Spoon – They Want My Soul (Loma Vista)
Spoon is a good band. I wish this review could just be the sentence “Spoon is a good band,” one thousand times but it can’t because I’m a music review … Read more
Album Reviews
Brian Setzer – Rockabilly Riot!: All Original (Surfdog)
For the past 30 years or so, Brian Setzer has made a career out of retooling rockabilly, an essential form of rock ‘n’ roll that preceded the arrival of the … Read more
Mark “Muleman” Massey – One Step Ahead of the Blues (Icehouse)
There’s the easy way to learn guitar (hiring someone to teach you) and then there’s the hard way: going to the notorious Parchman Farm Mississippi State Penitentiary. Learning guitar probably … Read more
Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens – Cold World (Daptone)
This first-class soul band with gospel roots is a vital part of the soul revival bubbling up everywhere. They’ve played at Bonnaroo, Monterey Jazz, Montreal Pop and done two tours … Read more
The Mastersons – Good Luck Charm (New West Records)
With their first record since moving back to Texas from Brooklyn, Eleanor Whitmore and Chris Masterson have surpassed themselves, which is no small feat. They set the bar high with … Read more
Ted Nugent – Shut Up & Jam! (Frontiers Records)
Ted Nugent calculates his moves thoughtfully, including releasing his first studio album in seven years on July 4. Detroit’s favorite son and favorite shredder loves to wave Old Glory—especially in … Read more
Dave Specter – Message In Blue (Delmark)
If you are not familiar with Chicago guitarist Dave Specter, this–his tenth album–may be your perfect introduction. Specter plays with a full, sharp, stinging tone, and like the best guitarists, … Read more
Ann Klein – Tumbleweed Symphony (Sowie Sound)
Ann Klein is known for mad guitar skills, which she has demonstrated while playing with Joan Osborne and Ani DiFranco, among others. But Klein has been writing songs since the … Read more
Nils Lofgren – Face the Music (Fantasy)
It may seem odd to devote ten discs (including a DVD) comprising 169 tracks to an individual many know mostly as a sideman (albeit a stellar one) to the stars. … Read more
Billy Joe Shaver – Long in the Tooth (Lightning Rod)
Billy Joe Shaver started out on such an exceedingly high plane that many wondered if growth was possible, or if a fall from the high standards of his first album, 1973’s … Read more
