What ‘Back to Basics’ Said About Bill Wyman’s Post-Stones Career
Released five years ago this week, ‘Back to Basics’ showed Bill Wyman was still as unpretentious and small-scale as his ex-Rolling Stones bandmates are outsized and cocksure.
Something Else!
Let’s Celebrate Summer With Jamiroquai’s ‘Seven Days In Sunny June’
Jamiroquai set a party mood 15 years ago this month with “Seven Days In Sunny June,” using much of the playbook from the Isley Brothers’ classic cover of “Summer Breeze.”
Thiago Nassif – ‘Mente’ (2020)
Thiago Nassif’s progressive assault on Brazilian pop won’t appeal to everybody, but they say that about all artists ahead of their time *during* their time.
Sylvester – ‘Step II’ (1978; 2020 reissue)
Returning to Sylvester’s ‘Step II’ is a perfect way to not only celebrate Gay Pride Month, but to relive great music from the height of the disco era.
Jorge Roeder – ‘El Suelo Mío’ (2020)
Jorge Roeder brings a lot of virtuosity to the double bass, but the most striking thing about ‘El Suelo Mío’ is how he is able to get such lovely sounds and captivating rhythms out of it.
Staring Into Nothing – ‘Love’ (2020)
A fresh glance at melodic progressive-rock music, Staring Into Nothing’s ‘Love’ reveals a wondrous waterfall of beauty on repeated spins.
The Reality of Alice Cooper’s Brutal Planet’ Made It Perhaps His Scariest LP
Alice Cooper’s ‘Brutal Planet” arrived 20 years ago this month like a gut punch, setting up as a kind of morality play set to metal.
Jackson Browne’s ‘Hold Out’ Was Both Successful, and a Notable Stumble
Released 40 years ago today, ‘Hold Out’ took Jackson Browne to the top of the charts and bottom of critic’s lists. What happened?
Marcin Wasilewski Trio feat. Joe Lovano – ‘Arctic Riff’ (2020)
On ‘Arctic Riff,’ this temporary quartet of the Marcin Wasilewski Trio + Joe Lovano never lose their footing through challenging compositions.
The Jerry Granelli Trio – ‘Plays Vince Guaraldi & Mose Allison’ (2020)
It took a while for Jerry Granelli to look back to two of his most famous ex-employers, but once he found the perfect partners, he knew he could do it the right way.
