson Red-40th Anniversary Edition (CD/DVD) Red (1974)is one of those albums that should be in the dictionary under progressive rock. The three main members Robert Fripp (guitar and mellotron), Bill Bruford (percussion) and John Wetton (bass, vocals) were on the brink of imploding and in the midst of a creative summit while recording this...   Hey Young Believer Invisible by Day Hey Young Believer is a San Francisco based trio consisting of Lilly Wolfson on vocals and piano, Alex Neuhausen on guitar and percussion, and Nick Shilling on drums. The keys, guitar, and drums are played live and the bass, synths, and additional percussion are sampled.   On Invisible By...   Hall & Oates Do What You Want Be What You Are: The Music of Daryl Hall & John Oates Daryl Hall and John Oates are literally the top selling duo of all time with 28 top forty hits. On Do What You Want Be What You Are: The Music of Daryl Hall & John Oates,you get a fine retrospective of a long and fruitful career. There are few recording acts, much less duos, that can fill up a four...   The Company Band The Company Band   This past year was one for rock collaborations. The year of the supergroup if you will, what with bands like Chickenfoot, The Dead Weather, and most recently, Them Crooked Vultures, all gaining popularity. It's likely however, that one supergroup will go relatively unnoticed. With their...   Dean Shoultz All The Pretty Horses   The name Dean Shoultz may not ring a bell or be mentioned in the same sentence as a Satriani or Vai but his music is close to being on par with those artists. The instrumental assault of the six-string is well documented by the aforementioned artists however above average musicians like...   Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats Meet The Meatbats I recently watched, again, Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007. Bill Murray, as the host, said to the audience at one point, “…enough of the blues already. I’ve had it.” He was, of course, being facetious but the crowd shouted, “No! No!”...   Paul Taylor Burnin'   Paul Taylor brings the funk and a whole lot of soul to his fifth release through Peak Records. Unlike his previous efforts, Taylor utilizes the alto saxophone on nine of the ten tracks on Burnin’ after finding that his soprano sax was damaged. But fortune was on his side as producers...   Plunge Falling With Grace Listening to the 2009 re-issue of Falling From Grace by the band Plunge (a 24 bit remaster of the 1996 original), it's almost as if time hasn't passed at all. The musical concept of the band today – even though the band's current lineup and instrumentation are almost completely different...   Arthur Adams Stomp The Floor Stomp The Floor ECard Arthur Adams may come as a surprise to some folks that enjoy the blues. He is not a household name like his idol B.B. King but you will soon find out that his talent rivals anyone that is playing the blues today.   Stomp The Floor is an excellent follow up to...   Dr. Dog Fate   Rarely do you find a band that can be compared to other artists, with being called a rip-off or copycat. Obvious influences, because of this, can be a either a blessing or a curse. Psychedelic rock band Dr. Dog, however, manages to pull it off. Fate, the band's most recent release, is a...   Various Artists Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live (DVD)   There are so many things to be said about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Should it really exist? How is this band in and not that one? What qualifies one as a “Rock And Roll” artist? I could go on about it all for hours really, but I won’t (unless you want to meet for a few...   Shane Beales Heavy Clouds EP Liverpool based artist Shane Beales is quite the up and coming artist. Since 2006, he has released 2 albums, 4 EPs, and 52 singles—all independently.   Beales’s most recent effort, the EP Heavy Clouds, is an interesting set of four songs.   Heavy Clouds opens with “The...   Leonard Cohen Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 (CD/DVD) It seems all is a-buzz about Leonard Cohen. After the 75-year-old songsmith’s massive world tour over the past two years drew rave reviews, the Canadian folk legend has occupied a considerable share of the public consciousness as of late. Fittingly, now Sony Legacy has finally unveiled...   Holdsworth Pasqua Haslip Wackerman Blues for Tony In 2006, guitarist Allan Holdsworth, keyboardist Alan Pasqua, bassist Jimmy Haslip, and drummer Chad Wackerman came together to pay tribute to the New Tony Williams Lifetime. This collaboration, appropriately entitled Holdworth Pasqua Haslip Wackerman, took a tour in 2007, and the best cuts...   Bon Jovi The Circle Since the new millennium, it seems rock band Bon Jovi has had a new release every 2 years. Following that tradition comes The Circle. Many fans, including myself were worried that it couldn’t possibly live up to the standards set by Have a Nice Day and Lost Highway, their two most recent...   Late Model Humans Fallen Angels Rock and roll is here to stay thanks to bands like Late Model Humans. On their fourth album Fallen Angels, released this year, they channel artists like Buddy Holly, The Ramones, and early Beatles. This New York five-some bellows straightforward rock ‘n roll without a hint of...   Noises Of Russia Experimental Structure Post industrial experimentalists, Noises of Russia have built a name for themsleves through copious live performances and CD-R releases. This album is a recording of one such concert held in the Experimental Sound Gallery (ESG-21) at St. Petersburg comprised of completely improvised material (which...   MandoMorphosis 2010 Admittedly I was a bit skeptical when I took one look at the title of this CD and its funky cover. I have always enjoyed the mandolin and respected great players like David Grisman, who put out an album in 1982 titled Mondo Mando which leads one to believe there is a connection somehow. Maybe not but...   Underwater Pilots Tranquil Places When I heard the story of Underwater Pilots, I won't lie, I was initially confused, and a bit fascinated. A German duet that creates solely electronic music, despite both members having a classical musical education – I could only imagine what this influence might bring to the table. The...   Bobby Washington Nude I knew before I even listened to Bobby Washington's Nude what it would sound like. With song titles like “Sixty 9”, “Remix That Body”, and “Ain't No Stoppin Me”, it was a little obvious that Washington is fixated on what most cliché R&B albums are...   The Revelations featuring Tre' Williams The Bleeding Edge Have you seen the light? Have you had a revelation, a musical revelation? If not then listen to this blues, gospel, R&B infused album The Bleeding Edge by The Revelations featuring Tre' Williams. If you doubt the sincerity of my pious claim the first track will convert any...   Jon Irabagon The Observer Saxophonist and composer Jon Irabagon takes a detour from the radical avante-jazz he produces in projects such as Mostly Other People Do the Killing and his own band Outright! to create a solid, straight-ahead jazz album with The Observer. Irabagon traverses the styles of some of the most...   Zweng Silent Scream of Gulls   Zweng is what indie music used to sound like, when it was still a term that referred to the independence of the label and not the sound. In other words, it's fantastic.   Ryan Zweng is barely 24 and he's already gathering comparisons to Prince, David Bowie, and Death Cab For Cutie. He...   Slivovitz Hubris Not only can you drink it, but you can listen to Slivovitz too. For those of you out there that drink less than others, Slivovitz is a plum brandy produced in Eastern Europe, but this Slivovitz is a seven-piece Jazz Fusion group that resides in Naples. Instrumentally their songs contain plenty of...   Oz Noy Schizophrenic It’s always disappointing when an album starts off strong, giving the listener the impression it’s going to remain that way throughout its entirety, but then fails to do so.   This is the case with Oz Noy’s fourth album, Schizophrenic.   The album starts off with...   Coco Montoya The Essential Coco Montoya Coco Montoya is by no means new to the blues scene.  He got his start under the guidance of blues legends Albert Collins and John Mayall before going solo in the early 90’s.   With The Essential Coco Montoya, Montoya reminds listeners exactly why he was able to be successful as a solo...   Beppe Crovella Pianovagando Music is an outlet. We all know that. Much like writing or painting in the sense that it is an art form, a musician will pour equally as much heart and soul into the music they create as a writer or painter in their respective arts. Music provides a platform upon which a person can recreate feelings...   Marizane Cosmosis Either Marizane doesn't want you to know anything about them, or they're just so indie the information isn't available. They're from California, and that's all the information you get, other than their fun, rock-pop music.   Marizane lists their influences as The Beatles, David Bowie, Queen,...   Saltman Knowles Yesterday's Man Bassist Mark Saltman and pianist William Knowles previous album was titled It’s All About the Melody and clearly they still believe that. Yesterday’s Man boasts ten original songs (five by each partner) chock full of warm, satisfying melodious craft. The duo bandleaders revere...   Eloah Ode to Brother Horn Austrian musician Eloah dedicates his latest album to his late mentor and soul brother Jörg Horner, known affectionately as “Brother Horn.” The album is a collection of beautiful and rather haunting songs sprinkled with Eloah’s low bass voice floating above lush melodies and...   ROB Rise on Belief If Jimi Hendrix and Lenny Kravitz somehow had a love child and let the Red Hot Chili Peppers raise it, ROB would be it.   These are some big names to compare a new artist to, but ROB is every bit deserving of such accolades.   ROB’s debut album Rise on Belief starts out with the...   Phil Ranelin & Tribe Renaissance Reminiscence   Esteemed jazz trombonist Phil Ranelin has been hard at work for the past few years. Although no official recordings of his own work have been released since 2004, he has compiled a range of recordings from live performances with his band Tribe Renaissance, that took place between 2002 and...   Ramsey Lewis Songs From The Heart: Ramsey Plays Ramsey Some artists never recover from success. Ever hear of the Swingin’ Medallions and their flash-in-the-pan 1966 Top 20 Hit, “Double Shot of My Baby’s Love”?* I didn’t think so—unless you’ve heard Bruce Springsteen surprise the crowd with it as a...   Samuel James For Rosa, Maeve and Noreen The blues is a tradition as old as the earth because that’s where it came from—right out of the ground. Like the dirt, it’s basic and simple, but when it’s done right, the blues can evoke something that feels much larger. On For Rosa, Maeve and Noreen, Samuel James is...   Backnbloom Backnbloom Backnbloom’s self titled EP adopted the synth-rock formula that is becoming ever more popular with the success of such indie bands like Passion Pit, MGMT, Friendly Fires, and Atlas Sound. Unfortunately, Backnbloom’s mix of electronic pop makes them sound like a band from the...   Dream Theater Black Clouds & Silver Linings (Special Edition) Dream Theater believes in giving their fans what they want and one of the focuses of their drummer Mike Portnoy is to give back what they have received. That philosophy is felt in equal measures with the rest of the band. What DT fans enjoy most are the epic tracks that offer everything the band...   Shannon Corey Overdue Typical pop music, these days, is all about effects, preprocessed beats, and lyrics that, admittedly, don't have the most thought put into them. At the same time, an advent of sorts is taking place with a sudden popularity of female singer/songwriters, what with artists like Feist, Corinne Bailey...   Esthema The Hereness and Nowness of Things The band Esthema may hail from Boston, but it is the diverse makeup of the band that makes them so unique. The world fusion quintet contains some members from Turkey, Brazil, and Argentina. They are all thoroughly trained musicians, and to add to their range, some of them have trained throughout...   Jen Porter Closer to the Surface Chicago based Singer/Songwriter Jen Porter blends pop melody and soul inspiration on her new release, Closer to the Surface, on Stonecutter Records. Porter is a Chicago mainstay with a powerful, throaty, voice. On this release her pipes are backed by top level production and quality...   Anekdoten Chapters   Chapters is a retrospective of Anekdoten’s first 14 years, including some previously unreleased treats for their fans. “When I Turn” was written in 1997 but not recorded until this year, and several demo versions of previously released tunes make this compilation...   Face Time Police The Definition of Deviation Face Time Police have come a long way since their first live show in the summer 2007 as a part of a online talent competition in Texas. And that same fall they went on to open for legendary hip-hop aritst Common in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The music world is taking note too as well-known...   Savannah Jo Lack Knitting Songs Savannah Jo Lack is a San Francisco transplant via Australia It was not hard for the artist to fit into the rich culture and music scene in a city know for embracing any artist willing to explore. So explore she did on her first solo album Knitting Songs. The role Savannah is accustomed to filling is...   Jive Mother Mary All Fall Down   Jive Mother Mary consists of three teenagers (yes, teenagers still in highschool) hailing from North Carolina. The trio released their debut album, All Fall Down earlier this year to mostly positive reviews and garnered themselves a loyal fanbase. What’s really exciting about these...   Doug Deming and The Jewel Tones Falling Through The Cracks Blues. A genre that, in contemporary terms, is a fading art in its traditional form. A genre that despite it's influences within other genres, such as hip-hop and rock and roll, it's nearly nowhere to be found in today's music .It would seem however, that it's experiencing a re-manifestation of sorts,...   Brian Mackey RED (Preview CD to "Soul Cavity") A self-proclaimed manic romantic, Brian Mackey says that, "He's in love with the idea of love."   After giving his RED CD a listen, you too may forget all the bullshit that consumes your life and just live on loving. With a power rock sound like Coldplay and Oasis, and a...   Plunge Dancing on Thin Ice With Wynton Marsalis stumping the traditional New Orleans swing sound in a manner that could be described as nearly monomaniacal, it's good to hear some music coming out of the Big Easy that is in touch with what's happening today. Plunge keep an ear to the street with their latest release...   Indosurf The Bananas EP   The cover of this release by Indosurf, titled The Bananas EP, is a picture of a banana holding a gun. They say you can't judge a book by its cover, but the cover here is a pretty good illustration of what you'll hear on the CD. No, it isn't a bunch of songs about bananas shooting...   Ben Prestage Live at Pineapple Willy's I have to admit, I was pretty excited when I heard I would be reviewing Live at Pineapple Willy’s. Pineapple Willy’s certainly sounds like my kinda place. I couldn’t help but wonder, “What goes on inside Pineapple Willy’s?” Well when Ben Prestage is there,...   Harley's War Hardcore All Stars (CD/DVD) It could be said that Harley Flanagan is an under-appreciated icon of music. Considered the youngest punk rock star, he got his start at age 12 as the drummer of The Stimulators. Several years later, he founded The Cro-Mags, an influential hardcore punk band turned thrash, which since 2002 has not...   Impostor Syndrome Rose Colored Sabotage   Rose Colored Sabotage, the second release by Impostor Syndrome, is a little difficult to classify. The five song EP has some tinges of punk and alternative, and of power pop; there are also some moments when the music seems to harken back the sixties, to bands like Jefferson...   Inch Chua The Bedroom Inch Chua, the frontwoman for Allura, is branching out with a solo project. Her new CD, The Bedroom, is a short and sweet acoustic playground. With only four songs, The Bedroom is almost too short. Each song is a kitchy exploration that uses Chua's impressive vocal range as well as her talent on...   Knight Area Realm of Shadows If you are a fan of progressive rock or Europop, you might enjoy Realm of Shadows, the third album from Dutch band Knight Area. If you’re not a fan of that genre, then chances are the album won’t do much for you. Realm of Shadows has, to say the least, an interesting vibe to it. It has...   