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Jazz's Best Last Records by John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy + Others: Gimme Five

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

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.

Lemon Clocks - 'Between Time and Space' (2019)

Lemon Clocks – ‘Between Time and Space’ (2019)

The Lemon Clocks thrive on experimentation, and their enthusiasm for the music they play is infectious.

Why 'Wakafrika' Should Have (Finally) Made Manu Dibango a Huge Star

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.

Vinyl

Steve Lehman Trio + Craig Taborn – ‘The People I Love’ (2019)

Even with standard formats, Steve Lehman is dragging jazz into the future kicking and screaming. Tough love never sounded that good.

The Beatles, "Old Brown Shoe" from 'Past Masters' (1969): Deep Beatles

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.

Vinyl

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.

Vinyl

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.

Vinyl

The Lunar Laugh – ‘Goodnight Noises Everywhere’ (2019)

The Lunar Laugh are typically dubbed a power-pop act, but ‘Goodnight Noises Everywhere’ doesn’t restrict itself to any one style.

Vinyl

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.