Randy Newman is one of my favorite songwriters, as adept at breaking your heart with a meditation on loss as he is at riling you up with satirical commentary on the state of politics and society. Of course there’s also his impressive array of movie soundtracks, from “Toy Story” to “the Natural.” Here he is […]
Jackie Greene – Back To Birth
I’ve always liked musicians who mix things up in a live show and aren’t afraid to dive into a new genre, comfortable their artistry and talent aren’t confined to a single style. Â Over the years, Joan Osborne has been a poster child for that, doing everything from 90’s pop ballads to covers of Motown classics […]
Mea Culpa! A Special Summer Playlist, Part 2
Devil in Me, Anderson East (from the Low Country Sound/Elektra Records release Delilah) There’s something special about that old-school soul sound. It’s all the more impressive when it is created by a young whippersnapper like Anderson East. The Nashville by way of Alabama singer-songwriter serves up an exhilarating debut album that is steeped in Muscle […]
Peace, Love and Twang at the Philadelphia Folk Festival
The Philadelphia Folk Festival, which has been around for 54 years, isn’t your grandfather’s folk festival. While there is still a smattering of venerable acoustic solo folksingers on its program like Arlo Guthrie, Bruce Cockburn and Tom Paxton, the festival has become a great platform for Americana artists of all flavors as well as for […]
Monday Morning Video – Whitney Rose with Raul Malo
Last month we featured Eilen Jewell and the Sweetback Sisters paying tribute to the Ronettes with a performance of the “Be My Baby.” Not surprisingly the legendary song is a favorite of many artists. Singer-songwriter Whitney Rose recorded the song for her new release Heartbreaker of the Year. Joining her on the track is album […]
Mea Culpa! A Special Summer Playlist, Part 1
Mea culpa! So last year I made a commitment to myself to write a monthly playlist and publish it within the month for which it was named. I gave myself a hearty pat on the back when I met that goal. Thankfully, I didn’t set the same goal this year as I would have failed […]
Kevin Sekhani Talks About a First Gig Filled with Hard Rock Covers and Bad Clothes
Louisiana native Kevin Sekhani reflects on a career that has spanned more than 20 years, surprisingly recalling the lyrics of the first song that he wrote, the time he lost both a band and a van simultaneously and the varied rehearsal spaces that he has occupied.
Monday Morning Video – An Evening with The Clash
Some weeks need to be started with a full-on rock show. This is one of those weeks. Ladies and gentlemen, here is the Clash, live from Passaic, NJ in 1980
Trampled By Turtles – Wild Animals
Perhaps as a side effect of a misspent youth where I had friends who leaned toward torn clothing, homemade piercings, and 5 minute rock songs played in under 2, I’ve always kind of liked really fast bluegrass. Â Several years ago I stumbled across Trampled By Turtles, who didn’t just speed up bluegrass songs, they wrote […]
Monday Morning Video – Del Amitri Rain on Some Other Sucker’s Parade
This song is filled with lyrical gems, several of which I’ve shared on our social media #rockwisdom series. Here’s the song in all its glory, performed back in 1997. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to enjoy a new #rockwisdom lyric each week.