Creedence Clearwater Revival The Singles Collection  Ok so you are probably wondering when the reissues from Concord covering Creedence Clearwater Revival are going to stop right? I would venture to guess until all the material in their vaults is completely exhausted. Why not? The music is still popular and it sells. If I was running the label I...   Loda Dimes 10 Cent Instant Rebate Self-produced albums are the hidden gems of the music industry. That's why I absolutely love independent music so much, because oftentimes, without the availability or desire to use higher end production tools (I'm looking at you, auto-tune), bands actually have to be talented in order to make a name...   Carmine Appice's Guitar Zeus Conquering Heroes Carmine Appice is best known for his work with psychedelic-metal vanguards Vanilla Fudge and power trio Beck, Bogert & Appice, powering his way through rock music history during the 60s and 70s. The iconic drummer has been recording as Guitar Zeus since 1995, and Conquering Heroes is his latest and...   Copernicus Disappearance Since the creation of an alter ego in the form of Copernicus, performer-poet Joseph Smalkowsk has gained a cult following which allowed him to tour Europe, America, and Russia. Disappearance was conceived during a daylong recording session in Hoboken, New Jersey where he gathered together an ensemble...   Pianocircus Featuring Bill Bruford Skin and Wire Skin and Wire is a collaborative effort among Pianocircus, a 20-year veteran group of six keyboardists; Colin Riley, an unclassifiable English contemporary composer; and Bill Bruford, the prog-rock drummer of Yes and King Crimson fame. Although Pianocircus has been performing for two decades as an...   Automatic Fire Summer 09 Demos Rarely does a band come along that manages to completely sell out their very fist show. But upon listening to AutomaticFire's Summer 2009 Demos, I can understand why. An effort of members that have made their names known in other bands already established in the Philadelphia local scene, fans...   Dave Keller Play for Love Bluesman Dave Keller makes his home in Montpelier, Vermont, a town not known as a soulful blues mecca. His new album Play For Love may be enjoyable, but Montpelier’s reputation isn’t changing anytime soon.    Keller plays a mild, bluesy R & B that’s pleasant...   Moraine Manifest Density   When a band or artist decides that they want to create their own sound, like every good, or at least unique band does, they often break a few rules and cross that dreaded genre line. This has the potential for either being a huge success, like the thrash metal movement of the 1980s, which...   Heather Stewart The Life of the Party Actress, singer, and songwriter Heather Stewart delivers a country tinged, radio friendly pop album with her new release, Life of the Party, on Splevis.  Radio friendly pop, with a tinge of country, is not something I like to hear coming out of my stereo. Maybe you feel...   Paris Keeling End of Ride Revisited Paris Keeling is a band comprised of some well seasoned hard rock veterans. The main pieces are Kelly Keeling on vocals and Marty Paris on guitar, hence Paris Keeling. They are accompanied by Rick Van Benschoten on bass, Gintas Janusonis on drums and Matt Goeke on cello. I could write an entire...   Quarter Mile Combo Motels, Gas and Beer The 1950’s brought us the baby boomers, Chevy Bel Airs and pink Cadillac’s, Malt Shops and swinging rock ‘n’ roll. Quarter Mile Combo didn’t see much of this. Instead they’ve brought back a little 1950’s with a nice modern touch that produced...   Jethro Tull Live At Madison Square Garden (CD/DVD) Sporting the cover of the CD/DVD set is a very strange looking Ian Anderson with a typically normally looking Martin Barre. Anderson looks like he is getting ready to do something perverted with his flute again. Glad to know 31 years on nothing much has changed in that respect.   Live At Madison...   Dino Jag From The Demo Vault (Previously Unreleased) Dino Jag has decided to cut loose those great tracks that have been on shelf for a while. And why not? After all the dude can sing a tune and make music that sounds great around all of the lyrics so it makes sense. From The Demo Vault (Previously Unreleased) is a four track EP that focuses on...   Toby Roktot Live N Alice If there is anything about Toby Roktot’s Live N Alice to gleam from its cover, the stick figures speak volumes: this is thin stuff. But the Toby Roktot Band don’t claim more than they deserve, thankfully. Over 14 tracks Alice serves the listener a hot sweaty night Down Under fueled by...   Indosurf Hawaii EP It's a good year if you're into ska-punk concept albums. If Madness's recent release The Liberty of Norton Folgate whet your appetite for the format, then you might want to check out Indosurf's new EP: Hawaii. It's a four song preview of a concept album which the band has slated for...   The Saltshakers Lights Out The Saltshakers is a power-pop band that surprisingly originated in Wisconsin. Their hometown is surprising because their latest album, Lights Out, is mostly fixated on the west coast, particularly California.   Other than the Golden State, Lights Out deals with a field of clichés about...   Cyclotimia Music for Stockmarkets Described as soundtrack to globalisation, Cyclotimia’s effort in creating an electronica infused album is strategically segmented into three distinct conceptual parts. Most of the tracks clock in at one or two minutes, which makes sense, since the collection contains thirty two tracks in total....   Judy Nagy Bulldog Girls at the Dresden   Judy Nagy's brand of pop is undeniably the same as Bette Midler's bar days: a jazz-driven, storytelling style where melodies and accompaniments roll along to keep up with the fast-paced vocal approach. The problem, of course, is when one dominates the other, as is the case with most of Nagy's...   The Del McCoury Band Family Circle Having already been established in the music business for about fifty years, it's safe to say that Del McCoury has some idea of what he's doing. Between his solo career and his band that also features his two sons Robbie and Ronnie, as well as Alan Bartram and Jason Carter, he has won 31 International...   Michael Samson A Still Motion Michael Samson’s A Still Motion is a Zen album. The title itself, A Still Motion, embodies the Zen principle of naturalness, living asymmetrically yet balanced to everything around us. It is the idea that we, or other objects, may be frozen in place, yet are collectively moving as...   Griffith Hiltz Trio Now & Then Griffith Hiltz Trio is comprised of long-time Toronto jazz men Johnny Griffiths (saxophone), Nathan Hiltz (guitar) and Sly Juhas (drums). Another well-known Toronto jazz fixture, Don Thompson, produced Now & Then and plays vibes or keyboards on half of the ten tracks. He also composed “12...   Lynyrd Skynyrd Second Helping (24kt Gold) Look no further than Second Helping to experience vintage Lynyrd Skynrd. The current version of the band is a weak facsimile that probably has Ronnie Van Zant rolling in his grave. There were eight cuts on the southern rockers second effort, each one a standalone classic. Clearly this recording is...   Bosh Thoughts I Collected On Bosh’s first release, Thoughts I Collected, I think you get something that is sadly a bit rare in music, songs from someone that could be your neighbor. Lenny Bosh runs the family manufacturing business and is a father of two. He picked up the guitar at a later age and was a metal head...   The Voodoo Fix The Voodoo Fix With some exceptions, the today's alternative rock scene can be defined by its rejection of the blues; so the idea of a band trying to inject a blues feel back into that sphere is a novel one. With their new self titled EP this is exactly what The Voodoo Fix attempt to do.  To the...   Erin Hunt Meet me in the Middle In a music industry that seems to be moving ever closer to being taken over by synthesizers and electronic backing, anything that breaks away and has a sound of its own is a welcome change.   With her debut EP Meet me in the Middle, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Erin Hunt has given the...   Lazy Preacher 4th and Independent   Self proclaimed acoustic acid rockers Lazy Preacher recently released their fourth studio LP 4th and Independent earlier in 2009. Other reviews have stated that the musical style of the band is similar to Radiohead and The Flaming Lips, but the only people that are going to hear the...   Flying Machines Flying Machines Flying Machines show they can certainly rock on their self-titled debut album. It’s a classic kind of rock (the influence of legendary artists is obvious) but these guys aren’t throwbacks or copycats. As others have already observed, Queen is the most noticeable inspiration for these...   Dark Star Line Black Opus Dark Star Line is an alternative rock project headed up by William Dyson. Black Opus consists of eleven tracks mainly of instrumental guitar flourishes peppered with slices of electronica. The guitar playing is definitely a highlight of the album and the electronic elements give it that cold...   blueVenus Grin blueVenus has an interesting story behind their musical journey, one which takes a transatlantic journey from Germany all the way back to the bands stomping grounds in Toronto, Canada. Newly married Berklee College grads, singer/songwriter Andrea de Boer and guitarist/co-songwriter Devrim Eldelekli...   Yes 90125-24 kt Gold What was there not to like about this album? 90125 had all the elements of rock and pop including plentiful hooks. Although this was not the defining moment for Yes it definitely was a band totally reinventing itself for a new audience. It worked very well; in fact as it turned out the band...   Mike Vieira Out The Window I’m “on the brink” of pulling my hair out.    I remember when I was younger and more susceptible to influence. I’d hear a band for the first time, such as Minus The Bear, Muse, or As Tall As Lions, and be completely blown away. To lie, and say that Mike...   The Hit & Mrs. Ashes of Bridges I have always enjoyed garage rock. The gritty imperfections, the fun, loud riffs, and the overall atmosphere created by a band whose main focus is pure music. So when asked to review Ashes of Bridges, the newest release from The Hit & Mrs, I had high hopes, knowing that their previous release...   Jerad Finck Jerad Finck   In a generation where mainstream popular rock is slowly burning down the music industry, “Jerad Finck” is…another log on the fire. The Seattle native released his self-titled debut album in 2008 with a sound that has been tediously ringing in my ears since The...   White Owl Pepper Pepper is definitely one of the more interesting albums I have heard in a while. There aren’t too many folk core bands with Celtic influence that people are familiar with out there. And even better,  White Owl is a Russian quintet created in Moscow on top of that. Their songs pass through...   A Life of Science The Apneist Theodore Roosevelt famously promoted a “life of effort.” So which eminent figure championed a “life of science?” Bill Nye? Thomas Dolby? Regardless of who said it, I think they would all be proud of Phoenix – based indie rockers A Life of Science for...   Rob Paparozzi Etruscan Soul Long known for his excellent vocal and harmonica work as sideman for some of the foremost rock, blues and pop music acts (B.B. King, Cindy Lauper, Randy Newman, the Original Blues Brothers Band and currently as front man for Blood, Sweat & Tears) as well as recordings for movies and...   Steve Lehman Octet Travail, Transformation, and Flow   Saxophonist and composer Steve Lehman continues to break down musical boundaries on his new octet release, Travail, Transformation, and Flow, on PI recordings.    Lehman's new work uses a compositional concept called spectral harmony, a concept trail blazed by experimental...   Clandestine The Invalid In the music business, big names often allude to big expectations from fans and critics alike. So, upon discovering that Sylvia Massy had considerable involvement in the mixing process in Clandestine's The Invalid, I had high hopes. After all, Massy had involvement with quite a few, now widely known...   The Emergency Dreams Money Can Buy The Emergency is attempting to “make the music of tomorrow you imagined in a hazy childhood daydream. By combining disco beats, shimmering synthesizers and dubbed out vocal effects they weave a web of heavy cosmic pop that avoids sounding quota ional or disposable.”...   Mike Zito Pearl River   FREE DOWNLOAD OF SONG “DIRTY BLONDE” ECARD Mike Zito’s fifth album Pearl River and second on Eclecto Groove Records, continues to give more...   Seth James That Kind of Man   There may be no more "love it, hate it" genre than country, which has an undeniable power to drive people to worship or detest it in equal measures. To some it's dirty, down-to-earth, right-to-the-point balladeering that speaks from the heart; to others, drunken twang that equates...   Stephane Horeczko G. 1888 A minimal album in the minimalist mode G. 1888 is the debut piano album from French pianist/composer Stephane Horeczko.  Horeczko is a classically trained musician who has written music for a number of films in the past and is currently part of the musical duo Kaplain whose other half lent a hand...   Hawke +++ The name is simple and subtle, +++. It’s the new album from producer/songwriter Gavin Hardkiss aka “Hawke.” The trance-dance electronic artist is back with a glow stick waving, couch melting album that has just the right mix of catchy beats and techno rhythm that brings together...   Megadeth Endgame   Heavy metal heavyweights Megadeth are back with their 12th album Endgame. It debuted at the number nine position on the Billboard 200 with 45,000 copies sold in the first week.    Megadeth stuck to their roots of heavy thrash sound on this one. The album mixes up a lot...   The New Collisions Invisible Embraces Over the seven songs that make up The New Collisions debut EP, Invisible Embraces, it doesn’t take too long to hear some of their influences. The Go-Go’s, late Clash, X-Ray Spex, and of course it’s rare that you won’t hear the name Blondie from a female-fronted, new-wave,...   Hear Hums Selections from Notions Shift at Tryptamine Bay With a name like Hear Hums, the musical brainchild of young Floridian Mitchell Myers could be minimalist ambient drones. It isn’t. The music grooves, rocks, entices, surprises, quips, and howls. I listened to four tracks from Hear Hums’ self-released debut album Notions Shift...   Sasha Papernik Claremont On her self-released debut, Claremont, Sasha Papernik presents herself—a trained musician trying her hand at piano pop and achieving an accessible record with some excellent moments. The press touts Papernik as a classically trained and studied songstress, and this much is clear. Here she...   The Dangling Success City Life Free Download of "Catch the Groove” The Dangling Success is an all-instrumental smooth jazz band that maintains a steady groove throughout their recent release City Life. Rather than focusing on the negative aspects of living in the city the band’s view is one that is positive and...   Aldubb Advanced Physics Advanced Physics is Aldubb’s newest album. Aldubb is the highest demand dub re-mixer in Germany. He has mastered his own sound at the Planet Earth Studios in Berlin. This is where he records, mixes, and produces his signature sound of vintage equipment combined with the latest...   Benny Reid Escaping Shadows Saxophonist Benny Reid follows up his 2007 debut, Findings with an uplifting collection of modern jazz pieces. Armed with nine original tracks and an inspired arrangement of Pat Metheny’s “Always and Forever,” the alto saxophonist and band leader continues his musical journey and...   Secrets of the Moon Privilegivm Upon glancing at the album artwork Priveligivm, the new release by German black-metal band Secrets of the Moon, the only pre-conceived judgment I decided to make was that, without a doubt, the music contained would be dark in nature. But that goes without saying, both given the genre, and the fact that...   Gnos-tel-jah Becoming It's not often one finds a working blend of electronica production, New Age philosophy, and hip-hop swagger that comes together as well as it does with ambient-rap outfit Gnos-tel-jah (pronounced "nostalgia.") Yet despite a promising sound, Gnos-tel-jah falls into the same trap as most...   Swampdawamp Rock This Country Free Download of "Lady" Ecard Swampdawamp keeps on rolling along on their third release Rock This Country. I have always enjoyed this band’s brand of rock-country and blues influenced music. They come across as the guys next door that enjoy spinning a tune and sending out a...   