by Tom Johnson You just don’t think of too many great guitarists in indie-rock. It’s practically built into the genre to not emphasize your skills. So what a refreshing treat a band like Built To Spill is where they most definitely fall into that meaningless “indie rock” category (since theyRead More

by Mark Saleski There’s this notion in the world of sculpture that the artist is merely freeing the shape locked within the raw source material. You May Also Like: David S. Ware & Matthew Shipp Duo – Live In Sant’Anna Arresi, 2004 (2016) Matthew Shipp on David S. Ware, unusualRead More

by Tom Johnson This spunky singer, 19 years old at the time, was a lot smarter and had a much more mature ear than her age indicated. You May Also Like: Chairmen of the Board – Greatest Hits (1973): Forgotten Series Just Us, “I Can’t Grow Peaches on a CherryRead More

by Tom Johnson Even before Guided By Voices split on New Year’s Eve 2004, some fans were pining for the old days — back when Robert Pollard and company crudely recorded in a basement on cassettes into a boombox, throwing caution to the wind and making lo-fi masterpieces that confoundedRead More

by Mark Saleski Vertical Vision would remind me of Weather Report even if it didn’t contain a smokin’ reading of “Boogie Woogie Waltz.” Honest!! You May Also Like: Gerry Gibbs & Thrasher People – Weather Or Not (2017) ‘Elegant People: A History of the Band Weather Report,’ by Curt Bianchi:Read More

A band reunites, and fans complain that the results don’t really sound like their older material. This time, Living Colour almost sounded too much like it.

by Mark Saleski I can’t exactly remember either the song or the awards show I saw her perform it on. It had to be either Roy Orbison’s “Crying” or maybe “Constant Craving You May Also Like: Jonny Lang – Signs (2017) Canadian Brass – ‘Canadiana’ (2022)

Guitarist and vocalist Steven Wilson seems to have split his pop sensibility off from his “other” band, Porcupine Tree, so they could focus more on delving into darker subjects with heavier music. Blackfield, his project with Israeli singer Aviv Geffen, is more of an outlet for his more, um …Read More

by Mark Saleski Big ears: usually a none-too-nice description of some poor kid on the elementary school playground. In the jazz world, “big ears” is a good thing. You May Also Like: Bill Frisell’s Timeless ‘Live’ Opened Up a New Musical World for Me Bill Frisell – Music IS (2018)Read More

by Mark Saleski I’ve love gamelan music. There’s just something about all of those interlocking instruments. And where should a person go to hear some great and authentic gamelan music? Why Denver, of course! Gamelan Tunas Mekar is a community orchestra based in Denver. They may be a long wayRead More