Reviews

ken will morton, all's fair in love and war, rara avis records

Ken Will Morton

Ken Will Morton’s already been widely hailed as the best singer/songwriter too few people have ever heard, and that bears repeating here. What’s especially impressive on this album is that … Read more

james taylor, don henley, dolly parton, aaron neville, frank sinatra, emmylou harris, linda ronstadt, linda ronstadt duets

Linda Ronstadt

For all that’s compelling and gratifying about this 15-song display of Ronstadt’s artistry, the cruel fact is, because of Parkinson’s Disease, she’ll never perform again, a loss that many, myself … Read more

dusty springfield, dusty springfield faithful

Dusty Springfield

The story about Faithful—Springfield’s planned 1971 album ultimately shelved by Atlantic and never released in its entirety until now—is told by her eyes on the front sleeve. She’s inviting you … Read more

maura kennedy, bd love, villanelle: the songs of maura kennedy and bd love

Maura Kennedy

In the age of the mass hysteria of Dancing with the Stars and The Voice, it is a serious reset for me to reluctantly proclaim the arrival of new Kennedys Music. … Read more

rolling stones, rolling stones from the vault, from the vault: la forum

The Rolling Stones

Hard to believe anyone could hold their dignity in ’75, but there’s Richards holding his own vs. an especially clownish Jagger, while Ron Wood bops in a red jump suit … Read more

bob dylan, folk music, folk revival, roads rapidly changing

Bob Dylan

Nothing new here. We all know how it ends, but Dylan‘s epochal, meteoric evolution from Guthrie acolyte to rock ‘n’ roll’s symbolist spearhead is ever compelling. It’s so compelling to … Read more

lowell george, little feat, feats first: the life and music of lowell george

Lowell George

Featuring a host of rock ‘n’ roll eggheads (Barney Hoskyns, Bud Scoppa) and firsthand eyewitnesses (engineer George Massenburg, collaborator and fellow Factory worker, Martin Kibbe, producer Russ Titleman, and Van … Read more

hollis brown, 3 shots

Hollis Brown

When last I encountered Hollis Brown, in 2009, I reviewed their Astoria, Queens garage rock debut with highly-charged delight. Since then, the band has exchanged half its members while founding … Read more

Cage the Elephant, Red Rocks

Cage the Elephant

  Though native to Colorado, Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre is a venue on every avid music lover’s bucket list. This visually breathtaking venue, surrounded by enormous red rocks reminiscent … Read more