The Voyces Let Me Die in Southern California I have to admit, this isn’t the easiest album to review. As you might imagine, Let Me Die in Southern California isn’t the most uplifting album I’ve ever heard. Much of it certainly requires mood that you have to be in to feel it, and when you’re in a sad, down in the dumps...   Anata Wa Sukkari Tsukarete Shimai Sweetness and Light What do you get when you combine efforts of a Japanese singer-songwriter, an English rock musician, and a Scottish “ground dweller”, who go by the names _, Gnomefoam, and Bunny, respectively? Anata Wa Sukkari Tsukarete Shimai, which, I am told means “You are completely...   Hiroshima Legacy With an impressive thirty year career Hiroshima has proven itself worthy of this aptly named CD. In fact the group has such a deep history that Legacy, the inaugural release of a planned series of retrospectives, covers only the first decade of their work. Legacy is not an anthology of original...   Pretenders Pretenders The Pretenders recorded output in the studio is not extensive considering their self titled debut was released in 1980. One thing they did do when they released an album was to make sure it counted. And did that ever apply on their debut, which is considered by many, including this fan, to be...   Tim Miller Sessions Lamar After releasing the critically acclaimed Adelaide (we liked it) Tim follows up with a 5 track EP titled Sessions Lamar. Miller is an intelligent and lucid singer/songwriter/musician that encapsulates everything you would want to hear from an indie artist. I appreciated his innate sense of rhythm with...   Garth Adam Glue Glue heralds Garth Adam’s fifth release as a solo musician. A career that began in late 2002, the four track EP is founded in melodic pop rock tunes. The effort marks a departure from Adam’s folk pop leanings to a more electric sound provided mostly by the inclusion of a Gretsch...   JK Rockets Songs from the Cradle of Rock 'N' Roll On the cover on JK Rockets release, Songs from the Cradle of Rock ‘N’ Roll, is the quote, “Dedicated to keeping the original sound of Rock ‘N’ Roll fresh and alive”. This is a very admirable goal for Johnny Kay, a former lead guitarist for Bill Haley and The...   Alice Cooper Killer The king of shock rock Alice Cooper, formerly Vincent Damon Furnier, the son of a minister, is a legend of rock synonymous with music and strong elements of theater. Killer  was the Alice Cooper band’s fourth studio album and their best to date. This recording would usher in a new era...   Jefferson Airplane The Woodstock Experience Jefferson Airplane was coming of the heels of their hot selling studio album Volunteers when they played at Woodstock. The original title for the album was Volunteers For Amerika, which did not go over real well with the label establishment of the day.Needless to say they went ahead and recorded with...   Bill Ortiz From Where I Stand Trumpet player Bill Ortiz offers up a melting pot of jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, and a twist on rap that would convert any non believer in the genre. Ortiz has been honing his chops with the Santana touring band for many years now so it comes as no surprise that his solo effort From Where I...   Axel Rudi Pell Best of Anniversary Edition Axel Rudi Pell’s Best of – Anniversary Edition  marks the 10th anniversary of Pell’s band in its current incarnation. It is a compelling retrospective from this accomplished guitarist. From the opening track, “Edge of the World,” through the closing strains...   La Fleur Fatale Silent Revolution  Single "Dare To Lick (Hunter's Red Sleeve)" Full Album Out October 1st It’s fitting that this review goes up during the big Beatles week with the release of their re-mastered catalog and Beatles Rock Band. Of course, what band hasn’t been influenced by the Fab Four...   K-Maxx The Whole Woo Wop With two acclaimed underground albums under his belt, Bay area rapper K-Maxx released his third effort, The Whole Woo Wop at the tail end of 2008. Woo Wop, which is slang for “all encompassing,” references the experiences the up and coming rapper has lived through in the last few...   Larry Slezak No Worries Cover art that suggests a salute to retro illustration can only mean one thing: class.  Manhattan-born saxophonist Larry Slezak has been making professional music rounds since he turned fourteen in 1960, and while he possesses more proverbial feathers than most other musicians could dream...   John Patitucci Trio Remembrance On Remembrance, Grammy award winning bassist John Patitucci teams up with saxophonist Joe Lovano and drummer Brian Blad to pay tribute to Jazz greats, both past and present. The trio first clicked when Patitucci was rehearsing pieces for his 2001 recording, Communion and the pianist wasn’t able...   Robben Ford Soul on Ten Blues guitarist Robben Ford, now with over two-dozen releases under his belt, slides into uncharted ground on his newest album Soul on Ten. The record is a bit of an experiment, really – raw and stirring enough to deliver that indescribable, unpredictable quality of a live show, yet still as...   Janis Joplin The Woodstock Experience Janis Joplin’s time on this planet was much too short. Along with the other icons of her day like Hendrix and Morrison, the music helped to keep her alive, four decades on.   The Woodstock Experience captures the raw energy of Joplin in the studio and on stage. Her first studio...   John Lefebvre Psalngs John Lefebvre is retired lawyer turned musician. I have a met few of those over the years. They get to the point where the system and law takes its toll and then the career is over. Lefebvre finally got in the position where he was comfortable enough to make the change and be able to survive at the...   The Doors Morrison Hotel How can you forget a song like “Roadhouse Blues”? As a matter of fact how is it possible to ever discount the continued impact of a band like The Doors after all these years? Their influence remains apparent in much of the new music you hear today. Classic albums like Morrison Hotel...   Band of Skulls Baby Darling Doll Face Honey The English trio Band of Skulls formed last year in Southampton, and were signed rather quickly. They now give us their debut album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey. The Skulls consist of Russell Marsden on guitar and vocals, Emma Richardson on bass and vocals, and Matthew Hayward on...   Anne McCue East of Electric   From the first notes of “Too Late for Love” to the charming ukulele strumming of “Say Bye Bye,” Australian musician Anne McCue showcases original compositions, sweet and easy vocal interpretations, and a vast, multi-instrumental background on East of Electric, her...   Aidan Baker & The Infant Cycle Rural Sprawl Rural Sprawl finds Jim DeJong, who goes under the stage name “The Infant Cycle” teaming up with Aidan Baker, a classically trained musician on an experimental album which is comprised of four, albeit, richly layered tracks. Baker’s instrument of choice is the electric guitar,...   Sly and the Family Stone The Woodstock Experience The rock psychedelic sounds of Hendrix meet the funkiness of James Brown is probably the least complicated and best way to describe the innovative reverberations of Sly and the Family Stone. Today it still sounds as fresh and progressive as it did over forty years ago.   On this limited...   New Day Dawn The Company We Keep New Day Dawn is rock-pop outfit fronted by singer/songwriter/musician Dawn Botti. The lineup includes Botti (vocals, guitar, and keyboards), Gary Szczecino (drums), Patrick J. Angeloni (guitar) and Rob Choe (bass). The Company We Keep is an independent release on the band’s own Botti Parts...   Saro Tribastone Viento De Siroco Italian born Saro Tribastone was given the gift of a guitar when he was six years old. From that moment in time Saro fell under its spell and has turned a lifelong passion into music to share with the world. Tribastone has composed many soundtracks for documentaries and television over the years...   Joe Beck & Laura Theodore Golden Earrings The collaboration between Joe Beck and Jazz vocalist Laura Theodore is, first and foremost a tribute to Jazz great Peggy Lee and her husband Dave Barbour, most remembered for Jazz standards such as “Fever,” and “Manana (Is Soon Enough For Me)."  This interpretation of...   The Dead Weather Horehound The Dead Weather is most known as the latest project for garage-rocker Jack White. White is of course the driving force behind the two-piece The White Stripes, as well as his other band, The Raconteurs. This latest project is the first release on his new label, Third Man Records, as well as a...   The Doors The Soft Parade The warm, crisp, clear sound of the Audio Fidelity 24 karat gold CDs make your ears happy. The Doors are now part of their catalog of offerings. The classic The Soft Parade broke new ground for The Doors and rock music as a whole by orchestrating some of their songs. “Touch Me” was a...   Judas Priest A Touch of Evil Live Judas Priest has released a collection of defining moments on stage from world tours in 2005 and 2008. I saw them on the 2005 tour and it was special because it was Rob Halford’s triumphant return to the Priest. This year I caught them live celebrating the 30th anniversary of British Steel and...   Manooghi Hi Manooghi Hi It’s refreshing to hear when a group takes a couple paces outside the pop/rock circle and tries something different. Thanks to the Seattle-based sextet Manooghi Hi (pronounced muh-noog-ee hi), listeners are able to bear witness to the marriage of Eastern music (Indian in this case) and...   Henry Capps Down On The Old River   For an artist releasing their first album, it can be a nerve racking experience. The expectations associated with sales numbers and listener response play on the artist's mind as soon as their work is released into the often harsh and competitive arena of modern music. Henry Capps on the...   Andy Narell and Relator University of Calypso University of Calypso is fun. If that seems oversimplified, rest assured these are no simple musicians. They are calypso and jazz pros and what a joyful sound they make together. But, after all shouldn't music, despite any inherent complexity in performance, sound free, easy and...   Night Artery Capsize Your Surroundings Night Artery's baroque-inspired alternative, what with its dramatic progressive rock arrangements and general mainstream appeal, is all the more impressive when one realizes it is the work of one man: Ross Arundale, who performs all the instruments for the solo project with relative ease. The...   Johnny Winter The Woodstock Experience It is hard to believe today that when Johnny Winter played at Woodstock that he and his brother Edgar where relatively unknown, along with Santana and a host of other soon to be legends. As in any profession we all have to start somewhere and pay some dues. Johnny has paid his dues in full and...   Heaven and Hell The Devil You Know Some may not be aware that Black Sabbaths’ debut album was released in 1969. Yep that was 40 years ago folks. Clearly this makes Black Sabbath the undisputed, godfathers of Heavy Metal. Who would have known the disturbing vocal delivery of Ozzy Ozborne, coupled with Tommy Iommi’s...   Discovery LP You probably haven’t heard of Discovery yet, but you may have heard of the bands that both of the members that make up the new indie/electronic pop act. Discovery is comprised of Wes Miles, lead singer of Ra Ra Riot, and Rostam Batmanglij, keyboardist from Vampire Weekend (the one that looks...   Santana The Woodstock Experience Right after the release of their self titled first album, which is included in this limited edition set, the Santana band showed up at Woodstock and changed their career path forever with one performance. Led by guitarist Carlos Santana and the authoritative vocals of Greg Rolie, this seminal...   Pauline Jean A Musical Offering   In the history of jazz, there is no shortage of classic, solid recordings. Nowadays, seldom does an album impact the scene as much as Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, Stan Getz’s Focus, or John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme. However, there are a number of newly released works that pay...   Curfew Take My Hand   Of the countless things musical expression allows for artists, the ability to take on alternate personas and aliases is perhaps the most intriguing. Such is the case for many ambient-based practitioners. Take, for example, BAFTA Award-winning composer/producer Sönke Prigge, who has...   Billy Boy On Poison Drama Junkie Queen After having their first single “On My Way” featured on current pop culture cornerstones like Gossip Girl and Entourage, Billy Boy On Poison became the latest, much talked about group of hipster rockers to have gotten major exposure through television. Signed to Kiefer...   Tine Bruhn Entranced Tine Bruhn is a Danish-born, Berklee-educated jazz vocalist now living in New York. Ms. Bruhn recorded her first CD, Entranced, earlier this year releasing it on her own label, Inenomis Records, May 19th.  She is also a composer and lyricist, writing three of the songs and penning lyrics...   We Were Promised Jetpacks These Four Walls FatCat Records has done a solid job of pulling bands out of Glasgow of late. First they gave us The Twilight Sad, followed by Frightened Rabbit, and now come We Were Promised Jetpacks. Interestingly enough, each of these acts also keeps their accents when they sing, which oddly seems more...   Nick Drake Five Leaves Left It is not commonplace when a musician finds one of their albums on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. It is even more seldom that a musician finds all of their studio-recorded albums on the list; more specifically, there is only one musician upon whom this honor is...   Skip-Dawg We Will Rise   Skip-Dawg seems like an unaffected moniker for an east coast rapper with such an impressive list of credentials to his name. In addition to releasing a total of four studio albums, he is also an Ivy League university graduate at the tender age of 20 and an Olympic level athlete. What makes...   Ana Popovic Blind for Love   Netherlands-based crooner Ana Popovic can be best described not by genre or style label, but rather a single word – "smoky." The electric singer takes sex, pain, soul, and fury and blends them into a raucous offering on her new record Blind for Love, a hazy, slithering sort of...   Zap Mama ReCreation   This is Marie Daulne’s 7th album with her group Zap Mama. From the original five-voice a cappella ensemble Zap Mama has evolved into an eclectic global mix of artists and styles. Daulne has developed a uniquely exciting multi-cultural musical language even as her very changeable life has...   The Aurora Project Shadow Border Often, stating that a band is best classified as progressive rock can be both a turnoff and a stigma that cannot be forgotten; the reason for this is simple – there are legions of progressive bands that are inadequately armed and have no place representing the genre as a whole. However, do not be...   Amazing Baby Rewild If your reputation comes from the company you keep, Amazing Baby got off to a great start. It seems that many people had heard of Amazing Baby before they actually heard them because of their relationship with MGMT. However, since MGMT’s debut, Oracular Spectacular, was found near the top of...   KTU Quiver KTU (pronounced K2) is composed of Finnish accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen, Pat Mastelotto (from King Crimson) and guitarist Trey Gunn. The trio’s latest episode of progressive rock, titled Quiver is composed of a series of instrumental juxtapositions sliced together to create charging...   Summer's Kiss Summer's Kiss   The California-based, progressive rockster outfit known as Summer's Kiss is more collaborative than cohesive unit, what with identities that are about as ambiguous as their dreamy music. Their self-titled release is an anonymous, synth-driven blend of otherworldly sounds and Laguna Beach surf...   Queensryche American Soldier Most fans of Queensryche would probably agree singer/songwriter Geoff Tate is at his best when he is inspired and write albums based on themes. This certainly holds true with their latest effort American Soldier. Crafted from the stories of soldiers (including Tate's own father) telling emotional tales...   Marion Meadows Secrets Marion Meadows likes to keep it real, and on his new CD, Secrets (Heads Up International) it is: real jazz, real smooth and most of all real artists. Although it is a studio album, he wanted it to have as much of a live feel as possible; so tech tricks are kept to a minimum. While there is some...   