tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82366426323308758462012-01-27T16:51:52.280-05:00Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.comBlogger2951100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-35392357805252454242012-01-27T16:45:00.000-05:002012-01-27T16:51:52.392-05:00

The Little Willies never set out to be a big deal. If anything they’ve aspired to maintain a low profile, perhaps as an antidote to the mainstream attention their most conspicuous member, Norah Jones, tends to attract with her solo releases. They reflected as much on their laid-back 2006 eponymous debut and, in its assortment of covers and well-suited originals, an earnest affinity for classic

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-37175577777816859582012-01-23T03:52:00.000-05:002012-01-23T04:28:23.059-05:00

Charging out of the gate with a bold and impassioned debut, And so they ran faster…, Brooklyn artist Leah Siegel is off to quite an auspicious start as Firehorse. Released late last year on Pledge Music, the album has earned significant critical praise from the likes of The Los Angeles Times, Paste, and The Wall Street Journal. Select performances in Los Angeles and New York City, including a

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-6765082262242391262012-01-16T02:44:00.000-05:002012-01-17T04:33:35.462-05:00

St. Petersburg showed the O’Jays lots of love this past Thursday night. So much love, in fact, that just about every song they performed met with an instant mix of feminine swoons and joyful sing-a-longs to fill the majestic Mahaffey Theater. And the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers earned that love all night. More to the point, they worked for it, spinning and gliding in synchronized steps,

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-9428379986928206802011-12-27T05:16:00.000-05:002012-01-09T20:35:25.390-05:00

Tony Bennett (photo courtesy of Josh Cheuse) Tony Bennett doesn’t like to talk about his legacy. Maybe it's just the humility in his character, but even after 60 years in the music business he continues to look ahead. “You’re only as good as your next show,” he likes to say. In other words, the best is yet to come. Truth be told, Bennett, 85, is too busy these days for any such reflection. He’s

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-20393436029486458132011-12-25T22:56:00.000-05:002011-12-26T20:36:29.483-05:00

From the 2007 release of his debut album, Undiscovered, British singer/songwriter James Morrison's breakout hit “You Give Me Something” was a refreshing reminder that pop music could do with a little bit of unaffected soul among its more plastic-sounding concoctions. Singing at once raspy and rich, Morrison soon earned comparisons to a young Rod Stewart—in fact Morrison helped induct Rod the

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-19350528991264573732011-12-16T16:50:00.000-05:002011-12-22T09:29:33.015-05:00

“Rolling in the Deep” changed the game. The first time you heard it you just knew that this song – that voice – was going to be a big deal. Adele is sirenic and sexy, her will-not-be-denied resolve striking a visceral blow to every self-absorbed, woe-is-me lament clogging up millions of iPods around the world. As an album, 21 achieves much the same impact. Many of its songs have become so

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-66112614517709915792011-12-06T02:30:00.001-05:002011-12-22T09:29:57.636-05:00

Very few artists could inspire a retrospective called Best of the Best that actually lives up to its title; that actually comprises the creamiest cream of the crop. Then again, very few artists compare to Frank Sinatra. Marking the first time such a compilation includes material from both Sinatra’s years at Capitol Records and at his own Reprise Records, the primary disc offers a

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-33528068226498394692011-11-30T22:40:00.001-05:002011-12-22T09:30:15.016-05:00

People who appreciate Guy Clark often point to the craftsmanship of his songwriting; his homespun, easygoing guitar playing; his stark, cut-to-the-chase lyricism. And that’s understandable. But if you want to comprehend the full depth of his artistry go ahead and let some of his songs begin to mean something to you. Let them get under your skin. Let them prey on your mind a while until you

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-9802453077223539812011-11-20T19:54:00.001-05:002011-12-22T09:30:38.440-05:00

For casual fans who don’t already own both volumes of Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band’s Greatest Hits, this week sees the release of a worthwhile alternative in the two-disc retrospective, Ultimate Hits: Rock and Roll Never Forgets (Capitol Records). All the mainstays are present — “Night Moves,” “Still the Same,” “Against The Wind,” “Old Time Rock and Roll,” etc. — as well as two

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-83857578508552109132011-11-15T23:25:00.001-05:002011-12-22T09:31:00.067-05:00

George Thorogood pays tribute to the seminal music of Chess Records on his latest LP, 2120 South Michigan Ave., its title boasting the Chicago-based label’s mailing address from which as a teenager he'd receive catalogs listing available releases. Produced by Tom Hambridge and featuring cameos by Buddy Guy and Charlie Musselwhite, the album finds Thorogood and his rock-steady band, The

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-63175012826245314602011-11-04T23:33:00.001-04:002011-12-22T09:31:26.751-05:00

If a band’s influence is measured by the diversity of artists who sing its praise, ZZ Top must hold some serious sway. Because with rare exception, the ones who appear on ZZ Top – A Tribute From Friends are just about the least conceivable musicians one could imagine covering the Tres Hombres from Texas. And yet most of these performances are not only worth mentioning, but worth blasting at

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-78643611581143368972011-10-30T20:48:00.000-04:002011-12-22T09:31:48.233-05:00

