“The Key of Love,” a bonus track on Michael Des Barres’ new Carnaby Street: Encore Edition, is the kind of blessedly ragged, totally real song you’re hoping Rod Stewart comes up with for his forthcoming pop album You May Also Like: Joni Mitchell’s ‘Dry Cleaner From Des Moines,’ ‘Crazy CriesRead More

JL Stiles comes out of a blues-playing tradition, but he moves far afield of anything so straight-forward on House of Murmurs, a layered, connective album that can’t be anchored to any one specific genre. You May Also Like: Pink Floyd, “Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast” from Atom Heart Mother (1970): One TrackRead More

Drummer Mike Clark, perhaps best known for his work with and without Herbie Hancock as a member of the Headhunters, is part of a new band now — the dazzlingly improvisational Wolff and Clark Expedition, with longtime friend Michael Wolff. You May Also Like: Herbie Hancock’s ‘Fat Albert Rotunda’ HintedRead More

A song about hard-won acceptance, Stone Blind Valentine’s “Think What You Will” begins with a raw acoustic riff from Colby Maddox before Emily Hurd enters — all steely resolve, but barely obscuring a sweeping moment of heartbreak. You May Also Like: The Blind Boys of Alabama’s Down in New OrleansRead More

One of two original songs on the forthcoming Eric Clapton album Old Sock has leaked. Titled “Gotta Get Over,” it’s a welcome throwback for fans of his initial post-1960s solo projects. You May Also Like: Why J.J. Cale and Eric Clapton’s ‘The Road to Escondido’ Still Resonates Eric Clapton –Read More

Singing with a hound-dog salaciousness, and playing sax with a squalling soulfulness, Advice from a Father to a Son has a funky-cool Carnival-time vibe anyway. Then Scott Ramminger goes and adds some of New Orleans’ best sidemen You May Also Like: Blood Sweat and Tears’ Child is Father to theRead More

Combining the diaphanous feel of Celtic music with the thunderous classically inspired rock that powered classic 1970s prog, multi-instrumentalist Rob Reed has created in Beneath the Waves something that feels both timeless and new. You May Also Like: Steve Hackett, Rob Reed, Nick Beggs + others, “Spectral Mornings” (2015): OneRead More

You might have expected, upon hearing that the Stick Men’s forthcoming project would be on a theme of whale watching, that there would follow these cerulean moments of oceanic calm. Instead, Deep hurtles out with a tensile force. You May Also Like: Tony Levin on King Crimson, Stick Men andRead More

Lisa Germano’s spare fragility, her whispery confidentiality, would come off as too precious if she didn’t pay such great attention to the craftsmanship of her writing. Instead, her new album has enough trenchant, note-perfect images to fill a good-sized lit mag You May Also Like: Lisa Germano’s ‘Happiness’ Broke OutRead More

Otis Taylor’s blues aren’t conventional blues. They’re aren’t good-time blues. Banjo in hand, he imbues them musically with an out-of-time, off-kilter sound — and then runs right at life’s bitter truths. You May Also Like: Otis Taylor, “Cold at Midnight” from Hey Joe Opus / Red Meat (2015): One TrackRead More