Tony Bennett/Bill Evans The Complete Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Recordings   What did Bill Evans and Tony Bennett think of each other? It’s hard to say. The pianist certainly can’t be accused of holding back on this collaboration. Nor can the singer. But how did a guy who had played with Miles Davis adjust to Bennett’s sameness of...   Theo Travis Double Talk From the gentle, pad-like tones that grace the ears during liftoff into Theo Travis’ latest release, Double Talk, there is a sonic presence that beckons listeners to inch closer. Travis, a British tenor saxophonist, woodwind specialist, and composer, submits an eight-track offering that...   Future of the Left Travels with Myself and Another On their second album, Travels with Myself and Another, Future of the Left continue to bring solid, heavy, dirty rock like no other. Let’s be fair though, while this is FOTL’s second album by name, two-thirds of the band were previously in the now defunkt Welsh trio Mclusky who had...   Deep Purple In Rock (24kt Gold Reissue) Deep Purple was a rock heavyweight back in the 1970’s. They went toe to toe with the progenitors of metal Black Sabbath for supremacy of that genre. Eventually Ozzy and the boys would win that battle but Deep Purple went through many different incarnations over time and they would evolve into...   Jessy J True Love Jessy J, contemporary jazz saxophonist, is set to release her second album entitled True Love in August. Her debut, Tequila Moon, won her accolades and she is also part of Michael Bolton's band. True Love with the promising “Tropical Rain” is a mix of Latin keyboard, flute and...   Jeff Buckley Grace It is a rarity when every track on an album holds significant weight – an album that possesses this quality is more than deserving of a spot on a list such as Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and is placed alongside other musical masterpieces. For listeners who have...   Street Sweeper Social Club Street Sweeper Social Club If you can’t get Rage Against the Machine to make any more albums, then getting Boots Riley from The Coup to team up with Tom Morello is a pretty good alternative conceptually. The Coup has long been putting out some of the best hip-hop albums out there since 1993, yet has never really seemed...   Robyn Spangler On A Liquid Afternoon On a Liquid Afternoon is the debut album of Robyn Spangler. Although self-classification puts Spangler in the Cabaret/Easy Listening genre, On a Liquid Afternoon does well to establish Spangler as a viable pop artist with an offering to seduce almost every taste. Arranged and produced by Todd...   Tim Buckley Goodbye and Hello With crackling canon fire and a strong tenor voice that professes grace, intensity, and honesty in “No Man can Find the War,” listeners commence their journey to 1967 via Tim Buckley’s Goodbye and Hello.   A follow-up to his debut, self-titled album, Goodbye and Hello is an...   Andy Rothstein Wit of The Staircase Jazz is challenging to the people that create it and the fans that listen to it. I know you are probably thinking why would I want to be challenged as listener, after all isn’t it supposed to be relaxing and fun? Well Wit of The Staircase is all of that and then some. The overall jazz experience...   Spinnerette Spinnerette So just to be clear and perfectly honest I am giving the “packaging” for this album half a star. Maybe it’s not for you, in which case, take a half star off. What can I say? I’ve always been a Brody Dalle fan.   For those of you that are not yet aware of Spinnerette,...   Abie Toiber Lotus The idea of taking electronica and applying it to alternative rock isn't really novel, in and of itself. Indeed, bands like Cut Copy, Foals, and even the now too-big-for-their-own-good Bloc Party have dabbled in synthesized, rhythm-driven post-punk for a number of years, all to varying levels of...   Joe McBride Lookin' For A Change It is rather refreshing to know when an artist has reached their eighth album release, that there is still strong inspiration and creativity with regard to conceptual material. Not many artists are able to keep their pistons firing; despite incredible musical skill, many simply burn out and stay on one...   Machines of Grace Machines of Grace The members of Machines of Grace, newly formed metal band from Boston, might not enjoy reading this, but their self-titled debut isn’t going to make anyone’s jaw drop. I have to choose my words delicately (which seems odd when describing a metal band) but that last thing anyone...   Pitt Reeves I Wanna Howl My first listen of I Wanna Howl had me instantly craving a double espresso and a morning newspaper. While I blame this mostly on the globalization of the coffee industry and the encroachment of those trendy café bars on every street corner, I also found a comforting familiarity in Pitt...   Mimi Jones A New Day Have you met Miss Jones?   Often, a jack of all trades is one who can traverse many bridges equally well; Mimi Jones is no exception. As a bassist, vocalist, and composer, she possesses the triple threat that many musicians can only dream of having at their disposal. A New Day, Jones’...   Craig Rayburn Coyote Craig Rayburn's latest release, Coyote is a retrospective slice of folk-influenced country music. Working with multi-award winning singer songwriter Keith Greeninger, the album combines country, folk, and rock elements to produce songs that embody anecdotal depictions of everyday life. Coyote...   Miike Snow Miike Snow Miike Snow is not a guy, and, yes, it has two “i”’s, so please take note for future “googling”. Miike Snow is actually a trio made up of American singer Andrew Wyatt, and Swedish producers Chris Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg. The latter pair produces under the name...   Kurt Elling Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings the Music of Coltrane and Hartman   Kurt Elling releases Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings the Music of Coltrane and Hartman. The first performance of the material in this album was commissioned at the Chicago Jazz Festival to celebrate John Coltrane’s 80th Birthday. While on the road with this material at the...   Point 7 What? Is there any pleasure more guilty in music than ambient, hypnotic, voiceless electronica? Publicly derided and yet privately enjoyed, the free-flowing genre is host to dozens of casual stereotypes that often induce more eye-rolling than head-bobbing. Yet for all the countless accusations of...   Bob Dylan Bob Dylan 1978-1989 - Both Ends of the Rainbow DVD Since appearing in small venues in New York City’s Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, Bob Dylan has become the subject of discussion to exhaustive infinity. Somehow, fans and critics alike cannot seem to grasp the concept that Bob Dylan, while often considered a musician or performer by...   Paul Brown & Marc Antoine Foreign Exchange Paul Brown is a two-time Grammy Award winning producer (Al Jarreau, George Benson, Peter White, Boney James) and has proven himself a very respectable jazz guitarist with three hit CDs and two number one songs. Marc Antoine is a French-born classically trained guitarist who has recorded with a...   Candye Kane Superhero ECard I have always been a fan of Candye Kane and now everyone that walks the planet should be. I am not talking just for her music but for whom she is and her work as a humanitarian and the recent fight won with deadly pancreatic cancer. After a year of fighting like the true warrior she is,...   Spirits of the Dead Spirits of the Dead   Despite the rather paltry market for Norwegian funk-rock bands nowadays, there is little dismay or stutter in the psychedelic strut of Spirits of the Dead, whose self-titled debut is a rollicking fog of dark romanticism. Equal parts Led Zeppelin knock-off and Queens of the Stone Age...   Najee Mind Over Matter The sun is starting to rise during the early morning hours, and before heading to the airport, travelers make their ritualistic check of the weather on their preferred television or radio station of choice. As always, a laid-back, gentle, but driving groove plays in the background as the forecast is...   Anne Trenning Waiting for Rain Anne Trenning’s new album may be titled Waiting for Rain as a metaphor for anticipation, but the album lacks the edginess that is implied with anticipation. The music feels, and makes the listener feel, in the moment. There is a calmness that might lead one to wonder if Trenning has...   Sierra Hurtt 8 or 80 Sierra Hurtt has been surrounded by music her entire life. Her father, Phil, is an award-winning writer/producer, so as a young child it wasn’t something she could easily avoid. By the age of three she was already teaching herself how to play the piano and was being recorded at age four....   Paul Reddick Sugar Bird Reddick’s last album, Villanelle, earned him the “Blues Album of the Year” by the Toronto Blue Society, as well as nominations for a JUNO Award and a Canadian Independent Music Award. His latest, Sugar Bird, should see more of the same.   When you think about the blues,...   George Harrison Let It Roll   (All Tracks Digitally Remastered 2009) It’s about time…   Ladies and gentlemen of the music listening public, EMI is proud to announce the release of Let It Roll – a career-spanning collection offering the music of the quiet and highly underestimated former Beatle,...   12000 Miles As the White Crane Flies   It turns out that sometimes, at least in music, long-distance relationships can actually work out. Perhaps no other group epitomized that more than the Postal Service, whose very moniker divulges how the electronically minimalist band communicates ideas. Now listeners can add to that short...   U2 The Rebirth of Cool: U2 In The Third Millennium (DVD) Throughout their long history, U2 has earned a place as one of the greatest modern rock bands for both critics and fans alike. The Rebirth of Cool: U2 In The Third Millennium is not just another documentary hailing the Irish rockers and retelling their rise to fame. Instead, the film makes a...   The Darbuki Kings Been Laden You Too Long The Darbuki Kings are about as original and unique as it gets. With their strong sense of political satire they take their music, well, to the moon, just like on the cover of their new CD Been Laden You Too Long. If you are unfamiliar with these gents or did not see my review of Lawrence of Suburbia...   Hatebreed For the Lions Whenever a cover CD comes out, weather it’s from Metallica, Guns and Roses, Tool, or Hatebreed you generally get mixed reactions from fans. Some will love it, others will not. Some will say it was merely a copout to release a collection of cover songs, while others will realize it for what it...   Joseph Pernicano Evolving Paths With close to 70 minutes of pure jazz bass player Joseph Pernicano’s solo album Evolving Paths lets instruments do the talking while the rest of the band add their excellent accompaniment. The players are Harry Smallenburg (vibes), Scott Sadlon (drums), Ian Vo (alto & soprano Sax), Beth...   Catherine Duc Visions and Dreams Catherine Duc’s style of music may best be categorized as worldbeat or ambient. Duc’s latest album (released in 2005) finds wiggle room within the genres. Classical, Celtic and Asian influences pepper the album creating variety and interest. Throughout Visions and Dreams Duc...   Requiem For Delinquency Hobs End Requiem For Delinquency is one man, a classically trained composer named Faron Chance Morrison. I must say that his website is just as cool as his name. So the question remains does the music follow in step? Hobs End pictures a doorway to some alternate universe or world if you will. What you find...   Repeat Offenders On Purpose Apart from the occasional Roots offering, rap has become a stagnant genre, increasingly dominated by undue hubris and the quick n' easy hook line. That's why it's rather frustrating to stumble across a group like Repeat Offenders, the Pennsylvania-bred hip-hop trio whose heart is in the right...   Corina Bartra & Her Azu Project Afro Peruvian Jazz Celebration Corina Barta is an accomplished jazz composer, practitioner of Yoga and vocalist that delves into chanting and healing with her music.  Afro Peruvian Jazz Celebration is exactly what it advertises to be and Corina’s far reaching understanding of the human emotions and inner triggers...   3 Kisses American Breakdown A first glance at American Breakdown could lead listeners to think its contents are filled with angry, irreverent music created in a suburban garage by an even angrier, more irreverent punk band. Luckily - I don’t judge album’s by their covers. 3 Kisses brand of “Texas Party...   Lawrence Blatt The Color of Sunshine   As any critic will tell you, there's a fine line between heady concept done right and overwrought self-indulgence. The former often blurs into the latter in the blink of an eye, and in music that's perhaps doubly true. New age guitarist Lawrence Blatt skirts that dangerous line between both...   Radium88 Only Science Can Tell Us the Truth Only Science Can Tell Us the Truth is the most recent album from Radium88.  Released in 2007, Only Science Can Tell Us the Truth has already made its way into the niche market of new age/electronica where it was relatively well received.  It is unlikely to succeed in the broader...   The Homemade Jamz Blues Band I Got Blues for You It’s hard not to be skeptical of bands of youngsters that get showcased on The Today Show, CBS Morning News, and in the USA Today. It’s always a nice story that gets everybody excited, but the actual music ends up being secondary. This is certainly not the case for The Homemade Jamz...   Monty Rock Stars Don't Eat Cookies Monty infuses rock, folk, and psychedelia into his EP, Rock Stars Don’t Eat Cookies. The artist’s creativity is evident throughout this album, transitioning easily between the heartfelt and the fun. In addition to performing as singer, songwriter and guitarist, Monte also plays drums...   Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Christian McBride, Kenny Garrett & Vinnie Colaiuta Five Peace Band Live Chick Corea and John McLaughlin are icons of jazz and jazz fusion and this is clearly a CD for their many fans and dedicated fans of improvisational jazz fusion in general. If you're not a real fan you might consider a double CD a bit too much retro fusion, if it is possible to have too much of a...   Green Day 21st Century Breakdown Not a lot of people are aware that Green Day has been around for over 20 years. They originally formed back in 1987 and were among a wave of fresh new punk bands to emerge from the San Francisco Bay area like Rancid and the Offspring. It’s now 2009 and three Grammys and some 22 million...   Carbon Leaf Nothing Rhymes With Woman Carbon Leaf releases Nothing Rhymes with Woman. From the start, the extent of this disc’s experience has a whole lot to do with the fact that it was recorded in the band’s Richmond, Virginia backyard. Coming together with producer John Morand who also produced their 2004 album Indian...   Crimson Jazz Trio King Crimson Songbook Vol. 2 Before we get to the reviewing of actual music, some questions need to be answered. Who are the Crimson Jazz Trio? They are a group that, as the album title implies, have produced two volumes of jazz interpretations of songs by the group King Crimson.   Who is King Crimson? King...   Pronto All Is Golden Pronto’s debut album, All Is Golden, proves to be a smooth listening experience pretty much from start to finish. Pronto was born when keyboardist Mickael Jorgensen of the Chicago based alternative rock band Wilco started a side-project in 2006. Jorgensen is joined by Greg O’Keefe,...   Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, Steve Swallow & Antonio Sanchez Quartet Live This is what a live state-of-the-art modern jazz quartet should sound like after working together for decades: tight, attentive, reactive, and, of course, individually super talented. But this quartet was put together for a one-time performance by guitarist Pat Metheny for his By Invitation...   Winston Watson Bob Dylan Never Ending Tour Diaries: Drummer Winston Watson's Incredible Journey (DVD) The reason you are clicking on this review is the name Bob Dylan, but really this has little to do with Dylan himself. In fact it’s not actually affiliated with him. It is really all about Winston Watson, who toured with Dylan from 1992 to 1996.   While this film is considered to be the...   