Articles by: Tom Johnson

Vinyl

Half Notes: Ryan Adams and the Cardinals – Follow the Lights (2007)

Ryan Adams followed up a fantastic 2007 Easy Tiger album with Follow the Lights — a seven-song EP featuring two brand-new songs seen on ABC television show “October Road.” The rest were live-in-studio alternate versions of previously recorded songs, aside from his cover of Alice in Chains’ “Down In ARead More

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Half Notes: Mörglbl – Grötesk (2007)

Don’t even bother: it doesn’t mean anything. It’s just a weird band name they use because it sounds funny. And that, in itself, should tell you something about this band: They’re French and they have this kind of sense of humor. Add in the fact that guitarist Christophe Godin playsRead More

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One Track Mind: Jeremy Enigk, "One And One Is One" (2003)

How do things like this go unreleased? Ex-Sunny Day Real Estate frontman Jeremy Enigk wrote some beautiful music for the soundtrack to the film United States Of Leland You May Also Like: Joe Sofra, “One of Those Things” (2020): One Track Mind Sluka, “Happy In Your World” (2021): One TrackRead More

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Half Notes: Dream Theater – Octavarium (2005)

For Dream Theater, album No. 8 was their fourth with a lineup including Jordan Rudess on keyboards (the keyboard slot being the weak seat in the band). The band apparently listened to fan’s comments about the last two extremely hectic, overly chaotic albums and scaled back their penchant for excessive,Read More

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Morgan Agren/ Trey Gunn/ Henry Kaiser – Invisible Rays (2011)

If there is any musician today who embodies the musical spirit of Robert Fripp, it must be his former King Crimson bandmate, Warr Guitarist Trey Gunn. You May Also Like: No related posts.

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Quodia, featuring Trey Gunn – The Arrow (2007)

When he left King Crimson in late 2003, the first question on most fan’s minds was, “What is next for Trey Gunn?” It took more than three years to get a definitive answer You May Also Like: No related posts.

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Live – Birds Of Pray (2003)

It’s hard to fault a band for wanting to stick to their “norms.” The fans have some expectations as to what the band’s signature sound is. Some bands set a precedent for themselves, that no two albums will deliver any similarities between others, but these bands are the ones whoRead More

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On Second Thought: The White Stripes – Elephant (2003)

I really wanted to not fall for it. I really wanted to be able to stand back and scoff at it. I’d done so for a while, very successfully. You May Also Like: Were the White Stripes Actually a Bad Thing for Jack White? Jack Bruce and Robin Trower foundRead More

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Rush – Time Machine 2011: Live In Cleveland (2011)

Finally, a Rush live album! Even for an old Rush fan like me, their live albums are beginning to seem a little redundant. You May Also Like: How Rush Finished at the Top of Their Game With ‘Clockwork Angels’ Every Copy of Rush’s ‘Roll the Bones’ Reveals Something New

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One Track Mind: The Milk and Honey Band, "Way Too Long" (2004)

In 2004, XTC mastermind Andy Partridge opened his heart and new label Ape Records to house not only his Fuzzy Warbles series — and initial releases by Peter Blegvad, Orpheus, the Lowdown, as well You May Also Like: Why Neutral Milk Hotel’s ‘In an Aeroplane Over the Sea’ Still VeryRead More