OK, so I tried the Pandora Radio thing again. After the first tune from my Marc Ribot channel, an excellent live version of his really screwy take on Jimi Hendrix’ “The Wind Cries Mary,” we ended up at a tune from Bill Frisell You May Also Like: Bill Frisell –Read More

Ultime Cosmos was not serious. At least, not serious in that We’re Wearing Nice Suits, We’re Going To Play Jazz kind of way. Heck, this wasn’t even jazz, not in spirit anyway. You May Also Like: Quoan – Fine Dining (2018) Tim Berne’s Hardcell [Berne, Craig Taborn + Tom Rainey]Read More

This album is a musical security blanket of sorts. Actually, that’s how I feel about Greg Brown’s music in general, even the really ugly stuff. Oh yes, there is ugly stuff. You May Also Like: Greg Brown’s ‘In the Hills of California’ Finally Reproduced His Nervy Live Sound Greg ‘Stackhouse’Read More

There are times when a person experiences moments of such extreme happiness that it’s difficult to contain the emotion. I suspect that even the most curmudgeonly people have them. I should know, because I have my moments of curmudgeon on a daily basis. Anyway…for me, this “super-happy” can feel likeRead More

It is impossible to deny Led Zeppelin their right to the moniker “kings of rock ‘n roll.” Twenty-plus years after their demise, all they had to do was release a giant new live box. You May Also Like: Why ‘Celebration Day’ Provided the Perfect Farewell for Led Zeppelin

The music that David Byrne has created, especially outside of the realm of the Talking Heads, has always resonated with me. Be it The Catherine Wheel, Music for the Knee Plays, or My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, Byrne seems to be able to draw musical influences in fromRead More

You will never hear anyone accuse Neko Case of “phoning it in.” She’s the kind of singer about whom there’s no doubt that she’s passionate about her craft, belting out a modern combination of Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn. The alt-country chanteuse returned here from a three-year break, and continuedRead More

Ah, yes, another dreary offering from Tool-screamer Maynard James Keenan’s boring other band. They started out with a promising first album, Mer de Noms, then followed it up with the tedious and monotonous Thirteenth Step and returned in ’04 with that staple of washed-up bands: the covers-album. What do theyRead More

Dream Theater has become an iffy proposition for me. I still take my chances on them with each release, hoping that I’ll find a diamond like I did with 2007’s excellent Systematic Chaos — and not get another lump of coal like Octavarium. Chances are better with a live release,Read More

In Boston After experiencing the first two minutes of this Pat Metheny Group concert, there was no doubt that Boston-area fans just plain love the man. You May Also Like: Pat Metheny, May 16, 2019: Shows I’ll Never Forget Pat Metheny, “You Are” from ‘From This Place’ (2019): One TrackRead More