Archives: Reviews

Rising Force

In 1984, to the best of my knowledge, there was no such…

Christopher Thelen

King Of The Dogwoods

The longest running Celtic band in America, Minneapolis’ Boiled In Lead, returns…

Tom Haugen

Let It Hiss

Let It Hiss is an all-round vibrant record that leaves you feeling…

Vish Iyer

Even In The Quietest Moments… (2025 Half Speed Mastered Vinyl Reissue)

This fifth album from the almighty Supertramp was released in 1977 and…

Tom Haugen

Maybe Things Will Be Alright

Jim Allen sure knows how to get an indie music reviewer’s attention.Last…

Jason Warburg

The All-Night Costume Company

The Tacoma, Washington singer-songwriter Kye Alfred Hillig is back with a ninth…

Tom Haugen

Mud Blood Bone

The Canadian artist Cat Clyde surrounds this fourth album with the notion…

Tom Haugen

Fibronostalgia

Fibronostalgia might just be the most Kowtow album title in the history…

Jason Warburg

You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love

Olivia Rodrigo has proven once again that she has the most mighty…

D. Cullen

Night Whispers

There’s a lot of promise in Plasma Driver’s debut, once they can…

Benjamin Ray

Breakfast In America (2025 Half Speed Mastered Vinyl Reissue)

Supertramp continues their anniversary celebrations with another half speed remaster reissue, and…

Tom Haugen

Citizen Kihn

It doesn’t feel like an exaggeration to say that the Greg Kihn…

Jason Warburg

Elvis ’56

Originally released in 1987, this documentary narrated by Levon Helm (of The…

Tom Haugen

Cinematic

Josh Groban is an anachronism, similar to Barbra Streisand. He found great…

Peter Piatkowski

Phantasmagoria

On Phantasmagoria, Americana singer-songwriter Robert Francis uses his sister’s collection of analogue…

Vish Iyer

Lou Reed

Confession time: I never got into the Velvet Underground. Other than “Femme…

Christopher Thelen

Hot Fuss

In the late 1970s, in the wake of the punk rock revolution…

D. Cullen

From A Hole In The Floor To A Fountain Of Youth

Like a lot of people, I first became aware of Baltimore’s Future…

Benjamin Ray

Awake (25th anniversary vinyl edition)

This sophomore record from Massachusetts rockers Godsmack arrived in 2000, and to…

Tom Haugen

FLOCK

A Malmo, Sweden outfit that consists of Ellen Pettersson (winds, electronics, synth),…

Tom Haugen

Inside Machines

Albany New York’s Otobo challenge the listener with boundary-defying music that has…

Vish Iyer

Wrath

Confession time: As enthralled as I was with Sacrament, Lamb Of God’s…

Christopher Thelen

Carry The Light

I wasn’t prepared for the reaction to Paul McCartney’s recent appearance on…

Jason Warburg

Pretty In Pink

As great as the 1986 flick Pretty In Pink is, the soundtrack…

Tom Haugen

Bach’s Goldberg Variations ‘Live At Carnegie Hall’

The 21-year-old pianist Yunchan Lim performed Bach’s Goldberg Variations to a sold…

Tom Haugen

And Then… Along Comes The Association

Despite having over a half-dozen albums to their name, The Association is…

Christopher Thelen

Before You Get Broken

Seattle’s Guest Directors are spearheaded by Gary Thorstensen (ex-TAD) and Julie D…

Tom Haugen

Creature Of Habit

In one sense, every Courtney Barnett album is the same: it always…

Jason Warburg

Once Upon A Time (40th anniversary vinyl edition)

Yep, it’s been just over 40 years since the Scottish rockers Simple…

Tom Haugen

Almost OK (EP)

So… is John Gallagher Jr. a singer who can act, or an…

Jason Warburg

In Concert (DVD)

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Tom Haugen

Sacrament

For the longest time, I felt that Randy Blythe and Lamb Of…

Christopher Thelen

Kill The Ghost

On Kill The Ghost, Dallas-based Little Image’s third record, crisp guitars, sharp…

