The story of Sly and the Family Stone is that of the 1960s, a decade of dizzying highs followed by a period of just as devastating lows. Their music, and the band itself, shared the similar promise of a new way — only to implode with a shocking finality. YouRead More

Appalachian archivists Southeast Engine are tinged with the fatalistic old-time religion of the region, most notably on 2009’s From the Forest to the Sea, so it’s tempting to see their bloodline in Old Testament terms You May Also Like: Jenny Scheinman – Here on Earth (2017) Andrew Bird’s ‘Noble BeastRead More

Kind Of Blue has long been touted as the best jazz album ever made, and I remain on that big bandwagon. But what’s the second best? You May Also Like: Wayne Shorter’s masterpiece album Speak No Evil turns 50 Wayne Shorter (1933-2023): An Appreciation Denny Zeitlin – Early Wayne (2016)

As Roger Waters’ European stadium tour of Pink Floyd’s The Wall hits Budapest tonight, he admits that his relationship with the work has become less personal You May Also Like: Pink Floyd’s ugly split hasn’t soured Nick Mason on Roger Waters: ‘Still one of my oldest, dearest friends’ Roger WatersRead More

From a 1977 Marvel comic that presented the band as superheroes to a new line of make-up festooned Hello Kitty items, Kiss has perfected a merchandising aesthetic across successive generations. You May Also Like: Kiss – Rock and Roll Over (1976): On Second Thought

On the precipice of some very bad vibes — they were about to lose Nicky Hopkins then David Freiberg before going into a folk-rock abyss with Dino Valenti — Quicksilver Messenger Service put on one of its last truly great shows. You May Also Like: Adam Hopkins’ Crickets, “Grounded” (2023):Read More

Greg Lake’s worldwide Song of a Lifetime tour found him sharing stories as much as his discography, then inviting members of the audience to talk about the connective qualities of music. One such tale still stands out. You May Also Like: Greg Lake picks his favorite Emerson Lake and PalmerRead More

If Two Against Nature was a somewhat unlikely winner Grammy winner for 2001, Album of the Year, the song “Cousin Dupree” was an even more unlikely winner for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. You May Also Like: Steely Dan, “Glamour Profession” from ‘Northeast Corridor’ (2021):Read More