Downtime is hard to come by for a band as on the rise as Dawes. Since the release in June of their sophomore album, Nothing Is Wrong, the Southern California roots-rockers have maintained a relentless presence on the road, sharing bills with the likes of Alison Krauss & Union Station, Jackson Browne, and Bright Eyes, among others. The band is currently on a co-headlining tour with Blitzen

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-75028148165430799382011-10-23T17:03:00.000-04:002011-12-22T09:20:57.956-05:00

The Cowboy Junkies plunge headlong into a guitar-drenched flood of bluesy, rough-around-the-edges rock on Sing in My Meadow (Latent Recordings). The third and latest installment of their four-volume Nomad series – following the experimental, Asian-echoed volume one (Remnin Park) and the folk-rooted volume two, a tribute to the late Vic Chesnutt (Demons) – it’s the most accessible one so far

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-90215869995536117272011-10-22T23:48:00.000-04:002011-11-05T12:45:10.342-04:00

Lucinda Williams at Jannus Live, 10/19/11 (photo by Donald Gibson) Last week Lucinda Williams was honored by the Americana Music Association with its Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting. This past Wednesday night at St. Petersburg’s Jannus Live she proved why she deserved it, delivering a musical masterclass of heartbreak, remorse, and redemption for nearly two solid hours. Her

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-60873374032948767722011-10-15T22:20:00.000-04:002011-12-22T09:21:16.791-05:00

The Bangles have never shied away from acknowledging their influences, from British Invasion bands (especially that fab lot from Liverpool) to other girls-only groups like the Runaways and the Go-Go’s. Now with their current album, Sweetheart of the Sun (Model Music Group), founding members Susanna Hoffs, Debbie Peterson, and Vicki Peterson reveal even more of their musical roots while

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-56988071058929077742011-10-12T17:43:00.000-04:002011-12-22T09:24:56.729-05:00

She’s not quite ready to kick up her heels and sing “Walking On Sunshine” or anything, but Rachael Yamagata does at times sound less melancholy than usual on Chesapeake, her first album in three years. "I think it’s just a part of me that’s now able to come out a little more through the actual songwriting," she explains. And as Yamagata goes on to suggest, she's not nearly as dispirited in

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-87261695571987959072011-10-04T04:58:00.000-04:002011-10-06T05:29:00.811-04:00

"What if the closest I get to the moment is now," sings Katie Herzig with tender, anxious optimism on "Closest I Get," one of several highlights that grace her inspired new album, The Waking Sleep. The song earned the artist this year’s prestigious ASCAP Foundation Sammy Cahn Award, which recognizes the works of promising songwriters on the rise. And she more than lives up to that promise

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-17614056331891893282011-09-28T20:28:00.000-04:002011-12-22T09:02:46.070-05:00

On paper it looks promising: a family of venerable and versatile artists, coming together to celebrate their shared heritage and musical chops. However, The E Family — father Pete Escovedo along with his children, siblings Juan Escovedo, Peter Michael Escovedo, and the family’s most mainstream-famous member, Sheila E — seldom live up to their collective potential on Now and Forever (

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-22452640471242884362011-09-21T23:56:00.000-04:002011-12-22T09:21:39.487-05:00

Of late Sharon Robinson has served as an accompanying vocalist for Leonard Cohen on his immensely successful world tour. Beginning in October, she will step onto the concert stage on her own behalf, embarking on her first headlining tour to date with a string of West Coast engagements. Long distinguished in the music industry as a GRAMMY®-winning songwriter and producer — and this is

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-9810158936964541732011-09-13T21:02:00.000-04:002011-09-13T21:02:28.317-04:00

As listening back to some homemade grooves he’d made with his wife soon found them dancing together as if in primal response, Neil Finn knew he was onto something. He'd not composed like this before, not in Crowded House or, before that, Split Enz, nor in any of his various side and solo projects over the past three decades. Yet these spare and spontaneous jams, which consisted of Neil

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-69490706051197129492011-09-05T21:38:00.000-04:002012-01-18T06:16:39.213-05:00

Once guitarist and composer Bill Frisell began working on an album in tribute to John Lennon, memories and emotions he'd long associated with the late legend's music, both with The Beatles and as a solo artist, caught up to him. "Thinking about almost 50 years ago hearing some of those things for the first time," he says, "it ended up being kind of a heavy thing to do." In collaborating

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-42984431534252971172011-09-02T21:37:00.002-04:002012-01-18T06:18:09.828-05:00

If the disease that led to her untimely death at 32 was exacerbated by anything, as a new-in-paperback biography suggests, Karen Carpenter suffered from deep-seated feelings of inferiority and loneliness. In Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter, author Randy L. Schmidt chronicles the often-troubled and ultimately tragic life of one of popular music’s most gifted voices. In one

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-9511665747676785742011-08-31T00:35:00.001-04:002011-12-22T13:44:45.900-05:00

In light of his recent diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, Glen Campbell’s latest and professed final studio album, Ghost on the Canvas (Surfdog Records), unavoidably achieves a poignant distinction. Yet in meditations on mortality, faith, and earthly love, this is not a work steeped in wallowing, mournful resignation. In fact, Campbell, 75, sounds resilient and assured throughout – even when

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-86617905637053496582011-08-22T07:51:00.003-04:002011-12-22T14:00:28.124-05:00

