Something Else!

Vinyl

Books: Draws the Blues, by R. Crumb (1993)

by Derrick Lord Occasionally jazz and blues fans need to be reminded that we don’t have to limit ourselves strictly to musical recordings. Keep in mind there is plenty of great artwork available that would be a nice addition to any collection or music room. You May Also Like: NoRead More

Vinyl

Guilty pleasures: The classic-rock live album

by Mark Saleski Superfluous. Meaningless. Pointless. Redundent. Obligatory. No, I haven’t been playing with my thesaurus. These are just some of the words that are often used to describe live recordings. You May Also Like: How Tesla’s ‘Real to Reel’ Set Redefined the Classic Rock Cover Album

Vinyl

Paul McCartney – McCartney; McCartney II (1970/1980; 2011 reissue)

These two Paul McCartney albums show a willingness to strip down what had become a varnished sound. But they haven’t aged in the same way.

Vinyl

Best wishes for ailing E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons

by Mark Saleski The news reports have been (necessarily) very sketchy at this point. All we know is that Clarence Clemons has suffered a stroke. You May Also Like: Reevaluating Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle’ Patti Scialfa Once Again Showed She Could Stand onRead More

Vinyl

Black Country Communion – ‘Black Country Communion 2’ (2011)

Black Country Communion may not invented any new formulas but they are executing the old ones closer to perfection than anyone else.

Steely Dan Sunday, "The Boston Rag" (1973)

Steely Dan Sunday, “The Boston Rag” (1973)

There aren’t a whole lot of lyrics to this Steely Dan song, but I’ve never been quite able to decipher them. No one else seems to be too sure what they mean, either.

Vinyl

One Track Mind: James Cotton and Billy Branch, "Rocket 88" (2011)

Like an aging boxer making an heroic late-round stand, James “Superharp” Cotton brilliantly tangles on a timeless favorite from his 1960s tenure with Vanguard, giving fellow harp master Billy Branch all he can handle. You May Also Like: Jaimie Branch – Fly or Die (2017) Anteloper [Jaimie Branch + JasonRead More

Vinyl

Steve Earle – Jerusalem (2002)

I know what I like, but you won’t find me setting any rules. This is as close to a “philosophy of music” as you’re going to get out of me. That idea has been the driving force behind most of the stuff I write about, especially when there’s “musical evangelism”Read More

Vinyl

One Track Mind: Tedeschi Trucks Band, "Midnight in Harlem" (2011)

“Midnight in Harlem” is the sweet-swaying centerpiece of an all-you-can-eat buffet of deep-fried delights called Revelator. You May Also Like: Susan Tedeschi’s Varied ‘Back to the River’ Set the Stage for Greatness Derek Trucks Band’s ‘Already Free’ Gave Us a Fine-Tuned, Intimate Farewell

Vinyl

Something Else! sneak peek: Black Country Communion 2 (2011)

On Tuesday, the hard-rock supergroup Black Country Communion’s 2 drops, and you best believe it’s gonna get the SER Lowdown You May Also Like: How Black Country Communion’s Debut Brought Back ’70s-Style Hard Rock