Saga The Human Condition Progressive rockers Saga continue the recent rival of the sound established by bands of the genre formed in the late 70’s and early 80’s. The Human Condition is the group’s second studio LP since returning with 2007’s 10,000 Days. While the band has a new lead singer in Rob...   Tim "Ripper" Owens Play My Game Tim “Ripper” Owens’ Play My Game is a respectable solo endeavor from a former lead singer of Judas Priest. The muscular and melodic vocals of Owens are the centerpiece of this metal effort that stays true to genre. Straight forward heavy metal is the passion of Owens and the soul...   Jonah Parzen-Johnson, Noah Garabedian, Aaron Ewing Reed's Bass Drum - EP Anyone who claims to know me should be well aware of my mixed feelings on jazz – and "mixed feelings" is perhaps the kindest, vaguest way I can put it. In plainer terms, jazz and I are not friends, and so it was with great anxiety and a lumpy throat that I delved into the...   Elvis Costello Secret, Profane & Sugarcane Elvis Costello stretches himself as an artist with Secret, Profane & Sugarcane. In a career that has spanned over three decades; the distinct change is apparent from the first twang of his Gibson EB-750. It is produced by the legendary T-Bone Burnett and engineer Mike Piersante, the duo...   Eminem Relapse   If you look up the word Relapse in the dictionary it means to get worse, backslide, or fail to maintain a higher state. It’s kind of like taking 10 steps backwards. It’s been nearly 15 years since some kid named Marshall burst onto the scene. Who could forget back in 1999 Marshall...   Decadence Decadence With song titles like “Hatefuck,” “Release My Fist” and “Pigs: Homicide Remix,” it’s safe to say that Decadence wasn’t holding anything back on their self-titled EP. The band’s name is a bit of a misnomer, as there’s nothing decadent about...   Astronauts of Antiquity Rocket Science For Dummies "Cool" is an underrated concept in modern music, where seemingly every other indie band is lining up to replace the chic with the goofy. Thankfully, some out there are still carrying the dapper torch - the experimentally jazzy Astronauts of Antiquity, for example, whose sophomore release...   Reggie Calloway Bring Back The Love So what does the author of songs such as “Freak-A-Zoid” and “No Parking on the Dance Floor” do for an encore? How does one step out of the shadows of a successful act such as Midnight Star? You release a long overdue solo album.   Reggie Calloway’s Bring Back The...   Crosby, Stills & Nash Demos Crosby, Stills & Nash’s Demos captures the marvel of being in-studio with one of the formative voices of a generation. Preserved by digital remastering, Demos unveils 12 unheard gems from the demo tapes of David Crosby, Stephen Stills & Graham Nash recorded from August 1968 through...   Magnum Into the Valley of the Moon King Magnum have been in the game for three decades now. The Birmingham, England rockers have consistently been putting out solid releases since 1978 despite evolving and realigning into new line-ups.  In their 15th album, Into the Valley of the Moon King, Magnum continues down their familiar...   Kantorski-Pope Duo Brahms: 21 Hungarian Dances 21 Hungarian Dances, composed by Johannes Brahms and performed by the Kantorski-Pope Duo, is a journey between folk music and the Romantic era. First published in 1869, the piece quickly became very popular. These dances beautifully mix folk and high art, entwining Hungarian melodies within classical...   All City Affairs Identity Theft If you’re familiar with All City Affair’s sound, their third release, Identity Theft, will come as no surprise. If you’ve never heard it before, it’s a little tough to describe the one-man band’s sound. Baby Teeth drummer Peter Andreadis made this album in...   IQ Frequency IQ has long been a respected band in the progressive rock scene, originally forming in 1981. The band’s line-up has since shifted, but original guitarist Michael Holmes and vocalist Peter Nicholls have put together a worthy set of members to carry on the group’s legacy. IQ’s...   The Autonomous Region Forbidden City Autonomous is defined as a person's capacity for self-determination in the context of moral choices. In moral and political philosophy, autonomy is often used as the basis for determining moral responsibility for one's actions. But wait, this is a music review right? The Autonomous Region enters the...   Rhythm Devils The Rhythm Devils Concert Experience (DVD) If you need something done right, you consult the experts; likewise, if you want to form a quasi-percussionist psychedelic jam band, you consult Grateful Dead drummers. As their name implies, Rhythm Devils are a sextet that thrive on improvisational beatmaking, their backbone formed from the expertise...   The Stanley Clarke Trio Jazz in the Garden Straight-ahead Jazz has been overshadowed by the many genres circulating the veins of music these days. But when something’s gleaming, there’s no defeating it. The Stanley Clarke Trio shines with that respected light. The setting is simple, musicians from different corners of the world...   Ratcliff Bailey DEUCE Ratcliff Bailey’s second album, DEUCE doesn’t stray far from the two man band’s charismatic blend of Classic Rock, Blues, and Pop. The Ohio duo’s latest release under the Westfield Recording Company revisits familiar territory from their previous release, Blood from a Turnip....   Nine Inch Nails (DVD) Nine Inch Nails and the Industrial Revolution Sexy International released Metal Machine Music Nine Inch Nails and The Industrial Uprising DVD on April 4, 2009. This DVD will walk you through not only Trent Reznor’s amazing musical career, but will also walk you through the amazing history of Industrial Music itself.     If you...   Trey Wright Trio Thinking Out Loud From the first few softly fingered notes of the initial Trey Wright composition, “Rat Race,” the Trey Wright Trio surrounds the listener in an envelope that is moody and seductive. It holds you there expectantly until the final sustained notes of “Reprise,” another Trey...   Ozric Tentacles The Yum Yum Tree If Yanni ever decides to eschew New Age for Electronic Prog Rock, he could do no better than Ozric Tentacles. Trippy, imaginative and psychedelic, the UK-based Tentacles' nearly 30th full-length album The Yum Yum Tree is a ripened slice of lush cornball fantasy that could be accompanied by a Boris...   Ring of Truth Everything's the Same but in a Different Place It’s hard not to go into an album with pretty high expectations when the first thing you read about the band’s debut single, “The Horse”, was that it was played by the late, great, John Peel. Unfortunately for us, this track is not on Ring of Truth’s debut album, so...   The Insomniacs At Least I'm Not With You The Insomniacs made their auspicious debut in 2007 with Left Coast Blues, which by chance I picked up and gave a listen a while back. I was searching for hot new bands and their name came up. The tag was spot on, they were hot and they still are on release #2 At Least I'm Not With You. This...   Jordan Rudess Notes On A Dream The new Jordan Rudess album Notes On A Dream is a like the beacon far off in the distance that will lead us all back from whence we came. In spirit, that light brings him home where he belongs. This correlation also applies to the artist getting back to his roots and giving the nod to the classical...   Oceansize Frames (CD/DVD) Oceansize offers Frames as their third CD and first North American wide release. Frames is a brilliant album by a group of courageous artists. Produced by Chris Sheldon in 2007 in Wales, with the inclusion of the bonus DVD Frames Live, Oceansize makes its play for the American...   The Soft Hills Painted World Fans of soft indie rock will find Painted World to be a relaxing foray into lo-fi musical tranquility.  The title for the album is appropriate, as the reverb-heavy vocals and swelling instrumentation lend themselves to the notion that the world as depicted in this 5 track EP is not rough like...   Scott Krokoff A Better Life No matter where we are in life, some of us are searching for more or a profession that we can actually say that we are proud of. Wanting to enjoy what he was doing in life, former tax attorney Scott Krokoff, quit his day job to follow his dreams of being a musician and released his debut CD A...   Wings of Fire Orchestra Prospice The title (nay, honor) of being America’s largest rock-orchestra is one that comes with weighty expectations Bombast, high concept and a name that conveys the proper level of awesome are all necessities. The Wings of Fire Orchestra have answered the call admirably with their second...   Silversun Pickups Swoon For many artists, to be compared to some decades-old band is undoubtedly an insult, regardless of said band's sizable legacy. Yet for Los Angeles quartet Silversun Pickups, it's assuredly a badge of honor, especially when the drawn analogies are constant in pointing to 90's art-rock champions The...   Jason Ricci And New Blood Done With The Devil After hearing Rocket Number 9 last year I had to wonder what this young blues rocker Jason Ricci was going to do for an encore. Well after two years in between releases Ricci has the answer and it comes at you like a locomotive running off the tracks on Done With The Devil.   Ricci is back...   The April Skies The April Skies Three years have passed since The April Skies have released new music. It hardly seems that long, especially once you put the CD in your stereo and the music starts, its like they never left. Right from the opener “Punch Drunk Messiah” you feel like the transport machine is taking you...   UFO The Visitor UFO’s The Visitor is the 20th studio album marking the 40th anniversary of their 1969 debut. It is an admirable accomplishment from this influential force. From the opening track, “Saving Me” through the closing strains of “Stranger in Town,” The Visitor exhibits the...   Sacred Oath Sacred Oath Longtime metal-heads may remember Sacred Oath for their 1985 cult classic album A Crystal Vision. Vocalist Rob Thorne reformed the band in 2007, leading to the self-titled comeback LP. If you’ve been enjoying Sacred Oath for years, it’s safe to bet that the new album will be one...   Pillbox Remedy Go on Take the Scissors and Run San Diego native Carlos Paras, sole member of Pillbox Remedy releases his fourth disc entitled Go on, Take the Scissors and Run. This latest 4 song EP was released in July, 2008. Influences include but not limited to Green Day, Alkaline Trio, Smoking Papas, Joey Cope, Dashboard, and a splash of Face to...   New York Dolls 'Cause I Sez So The New York Dolls played their first show together in 1971 at a homeless shelter. Here they are, 38 years later, with only their fourth album, ‘Cause I Sez So, but it’s definitely a keeper.   The band really brought about the glam rock scene into New York City and paved the...   Sarah Brooks and Graceful Soul Under The Bones Of The Great Blue Whale Great music is clearly meant to be listened to live, which is why a live recording is always intriguing. Sarah Brooks and Graceful Soul’s Under The Bones Of The Great Blue Whale is an impressive capture of the talented vocalist’s performance at The New Bedford Whaling Museum. The singer...   Papercuts You Can Have What You Want If nothing else, the Papercuts' You Can Have What You Want proves that watery, dour music can be just as effective as the punchy kind. Drenched in a bleeding reverb that is all at once soft and psychedelic, the album is a testament to the art of the spacey gaze, reveling in its own ennui to the...   Wynton Marsalis He and She Never compromising his artistic integrity, Wynton Marsalis indulges our senses in He and She, an elegant alteration of sounds. A champion of the “Art form”, preserving the “old styles”, he skates sinuously in and out of notes, accompanied by a tightly woven rope of...   Rock City Who Can Find The Dreamer? It has been a long wait for the next Rock City album. Six years between albums is not your typical time frame however this is not your typical band by any means. Rock City made some extraordinary music and one of those albums that never made it out to the general public was Who Can Find The Dreamer?...   Candy Dulfer Funked Up! Dutch saxophone sensation Candy Dulfer releases her 9th album entitled: Funked Up on May 12, 2009 through Heads Up International. It’s been nearly two decades since Candy burst onto the scene with her debut release: Sexuality: a 1990 Grammy nominated record. Who could forget Dulfer’s...   Long Distance Calling Avoid The Light   If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “I really loved this rock song…until they started singing,” then Germany-based Long Distance Calling’s sophomore album Avoid The Light is for you. There really are no words to speak of, just a continuation of guitar,...   The Thermals Now We Can See "Nerd rock" may have been (nearly) invented by Weezer and a few other like 90's bands, but dozens of subsequent acts have polished and honed the genre into a living, breathing concept. The Thermals are one such outfit: a hipster-ish, punk-worshipping bunch of Portland rockers, the trio...   Young Jawz The South West   A few years back when Eminem won a Grammy I overheard someone say “it’s a crazy world we live in when the number one golfer in the world is black, and the number one rapper is white.” San Diego based rapper Young Jawz released his latest CD The South West in May 2009...   Ann Hampton Callaway At Last Vocal jazz can often be a remote outpost in the far reaches of the music industry. In recent years, it’s been relegated to conservatory status, reserved for those few appreciators who keep the torch burning. With her latest effort, Ann Hampton Callaway looks to send some dispatches from that...   Various Playing for Change-Songs Around the World   It's difficult to approach compilation collections objectively, particularly ones filled with standard covers. Such is the case with Playing For Change’s Songs Around the World, the musical result of a rather creative, multimedia peace movement - or, in other words, social activism for...   Spyro Gyra Down the Wire Down the Wire is a jazz album that does not confine itself to the style of jazz. While listening to the album, the title takes on the same meaning as moving up and down the dial. There are funk songs, slow jams and even a little bit of Planet of the Apes Theme. It’s a strange...   Shouse Alone on the Sun Oh, the agony and ecstasy of melodramatic prog rock – as fun as any hammy soap opera, and yet overwrought beyond all comprehension. The wonderfully-monikered Shouse is a little bit of each, standing like an enflamed Vin Diesel upon the cover of Alone on the Sun with all the shadowed,...   simakDialog Demi Masa simakDialog has been making music together since 1993. Formed in Indonesia, this group plays an eclectic mix of music and their fifth release, Demi Masa really puts their eccentricities on display.    Riza Arshad, who composes and produces mostly all of the music on the CD, leads the...   Steppin Razor Gold in Rule Reggae, hate it or love it, is one of the trickiest musical beasts outside of jazz. The genre can easily be overwrought and just as easily stale long before the first chorus sets in. And what other subset of popular music invites so many stereotypes, from obvious drug subculture references to...   The Project_Pale Our Inventions and How They Fail Us   The Project_Pale is an incorporation of guitars, synths and bass performed by two people and a drum machine. The results attained are very inspiring on Our Inventions and How They Fail Us. Jason Selden plays the guitars and synths while providing vocals and Submerged, interesting name, is...   OHMphrey OHMphrey 5 piece band OHMphrey releases it’s debut self titled CD in MAY, 2009 under Magna Carta Records. OHMphrey is three members of Chicago based rock band Umphrey's McGee, and two members of OHM. Together they join forces to become OHMphrey, now based out of Southern California. Overall I...   Irene and Her Latin Jazz Band A Song Of You Irene Nachreiner, who comes from a Russian father and an Irish mother, loves Latin music. She finds it romantic and seductive. She grew up in Eastern Los Angeles listening to it along with classical tunes. Her and her band’s sophomore album and latest addition to the Latin Jazz...   Vieniste Vieniste EP Sometimes it’s hard to explain why we like the things we do. A movie or song is rarely enjoyable for logical, demonstrable reasons. It’s even common to enjoy things whose flaws or shortcomings are obvious. Who among us doesn’t have a favorite movie even though it...   Lea Marie Lea Marie Teen sensation Lea Marie released her debut self titled CD in April 2009. You may remember Lea Marie as a contestant on this year’s American Idol. As I remember it she described herself as a combination between Hillary Duff and Madonna. She burst onto the stage with her bright smile, spiral...   