Weekly
Q&A: CeeLo Green
Itâs 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 â Ariana Grande could record a squawky duet with a great blue heron, theoretically, and a waiting audience would snap up every last 12â remix. And chances […]
Spins: Michael McDermott ⢠What in the WorldâŚ
Michael McDermott What in the World⌠(Pauper Sky) Chicagoâs Americana and folk-rock hero Michael McDermottâs 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 Dylanâs […]
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 âPay in Blood,â âScarlet Town,â and âEarly Roman Kingsâ 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) INXSâ concert film Live Baby Live was originally released on VHS in 1991, following the Aussie dance-rock kingsâ juggernaut world tour supporting 1990âs X album. The Summer XS event was held at Londonâs original Wembley Stadium at the peak of the sextetâs popularity, cementing the multiplatinum success […]
Recap and Gallery: Local H Live at Harvest Moon Drive-In
âIs this weird for you guys? Itâs weird for us, too.â 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 Deftonesâ 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 bandâs 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 Oatesâ Our Kind of Soul (Friday Music) Making its vinyl debut, this reissue of 2004âs Our Kind of Soul takes a deep dive into the roots of Daryl Hall & John Oatesâ chart-topping blue-eyed soul. The duoâs own ebullient âLet Love Take Controlâ fits well alongside an urgent performance of the […]
Spins: Tuff Sunshine ⢠Dig Deeper, Peanut
Tuff Sunshine Dig Deeper, Peanut (Declared Goods) Brooklynâs 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 2015âs 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, itâs a great time to celebrate Peartâs memory and rediscover the bandâs 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 heâs learned some hard lessons […]
Featured: My Back Pages
First, let me preface this with a little disclaimer. Call me a misanthrope, but â in all my 40-plus years of rock journalism â I have never really been a sharer, outside of my stories. I see no use for social media; I donât 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 Lucasâ 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 thatâs 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 2013âs The Horseâs 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 â 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 â Feb. 6 to March 11 â that proved a bit unfortunate. It happened to coincide with the appearance of the […]
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