Trade Winds and Foreign Tongues From Ozone Mama, Gin Lady, Baby Woodrose + Others: Gimme Five
These bands can all rock as hard as any other band from any other place, which shows that maybe the importance of location isn’t such a big deal anymore.
Spotlight
Jazz’s Best Last Records by John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy + Others: Gimme Five
John Coltrane’s ‘Interstellar Space,’ released 45 years ago this month, is just one of jazz’s greatest final recordings.
Bjork’s Vocal-Focused ‘Medulla’ is Still Filled With Countless Surprises
Issued 15 years ago today, Björk’s ‘Medulla’ jettisoned every-day instruments in favor of the purest one: the human voice.
Why ‘Wakafrika’ Should Have (Finally) Made Manu Dibango a Huge Star
The star-packed ‘Wakafrika,’ released 25 years ago, somehow didn’t raise Manu Dibango’s profile in the U.S.
The Beatles, “Old Brown Shoe” from ‘Past Masters’ (1969): Deep Beatles
It took a while, but “Old Brown Shoe” has emerged from the shadow of being a Beatles B-side.
How Bachman-Turner Overdrive Pushed Back Against Prog With ‘Not Fragile’
‘Not Fragile’ hurtled Bachman-Turner Overdrive to stardom 45 years ago this month with an old-fashioned recipe of hard rock rooted in the blues.
When the Libertines Finally Broke Through the Media Frenzy
Issued 15 years ago this week, the Libertines’ surprisingly nuanced self-titled album helped me take the band seriously.
ZZ Top’s “El Diablo,” “Thunderbird,” “Rough Boy” + Others: Gimme Five
We returned to some old favorites as ZZ Top kicks off their 50th anniversary tour tonight.
John McFee of the Doobie Brothers: Something Else! Interview
John McFee discusses planned new music from the Doobie Brothers, continuing shared dates with Santana and the prospects of a solo project.
How ‘It Might Get Loud’ Revealed a Simple Truth About Three Legends
Jimmy Page, the Edge and Jack White debuted in a film 10 years ago today that brought out my inner guitar geek.
