Sylvester – ‘Step II’ (1978; 2020 reissue)
Returning to Sylvester’s ‘Step II’ is a perfect way to not only celebrate Gay Pride Month, but to relive great music from the height of the disco era.
Other News
Chicago, “When Will the World Be Like Lovers” (1986): Saturdays in the Park
The ‘Chicago 18’-era leftover “When Will the World Be Like Lovers” represents everything that is wrong with their post-Peter Cetera material.
Jorge Roeder – ‘El Suelo Mío’ (2020)
Jorge Roeder brings a lot of virtuosity to the double bass, but the most striking thing about ‘El Suelo Mío’ is how he is able to get such lovely sounds and captivating rhythms out of it.
Staring Into Nothing – ‘Love’ (2020)
A fresh glance at melodic progressive-rock music, Staring Into Nothing’s ‘Love’ reveals a wondrous waterfall of beauty on repeated spins.
The Reality of Alice Cooper’s Brutal Planet’ Made It Perhaps His Scariest LP
Alice Cooper’s ‘Brutal Planet” arrived 20 years ago this month like a gut punch, setting up as a kind of morality play set to metal.
Jackson Browne’s ‘Hold Out’ Was Both Successful, and a Notable Stumble
Released 40 years ago today, ‘Hold Out’ took Jackson Browne to the top of the charts and bottom of critic’s lists. What happened?
Marcin Wasilewski Trio feat. Joe Lovano – ‘Arctic Riff’ (2020)
On ‘Arctic Riff,’ this temporary quartet of the Marcin Wasilewski Trio + Joe Lovano never lose their footing through challenging compositions.
Toto, “Bottom of Your Soul” from ‘Falling in Between’ (2006): Toto Tuesdays
Toto’s “Bottom of Your Soul” combines many progressive rock and AOR touches to produce one of the most enchanting songs from ‘Falling in Between.’
The Jerry Granelli Trio – ‘Plays Vince Guaraldi & Mose Allison’ (2020)
It took a while for Jerry Granelli to look back to two of his most famous ex-employers, but once he found the perfect partners, he knew he could do it the right way.
The Immediate Family, “Cruel Twist” (2020): One Track Mind
The Immediate Family, a fascinating combination of some of the L.A. scene’s best sessions guys, gives us a dose of fine music just when we need it.