Believe it or not Edwin McCain has maintained a steady, fruitful career for two decades now. The Greenville, South Carolina native, perhaps most known for such pop/rock radio staples as “I’ll Be” and “I Could Not Ask For More,” has consistently turned out eclectic, soulful albums while playing countless live gigs to his appreciative, loyal audience. McCain’s latest is Mercy Bound (429 Records

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-60838532593440469482011-08-07T22:56:00.000-04:002011-12-22T15:00:25.550-05:00

There’s something intriguing about Rachael Yamagata. On one level, with lyrics that are at turns cryptic and starkly confessional, she reflects qualities consistent with that of an archetypical singer/songwriter. On another, she’s got a bold streak, and in her songs she increasingly challenges herself to find new ways to broaden the scope of her musical expression. On her third full-length

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-32930210954667814502011-08-03T22:34:00.004-04:002011-12-22T15:02:45.554-05:00

With their debut, She’s About To Cross My Mind, The Red Button produced what would’ve been one of the hippest records of the British Invasion — had it not been composed nearly 50 years afterward by two guys from California. Nearly four years on now, the singing/songwriting duo of Seth Swirsky and Mike Ruekberg has returned with The Red Button’s sophomore LP, As Far As Yesterday Goes (Grimble

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-39863078088675793632011-07-23T16:55:00.000-04:002011-12-22T17:11:32.431-05:00

As she works on the follow-up to her debut album, last year’s Nomad, singer/songwriter Anna Rose has recorded a striking, sensuous cover of Arcade Fire’s “My Body is a Cage,” which is currently available as a free MP3 download. The way Arcade Fire plays it on Neon Bible, the song is fraught with manic, unnerving anguish; a nagging, clangorous thud incessantly ratcheting up the unease until an

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-58283680760046453742011-07-17T05:58:00.000-04:002011-12-22T17:17:34.260-05:00

There is no substitute for talent. Nothing excites like the real deal, and Adele is all that and then some. Indeed the British songstress has captivated the masses like few other contemporary artists could hope to these days, consistently shattering music-industry records — this past week her sophomore LP, 21, became the most-downloaded album ever — and with a just-released EP highlighting her

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-12995542103835242032011-07-14T21:48:00.000-04:002011-12-22T10:10:32.060-05:00

Like the most righteous of revelations, the one Steve Cropper experienced as young boy was a watershed. “I was probably a good 12 or 13 years old before I was allowed to listen to a radio,” the guitarist recalls. “I heard gospel music for the first time and it just, I don’t know, it just took me by whatever. It was the greatest stuff I’d ever heard. It was good-feeling music and it was very

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-64818469845791310962011-07-08T11:08:00.000-04:002011-12-22T17:23:45.235-05:00

On her most recent studio LP to date, last year’s 100 Miles From Memphis, Sheryl Crow set out to honor classic R&B of the late ‘60s and ‘70s by composing and covering songs ostensibly in that stylistic vein. Despite a couple standout moments, however, the album just didn't live up to its potential, drawing on genre-specific clichés like horns and gospel-tinged backing vocals more than universal

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-85992341318176392762011-07-02T10:54:00.000-04:002011-12-22T17:15:35.412-05:00

Although renowned for the visceral power of her pipes, Aretha Franklin is and at her best has always been a vocalist capable of discreet phrasing and restraint. These latter attributes, which distinguished much of her early sides at Columbia Records and manifested on such subsequent albums over the years as Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky) and Love All The Hurt Away, are what most

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-78127785378129788472011-07-01T10:25:00.000-04:002011-07-01T10:25:50.715-04:00

With a little over two months until the September 6 release of his upcoming LP, Seeds We Sow, Lindsey Buckingham is offering fans a preview in the form of a free download of its title track. The album is the sixth solo effort from the Fleetwood Mac legend — his third in just five years, following 2006's Under the Skin and 2008's Gift of Screws. As for the new track, "Seeds We Sow" finds

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-39828636739686663662011-06-21T18:59:00.000-04:002011-12-22T14:04:11.887-05:00

David Byrne’s critically acclaimed 2008/2009 concert tour in support of his collaborative album with fellow iconoclast Brian Eno, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, is the subject of a fascinating new documentary, Ride, Rise, Roar: A Live Concert Film. One of popular music’s most progressive artists — beginning with his groundbreaking tenure in Talking Heads and continued through with

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-82502353693164299572011-06-14T22:48:00.000-04:002011-12-22T14:07:56.690-05:00

If all you knew about Pat Metheny’s music hinged on the perfunctory details of its genre (jazz, for the most part) and the artist’s instrument of choice (guitar, for the most part), listening to his latest offering, What’s It All About (Nonesuch Records), provides fundamental context to his craftsmanship if not a sweeping representation of his craft. Known primarily for his proficiency and

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-48286930051724724632011-06-09T00:19:00.000-04:002011-12-22T14:05:48.811-05:00

The road back was never going to be a smooth one. Nearly a quarter of a century had elapsed between the recent reunion of The Cars and the band’s last studio album. Benjamin Orr, its bassist and the voice behind its biggest hit, “Drive," succumbed to cancer in 2000. Then there was the ill-fated New Cars debacle, featuring Todd Rundgren in place of singer/rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, which met

