Weekly
Q&A: CeeLo Green
It’s not an idyllic color-blind utopia, by any means. But the modern music world has certainly become a comfortable place of artistic collaboration where just about anything goes — Ariana Grande could record a squawky duet with a great blue heron, theoretically, and a waiting audience would snap up every last 12” remix. And chances […]
Spins: Michael McDermott • What in the World…
Michael McDermott What in the World… (Pauper Sky) Chicago’s Americana and folk-rock hero Michael McDermott’s 15th solo album finds his songwriting sharp and full of fire. The high-spirited title track of What in the World… is a thundering folk-rock anthem for the election year that unleashes a torrential flood of words a la Bob Dylan’s […]
Spins: Bob Dylan • Rough and Rowdy Ways
Bob Dylan Rough and Rowdy Ways (Columbia) In 2012, Bob Dylan released his 35th studio album Tempest. The collection was loaded with potent songs like “Pay in Blood,” “Scarlet Town,” and “Early Roman Kings” that served Dylan well during stops on his Never Ending Tour. The album earned stellar marks from musicologists, but despite a […]
Spins: INXS • Live Baby Live: Wembley Stadium
INXS Live Baby Live: Wembley Stadium (Eagle Vision) INXS’ concert film Live Baby Live was originally released on VHS in 1991, following the Aussie dance-rock kings’ juggernaut world tour supporting 1990’s X album. The Summer XS event was held at London’s original Wembley Stadium at the peak of the sextet’s popularity, cementing the multiplatinum success […]
Recap and Gallery: Local H Live at Harvest Moon Drive-In
“Is this weird for you guys? It’s weird for us, too.” This was Scott Lucas of Local H at the Harvest Moon Drive-In in Gibson City, Illinois, just a few songs into an epic 30-song set Thursday in east central Illinois. IE attended the first of two sold out shows that Local H played on […]
File: Deftones – 20th Anniversary of “White Pony”
Five Takeaways From Deftones’ White Pony 20th Anniversary Press Conference Earlier this week, Deftones’ frontman Chino Moreno, Keyboardist/DJ Frank Delgado, and drummer Abe Cunningham convened for a virtual press conference to reflect on the 20th anniversary of the band’s breakthrough third album, White Pony. Though the record dropped on June 20th, 2000, the album has […]
Spins: Paul McCartney • Amoeba Gig
Paul McCartney Amoeba Gig (MPL/Capitol/UMe) Lots of artists play informal sets at record shops when promoting an album. These appearances offer the chance for fans to get up-close-and-personal with their favorites, but how memorable could they be without the pomp and production of a full-blown concert experience? If the artist in question is Paul McCartney, […]
Spins: Hall & Oates • Our Kind of Soul
Daryl Hall & John Oates’ Our Kind of Soul (Friday Music) Making its vinyl debut, this reissue of 2004’s Our Kind of Soul takes a deep dive into the roots of Daryl Hall & John Oates’ chart-topping blue-eyed soul. The duo’s own ebullient “Let Love Take Control” fits well alongside an urgent performance of the […]
Spins: Tuff Sunshine • Dig Deeper, Peanut
Tuff Sunshine Dig Deeper, Peanut (Declared Goods) Brooklyn’s Johnny Leitera returns with his second full-length LP under the Tuff Sunshine banner. Dig Deeper, Peanut shows no sign of a sophomore slump, and why would it? Leitera proved his songwriting mettle with Low Water before stretching out for a pair of pseudo-solo EPs and 2015’s celebrated […]
Spins: Rush • Permanent Waves 40th Anniversary
Rush Permanent Waves (40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition) (Anthem/Mercury/UMe) With the passing of beloved drum virtuoso Neil Peart early this year, the days are gone when Rush fans can anticipate new music from the Canadian progressive rock heroes. However, it’s a great time to celebrate Peart’s memory and rediscover the band’s rich catalog. The trio […]
Q&A: House of Lords’ James Christian
One optimistic upside to our current coronavirus pandemic, wherever you happen to be in the world? You and your family are forced to shelter in place together. The downside? Err, you and your family are forced to shelter in place together. And House of Lords anchor James Christian admits that he’s learned some hard lessons […]
Featured: My Back Pages
First, let me preface this with a little disclaimer. Call me a misanthrope, but — in all my 40-plus years of rock journalism — I have never really been a sharer, outside of my stories. I see no use for social media; I don’t care what your opinion of my work happens to be; this […]
Spins: Local H • LIFERS
LOCAL HLIFERS(AntiFragile) Twenty-five years after their debut, Scott Lucas’ Local H continues to defy the odds – not only by producing aggressive music that still matters but by being a band that appeals to both city and suburban crowds. Their musical magnetism continues to be strong across both musical spectrums, and that’s no small feat. […]
Spins: Cy Curnin • Lockdown
Cy Curnin Lockdown (Self) Fixx frontman Cy Curnin has returned with Lockdown, his fifth solo LP, his latest since 2013’s The Horse’s Mouth. The town crier continues to roam the global village with a sweet voice that conveys bitter truths when it must. That voice may not always bring comfort, but it nonetheless assures us […]
Feature: Testament and Exodus – Coping with COVID
On paper, it looked like a brilliant idea — the recent comprehensive “Bay Strikes Back” month-long tour of Europe, featuring Bay Area thrash-metal stalwarts Testament, Exodus, and Death Angel. It was just the timing — Feb. 6 to March 11 — that proved a bit unfortunate. It happened to coincide with the appearance of the […]
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