OK, so I read a (somewhat long-winded) review of the William S. Burroughs bio “Call Me Burroughs: A Life,” and dammit, it’s looking like I’ve got to place it on top of my to-be-read pile. Do I really need to dive into over 700 pages on the mad genius? TheRead More

I hadn’t had the feeling for a long time: that crestfallen heaviness of learning that a band had broken up. It’s something that really used to hit me when I was a kid. Attachments to bands and their music were particularly powerful, and when a breakup was announced…it felt personal.Read More

Sometimes, both quality and quantity is possible: Hammond B3 commander Jared Gold has been punctually making a record a year since 2008. You May Also Like: Dave Stryker Trio + Bob Mintzer – ‘Groove Street’ (2024) Dave Stryker – Strykin’ Ahead (2017)

After hearing of the passing of Dave Brockie, known to GWAR fans as alien conqueror Oderus Urungus, I wanted to write something about Scumdogs of the Universe, my personal favorite record by the band. But in the days that followed, I kept coming back to this song. “The Road Behind”Read More

That burly baritone sax, it can be an abrasive sound maker, but in the right hands it can be this warm, inviting sonority. You May Also Like: Andrew Boudreau – ‘Neon’ (2022)

This was the one where Ritchie Blackmore refused to go on stage, because it was not yet sunset — and he felt that would dim the impact of Deep Purple’s lightshow. You May Also Like: No related posts.

This has been done, of course. Among the legends to have played in a piano-and-bass duo are Bill Evans and Eddie Gomez, Chris Anderson and Charlie Haden, Duke Ellington and Ray Brown, and Paul Bley and Gary Peacock, among many others. To be sure, stepping into this format has itsRead More

I have said (and defended) many times that I am not a lyrics person. Still, that doesn’t really excuse me for what I am about to admit: that I’d listened to Deerhoof’s album Apple O’ many times and never realized, until just the other day, that Satomi Matsuzaki was singingRead More

Elton John was a star on the rise in 1973, having gained critical and commercial success in the UK and U.S. in just a few years. You May Also Like: Elton John – Greatest Hits 1976-1986 (1992): On Second Thought Elton John – ‘Jewel Box’ (2020)

Combine Barb Jungr’s voice with the powerful songs of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, and you have something with mind-blowing potential.