The Band The Band Audio Fidelity continues its unique series of classic rock reissues with The Band’s 1969 self-titled “brown” album. Much like the company’s reissue of The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, the reissue of the legendary folk-rockers’ album preserves the original vinyl recording,...   The Beach Boys Pet Sounds The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds is truly an album that needs no introduction. It is considered the greatest rock record ever by many critics, and rightfully so. From the opening track, the ever famous “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, all the way to the closer “Caroline, No,” Pet...   Lily Allen It's Not Me, It's You It may be undeniable that half of her notoriety is due to brash posturing, but for Lily Allen, the other half is most assuredly talent. The British songstress, known for both her rags-to-riches MySpace campaign and the infectious bubblegum snap of "Smile," is no stranger to strained record...   Lesley Spencer Moments Musicaux Lesley Spencer is a free-lance producer, composer, and pianist with a considerable amount of recorded works. Moments Musicaux is her tenth full length album.Ms.Spencer alsohas contributed to the San Francisco Opera, Victory Gardens Theatre, Urban Gateways, and Radio City Recording.   Moments...   David Sanborn Live at the Montreux 1984 (DVD) If you, like many others, seek to recapture the essence of listening to jazz music by focusing on every little detail like where you were, who you were with, and how your body swayed unconsciously to the rhythm of the music, then you know what a difficult task it can be. There are always too many...   No Restraints Xout Two years ago I was introduced to No Restraints and found myself captivated by their progressive rock sound on the 2007 release In The Left Lane. Now their follow up Xout has been officially released today. This release is different but more intense lyrically and musically. The keyboards and vocals of...   East of Fairfax Nothing's Different, Nothing's the Same Though highly derided and scoffed at by so-called musical elites, well-written and well-performed pop is a tricky beast to tame. When executed with perfection, it practically ensures stardom; when mishandled, it's worse than karaoke. The LA-based collaborative East of Fairfax falls into neither...   Mike Clinco Neon   Mike Clinco has been hard at work for 25 years now as a composer and guitar player. On Neon, a nine track recording, Clinco firmly establishes his presence in the jazz community as a force to be reckoned with. Neon is equal parts contemporary and smooth jazz sprinkled with rock and...   Joanna Cotten Joanna Cotten If it’s possible for one talented artist to embody the lack of visionary leadership at the major labels in Nashville, Joanna Cotten just might be that artist. One such label, because of the outfit’s uncertainty about how to effectively market her, recently dropped her from their roster....   Tigerface Castlecore Part One Trying to pioneer a new genre is one of the biggest challenges a band can put itself up to. That’s precisely what the Phoenix duo Tigerface attempts to do on their latest EP Castlecore Part One.   So what is Castlecore? As near as I can tell, it takes melodic, heavy post-punk hooks...   Ed Maly Guitar Jock On his seventh release Guitar Jock, Ed Maly delivers a set of scathing blues-rock songs. Maly’s guitar playing on the album is a pleasure to any blues fan, and he is aptly backed by his band to create a smart combination of toe-tapping rhythms and inspiring guitar melodies. The guitarists’...   Neil Carswell Keep You Guessing Well it has been a long time Neil, where have you been the last three years? The answer is right here on this CD all tied up in the words and music. Carswell sings the blues about going to hell and back and then the switch to becoming a repentant soul to answer for his sins. And thankfully for all of...   Into The Presence Into The Presence For their self-titled debut album, the duo of Into The Presence delivers an exciting rock album that shows various rock influences. Composed of drummer Tim Alexander, who has worked with the likes of Primus and A Perfect Circle, and experienced session player Luis Maldonado on guitar and vocals, Into...   Drifting in Silence Facewithin   It's difficult to classify what constitutes "experimental electronica," considering the genre's increasing penchant for unstructured melodies and general ambience. That established, it can be said with some confidence that the music of Drifting in Silence, the umbrella pseudonym for...   Roy Rogers Split Decision There is nothing like a good blues-rock album to get your blood circulating and if it’s good enough it can serve as an aphrodisiac. In the case of the first Roy Rogers album with The Delta Rhythm Kings in seven years, all of the above are applicable. Split Decision is well crafted for more than...   Benny Golson New Time, New 'Tet Benny Golson’s newest release, New Time, New ‘Tet, is sure to get your toes tapping within minutes of hearing it. This jazz CD is very versatile and includes everything from jumpier beats such as “Gypsy Jingle-Jangle”, to romantic, slower numbers like “From Dream to...   Taylor Brown Bar Stool Ferris Wheels Taylor Brown has set himself up with some lofty expectations. His new album and DIY project (he built the studio himself and used Pro Tools) entitled Bar Stool Ferris Wheel arrived in the mail with a handy press release that offered some chart toppers his songs might be compared to. This list...   Pain Of Salvation On The Two Deaths Of (DVD) Don’t be fooled by Pain Of Salvation’s new DVD On The Two Deaths Of. The progressive metal outfit makes you think it’s a collection of TV episodes from the cover art, but in actuality it’s a live concert filmed in Amsterdam, and a documentary about the band.   If...   Tierney Sutton Band Desire   Lovely. It’s a fitting summation of Tierney Sutton’s newest effort, the aptly named album, Desire.   Comprised mostly of jazz standards, there are several surprisingly poignant moments in this album. Those moments are generally constituted by the pared down approach of...   Neko Case Middle Cyclone The remnants of The New Pornographers have seen a productive 2009 so far, first with the January release of A.C. Newman's Get Guilty, and again in March with Neko Case's Middle Cyclone. The two are strikingly similar records, both rife with jumbling guitars and loose sounds that belie their...   Mattia Sing-a-Long   Singer/songwriter/guitarist Mattia Rugerri, or better know as Mattia releases his debut CD Sing-a –Long in March, 2009. Mattia hails from Rome, Italy and plays his acoustic guitar and sings to you with a thick Italian accent and European charm. Mattia’s music is a jovial blend...   Justin Ashworth Music to Fall Asleep To When I first started playing Justin Ashworth’s, Music to Fall Asleep To I was reminded of the television show “Friend’s”. There’s an episode where Ross is playing his “music”, which turns out to be a bunch of sounds played in a conceited way on an...   Orange Sky Dat Iz Voodoo When looking for metal music, most fans wouldn’t turn to the tropical island of Trinidad and expect to find much. Despite their odd geographic origins, Orange Sky delivers an album of surprisingly flavorful metal songs. Dat Iz Voodoo runs the gambit of metal influences, ranging from old Ozzy...   Jacques Loussier Jacques Loussier Plays Bach: The 50th Anniversary Recording Modern jazz is often a breeding ground where criticism for both players and styles runs rampant. In the case of many self-taught musical talents, the roots of classical music are often left by the wayside or overlooked. However, for those who do spend their early years listening to the works of...   Ladysmith Black Mambazo Live! (DVD) Since their appearance on Paul Simon’s landmark release Graceland, Ladysmith Black Mambazo has embodied the sound of their home country of South Africa. Inspired by a dream, the group was formed in the mid-1960s by bandleader Joseph Shabalala. Together they sing a style known as Isicathamiya,...   Dan Deacon Bromst The advent of home musicianship has led to an explosion of experimental electronica over the past few years, resulting in what is most likely the most independent and homegrown of modern genres. Of that set, there is perhaps no one more prolific than Baltimore native Dan Deacon, who has produced a...   La Fleur Fatale Night Generation Swedish 4 piece band, La Fleur Fatale released their debut CD entitled Night Generation in late 2007 under Killer Cobra Records. Just in case you’re curious La Fleur Fatale means The Fatal Flower and is a by product of former Swedish punk band Planet Superfly. La Fleur Fatale has a strong...   Jon Davidson Various Tracks Alternative rock musician Jon Davidson from Portland Oregon got his start in 1998 when he joined his first band, Adam’s apple, as the drummer. Since then, Jon has gone on to play for three other bands and is currently the frontman for the rock band Silversafe. Late last year Jon released his...   Asobi Seksu Hush   Those who know and love Asobi Seksu may do so precisely because of the New York City duo's 2006 sophomore album Citrus, where songs like the glittering "Lions and Tigers" demonstrated a penchant for friendly, shoegazing rock. Led with dreamy fortitude by Yuki Chikudate, the band...   Thin Lizzy Still Dangerous-Live At The Tower Theater Philadelphia 1977   Thin Lizzy...Gods of 70s rock ‘n’ roll. They are one of many that populated our lives during this brilliant period of music we now call Classic Rock. Lead singer and bass player Phil Lynot was the ultimate bad boy and then paid the price by shortening his life due to...   Pearl Jam Ten-Legacy Edition The two CD Legacy Edition of Pearl Jam’s revolutionary debut album Ten stays true to its origins, while offering fascinating remixes and previously unreleased tracks. The first disc is Ten as originally released, with some remastering from Bob Ludwig.   Before Pearl Jam fans fly into...   Patty Blee From the Inside Warning: if you listen to the title track from Patty Blee’s newest EP, From the Inside, do not look at the cover picture at the same time. You will fall in love. Blee is an attractive woman. I don’t say that to be condescending or misogynistic or to imply that it somehow...   RH+ Quintana Roo It's hard to know where to begin a discussion on Chilean fusion band RH+, whose very name is both an acronym for "Rock Hudson" and some kind of blood system antigen. Such is the amount of irreverence and variety inherent in the quintet's music, a blend of punk, electronica, ethnic South...   Brigitte Beraha Flying Dreams   As the old saying goes, “never judge a book by its cover.” In this case, the album cover to Brigitte Beraha’s Flying Dreams is adequately indicative of what listeners can expect: the lyrical, the seemingly abstract, and the beautiful. While trading between trio and quintet...   Philippe Saisse At World's Edge Free Download “Roppongi Blues” Philippe Saisse has released a masterpiece titled At World’s Edge. Saisse has been around the proverbial music block between guest appearances and his solo work.  He has an enviable record of accomplishments by anyone’s high standards...   Sparlha Swa Live from NYC As Jim Morrison said, “The future’s uncertain, and the end is always near.” He could have been talking about popular music. This is undoubtedly what keeps things interesting for most of us involved in it. Sitting forever at a crossroads of regurgitated, boardroom-driven, saccharine...   Chuck Loeb Between 2 Worlds Chuck Loeb’s latest effort Between 2 Worlds is another powerful release from the experienced jazz guitarist. The album is delightfully heavy on traditional jazz sounds, truly showing the power a basic trio of guitar, bass and drums can have.   Often, Loeb accents his seamless, open...   Ronnie Milsap Then Sings My Soul Ronnie Milsap has been making music since the 1960s. His musical repertoire includes such genres as rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, pop, and soul, playing with the likes of Ray Charles and Elvis Presley; but his main focus later on in life has been country. A musical virtuoso at a...   Johnny Winter Saints & Sinners/John Dawson Winter III Has there ever been a more prolific blues guitarist than Johnny Winter? An interesting question, and one that's difficult to answer when drinking in the digitally re-mastered double release of Saints & Sinners/John Dawson Winter III, both 1974 records that show Winter's proficiency and expertise on...   Derek Jordan Identity Despite this album’s title, Identity, what comes across is a sketch of a potential identity, a music that’s not yet complete. Here is an album that should come with scaffolding and a state police detail. This work suffers from a lack of quality production, namely a capable set of hands...   Mitch Friedman Game Show Teeth   In the mythical land of fame, fortune, and game show hosts, there are the famous, the infamous, and those who (due to lack of better alternatives) were somehow allowed to host game shows despite their inadequate presentation. Upon first glance at Mitch Friedman’s cover art for his...   Chemystry Set Dancing on the Brink of the World One of the toughest tasks to undertake is naming a band. Fortunately, Chemystry Set has met the challenge quite well. A clever play on words in this case, Chemystry Set is a collection of individuals that experiments with music, art, poetry, storytelling, and astrology. An admirable set of ingredients...   Joe Zawinul & The Zawinul Syndicate 75 The renowned Joe Zawinul is probably best known for assisting in the formation of the world famous Weather Report. He’s truly the dictionary definition of a “jazz legend”. Sadly, Joe lost his heroic battle with cancer in 2007. Sometimes it’s hard to review a CD when you...   Antony and the Johnsons The Crying Light   Antony Hegarty is a singer of the "absolutely love" or "absolutely hate" mold, his fluttering voice unlike anything else in popular music today. Hulkish in form so as to belie the pipes, the operatic aura is overbearing to some, similar to the boiling reactions Bjork...   The Smiling Orange Smiling Orange Demo This 3 track demo from a couple of blokes out of Milwaukee might be one of the best things to come out of that beleaguered Wisconsin town since television’s “Laverne and Shirley” or beer. No, not as good as beer, let’s be realistic.   “Computer Date” is...   The Rippingtons Modern Art Smooth Jazz pioneers The Rippintons are back with their 2009 release; Modern Art under Peak Records. This is the bands 18th release since forming in 1986. It’s always a pleasure to spend time with the Rippingtons whether your bank puts you on hold, or if you’re waiting in the lobby...   Andrea Plamondon I Still Remember: A Collection of Songs from San Francisco's Underground Andrea Plamondon’s anthology I Still Remember: A Collection of Songs from San Francisco’s Underground 1989-2006 is a fascinating chronicle of the career of a song writer. The classically trained singer delivers songs from her work with bands Joy FM, Satryica, Pox Eclipse and Lucid. Each...   Fraser House on a Hill Canadian singer, songwriter Fraser released his latest CD entitled House on a Hill in the oll in Autumn of 2008. A slew of internet searches revealed no first name for this artist who hails from Ontario. Apparently this is Fraser’s second release as an independent artist.   House on a Hill...   Walter Beasley Free Your Mind Glimpses of Beasley’s 20-year veteran abilities are on view on some of these tracks, but don’t expect an album showcasing technical virtuosity. It’s the kind of album to load while reading the weekend paper, entertaining an elegant dinner party at home, or simply to let play, its...   Blues Divine Shine Like The Sun On their second effort Shine Like The Sun, Blues Divine creates a textured album. All of the songs are firmly rooted in the blues, but Blues Divine makes the most of its wide variety of talented musicians to write uniquely arranged songs that make the typical blues sound more interesting. Shine Like...   Matt Skellenger Parentheticals Matt Skellenger’s Parentheticals pushes instrumental jazz to new unique levels with its experimentation. Skellenger proves himself to be among some of the elite bassists with his performance on the album. While you won’t find a single guitar track on Parentheticals, Skellenger still builds...   