A set of durable sounds, steered by depth, insight and million-watt melodies.

Mike Tiano on the unlikely intersection of a Firesign film and a Long Beach porno theater.

Formed 1966 and initially called Purple Earth Quake, this Berkeley, California-based band was not only a permanent presence on the Bay Area music scene for more than a decade, but they gathered loyal followings throughout scattered pockets of the world You May Also Like: Bill Lloyd – Feeling the ElephantRead More

This was the one where Ritchie Blackmore refused to go on stage, because it was not yet sunset — and he felt that would dim the impact of Deep Purple’s lightshow. You May Also Like: Deep Purple – InFinite (2017) Why Deep Purple’s ‘Who Do We Think We Are?’ DeservesRead More

I find it necessary to make it clear that it takes a whole lot of patience to listen to the good 90 minutes of music on Big Wheel And Others. You May Also Like: Ross Hammond, with Oliver Lake and Mike Pride – ‘Our Place On the Wheel’ (2020) LaurenceRead More

Pianist Connie Crothers and tenor saxophonist Jessica Jones color outside the lines on Live At the Freight, a duo recording taken from a session in August of 2011 at the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse in Berkeley. You May Also Like: Pearring Sound – True Story (2017) Norah Jones – ‘PickRead More

Stationed in Oakland, California, Felsen plays the kind of music that’s easy to groove to as well as to kick back to and absorb the poetic content. You May Also Like: Bobby Kimball – We’re Not in Kansas Anymore (2017) Why I Used to Hate Metallica’s ‘Black Album’ (But Don’tRead More

For all of its well-deserved accolades, the Beach Boys’ 2012 reunion was missing two irretrievable elements. This remastering of a 1976 performance at Anaheim Stadium makes clear just how important the late Carl and Dennis Wilson were. You May Also Like: Why the Beach Boys’ ‘Sail On, Sailor’ Pointed toRead More

I try my best not to judge an album by its cover or a band by its name. But every now and then one of those things catches my attention. You May Also Like: Soilwork – ‘Verkligheten’ (2019) Metal Church – XI (2016) Archon Angel – ‘Fallen’ (2020)

Operating out of Alhambra, California, the Second Helping signed on the dotted line with the local Viva label, where they issued three singles during their livelihood. You May Also Like: Jeff Coffey, “This Is It” from ‘Origins: Singers and Songs that Made Me’ (2020): One Track Mind Toto bassist ShemRead More