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-85741793665530669542011-06-07T22:35:00.000-04:002011-12-22T17:27:45.416-05:00

It was after a concert this past New Year's Eve, remembers guitarist Derek Trucks, when he and his wife, singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi, both recognized that after several experiments with different configurations of musicians they'd finally assembled the best-possible band with which to pursue their shared musical vision. "When we got off stage, me and Susan both knew," he says. "We were like,

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-6122625468579607052011-05-25T08:03:00.000-04:002011-12-22T17:19:51.914-05:00

Wholesome songs about simple things can transcend generations to appeal to just about anyone; which is as good a reason as any why Tom T. Hall’s 1974 children's album, Songs of Fox Hollow, has resonated with listeners of all ages for almost four decades. The country music legend, known for such hits as "Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine," “The Year Clayton Delaney Died” and “I Like

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-11959677300232125142011-05-15T06:07:00.000-04:002011-12-22T15:05:55.154-05:00

Not even four years had passed since the Beatles had broken up and 31-year-old Paul McCartney was already contending with the band's larger-than-life mythology. Sure, he’d scored some resilient solo hits, singles like “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Live and Let Die,” and “My Love,” but in the main his albums didn’t rival the consistent artistry illustrated on Revolver or Abbey Road. Whether or not he

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-70968125799507689772011-05-10T22:07:00.000-04:002012-01-25T13:31:17.943-05:00

Whether in rockabilly or punk, heavy metal or soul, women have made a profound, enduring impact on their craft. In recognition of their seminal achievements and influence, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland is set to premiere a groundbreaking new exhibit, Women Who Rock. Commencing on Friday, May 13, and running through Feb. 26, 2012, the exhibit occupies two full floors of

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-73728356112875242132011-05-09T16:43:00.000-04:002011-12-22T17:32:13.409-05:00

With the release on Tuesday of his first studio album in twelve years, Doctor Faith, singer/songwriter Christopher Cross believes his career has come full circle. "I did the first record with no expectation," Cross says, recalling his 1979 eponymous debut, which spawned such defining hits as "Sailing," "Never Be The Same," and "Ride Like The Wind" and garnered him five GRAMMY® Awards.

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-46464381221722057122011-05-05T12:52:00.000-04:002011-12-22T10:14:40.365-05:00

This week Bruce Hornsby and his longtime band, The Noisemakers, have released their first live album in over a decade, Bride of the Noisemakers, a double-disc set overflowing with diverse musical influences and in-the-moment inspiration. "I felt it was time for there to be a document of what we sound like now," says Hornsby, a three-time GRAMMY® winner. As he explains, "Our approach makes

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-84272690802502324602011-04-27T23:23:00.001-04:002011-12-22T17:35:08.977-05:00

Few artists can render a song with as much unaffected grace and sincerity as Emmylou Harris. It’s a gift she’s conveyed time and again as an interpreter, covering Texas troubadours (Townes Van Zandt, Rodney Crowell) and Nashville traditionalists (Harlan Howard, Billy Sherrill) with equal conviction. And that authenticity highlights her extensive catalog, one which has not only challenged her

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-57875553370048616012011-04-07T21:27:00.002-04:002011-12-22T11:03:08.669-05:00

Haroula Rose sings with the spirit of a gypsy soul, always searching for meaning or a seed of truth in each fleeting moment. Her voice is at once intimate and solacing, its gentle inflections betraying a subtle, plaintive sway that enriches moments of guitar-driven folk with the pathos of classic country. She grew up just outside Chicago, lives now in Los Angeles, and considering even a bit

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-23060538630424942822011-04-05T12:42:00.000-04:002011-12-22T14:02:31.430-05:00

"Everything you leave behind catches up in another time," sings Robbie Robertson in "This is Where I Get Off," among the more provocative tracks on his stirring new album, How to Become Clairvoyant (429 Records). Indeed, the music legend recalls and comes to terms with his storied past — most notably chronicling the years just preceding and following his seminal tenure as guitarist and principal

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-4039675832437101922011-04-01T03:54:00.000-04:002011-12-22T17:37:02.840-05:00

The days of aspiring artists soliciting demo tapes to record labels through the mail are, if not obsolete, then certainly on the decline. The internet has not only revolutionized how consumers acquire music, but also how technologically savvy artists make their music most accessible. In recent years artists like Meiko and Christina Perri have capitalized on the internet as a means to establish an

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-67437797104771232012011-03-15T22:43:00.001-04:002011-12-22T17:40:17.827-05:00

Having paid his dues in and around New York City’s fabled Brill Building — where collaborators like Leiber and Stoller as well as Goffin and King composed hit after hit for a multitude of artists — Neil Diamond recognized early on that he’d have to work a lot harder than most to excel on his own. The Bang Sessions 1966-1968 (Sony Legacy), which covers the just-inducted Rock and Roll Hall of

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-12805577762768246882011-03-10T00:59:00.001-05:002011-12-22T17:42:05.909-05:00

Fifty years ago this month, Elvis Presley received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army following two years of active service. His time away did little to temper his ubiquitous presence on the radio, however — he'd recorded a small surplus of tracks prior to his first deployment, which helped — as raucous hits like "A Big Hunk o' Love" and "Hard Headed Woman" received steady airplay while he