Ruin Gloria I'm Pretty Sure My Ex-Girlfriend Is A Vampire EP Australia’s RuinGloria boast former Metallica producer Daniel Leffler on their debut EP I’m Pretty Sure My Ex-Girlfriend Is A Vampire. The EP shows both the pop-sensibility and brutal, metal influence of RuinGloria. While the release only has three songs, each track presents you with a new...   Danny Green With You in Mind   Are you looking for the perfect music to set the mood for your new, ultra-hip night club? Perhaps you’re seducing that special someone tonight and need some tunes that will set the mood without being overt. San Diego born jazz pianist, Danny Green’s debut With You in...   Donnie Williams and Park Place The Power Donnie Williams decided to take his song “Higher Power” from the album Just Like Magic and the meaning behind it to the next level with a special six track release titled what else? The Power. Williams took an unfortunate experience and turned it into to gold by surrendering to The...   Chris Cornell Scream   To those who've been paying attention to alternative music for the past two decades, Chris Cornell needs no introduction. Of course, neither does his penchant for risk-taking. Evidence for such goes as far back as Soundgarden's super-album Superunknown, where a wider range of collaboration...   Philip Clemo The Rooms London’s Philip Clemo uses an enticing blend of jazz and progressive rock on his latest album The Rooms. Clemo experiments with unique sounds throughout the album by providing different “atmospheres” for the background of each song. As a result, The Rooms is an example of...   Ryebender Hollow and Drifting Since the mid-80s alternative country music has steadily grown as a genre, from its early pioneers like Lyle Lovett, Patti Griffin, and Steve Earle to a new generation led by Ryan Adams, Wilco, and Drive-By Truckers. Alaska natives Ryebender offer up Hollow and Drifting to the growing canon of...   Sean McArdle Northern Charms SeanMcArdle.com describes the artist as a “trans-North American punk recluse waxing melancholy for the masses.” This couldn’t have been a more accurate description. McArdle’s morose view on life and love makes Northern Charms an album you either love or hate, with...   Gisele Scales 2 Think Australian violinist turned singer/songwriter Gisele Scales puts forth an interesting blend of beats, strings, and vocals on this album. Although she is a violinist she allows the grooves to take center stage on this dance record while her voice and string work take a back seat. Featuring some...   Ethan Brosh Out of Oblivion   If you look up the definition of Out of Oblivion in the dictionary it reads: the state of being disregarded or forgotten. Rock & roll guitar god Ethan Brosh releases Out of Oblivion in March 2009, and I tip my hat to not only to Ethan Brosh as a guitar player, but to the individual who...   Royksopp Junior It must be something about the Scandinavian air that produces music with such consistently clear, crisp electro blips and beats. Norway’s duo Röyksopp’s newest offering, Junior delivers the expected, in high fashion.   “This Must Be It” (feat. Karin Dreijer) is in...   Donnie Williams & Park Place Just Like Magic Now I like many others have often debated the character of musicians that would go on a show like American Idol that seeks to make talented musicians into a mere commodity that could be packaged, put on television …watched every Thursday night, with one winner, and complete with a world...   The Ars Supernova Lumina Sometimes words escape all of us, which is not the best of situations when preparing to write a review. However, it’s quite impossible not to remain speechless when taking in The Ars Supernova, a prog rock-cum-six piece ensemble with enough bite to gnaw off about half the earth. Take a breather,...   Iuengliss Motion in Mind It’s the story of what happens when musician meets laptop. One-man band Iuengliss’ (“I-Wen-Gliss”) Tom Metz offers up ethereal vocals set amongst a backdrop of unpredictable repetitive drumbeats and squeaky keyboard notes. Some of the more obvious (and self-confessed)...   The Irish Experience Green Energy   The Irish Experience fits the bill on their recent release Green Energy. The band is a trio consisting of Joe Bowbeer (electric fiddle), Tom Hotchkin (upright bass), and Tom May (electric guitar). As one can imagine they get a wee bit ‘o’ help along the way and on Green Energy,...   Benny Golson The Best of Benny Golson He was born in the ‘20’s, played in a teenage living-room band with John Coltrane, shared the stage with Tadd Dameron, Lionel Hampton, Johnny Hodges, and Dizzy Gillespie, composed classic jazz tunes that have become commonplace in jam sessions for over fifty years, portrayed himself in a...   A.J. Croce Cage of Muses In a world where modern music has become a masquerade of showmanship, marketing, and over-the-top hype, it’s blessed relief when a true artist and his work surfaces, enticing the emotional aura of purity. For those who seek musical satisfaction tinted with a blend of good-old- fashioned...   7th Sun From the Beginning Just uttering the terms “instrumental ensemble” or “jam band” conjures up a dozen images, and to be frank, none of them are good. Such is the stigma of the vocal-less, among whose numbers only Explosions in the Sky seem to garner any critical respect. Still, Los...   Timothy Cooper East Wind “I want to help our global society become more peaceful and harmonious, and one way to do that is to release gentle and positive music into the world,” Timothy Cooper explains. His album, East Winds is inspired by the Far East and how the winds are blowing new sensibilities, trade, and...   Nick Lattanzi Paxamericana Boston-based songwriter Nick Lattanzi is one of those artists you want to inherently like, predominantly because of the diverse set of musical chops he brings to the table. A lot of that gusto and confidence flavors Paxamericana, the 19-year-old’s debut album and a soft alternative mishmash....   Adam Gilbert Fishing for Water Adam Gilbert is one of those guys that sounds like a lot of different artists. He possesses a warm strong voice, but on his latest effort, Fishing for Water, he flounders a bit. Adam Gilbert is very talented, but I get the sense he is trolling for his signature sound. The problem with...   The Revelations Featuring Tre' Williams Deep Soul Some albums are satisfying from start to finish like a well-executed tasting menu. With the vocal work of Tre’ Williams taking center stage, Deep Soul, from Brooklyn-based retro-R&B artists The Revelations is one such album. As the title suggests, the tracks here are deep and they are...   Blue News Strange Light As is common knowledge for those in the music world, blues is a tough mistress. It’s just that much of a transcendent genre, requiring equal parts skill and soul to unlock. Even dedicated fans must be disciplined enough to enjoy blues’ intricacies, which in turn often limits its masters...   Pieces of a Dream Soul Intent Originally not knowing anything about Pieces of a Dream, I picked up Soul Intent and by looking at the cover and songs, guessed it would be an R&B album. I was wrong. While there are R&B elements present, the CD is soothing jazz. The group is no newcomer to the jazz...   Ben Johnson Make It Bloom   Around the midway point of his latest album, Make It Bloom, Ben Johnson sings, “I know you couldn’t get bored of my music.” The lyric, from “Leave of Absence,” comes right around the time Make It Bloom’s charm wears off and boredom fills the void left...   Brasil Brazil - Sonia Santos & Ana Gazzola Brasil Brazil 3   Winter blues getting to you? Think you’ll never see the sun again? Then you need to listen to this album.   Brazilian songstresses Ana Gazzola and Sonia Santos come together a third time to produce Brasil Brazil 3, a successful testament to their brand of infectious, sun- and...   Philip Clemo and Ysanne Spevack Soundzero Philip Clemo and Ysanne Spevack have collaborated for the Soundzero project (available in the U.S. 4/6) which includes a host of capable musicians including Cleveland Watkis (voice), Pete Lockett (percussion) and Mark Sanders (drums). There are many other contributors of note as well that make this...   Ramana Vieira Lagrimas De Rainha-Tears of a Queen If you are a fan of Fado and are looking for something a little unusual, this may just be your album.  Vieira’s voice provides the expected warbling, soulful singing and roundness typically expected of a fadista, but the musical arrangements here are what distinguishes this album...   Chick Corea and Hiromi Duet Chick Corea and Hiromi Stunning variety, belief in innovation, and a timeless sound describe Chick Corea, but he is only half of the talent showcased on this 2-disc album. There is also ear-catching beauty, astounding skill, and explosive genre fusion all contained in the up and coming 30 year old Hiromi. The two first...   The DoneFors How To Have Sex With Canadians   The DoneFors don’t offer any love advice on How To Have Sex With Canadians, but the album is a surprisingly textured indie rock opus. Hypnotizing guitar melodies flow into the melodic vocals of Janine Stoll, often creating a Neko Case vibe in The DoneFors sound. Despite relying...   Readymade Breakup Alive on the Vine A while back, I had the opportunity to review the all-girl Swedish import Those Dancing Days, whose Strokes-esque music was forgettable save the lovely, soulful crooning of lead singer Linnea Jönsson. Fairly or unfairly, the band’s catchy (and serviceable) antics were continually...   The Westerners Beautiful Departed Composed of the odd duo of Belgian Joe West and Texan LaDon Drummond, The Westerners create an album as diverse as their geographical origins with Beautiful Departed. The album combines blues and country sounds with strange partners such as synth, accordion and English horn. The unique composition...   Sons of the Addicted Fractal World On their debut album Fractal World, Sons of the Addicted delivers an alternative rock album with a sound you haven’t heard since the mid-90’s. Fractal World is far from a throwback album, but you may recognize the sounds of some of your favorite 90’s alt-rock bands lurking in the...   Lindsey Brier Waiting For The Sun   On his debut Waiting For The Sun, pianist/singer Lindsey Brier brings a classic jazz sound to life. Brier’s deep, but smooth voice is complimented by his delicate piano melodies. Waiting For The Sun also features a variety of talented backing musicians, which allows Brier to create some...   David Grissom 10,000 Feet   When I heard David Grissom’s album Loud Music for the first time I felt that his music was something special and I knew that I could not wait to hear his next offering. Well it has arrived and the title is 10,000 Feet. With 10,000 Feet this six-string slinger is back again with fine...   Various Guitars That Ate My Brain   The phenomenal heavy metal album Guitars that Ate My Brain from Magna Carta Records combines twelve of some of the best head banging, mind numbing, metal songs ever, featuring members of DAath, Korn, Guns N’ Roses, and more!  Paul Waggoner- Boot Dagger Boogle The first track...   Jim Allchin Enigma One of the things Jim Allchin learned early on in life was that passion and persistence matter more than just about anything else. Allchin came from poverty and made quite a life for himself attaining a PhD in Computer Sciences and a long and successful career at Microsoft. Allchin has a fascinating...   Patrick Yandall A New Day   For his tenth release A New Day, veteran jazz guitarist Patrick Yandall delivers an album full of different styles. As with his previous work, the songs of A New Day are filled with Yandall’s smooth guitar soloing, which remains impressive. The 11 tracks of A New Day are often...   Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion There is no shortage of opinion on Animal Collective, who – depending on the party asked – are either the harbingers of the next great genre movement or just another over-hyped, lo-fi psychedelic band. Like everything else, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle, but that...   Anodize Signs Of You   On Signs Of You, Miami’s Anodize does their best to mix electronica programming with blasting rock riffs. It’s a good thing that Anodize has an electronica side to their sound, without it they would just be another genric, alternative-rock, radio-ready band. Signs Of You...   The Spencer Katzman Threeo 5 is the New 3 Tired of mundane, cliché guitar riffs? Tired of the formulated song formats that tire the ears and mind? If so, perhaps it’s time to treat yourself to a copy of the Spencer Katzman Threeo’s 5 is the New 3. Their latest release on 6v6 Records, the creatively titled...   Coyote Poets of the Universe Callin You Home Denver, Colorado’s Coyote Poets of the Universe return with yet another musically diverse album on their fourth effort Callin’ You Home. The Coyote Poets are definitely a band that defies the standard genre definitions. Each song has a unique style, with influences ranging from jazz to...   Sharyn Girl Player Back in my radio days, piles of CD’s would arrive at the station on a daily basis. At times, it was my job to go through them and find anything that might possibly be worthy for airplay. Sometimes I would have time to listen to only a few notes of each, making “yes” and...   A.C. Newman Get Guilty If indie cred were money, A.C. Newman would be a very rich man. As the frontman and brain power behind critical darlings The New Pornographers, the Canadian singer/songwriter has made a living dabbling with the uber-talents of modern indie rock (including fellow band member Neko Case.) Yet here we...   Halie Loren They Oughta Write A Song.... Halie Loren’s second effort They Oughta Write A Song…. picks up where her first release Full Circle (2006) left off. I found once again that her voice was able to wrap me up and take me away…always a welcome relief from the stress of everyday life these trying times we are...   Weird Old America Vaudeville Recently there’s been a back-to-basics trend going on in indie rock. Bands like The Black Keys have reminded us off the raw, bluesy sound that bands like Led Zeppelin, Cream and Jimi Hendrix were built on. Weird Old America’s debut Vaudeville is a great example of this trend. On...   Latent Anxiety Perception, Sensation, Reaction Perception   Sensation   Reaction I met IIja Rosendahl the man behind Latent Anxiety, back in 2006 when he asked to me to review his Perception CD. Now after several years have passed I had the opportunity to hear the more recent projects that followed titled...   Saltman Knowles Return of the Composer For syndicates and listeners who believe that the future of jazz is in danger, Saltman Knowles’ newest release, Return of the Composer, quickly eliminates all doubt.   Musical comrades since their University of Massachusetts days, bassist Mark Saltman and pianist William Knowles have...   Buddy Ivory Rough Cut Buddy Ivory boasts a variety of musical influences and genres mixed to create their unique sound. From rock to country, blues and R&B, Rough Cut has it all. The guitar licks are sharp and the drums do what the band set out to make them do – keep the beat lively and have the...   The Bird and the Bee Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future Most Indie fans out there were probably exposed to twosome The Bird and The Bee in 2007, when their eponymous debut produced the satellite radio favorite (and Grey’s Anatomy-featured) “Again & Again.” For the uninitiated, the Los Angeles duo of Inara George and Greg Kurstin...   Daryl Shawn As Promised Can an album of non-classical solo guitar work succeed? Can it avoid the monotonous and esoteric? Can it have a broad appeal, or will it sound like a demo tape? These are questions Daryl Shawn brings up with the recording of such a project and attempts to answer in the affirmative. Shawn’s...   Carbon 9 The Bull For their WorldSound Music debut The Bull, Carbon 9 delivers an album that walks the line between industrial and hard rock. Crunching guitar melodies mix with the soaring sounds of synth programming throughout the album. On The Bull, Carbon 9 establishes a sound that’s reminiscent of Nine Inch...   Late of the Pier Fantasy Black Channel   There’s something to be said for “messy” music – the artistic equivalent of smearing hot, greasy Sloppy Joe filling onto a toasted bun. Chances are that said mess has been executed much better by our overseas brethren as of late (most notably the British), whose...   Key Dragon Dragon Mythos Dragons, dragons, and more dragons.   Key Dragon’s latest release, Dragon Mythos, is an enigmatic amalgamation of sound and creativity incarnated in a new musical genre: dragon metal. Drawing influences from many wells, this California-based quintet takes on the role of a mythical...   