Sinead O’Connor’s ‘How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?’ featured return-to-form originals that are both offbeat and powerful – sometimes all at once.

You’re to be forgiven for expecting this to be a guitar record. First, there’s Ned Evett himself — a master of this specially created fretless version of the instrument. And his producer, gearhead Adrian Belew. You May Also Like: Adrian Belew’s ‘Side One’ Was a Journey Through His Rich MusicalRead More

The debut of this soulfully swaying amalgam finds Byron – one of this era’s more intriguing jazz clarinetist/saxophonists – turning his attention to the layered musical legacies of Thomas A. Dorsey and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Dorsey, known as the father of black gospel, pioneered the combination of traditional Christian hymnsRead More

His sound is so crystalline, so special, that Carlos Santana remains recognizable with or without pictures. Yet for all of the accolades showered on this Mexican-born American guitar hero, not least of which is his inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Santana has always been as boldRead More

When this New Hampshire vocalist first arrived with the debut project Red Door Sessions, she was all of 13-years-old. Inevitably, the attention surrounding Brisson was as much (maybe more) about her age as her, well, her voice. Chloe Brisson returns, four years later, with an album that makes the caseRead More

Their emblematic lead single, “Listen to Your Love,” is everything you need to know about Mona: A stirring, arena-rock riff; a howling, transfixing frontman; a propulsive, punky chorus. So, OK, this might be ground already well trod by Kings of Leon. Still, there’s something intriguingly authentic about this project, recordedRead More

A lost gem by the late, great lead guitarist for Parliament-Funkadelic, Hazel’s 1977 debut album features a trio of well-selected covers set amidst of series of thunderously groovy originals featuring many of his fellow P-Funk All Stars. Highlights include the trippy reverie of Hazel’s take on the Mamas and theRead More

Anchored by the longtime trio of vocalist/guitarist Tim Kasher, bassist Matt Maginn and guitarist/vocalist Ted Stevens, Cursive’s latest long player is a bit of surprise — a Big Idea Project. While the emo-punk band has always explored its share of thorny issues (religion, narcissism, drowning in hell’s flames), here theyRead More

There are a lot of ways to fail at a jazz vocal album, in particular with the glut of such projects flooding the marketplace these days. The first, though, is to lack nerve. You May Also Like: Stephanie Angelini and Vince Tomas, “Midnight Blue” (2020): One Track Mind

You worry when legacy rockers return after long layoffs. You wonder if they are going to sound too on the nose, like imitations of their previous selves. You worry that they won’t sound enough like their old selves too You May Also Like: Tommy James and the Shondells – CellophaneRead More