This is the follow up to 2016’s These American Blues. That is not an easy proposition. To top that or even tie it, would take something special. Well Levi rose to the occasion, as he always does. This album is definitely more rock oriented, where These American Blues was a little more soul and folk based. It is a perfect transition into a new journey. I thought These American Blues was as good as it gets. I was mistaken. I’ts All Good is as good as it gets, so far.(more…)
A refreshing change in the sound for Lucero. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of their material over their long career. Having said that, I like variety. I also enjoy seeing the evolutionary process of the artist. As I have said before, it is not sustainable for an artist to keep making the same album over and over. There are a few exceptions to this rule (Son Volt and The Ramones come to mind), but even the artists don’t want to just stagnate and not strive for musical growth. (more…)
There are never too many stellar voices in popular music. So when another one shows up on the scene, it just adds to the talent already in existence. So enter AHI (pronounced eye), who has a 100 year voice. It is like velvet and melted butter. Personally, I don’t think I have heard a voice move me that much since the first time I heard Seal, back in the early 90s. (more…)
I love a good story with a happy ending. Who doesn’t love happy endings? So way back, Ben sand Emily Roberts almost called it quits until that fateful moment when a woman in a grocery story praised the duo and told them not to give up. And they didn’t. If that isn’t a Cinderella Story, please correct me. I didn’t think so.
Better get a whole fuckin’ box of tissues for this album. I am not even kidding. Everything you thought you knew about the singing Jewish cowboy from Illinois that lives in Texas, needs to be thrown out the window. This isn’t just a fun-loving album that Kinky is known for. The humor is not as prominent as in years past, but the humor has been replaced with some of the most thought provoking songwriting I have been exposed to in quite a while.
Right in my wheelhouse. Irreverent rock and roll with a sturdy foundation of power pop. Not too shabby for just three fellas. That’s a lot of sound from three peeps. I was, and still am, totally obsessed with power trios. The good ones, of course. I put Jeremy Porter & The Tucos in that category. All of the guys in the band sing and play at the same time. I have trouble doing two things simultaneously so when I see folks do it well, it really impresses me. Let me introduce you to the boys in the band. We got: Jeremy Porter on guitars, vocals, organ, piano, and harmonica; Gabriel Doman on drums, percussion, and vocals; and, Patrick O’Harris on bass and vocals. All of the guys are expert multitaskers.(more…)
Thomas Dolby is one of the pioneers of using synthesizers in rock and roll music. As Thomas explains, there was a real backlash from the so called big hair rockers against musicians, such as Thomas, who felt that a rock band was electric guitars, electric bass, drums, and maybe a keyboard or organ. Luckily, Thomas followed his muse and synthesizers are now commonplace in rock and pop music. For me and teenagers who came of age in the 1980s, Thomas Dolby was, and still is a big deal. Dolby is now a professor at Johns Hopkins University and is about to embark on a US tour in August.
