I am not sure how I got to be 62 as a Patti Smith fan and I have never seen her live. I saw her this past Saturday at an outdoor venue and it was transcendent – I literally had goosebumps most of the show. I am sure that part of it was circumstantial: my […]
Strays is Margo Price’s best album. That is saying a lot as she has been a three album roll since her 2016 debut on Third Man Records (Midwest Farmer’s Daughter). That album was pure country (almost retro), but with each successive album, she has evolved away from that sound to a more classic rock sound. […]
When I look at my favorites of 2021 I see a nice mix of old favorites and new (to me) artists. I am not sure if there is a theme or not, but I see a thread: jams. I don’t pretend that this is a best of list, merely my favorites, formed by, my not […]
I don’t recall how I got turned on to this album when it came out in December of 1979. It must have been touted in some music magazine like Rolling Stone. I certainly wasn’t a Velvet Underground or John Cale fan at that time. It was more punk than what I was into. But I […]
Day 1 – First Listen/Release Day I can’t remember how or why I stumbled upon Laura Marling. When I first heard her I thought she was the second coming of Joni Mitchell. Â I am a major fan of Joni and I am afraid we will never hear from her again. Â So, I am susceptible to […]
I judge a concert by if I get goosebumps and by how sore my throat is at the end. Last night I had goosebumps on nearly every song and my throat was wonderfully raw. Bruce can’t run and slide on the stage any more, but he makes up with raw emotion and an earnest pursuit […]
Marling’s last release, Once I Was An Eagle, was my best of 2013. Short Movie is a further evolution of her sound. It is still acoustic based, but a bit more colored by rock instrumentation.  She continues to channel Joni Mitchell, but her phasing has broaden to include other influences (Lou Reed, Patti Smith and […]
I have been sitting on this album for several weeks now. I meant to write a review right away, but a busy life got in the way. I was feeling a little guilty and then a I read a profound interview with Jay-Z where he said: “…you can’t listen to an album and rate it […]