The Rides
Muddy Waters once said, “The blues had a baby and they named it rock and roll.” Though Stephen Stills called the Rides his “dream blues band,” Muddy’s words come to … Read more
Album Reviews
Petra Haden
Much like mime, a cappella is generally best enjoyed in limited doses. Barbershop quartets and the occasional experimental tome aside, it can go only so far based on cleverness and … Read more
Al Scorch
It’s all too apparent that the new wave of populist nu-folk/newgrass performers have made a profound impression. Bands like the Avett Brothers, Lumineers and Mumford and Sons have influenced any … Read more
John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
Everyone knows and goes reflexively ape-shit about Clapton’s stint and Mick Taylor‘s tenure with the Bluesbreakers. But, along with Free’s Andy Graser, Peter Green is the least discussed and critically … Read more
Jack DeJohnette, Ravi Coltrane, Matthew Garrison
“Alabama,” John Coltrane’s life-affirming interpretation of the 1963 Baptist Church bombings, opens this history deep recording with burning incandescence. Ravi’s (John and Alice Coltrane’s son) tenor wails and soars in … Read more
Hackensaw Boys
Banjos, banjos, banjos: you either love ’em or hate ’em, I guess. Luckily, for me at least, I fall into the former camp for the most part, which is just … Read more
Jane Lee Hooker
This is real bad-ass stuff. Post-punk, punk-rock with shimmering attitude from a five-piece, all woman Brooklyn outfit with enormous edgy energy and a blistering delivery of eleven tracks, including some … Read more
The Del McCoury Band
Where do legends turn for inspiration? If you’re Del McCoury, you look to icons like Woody Guthrie. The just-released Del and Woody CD features the lyrics of Woody Guthrie with … Read more
The Blind Boys of Alabama
Arguably these are the two Blind Boys of Alabama albums that effectively crossed them over from gospel to roots and pop airplay. Omnivore has generously reissued both with seven live … Read more
Wild Ponies
Husband and wife duo, Doug and Telisha Wiiliams, take a refined step forward on their second release under the Wild Ponies moniker, following their potential-filled but rather uneven 2013 release, … Read more
