Archive for January, 2011

Yes' 'South Side of the Sky,' 'Sound Chaser,' 'It Can Happen' + others: Gimme Five

Yes’ ‘South Side of the Sky,’ ‘Sound Chaser,’ ‘It Can Happen’ + others: Gimme Five

Yes has taken more twists and turns than the fantastical lettering created for its album covers by Roger Dean.

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Something Else! sneak peek: The Low Anthem – Smart Flesh (2011)

By Mark Saleski It was about two years ago that me and TheWife™ went to a folk-ish show in the unassuming function hall of a local church. The band was The Low Anthem. We had never heard of them but not long into the set, in the middle of aRead More

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Something Else! sneak peek: Robbie Robertson, "When The Night Was Young" (2011)

We find Robbie Robertson, former guitarist with Bob Dylan and the Band, again hurtling through the Mississippi Delta, racing past old churches with scolding signs out front, hanging out with grifters and cardsharps, searching for something deeper, something real. This time, it’s different, though. You May Also Like: A LegacyRead More

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Sounds of Saturn – Mars Via Parachute (2010)

by Nick DeRiso Sounds of Saturn, a Fort Wayne, Ind.-based experimental trio, takes the road less travelled on Mars Via Parachute. In fact, often, they’re not on any road at all. Instead, the record employs every trick in the noodle-rock playbook, from psychedelia and stadium-shaking riffs to thrilling science-geek constructionsRead More

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One Track Mind: Gregg Allman, "I Can't Be Satisfied" (2011)

by S. Victor Aaron I know no one will believe it, but a couple of weeks ago I heard Muddy Waters’ 1948 classic recording of his first hit “I Can’t Be Satisfied” for the first time in a while and decided then and there that it needed the One TrackRead More

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Scanner & the Post Modern Jazz Quartet – Blink of an Eye

by Mark Saleski The area of electro-acoustic music encompasses so many different sounds and constructions that the label itself is nearly meaningless. As the name implies, it is music created with both acoustic and electronic instruments. On my list of favorites are the Anthony Braxton/Richard Teitelbaum collaboration featuring synthesizers andRead More

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Something Else! Featured Artist: Hall and Oates

by Something Else Reviews Call them a guilty pleasure. (We have.) But the truth is, there’s more to Hall and Oates than the sum of their blow-dried caricature. So, we set about looking for tunes that made some points: That they brilliantly connected the dots between new wave and andRead More

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The Dave Liebman Group – Turnaround, The Music of Ornette Coleman (2010)

Photo by David Sokol by Mark Saleski Harmolodics. It’s not difficult to find decently-written descriptions of Ornette Coleman’s musical philosophy. A general understanding of his concept can lead the listener to a deeper appreciation of the music. I thought I understood what Ornette was getting at…until having the opportunity toRead More

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Ferit Odman – Nommo (2010)

by Nick DeRiso Drummers, even the rare ones who find fame, are enablers. They spend the bulk of their time refocusing the spotlight on others. It’s no different on Nommo, the sterling new quartet release by Turkish-born Ferit Odman. He assembled a thoughtful group of notables for sessions held inRead More

Yes - 'Tales From Topographic Oceans' (1974): The Friday Morning Listen

Yes – ‘Tales From Topographic Oceans’ (1974): The Friday Morning Listen

“Betsy — I wish you the very very best!” said the note inside Yes’ ‘Tales From Topographic Oceans.’ “Nous Sommes Du Soleil. Peace & Love always, Neal.”