Here’s a band so obscure and long forgotten that even the most voracious vinyl collector probably isn’t even aware of their existence. Formed in 1980, the Pencils featured singer and guitarist Tony Skeggs, singer and bassist Den Pugsley, keyboardist Rick Birmingham and drummer Andy Wells. You May Also Like: TheRead More

Don’t cry, indeed. For Ben Sidran — producer of Van Morrison and Rickie Lee Jones, co-writer of “Space Cowboy” with Steve Miller, sessions man with the Rolling Stones, NPR radio voice — being a hipster seems like such an effortless thing. You May Also Like: Jeff Berlin, Ben Sidran, JeffRead More

I’m a sucker for the storyteller. Sure, the swinging hooks and catchy riffs are great, but for all the various attributes that make an artist or band stand out, the bard card is generally what lures me into month-long catalog benders. You May Also Like: ‘Memories of a White Magician’Read More

A memorial gathering for Peter Banks has been set for 4 p.m. April 7, 2013 at the 12 Bar Club in London, offering those who loved and knew him best a chance to give the seminal Yes guitarist a proper send off. You May Also Like: Robbie Dupree, Chicago, Yes’Read More

Last week marked the 50th anniversary of a cultural revolution: the release of the Beatles’ Please Please Me. Their first effort, recorded over 12 hours on a single day, stands as one of the most impressive debuts in rock history. You May Also Like: The Beatles, “Boys” from Please PleaseRead More

Serendipity is, to put it succinctly, a forty-three minute improvisation among Ivo Perelman, Matthew Shipp, William Parker and Gerald Cleaver. You May Also Like: Ivo Perelman, William Parker, Gerald Cleaver – The Art Of The Improv Trio, Volume 4 (2016) Daniel Carter, Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Gerald Cleaver – ‘WelcomeRead More

Touring behind Momentum, a rare, mostly secular solo effort after years of focusing on Christian prog, Neal Morse connects the dots between what has often been perceived as two separate portions of his career. You May Also Like: Neal Morse Did It All (Again) on ‘Songs from November’

I love a good surprise. This week it was my discovery of Kid Koala. You May Also Like: Steely Dan, “Kid Charlemagne” from ‘Northeast Corridor’ (2021): Steely Dan Sunday Sue Foley – ‘Pinky’s Blues’ (2021)

We also take a look back at Jon Anderson’s time alongside the late Peter Banks, with whom he co-founded Yes.

With her assertive It Matters To Me, the final disc in a three-EP series, Kat Parsons moves beyond more recent successes within quiet folkie settings and sweetly conveyed pop tunes. You May Also Like: Alan Parsons Project somehow remains faceless, despite hitting big with Eye in the Sky