Preston Frazier’s Mid-Year Best of 2014 (Rock, Pop and Jazz): Simon Phillips, Kere Buchanan, Nathan East, Oz Noy, Judith Owen, Toto
Already, we’ve heard so much great stuff from the Toto family tree of music.
Spotlight
Something Else! sneak peek: Jerry Lee Lewis, “Rock and Roll Time” from Rock and Roll Time (2014)
An enduringly ornery delight, the Killer still sounds as dangerous as ever.
‘It’s hard to complain about it’: Neal Doughty says REO Speedwagon happily delivers the big ballads
They’ve had other hits, but REO is famous today for two sweet-talking No. 1 smashes.
S. Victor Aaron’s Mid-Year Best of 2014 (Avant Garde & Experimental Jazz): Jimmy Giuffre, Roscoe Mitchell, Jamie Saft/Joe Morris
The appeal of this music is its unbiased diversity and lack of set rules.
‘We sing it better’: David Crosby makes bold statement about the Beatles track from CSNY 1974
He says Crosby Stills and Nash bested the original – and it’s not even close.
Nick DeRiso’s Mid-Year Best of 2014 (Rock, Roots and Prog): John Oates, Jack White, David Crosby, Joe Henry, GOASTT, California Breed
A career-defining three-EP set, a stirring comeback, another thrilling head scratcher.
S. Victor Aaron’s Mid-Year Best of 2014 (Modern and Mainstream Jazz): Steve Lehman, Jamie Saft, Matthew Shipp, Joe Beck
The future of jazz looks blindingly bright.
Micky Dolenz’s first original for the Monkees caused quite a stir: ‘Just a total word association’
It reached No. 2 in the UK, but only after a name change to (no kidding) “Alternate Title.”
‘There were more names than gigs’: On the history of Pink Floyd, before they were Pink Floyd
Best known among the early bands was Sigma 6, with Nick Mason, Rick Wright and Roger Waters.
Paul Stanley on the Kiss album he still can’t stand: ‘We were clueless; it had no teeth’
“We were so full of ourselves,” Kiss’ Paul Stanley admits, “that we forgot why we started making music.”
