‘Step It Up’ is not merely a title just as ‘The Jeff Lorber Fusion’ isn’t merely a name. It’s a challenge and Lorber with Jimmy Haslip rose up to meet it.

Toto moves into solid R&B/funk territory with “Mama,” a David Paich co-write that finds Bobby Kimball delivering his best vocal on ‘Hydra.’

AndersonPonty Band’s “I See You Messenger” is a meeting of the minds between two still-vibrant and visionary musicians from the ’70s.

Full of moments of beauty and offbeat explorations, Kari Ikonen Trio’s ‘Beauteous Tales and Offbeat Stories’ goes beyond their sublime prior release ‘Bright’.

Much like Christopher Bowes’ other band Alestorm, Gloryhammer doesn’t take its themes too seriously. The music, however, is another matter.

I’m still looking for a published interview where any of the Beatles or producer George Martin indicate a preference for monaural sound.

‘The Incident,’ released this week in 2009, helped establish Porcupine Tree as a melodically inclined, less wank-inclined progressive rock band.

This Yes ballad has displayed a striking durability since becoming the unlikely but quite effective closer on 1970’s ‘Time and a Word.’

Remembering those times when Steely Dan, Tommy Tutone, the B-52’s and others dialed up some phone number-focused rock songs.

The Audio Fidelity version of ‘Birds of Fire’ makes the Mahavishnu Orchestra’s combustible fusion jazz innovations a little more manifest.