Archive for January, 2012

Vinyl

Gregg Allman named international artist of year; see complete list of Maple Blues Awards winners

Gregg Allman was named international artist of the year, while New Brunswick bluesman Matt Andersen was named the year’s top acoustic act, male vocalist and entertainer at Canada’s 15th Maple Blues Awards ceremonies overnight. You May Also Like: The Allman Brothers Band’s Ubiquitous ‘Whipping Post’: One Track Mind

Vinyl

On Second Thought: Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers, "Bustin' Loose" (1979)

An update to the story told two years ago, when I had train on the brain. The train rides are coming to an end and I’m bustin’ loose. You May Also Like: Chuck Berry, June 1972: Shows I’ll Never Forget

Vinyl

Jack DeJohnette – Sound Travels (2012)

Jack DeJohnette, the ferociously talented rhythmnist, opens and closes this project at the piano, all alone. There’s a quiet grace about it that belies everything we’ve come in expecting from, you know, a jazz drummer’s record. You May Also Like: Jack DeJohnette, with Ravi Coltrane and Matthew Garrison – InRead More

Vinyl

Misty Boyce – Misty Boyce (2010)

If you’ve listened to enough pop music over your years of taking in culture, you’ll eventually come to realize that things just can’t be the way you’d want them to be. You May Also Like: How Norah Jones Examined a Deep Hurt on ‘… Little Broken Hearts’ I-Ten – ‘TakingRead More

Vinyl

The Band’s Levon Helm to undergo undisclosed medical procedure, will miss at least a month of dates

Levon Helm, the Grammy-winning co-founding member of the Band, is set to undergo an undisclosed medical procedure that will keep him from performing for at least a month. You May Also Like: How Levon Helm Turned ‘Dirt Farmer’ Into a Rootsy, Thrilling Comeback Walter Becker, “Medical Science [Demo]” (1994): SteelyRead More

Vinyl

New Music Monday: Jumping jazz from Jack DeJohnette and Wadada Leo Smith

Here’s a run down — with a few of our thoughts — on some notable music projects, both new and reissue, slated for release for the week of Jan. 16, 2012. You May Also Like: Andrew Cyrille, with Wadada Leo Smith and Bill Frisell – ‘Lebroba’ (2018)

Vinyl

Sparks Fly On E Street: Bruce Springsteen, "Candy's Room" (1978)

The teenage mind houses a seething mix of focus and scattered thought. Lust, anger, and confusion swirled around in my head, though at times I’d drill straight down to one topic. Usually, that topic was lust. You May Also Like: Reevaluating Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Wild, the Innocent and the ERead More

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One Track Mind: Ani DiFranco, "Which Side Are You On? (2012)

Bruce Springsteen underscored the power and sweep of songs associated with Pete Seeger a few years back. Ani DiFranco, in the title track from her forthcoming new album, goes one step further. You May Also Like: Marty Penrose, “My Side of the Merri” (2020): One Track Mind

Steely Dan Sunday, "The Fez" (1976)

Steely Dan Sunday, “The Fez” (1976)

Just what the heck is Steely Dan’s “The Fez” about? Let’s just say it works pretty well to prevent parenthood.

Vinyl

Serj Tankian – Elect The Dead Symphony (2010)

They keep sayin’ that the album is going to go away, and that digital singles will take over. Hey, that’s the way things started You May Also Like: Tommy James and the Shondells – Cellophane Symphony (1969): Forgotten Series Philip Glass Transcended David Bowie’s Towering Influence on ‘Low Symphony’