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-73277682836349537222011-03-03T07:25:00.000-05:002012-01-20T05:30:09.122-05:00

“Everybody always asks me what the theme is,” Lucinda Williams says, her drowsy Southern drawl punctuating her frustration at having this question put to her for what must be the umpteenth time. "I just go in and write the songs. And, I guess, whatever I’ve been dealing with at that time, that’s what’s going to come out." While she's at it the three-time GRAMMY® winner and wife — in 2009

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-8050944245125486092011-03-01T22:08:00.001-05:002011-12-22T17:43:19.587-05:00

Canadian singer/songwriter Diana Pops makes a provocative and promising first impression with her recently released debut EP, For Bright Minds In Dark Corners. With her own rich piano playing at the forefront, she draws on rock, classical and melodic-pop elements to evoke a warm, sullen vibe, giving the four songs on this disc a unifying, austere distinction. Likewise, her voice is impassioned

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-90830026114652532142011-02-20T02:09:00.000-05:002011-12-22T17:45:23.251-05:00

If all Aretha Franklin ever recorded were the sorts of songs represented on The Great American Songbook, which highlights her relatively brief tenure at Columbia Records prior to her groundbreaking run at Atlantic Records, she would still have etched her legend as one of the all-time greats. Signed to Columbia in 1960 by John Hammond, Franklin was groomed in the mold of a jazz-disposed balladeer

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-20203799113968716442011-02-09T21:18:00.000-05:002011-12-22T19:13:47.363-05:00

After a near-four-year stretch of setbacks, false starts, and irreconcilable differences both professional and personal, singer/songwriter Nicole Atkins is back in a big way this week with her sophomore LP, Mondo Amore. On this, the follow-up her 2007 debut, Neptune City, she paints a canvas of kaleidoscopic rockers ("You Come to Me," "This is For Love"), sentimental weepers ("Hotel Plaster," "

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-46836189407345729932011-01-26T11:24:00.001-05:002011-12-22T19:16:52.482-05:00

The original plan was for the Cowboy Junkies to make a record with their longtime friend, folk artist Vic Chesnutt. Tragedy intervened, however, when Chesnutt, 45, died by his own hand on Christmas Day 2009. And so what had been conceived as a collaboration ultimately took shape as a tribute, with the Junkies covering an album's worth of Chesnutt's songs for their latest LP, Demons. The

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-25726008265158513182010-12-27T14:27:00.000-05:002011-12-22T09:39:56.575-05:00

GRAMMY®-winning producer Daniel Lanois has worked with some of music's most significant artists, but in collaborating with Neil Young on this year's explosive Le Noise, he found a kindred spirit. "I was always embarrassed of being a hard worker," Lanois says. "I never paid attention to weekends or holidays or anything. Christmas? I’m working. [Laughs] And we talked about it. [Neil] said, 'I’

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-19017660166805201982010-12-20T09:42:00.002-05:002011-12-22T19:26:43.115-05:00

The songs of Jimmy Webb occupy an indelible place in popular music. From the ones that everybody knows — "Wichita Lineman," "Galveston," "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," and “MacArthur Park” among them — to such standout performances as “Up, Up And Away” (The Fifth Dimension), “The Worst That Could Happen” (The Brooklyn Bridge), “All I Know” (Art Garfunkel), and “The Highwayman” (The Highwaymen),

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-21210586196642274912010-12-10T13:05:00.002-05:002011-12-24T16:52:04.974-05:00

In a career as extensive and artistically diverse as that of the Bee Gees, perhaps the one prevailing theme has been the group’s near-prodigious ability to compose songs that are both of their time and timeless. It's what makes classics like "To Love Somebody," "Massachusetts," and "How Deep Is Your Love" seem as vital and moving today as when they were originally released. And it's this

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-23654686985023844102010-12-02T08:06:00.001-05:002011-12-24T01:33:58.727-05:00

His songs are like character sketches of the human condition, and in a career spanning thirty years — first with Wall of Voodoo, the band most known for its 1982 hit, "Mexican Radio," then as a solo artist — Stan Ridgway has produced a string of adventurous works that have endeared him to discerning critics and fans alike.  On his latest, Neon Mirage, he turns introspective, addressing

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-74243199719555943082010-11-22T20:20:00.007-05:002012-01-22T21:28:50.097-05:00

Despite any accoutrements that have accompanied her seemingly overnight success, Christina Perri is at heart a resourceful songwriter, musician, and vocalist with a deep, long-held commitment to her craft. While at work on her full-length debut (due in Spring 2011), the 24-year-old Philadelphia native has released a preview of sorts with the five-song EP, The Ocean Way Sessions. Underscoring

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-68206897886164802232010-11-10T07:40:00.000-05:002011-12-24T00:45:33.282-05:00

As one of country music’s most venerable artists and ambassadors, Marty Stuart wasn’t about to stand idly by while witnessing what he saw as the integrity of its heritage being compromised.“The roots of country music were being ignored and disregarded,” says Stuart, a native of Philadelphia, Mississippi, “and it was slipping away. It seemed to me that the right thing to do was to play it.”

