Spotlight

Herbie Hancock - 'Maiden Voyage'; Eric Dolphy - 'Out to Lunch' (2021 vinyl reissues)

Herbie Hancock – ‘Maiden Voyage’; Eric Dolphy – ‘Out to Lunch’ (2021 vinyl reissues)

Terrific new vinyl reissues of ’60s-era albums by Herbie Hancock and Eric Dolphy represent two very distinct sides of the classic Blue Note period.

Why R.E.M.'s 'Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage' Remains Definitive

Why R.E.M.’s ‘Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage’ Remains Definitive

R.E.M.’s reflective and unconventional ‘Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage’ arrived 10 years ago today as a sort-of concept greatest-hits set.

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Carn Davidson 9 – ‘The History of Us’ (2021): Something Else! video premiere

The video debuting here takes us on a whirlwind tour of Carn Davidson 9’s upcoming new album ‘The History of Us’ and the driving force behind it.

Bob Dylan, Nov. 2, 2021: Shows I'll Never Forget

Bob Dylan, Nov. 2, 2021: Shows I’ll Never Forget

Bob Dylan is back on the road. Nobody seemed happier about it during his tour-opening stop in Milwaukee than Bob himself.

Why J.J. Cale and Eric Clapton's 'The Road to Escondido' Still Resonates

Why J.J. Cale and Eric Clapton’s ‘The Road to Escondido’ Still Resonates

Released 15 years ago this week, J.J. Cale and Eric Clapton’s ‘The Road to Escondido’ was the kind of record I would not have “gotten” in my teens.

How the Overlooked 'Menlove Ave' Put John Lennon In His Best Light

How the Overlooked ‘Menlove Ave’ Put John Lennon In His Best Light

Released 35 years ago today, ‘Menlove Ave’ contains unvarnished demos and other miscellaneous musings cut by John Lennon during mid-’70s sessions.

How Aimee Mann's 'One More Drifter in the Snow' Brought Unexpected Holiday Cheer

How Aimee Mann’s ‘One More Drifter in the Snow’ Brought Unexpected Holiday Cheer

Before ‘One More Drifter’ arrived 15 years ago today, I couldn’t have imagined that Aimee Mann would do a Christmas album – or that I would love it so much.

Why 'Endless Wire' Should Have Been the Who's Final Farewell

Why ‘Endless Wire’ Should Have Been the Who’s Final Farewell

Released 15 years ago this week, the Who’s ‘Endless Wire’ spent some well-deserved time as a more fitting finish than the somewhat-sour ‘It’s Hard.’

How Frank Zappa's 'Trance-Fusion' Became Yet Another Unpredictable Gift

How Frank Zappa’s ‘Trance-Fusion’ Became Yet Another Unpredictable Gift

‘Trance-Fusion’ arrived 15 years ago today, offering no traditional structures, no choruses, and few repeated elements. It was classic Frank Zappa.

How Tom Waits Got Focused But Stayed Blessedly Weird on 'Bad As Me'

How Tom Waits Got Focused But Stayed Blessedly Weird on ‘Bad As Me’

Released 10 years ago today, ‘Bad As Me’ delivered a set of short but focused songs that spanned a wide range of Tom Waits-isms, both old and new.