by Tom Johnson I like to think of Isis as the band that Tool wishes it could be. Call me jaded, but by this time, Tool had become entangled in plots created to baffle and obfuscate rather than intrigue and draw listeners in, being what they think is clever butRead More

There are moments when bands turn a corner, where everything becomes a bit more tightened up, stronger, more prominent. Transatlanticism was that album for Death Cab For Cutie. You May Also Like: Death Cab for Cutie, “Black Sun” from Kintsugi (2015): One Track Mind Death Cab for Cutie, “No RoomRead More

by Tom Johnson This album wasn’t initially as well received as I think it should’ve been. It wasn’t the masterpiece I was hoping for, but it was a step up from the wildly uneven 13. With the exit of guitarist/fellow-mastermind Graham Coxon, Damon Albarn pretty much had complete artistic controlRead More

by Mark Saleski Fans of pianist Bill Evans will probably bristle at the comparison here, but that was the first connection that popped into my head with The Ground. You May Also Like: Noah Haidu – ‘Slowly: Song For Keith Jarrett’ (2021) Why Keith Jarrett’s Reunion With Charlie Haden onRead More

by Fred Phillips When Johnny Cash came to work with Rick Rubin in the 1990s, American Records had another man in black already on the roster — Glenn Danzig. You May Also Like: Danzig – Skeletons (2015) Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, “Boomtown Blues” from The Distance (1982):Read More