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-31171702470237835792010-11-01T00:43:00.001-04:002011-12-23T01:10:54.593-05:00

Things are going pretty well these days for Iggy and the Stooges, who in addition to playing around the world to bigger audiences than ever were, this past March, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It's a far cry from their '73/'74 tour in support of arguably their most incendiary album, Raw Power, after which they'd become just another in a long line of rock 'n' roll casualties.

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-17714986067546689782010-10-16T18:38:00.002-04:002012-01-01T15:52:37.643-05:00

Styx is out on the road this weekend, treating fans to their distinctive brand of rock 'n' roll on the opening dates of their latest U.S. tour. Unlike past tours during which the band has mostly concentrated on the hits, Styx is devoting most of each evening's show to performing two of their most celebrated albums, The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight, in their entirety. In modernizing its

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-4746559975172080702010-10-15T11:38:00.004-04:002011-12-24T00:35:34.434-05:00

She first honed her craft as a folk musician, but with such infectious pop hits as "Suddenly I See" and "Black Horse and The Cherry Tree," KT Tunstall is certainly no stranger to rhythm. On her third and latest release, Tiger Suit, the Scottish singer/songwriter shifts from the more organic sound of her previous efforts, Eye To The Telescope and Drastic Fantastic, to delve into dance music,

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-10193457839587861302010-10-09T12:38:00.002-04:002011-12-24T17:13:28.990-05:00

When you’re already a member of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most legendary, successful bands, odds are you don’t get the urge to make a solo album unless you have something to say. The past few years have been rather bumpy ones for Ronnie Wood, who hit some turbulence in his personal life only to see it parodied by the tabloid press. It wouldn’t be all that far-fetched, then, to think he may want

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-14328849847704899482010-10-04T13:42:00.007-04:002011-12-24T00:27:05.340-05:00

“The first time I heard music that completely destroyed me,” Katie Melua recalls, “was Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’ that my mum was playing on the piano when I was six years old.” It’s a memory she’s reflected upon from time to time over the years, but for her its resonance remains profound. “It was like butterflies in my stomach,” the 26-year-old singer/songwriter describes. “It was like

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-39504819020301836492010-09-20T21:22:00.006-04:002011-12-24T18:15:48.811-05:00

While the majority of covers albums by veteran artists in recent years have smacked of a marketing strategy — think of those by Rod Stewart or Barry Manilow — the new one by Phil Collins, Going Back, on which he interprets songs of Motown and other comparable classics, comes across as a genuine labor of love.Collins has long held a soft spot for vintage R&B and pop, and he's illustrated as much

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-16384064746928030712010-08-16T23:40:00.009-04:002011-12-23T00:06:53.073-05:00

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers had already achieved some success with their first two albums, but it was with their third, Damn The Torpedoes, that they really hit it big. Containing such radio staples as "Refugee," "Even The Losers," "Don't Do Me Like That," and "Here Comes My Girl," the 1979 LP in many ways remains the band’s defining work. As the subject of the latest installment of Eagle

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-77070197514064201132010-08-10T01:22:00.001-04:002011-12-24T18:29:55.046-05:00

When an artist reaches the point where he doesn’t have to work so darn hard just to get the job done (or if he’s good enough to make it all seem easy), he’s then free to tend to more immediate concerns — like having a good time. That's what Chris Isaak does on his latest release, Live at the Fillmore.Backed by his longtime band, Silvertone, Isaak is sensational throughout this 2008 performance

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-33295134583838235862010-08-06T05:38:00.003-04:002011-12-23T22:58:57.536-05:00

As digital technology has enabled some of the most innovative musicians to redefine the means of composition, so too has it facilitated record producers and engineers in broadening the possibilities of how music can sound. One of the foremost authorities on such matters, Alan Parsons chronicles the modern recording process in a three-DVD, nine-hour instructional series, The Art and Science of

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-2966153414856459912010-07-31T23:44:00.005-04:002011-12-24T18:50:46.432-05:00

The house was anything but crowded on Wednesday night with Ruth Eckerd Hall's 2,100 seats only half-filled, unfortunately, but Neil Finn and company engaged the faithful with as much sincerity and showmanship as they would a offer a stadium filled to the rafters. For two solid hours, Crowded House — rounded out by bassist Nick Seymour, keyboardist Mark Hart, and drummer Matt Sherrod — culled

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-3395553264570237042010-07-27T02:02:00.002-04:002011-12-23T01:02:07.052-05:00

Singer/songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk is set to release her fifth and latest studio LP, Plain Jane, next month as a deluxe edition on iTunes. Originally issued in her native Canada last fall, the album received neither a proper release nor much publicity in the States. As Kreviazuk explains, "It’s a lot for me to do a Canadian promotion with my family and then go out and also promote it in the

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-79729909620079195852010-07-19T06:24:00.002-04:002011-12-23T01:54:50.997-05:00

In the '80s you didn't have to listen too long before a Howard Jones song would play on the radio. Having scored a Top Ten single in 1983 with his first single, "New Song," the British musician solidified his debut the following year with the full-length effort, Human’s Lib, which was a worldwide hit upon entering the UK album charts at Number One. A string of hit songs followed — "

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-74869595137480696702010-07-16T16:06:00.001-04:002011-12-23T23:28:45.178-05:00