Vish Iyer

Mama’s Gun (vinyl reissue)

Normal 0 false false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE It’s been 25…

Tom Haugen

Call Me Dandelion

Windmill Music is the brain child of Michigan multi-instrumentalist Kent Randell, who…

Tom Haugen

Year Of The Horse 2005-2025

Let’s be clear about one thing from the start: I am not…

Jason Warburg

Under The Blade

It was shortly after I had gotten into Twisted Sister around 1984…

Christopher Thelen

Louder Than You Think: A Lo-Fi History Of Gary Young & Pavement

This soundtrack to the 2023 SXSW winning documentary Louder Than You Think…

Tom Haugen

Nowhere, NW

Never underestimate the power of vibe. You need strong songs, strong performances,…

Jason Warburg

The Yips

Petey USA’s third album, The Yips, is supposed to take place at…

Vish Iyer

Jaws

Just in time for the half century anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s 1975…

Tom Haugen

Ashes Of The Wake

In a sense, there is something comforting about picking up a Lamb…

Christopher Thelen

Somewhere Out There

Chicago native and Wilmington, North Carolina resident Blase returns with this sophomore…

Tom Haugen

Michael: Songs From The Motion Picture

Antoine Fuqua’s telling of Michael Jackson’s story seems to be critic-proof. So…

Peter Piatkowski

Whichever Way You Are Going, You Are Going Wrong

The UK duo of the brothers Mark and Clive Ives, as Woo,…

Tom Haugen

That’s Why I’m Here

Legend has it that the recently divorced and still-addicted James Taylor was…

Jason Warburg

Pigus Drunkus Maximus

Los Angeles blues-rock legends Top Jimmy And The Rhythm Pigs released exactly…

Tom Haugen

Your Favorite Toy

Well here we are, album number 12 from the Foo Fighters. I…

Pete Crigler

amorica. (2 LP vinyl reissue)

This third album from The Black Crowes is just over 30 years…

Tom Haugen

Goodbye World Hello Something

The Brooklyn resident, guitarist and singer-songwriter Liz Hogg penned these 10 songs…

Tom Haugen

For Evelyn

By this third record, Hannah Georgas had already established a name for…

Vish Iyer

Mother Mary: Greatest Hits

The soundtrack to the upcoming psychological thriller film Mother Mary is presented…

Peter Piatkowski

Red (The Elemental Mixes)

Since King Crimson’s 2025 “elemental” remix of Lizard was such a disaster,…

Benjamin Ray

The Jimmie Vaughan Years: Complete Studio Recordings 1978-1989

The Fabulous Thunderbirds began in 1974, when Jimmie Vaughan and Kim Wilson…

Tom Haugen

Sexistential

Disco needs a new queen. While Madonna seems to be biding her…

Peter Piatkowski

Mad Dogs And Englishmen Revisited: Live At Lockn’

Joe Cocker was fresh off his historic Woodstock performance back in 1969…

David Bowling

The Collection (2025 vinyl reissue)

The British New Wave legends Ultravox existed in some form from 1974…

Tom Haugen

B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100

Blues legend B.B. King would have been 100 in September 2025, a…

Benjamin Ray

A Line In The Sand

Anyone in search of a reason to like Phil Kennelty doesn’t need…

Jason Warburg

Secret Love

Dry Cleaning are a unicorn act that make no sense on paper……

Vish Iyer

The Record Hop!

