I don’t know exactly what kept Cynic apart for a decade and a half following 1993’s groundbreaking Focus, but the band returned almost as if little time had passed — still technical, still heavy, and not a little bit weird and jazzy in places … maybe even “beautiful,” some oddRead More

The surface comparisons were nearly impossible to ignore and, I have to admit, I immediately associated the Bad Plus to Medeski Martin and Wood. You May Also Like: No related posts.

It is impossible to deny Led Zeppelin their right to the moniker “kings of rock ‘n roll.” Twenty-plus years after their demise, all they had to do was release a giant new live box. You May Also Like: Why ‘Celebration Day’ Provided the Perfect Farewell for Led Zeppelin

Tortoise is one of those bands that, once I locked into what was going on behind their music, I found that I understood what was going on in a lot of other bands I hadn’t really “gotten” up until then. You May Also Like: Tortoise’s ‘Beacons of Ancestorship’ Provided IntriguingRead More

You will never hear anyone accuse Neko Case of “phoning it in.” She’s the kind of singer about whom there’s no doubt that she’s passionate about her craft, belting out a modern combination of Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn. The alt-country chanteuse returned here from a three-year break, and continuedRead More

There are certain names that signify quality in a musical release, and there’s a bunch gathered on McCoy Tyner’s ‘Guitars.’

Ah, yes, another dreary offering from Tool-screamer Maynard James Keenan’s boring other band. They started out with a promising first album, Mer de Noms, then followed it up with the tedious and monotonous Thirteenth Step and returned in ’04 with that staple of washed-up bands: the covers-album. What do theyRead More

Dream Theater has become an iffy proposition for me. I still take my chances on them with each release, hoping that I’ll find a diamond like I did with 2007’s excellent Systematic Chaos — and not get another lump of coal like Octavarium. Chances are better with a live release,Read More

I know what you’re thinking – three basses … another Spinal Tap opus? Nope, sorry. If it’s not Spinal Tap, then next to the drum solo, the bass solo is just about the most reviled thing at concerts You May Also Like: Four Jacks and a Jill, “Master Jack” (1968):Read More

Even though I have been burned many times in the past, I still tend to take chances on projects on John Zorn’s Tzadik label. I tend to steer away from his pure-noise exploration, as I simply don’t have the appreciation for it that I wish I did, but I have,Read More