With the release of their latest LP, Intriguer, Crowded House have, in a sense, come full circle. The album, which hit North American retail and online outlets earlier this week — it was issued elsewhere around the world last month — finds the Australian-based quartet drawing on many of the characteristic qualities that distinguished them over two decades ago.Led by vocalist and principal

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-14117640617181439132010-07-14T03:35:00.002-04:002011-12-24T18:53:09.842-05:00

Inspiration is an aphrodisiac in live music. It’s what makes the difference between a rote, paint-by-numbers performance and one that thrives in the moment; in which the musicians on stage feed off the visceral energy from the audience and, in turn, each other. That kind of inspiration runs all through Road Songs, the new live double album by the Derek Trucks Band. Brewing up a gumbo of

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-80508354319438866082010-07-07T16:49:00.002-04:002011-12-23T23:22:52.601-05:00

The first thing you notice about the new Cowboy Junkies album, Renmin Park, is how much it doesn’t sound like any other Cowboy Junkies album.Informed by experiences guitarist Mike Timmons had while on an extended visit to China, the album echoes an Eastern vibe that blends well with the band‘s more familiar folk and Gothic distinctions. Drawing on an archive of raw audio footage that Timmons

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-41613834263469659392010-06-27T07:07:00.001-04:002011-12-24T19:00:51.173-05:00

To coincide with the recent reissue of the Rolling Stones' seminal work, Exile On Main Street, filmmaker Stephen Kijak collected a considerable amount of archival footage to present Stones In Exile, which summarizes the making of the album, its reception by critics and fans upon release in 1972, and its enduring legacy today.  Through cinematography that often blends still photography from the

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-13847941214681918842010-06-24T04:34:00.001-04:002011-12-24T00:21:22.711-05:00

On Saturday, Jonny Lang will play the Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago, joining the likes of Jeff Beck, B.B. King, Steve Winwood, and Buddy Guy, among dozens of others. Sharing the stage with musicians of such stature is nothing new to Lang. And in fact this will be his second Crossroads appearance — he performed at the inaugural event in 2004 — but this time he'd like to meet one legend

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-77707378105515052562010-06-21T04:25:00.001-04:002011-12-23T00:22:45.346-05:00

If Miley Cyrus wants her music to be more important to people than what's depicted of her in tabloids and paparazzi photos, she needs to distinguish herself from the countless other pop stars who already do what she does, only better. On her new album, Can't Be Tamed, the seventeen-year-old starlet not only lacks any hint of individuality but substance as well, sounding as if she's grasping at

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-84011696583216433262010-06-17T05:13:00.001-04:002011-12-24T01:37:06.183-05:00

When in the late ‘90s filmmakers Damani Baker and Alex Vlack first conceived of directing a documentary about music legend Bill Withers, they had a hard time finding even the most basic information on the man.They also had a hard time finding Bill Withers.The composer and voice behind some of popular music's most enduring, instantly recognizable songs — "Lean On Me," "Ain't No Sunshine," and "

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-68578735831051129302010-06-13T03:47:00.003-04:002011-12-24T19:08:42.522-05:00

After previewing some of its songs last year on an auspicious EP, 25-year-old singer/songwriter Anna Rose has returned with her full-length debut, Nomad. Engaging progressive rock's sprawling sonic realms along with folk's gentler sensibilities, she delivers performances on it that reveal more depth with each listen.  It’s the work of an earnest and promising artist who clearly invests her

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-63176544514987392072010-06-07T10:33:00.003-04:002011-12-23T23:03:31.699-05:00

Allison Moorer isn’t big on artifice, particularly when it comes to songwriting. "Certainly Top 40 radio isn’t exploring deep, dark emotions," Moorer says of today's musical landscape. "And if they are — sometimes the rare thing breaks through and they do explore something like that — it’s so shrouded that who would know?"It’s been twelve years since the release of her debut album, Alabama

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-28657101920849766282010-06-03T10:25:00.001-04:002011-12-23T23:01:33.304-05:00

When Alex Kemp set out on his latest solo project, the former vocalist/bassist for the indie-pop band Small Factory envisioned a song cycle about a character not unlike himself. “There’s this younger guy who’s down on his luck,” Kemp says of the narrative, “who’s away from people who know him and who’s trying to figure it out. I’ve felt like that guy my whole life. I still feel like that guy.

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-71993202899248597592010-05-30T10:00:00.002-04:002012-01-20T05:28:17.536-05:00

Through moments of unflinching, forsaken honesty and homespun grace, Sarah Jaffe carves an indelible impression on her recently released full-length debut, Suburban Nature.In 2008 the Texan singer/songwriter released a six-song EP, Even Born Again, its stark and often Gothic-folk resonance laying the foundation of her sound. "The goal was to have it be a minimal introduction," Jaffe says of the

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-2471511872871927622010-05-26T04:23:00.001-04:002011-12-24T00:19:45.218-05:00

“Writing is my absolute favorite thing to do,” Joan Armatrading says in no uncertain terms. “That’s the thing that I love.” It's of little wonder, too, especially considering the breadth and diversities of her canon. For nearly forty years, the British singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist has produced an eclectic string of hits—among them “Love And Affection,” “Willow,” “Drop The

