A powerful fusion of the “big rock sound” and swampy blues, You & Me gets much of its inspiration from such masters as Peter Green, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and John Lee Hooker. Bonamassa delivers all the excitement and power of his electrifying live performances while mixing it up with dynamic music choices; from […]
A lot of roads lead to Holly Brook (the singer, not a picnic destination). There’s the hip-hop path, on which plenty of next-big-thing predictors got to know her through her collaboration with Fort Minor on The Rising Tide (her haunting chorus on “Where’d You Go” became an instant hit). Then there’s the TV path, […]
The style known as “anti-folk,” as realized by practitioners like Ani DiFranco and Billy Bragg, is derived from a punk aesthetic, and thus tends to be spare and confrontational. But while Regina Spektor’s music is anti-folk in the way it subverts the traditional coffeehouse vibe, it’s less interested in rebellion and more concerned with […]
So here it is, the second album from The Futureheads. 6 years since forming, 12 record releases, 5 UK tours, 4 US tours, 3 top 20 singles and 250,000 debut albums sold worldwide, where did it all begin? After meeting at the Sunderland City Detatched Youth Project, a lottery funded music scheme for getting […]
Marriage to Steve Earle (who produced this album) seems to have inspired the musical emancipation of Allison Moorer. Whereas her earliest releases seemed to balance commercial country potential with alt-country attitude, her sixth album achieves a different sort of balance–between fuzztone guitars (which variously recall garage bands, grunge, and Neil Young’s work with Crazy […]
The latest disc from Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band “The Phat Pack” showcases more of the hot licks that fans have come to know and love. In addition to the playful jazz of such tracks as “Whodunnit?” and “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes”, the Big Phat Band teams up with guest vocalist Dianne Reeves, […]
The stellar new album from Glasgow’s spectacular pop sextet was influenced by a wide variety of heroes: Jimmy Webb, Lloyd Cole, Connie Francis, Skeeter Davis, The Supremes, and David Lynch. Decidedly upbeat and catchy while also beautifully romantic, quiet, and reflective, this record does not disappoint. The LP includes a coupon for a free […]
Guster’s playful yet literate, spirited and largely acoustic pop-rock returns with the endearing college favorite’s first studio album in three years. Ganging Up On The Sun—produced by Ron Aniello [Lifehouse, Barenaked Ladies and Guster’s previous album, Keep It Together], the band, and new member Joe Pisapia—retains the unconventional, melodic pop craftsmanship and flawless harmonies […]
From the get-go,Van Halen proved breathtaking and ballsy in equal measure. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons Strummin’ with the Devil works so well. In its own hard-pickin’ way, this collection offers a similar sense of musical discovery. Here are those same still-sharp rock gems we know and love retooled using a different sort […]
A Lively Mind, the second artist album from Paul Oakenfold—perhaps the most important figure in modern club culture—is a passionate, up-tempo, electronic adventure. Continuing a tradition of employing unique vocalists, Oakenfold enlisted actress Brittany Murphy (8 Mile, Sin City) for lead track “Faster Kill Pussycat” plus modern hip-hop great Pharrell Williams, hip-hop living legend […]
The ragged and glorious alt-rock of The Replacements made them one of the greatest and most iconic American bands of the 1980s, and inspired countless groups to come. Fronted by lead singer, pianist/guitarist, and principal songwriter Paul Westerberg, these heroes of post-punk/pre-grunge rock ‘n’ roll fused garage band greatness with powerful pop beauty. Fueled […]
Cars is a typical Disney-Pixar animated movie in that it deals with an anthropomorphic character (here, a car) and the heartwarming values of family and friendship. (Alas, we’ll have to wait a little while longer for the company to take on greed and selfishness.) The accompanying soundtrack is equally typical in that it’s split […]
Piece by Piece - the second album from Georgia- born- chanteuse- cum- naturalised- Brit Katie Melua, and the successor to her multimillion-selling Call Off the Search–begins teasingly with the soft-pedaled “come hither” jazz flirtations of “Shy Boy” and concludes with the whispering philosophical torch-song resignation of “I Do Believe in Love.” The two songs […]
The combined talents of Robin Zander, Rick Nielsen, Tom Petersson and Bun E. Carlos continue to resonate with generations of musicians and fans alike. The album was produced by Cheap Trick and co-producers Jack Douglas, Steve Albini, Julian Raymond and Chris Shaw. The first single “Perfect Stranger” was produced by Linda Perry and co-written […]
