Beatles Gift Guide: Kit O’Toole’s Top 2021 Albums, Books, Movies, Box Sets + More
For Beatles fans, 2021 proved to be a bonanza.
Something Else!
Bob James Trio, “Feel Like Making Love / Night Crawler” (2022): One Track Mind
Take away the fussy orchestral arrangements from these vintage songs and you’re left with what made Bob James a long-time great. He still is.
‘Wings Over America’ Remains a Pinnacle for Paul McCartney, Warts and All
Released 45 years ago today, ‘Wings Over America’ stands as some of the most vital work that Paul McCartney has ever done.
Thrift Store Halo – ‘Pop-Rocket’ (2017): On Second Thought
Thrift Store Halo’s long-awaited ‘Pop-Rocket’ EP pinned the passionate angst of vintage Graham Parker to a wall of hard-fisted power-pop arrangements.
JuJu – ‘La Que Sabe’ (2021)
The dark pulsing psych-rock brainchild of Sicily’s Gioele Valenti, JuJu’s ‘La Que Sabe’ is music that shakes the moon a bit.
Steve Perry, Norah Jones, Blackmore’s Night + Others: 2021’s Seasonal Sounds
Ross Boissoneau digs into new seasonal sounds from Steve Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Norah Jones, Blackmore’s Night and others.
Why the Black Keys’ ‘El Camino’ Was More Continuation Than Breakthrough
‘El Camino’ arrived 10 years ago today as an extension of everything the Black Keys accomplished with ‘Brothers’ – just turned up to 11.
Rich Halley – ‘Boomslang’ (2021)
Rich Halley’s ‘Boomslang’ is a mixture between of Halley-written material and group improvisations, and both approaches work equally well.
Nick Maclean, “Zion” from ‘Can You Hear Me?’ (2021): Something Else! video premiere
Here is the video premiere of the totally improvised piece “Zion” by piano maestro Nick Maclean.
Renaissance – ‘Scheherazade and Other Stories’ (1975; 2021 expanded reissue)
Spoiler alert: There’s not an electric guitar to be found on Renaissance’s ‘Scheherazade and Other Stories.’ But that is a big part of the charm.
