 A few years back, when I was the editor of my very own zine, I stumbled across a charming little band from North Carolina thanks to a review by one of my contributors. That band was the Avett Brothers and I ended up contacting them and getting permission to include one of their songs […]
Richard Thompson – Sweet Warrior
The cover of Richard Thompson’s latest CD is no accident — each song on Sweet Warrior is a battle of sorts, and the vintage French photo (no, it’s not from RT’s baby book) illustrates its stark subject matter. Sweet Warrior navigates territory as dark and familiar as RT’s trademark beret: Unrequited love (“Needle and Thread,” […]
George… Giving It Up for Neil Young
In words far greater than anything I could come up with, my father-in-law (George) had this to say about Neil Young’s recent retrospective: Please tell Tom that the Starbuck’s edition of Neil Young’s live retrospective in Canada is a spectacular tour de force of a writer and player who’s ear hears melody lines and chord […]
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club/Baby 81
It’s been a while since I’ve got an album that has beckoned to be cranked to 11, but the release of Baby 81 has ended that drought. After a brief stint grabbing Americana-type reviews and features with their last album, Howl, the Black Rebel boys come back rocking. From the opening track, “Took Out a […]
Ana Miura/Tenacious Heart
“Oh Canda! Our home and native land!” Ok, sorry, I just had to get that in there, as Ms. Miura hails from Canada. Ottawa to be exact…or is it Ontario? Oh well, both are listed on her website and it looks like she spends a fair amount of time in each place while occasionally jaunting […]
Adam Hood/6th Street EP
Adam Hood’s 4 song EP starts off promising with the semi-rocking “Tuesday Night” in which he proclaims, “I’m always hoping for a good time/It never happens on a Tuesday night.” It’s the standout track of the disc which features mostly Edwin McCain-style vocals, acoustic guitar, bass and drums. (And if anyone would know where to […]
Warren Zevon – Stand in the Fire
The best album not on CD…is finally on CD. Rhino Records rescued Warren Zevon’s classic live album from Asylum’s vaults and released an expanded and remastered version in late March. This album isn’t just live; it’s ALIVE — a vicious assault on songs taken (mostly) from Zevon’s first (and best) two albums. Almost without exception, […]
Tribute to Bruce Springsteen at Carnegie Hall (5 April 2007)
Nice joint,†proclaimed Steve Earle as he walked onto the Carnegie Hall stage to kick-off an extraordinary tribute to the music of Bruce Springsteen. Over the next two hours, a diverse roster of twenty artists performed songs from the Springsteen canon, the best of which included the artists description of Springsteen’s influence or a reflection […]
Kevin Lawson, On the Radar
It’s unlikely that you’ll find me in the Christian section of the record store. Its not that I’m anti-Christian. To the contrary, I’m quite comfortable and proud of my faith. Its more a case of my lack of knowledge in Christian music. Unlike my friend Stephen over at Fishtones.net (shameless plug) I haven’t been exposed […]
The Liabilities/The Liabilities
The Liabilities are a 4-piece from Macon, Georgia consisting of Aaron Irons (lead vocals, guitar), Justin Smith (bass, backing vocals), Brandon Fickler (lead guitar, vocals) and Josh Smith (drums). From listening to their debut self-titled disc, you’d have no idea it was recorded in a 10×30 foot storage shed in Columbia, South Carolina during the […]