One of the best pieces of advice ever offered to me went…

Jason Warburg

Joe Cocker! (2025 vinyl reissue)

The legendary Joe Cocker released two albums in 1969. Joe Cocker! is…

Tom Haugen

Easter Lily (EP)

U2 embracing the spiritual and real worlds has been a staple of…

Benjamin Ray

Solo Act

Solo acoustic has long been singer-songwriter Ben Bostick’s primary format for live…

Jason Warburg

Wuthering Heights

It’s not easy to follow up on the massive pop-culture moment that…

KayGee

County Fair 2000

Liberation Hall continues its wide-ranging reissue campaign encompassing all things Blasters-related by…

John Mulhouse

Hope And Fury

Joe Jackson has made a career out of defiance.From the first we…

Jason Warburg

Mad Dogs & Englishmen (2025 vinyl reissue)

This live album from Joe Cocker documents his 1970 tour from the…

Tom Haugen

Twilight & Resonance

The debut album from the Los Angeles post-punk outfit Blackout Transmission occupied…

Tom Haugen

I’m Nice Now

The cover of Upchuck’s third release really makes a statement. It represents…

Vish Iyer

Sunny, I Was Wrong

“I don’t knowIf half of what I sing is true.But every line…

Jason Warburg

URGH

Andrea Dworkin argued that when the body has been colonized—violated—there’s no recompense,…

KayGee

With A Little Help From My Friends (2025 vinyl reissue)

Here is where it all started for the seminal artist Joe Cocker.…

Tom Haugen

Live in ’25

The Austin, Texas six-piece Uncle Lucius captured this live album across a…

Tom Haugen

Into Oblivion

Hard to believe, but this is Lamb of God’s 12th freakin’ album!!…

Pete Crigler

The Romantic

In pop music, ten years is a lifetime. Such is the staying…

Benjamin Ray

Future Soul

It’s been 16 years now since married musicians Susan Tedeschi and Derek…

Jason Warburg

Long Ago, Far Away (1943-1951)

Fans of Frank Sinatra will likely be emptying their pocket for this…

Tom Haugen

2 Open 3 Closed (EP)

Terry Gomes loves making music.That’s clear from the moment you scan the…

Jason Warburg

Absinthe

Delaware, Ohio cow-punk outfit Ugly Stick first released this punk-meets-roots-rock record way…

Tom Haugen

Swallow The Knife

On this second record, Sir Chloe (the moniker of musician Dana Foote…

Vish Iyer

Days Of Ash (EP)

In a surprise move, U2 released a six-song EP on Ash Wednesday…

Benjamin Ray

Bad Music For Bad People

Interestingly, my curiosity about The Cramps started in the ’80s purely from…

Tom Haugen

The Frontier Of Love

Mel And The Tall Boys, fronted by singer-songwriter Mel Johnston, are billed…

Jason Warburg

Philosophy Of The World

Over nearly 30 years of writing reviews for this site, I think…

Christopher Thelen

Clann

It’s always interesting to explore the music libraries of friends, but maybe…

Jason Warburg

Dick’s Picks Volume Ten

Every Deadhead has their own tale of what particular period or year…

Christopher Thelen

Psychedelic Jungle

The psychobilly legends The Cramps just saw three early albums going under…

Tom Haugen

Noah

A bassist who calls New Orleans home, Noah Young is well versed…

Tom Haugen

Til Every Petal Drops

On her second record, Daya takes catchy pop hooks, dresses them fashionably…

Vish Iyer

Love, Devotion, Surrender

Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin have been two of the best and…

David Bowling

Lost At Sea

There is a subspecialty among furniture artisans that specializes in making newer…

Jason Warburg

Songs The Lord Taught Us

Here’s where it all started for the legendary punk outfit The Cramps.…

Tom Haugen

I Know U Can Do It

This is the first album from the Norway native, drummer, rapper and…

Tom Haugen

Megadeth

We’ve been at this point before. Dave Mustaine initially broke Megadeth up…

Christopher Thelen

Canopy

The multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter songwriter Rachael Sage has impressed us with 15…

Tom Haugen

Winedark Life

Many albums could come out at any time of year. A smaller…

Jason Warburg

Anna & Elizabeth

It’s been 10 years since Anna Roberts-Gevalt and Elizabeth LaPrelle released this…

Tom Haugen

Phenomenal Consolation

The Seattle artist Brendan Regan made me a fan pretty quick with…

Tom Haugen