by Tom Johnson It’s hard not to wonder how bassist Gerard Smith’s fight with cancer during the recording of Nine Types of Light affected the group. After all, the end result is a decidedly different affair than past TV On The Radio efforts, sounding all the more mature and, admittedly,Read More

by Tom Johnson My dad introduced me to Robert Cray long ago and, even into a new century, little had changed with Cray: He was still putting out dependable, if unspectacular, albums of his smooth brand of blues — a sound that fills in that overlooked category of music thatRead More

by Tom Johnson Bassist Tony Levin has made an incredible career for himself backing some of the finest musicians in the world, but his most notable contributions have been with Peter Gabriel and the ’80s and ’90s incarnations of King Crimson. He left, then returned around this time when TreyRead More

Dave Grohl has, for the most part, put aside his throat-bleeding yell. Thank the gods. Oh, it’s still there, to be sure: “Bridge Burning” comes tearing out of the speakers at full bore, Grohl hollering away, but that gives way to singing pretty quick, and then he sticks with itRead More

by Tom Johnson King Crimson has been a chameleon throughout its four decades of existence, not just shifting to reflect the times but also acting as a sort of quality-assurance agent You May Also Like: Deborah and Pat Mastelotto – ‘A Romantic’s Guide to King Crimson’ (2021) King Crimson, ‘InRead More

by Tom Johnson David Torn’s Tripping Over God is an album that has defied description since the day I bought it in 1995. With only a vague knowledge of the man as a member of David Sylvian’s band for the Secrets Of The Beehive album You May Also Like: CarlRead More

by Tom Johnson Perhaps it was a reaction to claims by fans and detractors alike that Peter Gabriel’s previous live offering, Secret World Live, was really more “live” than live You May Also Like: When Peter Gabriel Suddenly Decided to Open Up on ‘Us’ Jerry Marotta, Legendary Drummer: The AlbumsRead More

Some people just have a gift for the odd twist of phrase that makes a song mean so much more than just a bunch of words or even just a mood. Bruce Cockburn, the Canadian sorta-Christian singer/songwriter is one such guy You May Also Like: Dory Previn, “The Lady WithRead More

When Faith No More disbanded in 1998, they released Who Cares A Lot, one of those annoying best-ofs that fans hate — all the hits they already owned in one form or another You May Also Like: Why Deep Purple’s ‘Who Do We Think We Are?’ Deserves Another Listen DeepRead More

So you like XTC, right? So why don’t you own Andy Partridge’s Fuzzy Warbles? You May Also Like: Bob Dylan – ‘Travelin’ Thru: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 15′ (2019) Here’s How to Fix the Mike Keneally Band’s Slightly Flawed ‘Dog’ Bob Dylan, ‘The Bootleg Series Vol. 15: Travelin’ Thru, 1967-1969′Read More