Miles Okazaki constructs songs that go against convention, telling a different, engaging musical story with each piece.

ARQ’s ‘Short Stories’ is a thing of beauty, an album that celebrates life rather than dwelling on losses that sparked three of its tracks.

Rugged and robust, ‘The Animals’ arrived 55 years ago this month as a textbook study of the original wave of English blues rock.

This is drumming extraordinaire Mike Pride taking DIY to the extreme, not only in recording these solo, but also in engineering, mixing & mastering these series of improvisations.

The original songs by Jim Beard and Jon Herington are powerful, and the covers on ‘Chunks and Chairnobs’ stand the test of time.

‘Testament’ leaves me wondering why Avram Fefer isn’t more widely noticed. He consistently brings the goods in composition, technique and sidemen – and delivers.

‘In the Year 3073: Book I’ builds on the sonic foundation of Projekt Gemineye’s last album, while lyrically proceeding boldly onto the future.

Just like Joseph from the Bible, Bent Knee’s ‘You Know What They Mean’ has a coat of many colors.

Ex-Yes frontman Jon Anderson, who turned 75 this week, showed that he could still write stirring, conceptually epic pieces.

The post-Bill Berry R.E.M. seemed less solid in its artistic footing, making me wonder if the end was near.