ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Living in the Aftermath, by Chris Mills Brooklyn-by-way-of-Chicago musician Chris Mills is a pop classicist. Spend time with Aftermath and you’ll hear a guy well versed in retro-1960’s pop but with a proper contemporary attitude. His latest release takes the production richness of his 2005 orchestra-backed “The Wall to Wall Sessions” […]
The Real Return of Matthew Sweet
About 18 months ago I wrote an optimistic piece about the potential return of 1990’s power pop master Matthew Sweet. weet had recently posted a a medley of new songs being considered for the album, all rich with the boisterous guitars and pop melodies that made 1991’s Girlfriend so magnificent. Fast-forward, or slow-forward as the […]
Albert Hammond Jr. + More, Releases 7/8
Albert Hammond, “101” from previous release ‘Yours to Keep’. ALBERT HAMMOND JR., Como Te Llama (RCA/RED) Official Site | MySpace | Samples (Amazon) Better known as the rhythm guitarist of The Strokes, Albert Hammond, Jr. didn’t get nearly enough notice for his stellar 2006 release ‘Yours to Keep’ featuring a slammin’ single called ‘101’. Both […]
Mark Wright, Takings Twists and Turns Through the Melting Pot
Some artists embody America’s rich music history in the strangest and most surprising ways. As a big Springsteen fan I first learned about Mark Wright when he announced a cover project of Springsteen songs. When I decided to investigate a little further I stumbled in one surprise after another. Aside from covering Springsteen, Mark Wright […]
Alejandro Escovedo – Real Animal
Alejandro Escovedo may finally be getting his due on his new album Real Animal. He is touring this Summer with Dave Matthews, he recently shared the stage in Houston with “The Boss” (see video below) and he has a Letterman appearance scheduled for early August. Considering he has been one of the most respected musicians […]
The Waifs and Drew Emmitt
Compass Records is on a roll. Earlier this year they put out The Waybacks new release Loaded. More recently, They released The Waifs Sundirtwater. Just so things don’t get stale they will be releasing Drew Emmitt’s Long Road on July 15th. I have previously posted on The Waybacks. However, equally deserving of praise are The […]
The Last Almanac/A Memoir
Never has bitter sounded so sweet. You’re singing along with a smile on your face and the wind in your hair when suddenly you realize this guy is really pissed off. I mean, some folks have really gotten under his skin. But with A Memoir, I’m saying that Josiah Rosen has gotten the last laugh. Clocking […]
Handicapping the Songs of Summer
Now that summer has arrived we can begin handicapping the song that will dominate the airwaves this summer. What It Will Be: “Mercy” by Duffy You’ll be immediately captivated by the warmth and beauty of Duffy’s voice but the beat-heavy R&B swing, a bit reminiscent of Aretha Franklin’s “Freeway of Love,†is the secret weapon […]
Los Lonely Boys + More, Releases 7/1
Los Lonely Boys performing “My Way” (acoustic) on VH1. LOS LONELY BOYS, Forgiven (Epic) Official Site | MySpace | Samples (Amazon) San Angelo’s own giants of Texican rock n’ roll, the Los Lonely Boys, release their third album consistent with the big sound that has helped make them famous. The Steve Jordan (John Mayer) produced […]
Josh Ritter Pops
Last week was a great one for shows here in Boston. Among the best was Josh Ritter and his band performing with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall, the legendary home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Ritter has always been a gracious performer but he was clearly moved by the moment. “This is such an […]