Glasvegas Glasvegas It’s not often one gets to talk about Scottish musical exports, let alone one with as much unbridled buzz as Glasvegas. Then again, neither do those much-heralded acts ever surpass the accompanying hype as easily as the Glasgow-based quintet does on their self-titled debut. Coming virtually...   The Trews No Time For Later Looking at the cover for The Trews’ No Time For Later, you might be wondering if the band sounds as intriguing as their Ralph Steadman-inspired cover art looks. The answer is yes, this albumis the sort of rock album that’s allowed to have thong-clad women on the cover. The third album from...   Melissa Morgan Until I Met You Fans of vocal jazz will love Melissa Morgan. Her vocal tone is sophisticated and complex. Many singers belt (you can just pick a pop diva for an example), using a big, loud sound, like the the clarion call of a trumpet. Some use a whipsy flute-like tone singing almost in falesetto (like Dido, for...   Gina Holsopple Unless I listened to Gina Holsopple’s new album, Unless, while I was on my couch doing some work. I found my head floating about to her hypnotizing piano and Romantic lyrics, instantly transplanting my stress with glee. I really dig this album. It has a similar sound to so many other artists I have...   Andrew Bird Noble Beast There has been an unequivocal resurgence of folk music in the past decade, from the up-tempo bluegrass stylings of Nickel Creek to the warm Appalachian sound of Fleet Foxes. Both are examples of purity, with the latter especially representing a kind of no-holds-barred acoustic outlook unseen in...   The Soul of John Black Black John Ecard "Betty Jean" Black John and The Soul of John Black. Whichever way you look at it, this John has got his groove thang going nonstop on this recording on the sizzling hot Eclecto Groove label. I have not heard a CD from this label that I did not love yet. This is the gospel...   Scott Robertson Swing Patrol   The title of Swing Patrol is more than just a nod to Scott Robertson’s father and the musicians he worked with during World War II. While skepticism might be the first reaction to an album proclaiming to swing, the album name is no misnomer.    Swing Patrol is a...   Various The Blue Note 7 Mosaic The Blue Note 7 tribute band is the encapsulation of “the then” in “the now”, whereby talented musicians are working together to reinterpret very powerful music through new arrangements and individual solos. 1. Mosaic (8:31) Nicholas Payton- Trumpet   The first...   The Hot Club of San Francisco Bohemian Maestro: Django Reinhardt And The Impressionists The Hot Club of San Francisco is an ensemble of gifted artists whose main purpose is to lovingly salute the music of Django Reinhard, an “old timey” Frenchman considered to be the father of “Gypsy jazz”. At first, I wasn’t familiar with this genre, but after spinning...   Foreshadow Nations Of Failure If you’re looking for a metal album that’s the aural equivalent of a tooth-breaking punch to the face, Foreshadow’s debut album Nations Of Failure is probably just what you need. As the title and militaristic cover art suggest, the album has a definite punk rock edge of criticism for...   Young Memphis Bout That Time From looking at the cover of Bout That Time, the kid has the right idea when it comes to proving his status with bling – he’s got huge gold rings, grills showing, even a backwards baseball cap that proclaims he’s “Iced Out.” But someone has got to tell Young...   White Rabbits Fort Nightly Journeying from rural splendor into urbanized mecca seems like the kind of thing that would faze any band, but one won’t be able to tell from White Rabbits’ debut Fort Nightly. To their first full-length album the New-York-City-by-way-of-Missouri sextet infuses a brash sneer that is...   Tony Desare Radio Show I’m always a fan of a well-planned concept album. There’s something about the songs of an album working together to create a bigger theme that’s intriguing. On Radio Show, jazz musician Tony Desare hails radio broadcasting with original and cover songs that represent different...   Eliane Elias Bossa Nova Stories Eliane Elias has done it again. Following her 1998 album, Eliane Elias Sings Jobim, and her 2008 Something For You (a salute to the late piano genius and composer, Bill Evans), Eliane Elias’ latest Blue Note release, Bossa Nova Stories, is yet another fine example of early 1960s Brazilian...   Jem Down to Earth   Welsh-born songstress Jem (nee Jemma Griffiths) became someone to talk about in 2004, when her debut album Finally Woken produced the addictive single “They.” Despite its similarities to the works of a famous, herein-unnamed Baroque composer, the track was a genuine slice of...   Russ Hewitt Bajo El Sol   The fusion of jazz and flamenco is at the heart of this effort from Texas-based guitarist Russ Hewitt. Bajo El Sol, or Under the Sun, is a good name for this brightly produced and mostly up-tempo work. While the influence of Hewitt’s flamenco-flavored playing is present on every...   The Who The Who At Kilburn: 1977 Riveting performances, entrancing lighting arrangements, and of course timeless musical feats are included in this two-DVD set of live concerts from The Who. This package includes a re-mastered recording of the renowned 1969 performance at the London Coliseum of their rock-opera Tommy and also the...   Menomena Friend and Foe In music there are “quilts,” so to speak, from which many bands are cut, even if they aren’t aware of it. Menomena, by way of Friend and Foe, are from such a quilt, and share it proudly with acts such as 31Knots, Evangelicals, and Department of Eagles. Specifically, that is the...   Alberta Cross The Thief & The Heartbreaker Some musical gems are released, forgotten, and then discovered again long after their initial burst. Case in point, Alberta Cross’ The Thief & The Heartbreaker, a kind of half-full release, half-EP hybrid dripping with folksy pain and Americana anguish. There’s bluesy suffering...   Farkus Thought You Should Know   In a time where pretentious art-rock bands are hailed like the second-coming of Jesus, it’s always nice to hear a band that sheds the notions of what’s cool and simply rocks. With their debut EP Thought You Should Know, Chicago’s Farkus delivers a sound that appears to...   Federal Moguls High Risk Investment Planning It’s difficult to discern how serious the Federal Moguls take their own lyrics. Some songs tell deeply personal stories. The duo of DJ Q-Ball and Troy Walsh recount their childhoods with “Bad Rap,” each shamed by parents for their interest in the modern race music that...   The Loudhorns One For Maynard The Loudhorns truly live up to their name on their debut album One For Maynard. Composed of a trio of trumpets, two trombones, French horn and tuba, The Loudhorns have a huge, full sound that you’d expect from a brass band. The band also features a talented rhythm section composed of...   The National Boxer   Sometimes it’s the simple things that define a band – an overnight-sensation radio single, perhaps, or maybe the outrageous personality of a movement-bearing frontman.   In The National’s case, it is the deliciously lazy baritone of lead singer Matt Berninger,...   Jim Croce You Don't Mess Around With Jim, Life & Times, I Got A Name “Operator – could you help me place this call?” Once again, the answer is yes…   In commemoration of the thirty-fifth anniversary of his tragic and untimely death in a plane crash, Rhino (Encore) Records has re-released Jim Croce’s three timeless studio albums...   AG Silver Love Keeps No Score AG Silver’s style on the EP Love Keeps No Score isn’t something we have never heard before, but it is so polished and finely cultivated that it grabs you and makes you listen. Singer Jon Ornee’s poignant vocals and soothing voice mesh with the music so well, sometimes you...   Allison Scola A Braver Kind America is changing. We Americans are embracing our diverse cultural backgrounds in an unprecedented way. Allison Scola embraces her heritage and American story very personally on A Braver Kind, and it's worth a listen.  This young woman uses her deep foreign roots and a...   Green River Ordinance Out Of My Hands Fort Worth, Texas-based Green River Ordinance has accomplished quite a bit in their short career. Since releasing their debut EP in 2003, Green River Ordinance has piled up awards from their local Fort Worth music scene. The band has played shows alongside the likes of Bon Jovi, Collective Soul and...   The Yelling The Yelling It’s always nice to pepper a music review with biographical information, either on a quirky, self-destructive-but-brilliant frontman or perhaps the band themselves, as personalization has always gone a long way in setting up the efficacy of an argument (whether pro or con.) It demonstrates a...   Double Breasted Who Will Love You? Double Breasted is a new sound for the rock genre. Who Will Love You? is their first full length album and it truly manifests and exhibits the creativity of all three members. Each one has an unmistakable talent and passion for their music. Josh Bicknell on percussion, Ardith Collins on the...   The Bad Plus joined by Wendy Lewis For All I Care Cover albums are often difficult to pull off. It’s hard to take a well-known song and make it your own, while staying true to the original. With For All I Care, jazz-trio The Bad Plus tackles an ambitious array of covers, including Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Heart, Yes and the Bee Gees. It’s...   Santogold Santogold Over the past decade there’s been a bit of a new creation in music, which I’ll freely label the “female electro-pop artist.” Look no further than the reinvention of Gwen Stefani and Nelly Furtado for the best examples of such, with both songstresses making pains to distance...   Various The House of the Rising Punk (DVD) The House of the Rising Punk was a 1998 German TV documentary regaling the “wonderness” that was the world famous CBGB’s; the New York City venue that opened in 1973 on sketchy Bowery Street. Now thankfully available on DVD for U.S audiences the fabled tales have aged...   Tiffany Carlson Fall For her second album Fall, Portland artist Tiffany Carlson returns to what she did well on her debut album Long Way Back. Carlson still has a high quality country-folk sound, and she wisely sticks with producer and co-songwriter of Long Way Back Jim Walker on Fall. While Carlson proved she could...   Spanish Blue Demon Disco Rocky, Will Smith, the Broad Street Bullies, the Liberty Bell, the most recent World Series champions, and cheese-steaks call Philadelphia home. With Demon Disco, Spanish Blue looks to add itself to that list of important Philadelphians. Their style is a fusion of hip-hop and funk reminiscent of...   Cannata My Back Pages Volume 1 Let me first say right out the gate that I have become a big fan of Jeff Cannata, who he is as a person and all of the musical projects I have heard to date. I do have to put those feelings aside now and be the critic. When I first got My Back Pages Volume 1 and watched the video My Back Pages, I...   Negus Dare to Dream Steve Negus, Canadian and former drummer for Saga, is clearly suffering from self-esteem issues. While still with his former group he had an entire album’s worth of song ideas rejected. He packed up his kit, formed a new band with eleven other musicians, and named the group after...   Monta at Odds Gringo   Monta at Odds is a Kansas City based group whose myspace page describes their music as electroacoustic, down-tempo. If you’re like me and had to look up what those terms mean (it means “chill out music”) While Monta at Odds’ music is pretty chilled out it...   The Grumpy Throes of Contemplation The Grumpy.   The answer is yes – their musical endeavors do side with the grumpy shades of purple, black and gray their cover art exhibits.   The Sacramento trio’s Throes of Contemplation EP is their 2008 musical offering to the listening public and exists in the form of...   Duffy Rockferry When Welsh singer Aimee Duffy was 11, she was thrown out of her school choir for having a voice that didn’t fit in with the rest of the group. She certainly has a unique voice, that’s for sure. Her debut album, Rockferry, includes a variety of genres such as pop, Motown, soul,...   Luba Mason Krazy Love Barbara Striesand came to mind more than once while listening to Luba Mason on her new decidedly adult contemporary jazz flavored new release Krazy Love. Drawing comparison to a long-standing talent like Ms. Striesand could never hurt one’s career. Everyone likes to maintain their own...   Oxford Collapse Bits “Do you like football?” former President Gerald Ford once asked Homer on The Simpsons. “Do you like nachos? Well, why don't you come over and watch the game and we'll have nachos. And then some beer.” That was a lifetime ago, when the long-running animated show was still...   Incognito More Tales Remixed As you might have guessed from the title, More Tales Remixed is a new take on Incognito’s 2008 album Tales From The Beach. On the remix, the British funk band takes the sweet horn melodies of Tales From The Beach and unleashes a rampage of DJ’s to do their work. The overall sound the album...   Boggie Seeing Angels Seeing Angels is the third album from NYC singer-songwriter Boggie. The CD sounds like a cross of soul, jazz and pop. Unfortunately for Boggie, she does all three genres equally mediocre. While Seeing Angels is never truly unlistenable, it never becomes that exciting either.   Most of...   Evangelicals The Evening Descends Usually when beginning a review, it’s possible (and prudent) to lay down some historical context before segueing into the specific topic, be it a similar band, a musical movement, or some other kind of pop culture bon mot. There are a few cases, however, when doing so would be the literary...   Japhlet Bire Attias JBA   Minnesota’s Japhlet Bire Attias definitely presents the listener with a unique sound on his debut full-length JBA. For one, Attias plays a 10-string Chapman Stick, an instrument that’s a hybrid of guitar, bass and sitar played by tapping. JBA has a fascinating instrumental...   Desert Radio Asleep At The Wheel The desert with its sandy monotony and wide-open expanse has long provided inspiration for songwriters. Take the late Gram Parsons, whose manager stole his corpse from a morgue so that the singer’s last wish–to be cremated on a rock in California’s Joshua Tree National...   Cut Copy In Ghost Colours It’s safe to say that the neo-80’s revival isn’t fresh anymore, fully exhausted by a spate of Cure/New Order hybrids and dead-horse-beater VH1’s “I Love the 80’s” memes. One could argue the movement was never sincere in the first place, but rather a...   Janus Red Right Return    Video for “If I Were You”  FREE DOWNLOAD OF “If I Were You” Janus learned their lessons well in the art of playing melodic rock from the ancestors of the genre such as Def Leppard. The thing about this band is their strong ability to combine powerful...   The Beatles Composing The Beatles Songbook: Lennon and McCartney (1966-1970) Running Time: 112 minutes plus bonus material   Composing The Beatles Songbook: Lennon and McCartney 1966-1970 provides a refreshing, different spin on the usual Beatles documentary. Instead of generally speaking of The Beatles' lives or pathway to and through success, the film covers the...   The Kris Norris Projekt Icons of the Illogical Saturated with fuzz-packed, distorted electric guitars and an onslaught of double bass drum thrusts, the Kris Norris Projekt’s freshly completed Icons of the Illogical is an over-the-top throwback to the metal/progressive rock era.   A jack of all trades on the album, guitarist Kris...   Various Bottle Rocket Short Film Soundtrack   Wes Anderson has staked a career on quirky humor told quirkily. Director of such left-field favorites as Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic, and The Darjeeling Limited, Anderson first made a name for himself with the short film Bottle Rocket, a 1992 release which was later given...   Various Sting Jamaica 2003 (DVD) Most will agree that reggae has come a long way since the days of Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, and Toots and the Maytals. The evolution of this unique musical dialect is plain to see during the near three hours of performances on this DVD. Despite the title, Sting the Police frontman and solo...   The Steps The Steps I’m baffled how Austin, Texas based The Steps ended up on a Japanese record label. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what country the band’s CD is being shipped from- it’s good rock and roll. The self-titled album is a pumping combination of classic rock and modern alternative...   Sansebastian Productions Adventures in Westgarth-The Toyland Sessions Advent