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-37237824637738931032010-05-23T22:21:00.007-04:002011-12-24T19:17:23.566-05:00

Granted he’s not a teenage phenomenon anymore—he’ll turn 30 later this year—but Jonny Lang is still too damn young to be so damn good. On the opening night of his Live By Request tour, on which he includes a selection of cuts voted for by fans through his official website, Lang delivered an inspired performance. And in moments too frequent to mention, he sounded more like a seasoned bluesman

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-8824670524725909182010-05-18T05:59:00.004-04:002011-12-24T00:31:07.184-05:00

Among the most successful British bands of the past decade with over ten million albums sold, Keane have now added to their success, topping the UK Album Chart for the fourth time in as many releases with their latest, Night Train.  Diverse and genre defying, the collection reflects a bold creative shift for the trio—vocalist Tom Chaplin, pianist Tim Rice-Oxley, and drummer Richard

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-58962653138595967772010-05-12T21:53:00.003-04:002011-12-23T23:09:05.751-05:00

You’d be forgiven if you mistook Future Sons & Daughters for a vintage reissue from some specialty label that houses obscure psychedelic, progressive, and bossa nova vinyl. With its laid-back, retro vibe and ethereal arrangements, the sophomore album by the artist who calls himself AM recalls some of the '60s and '70s' most inventive pop."The sound of those records just really appeals to me,"

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-23051598237614613342010-05-11T06:41:00.006-04:002012-01-18T06:20:18.573-05:00

Last year when Van Morrison revisited his classic album, Astral Weeks, in select performances across the country, he called to mind one of the most compelling instances in his canon in which the music was borne out of a conviction that even the most unintended note or inflection could yield altogether new inspiration.In his new book, When That Rough God Goes Riding: Listening To Van Morrison,

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-32303396711137667772010-05-08T16:50:00.004-04:002011-12-24T19:22:49.678-05:00

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers are gearing up for their much-anticipated summer tour in support of Mojo, the band’s first album since their 2002 concept album, The Last DJ.While the new LP doesn’t hit stores until June 15, those who purchase a ticket for the tour online (or who already have) can download a copy on its release date at no additional cost. Two tracks—"First Flash of Freedom" and "

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-9687583777188418002010-05-05T03:57:00.004-04:002011-12-23T00:17:01.789-05:00

Anyone who’s witnessed Jonny Lang in concert already knows of the febrile passion he summons on stage. Often looking as if he’s locked in his own zone, galvanized by an electric guitar, the once-child prodigy and now-29-year-old seasoned musician elicits many an inspired, spontaneous moment rather than merely duplicating his songs in front of an audience. Which is arguably why his studio albums

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-46977966712447483642010-05-03T05:02:00.006-04:002011-12-24T02:27:26.765-05:00

Five years ago this week, Cream reunited in a four-night stand at London’s Royal Albert Hall, heralding the first time that Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton, and Ginger Baker had performed full concerts together—and apart from their three-song set at their 1993 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, the only time to date—in nearly forty years.The unlikelihood of this monumental happening, widely

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-39699110411924643812010-04-28T15:53:00.004-04:002011-12-24T19:43:08.979-05:00

"There are so many different things you can do with music," says singer/songwriter Nadia Kazmi, and if a consensus were to be gleaned from her debut, appropriately titled Arrival, that'd be a good one. Through the album's diverse incarnations of rock, pop and distinctive shades of soul, Kazmi reflects the spectrum of her influences and creative range. In so doing, she also bears out her

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-47090828627595843692010-04-23T08:52:00.003-04:002011-12-23T23:57:43.712-05:00

After a period of indecision toward her future, singer/songwriter Gin Wigmore is now on the cusp of a promising career.Born in Auckland, New Zealand, she first made a name for herself at 16, winning the grand prize at the prestigious International Songwriting Competition (the youngest person to do so) for "Hallelujah," which she'd composed in memory of her father. She later included it on

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-82960219691981429222010-04-20T08:35:00.002-04:002011-12-23T01:21:12.868-05:00

Kate Nash certainly can't be accused of playing it safe in her creative expression lest anyone take offense. On the strength of her million-selling 2008 debut, Made of Bricks, she garnered as much notoriety for her brazen, often tongue-in-cheek lyricism as she did for the infectious, melodic distinctions of her music.On her sophomore LP, My Best Friend Is You, Nash has ratcheted up the

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-36409607608959430662010-04-13T04:10:00.002-04:002011-12-22T23:39:54.838-05:00

It’s always inspiring to see artists engage the promise of their talent, challenging themselves and exploring their creative curiosities. Over the past four years since her critically acclaimed folk/pop debut, Words Came Back To Me, Sonya Kitchell has reflected an exploratory, progressive approach toward her craft. She emphasized as much with her 2008 LP, This Storm, on which she broadened the

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-73672476986812677472010-04-07T08:55:00.007-04:002011-12-23T01:07:44.418-05:00

"If all you were left believing was what you were seeing it'd be nothing but desperate," Jakob Dylan says of the discontent he perceives throughout the current social climate. "To have hope you're going to have to imagine that there's something behind the curtain." That collective despair, mitigated only by glimmers of optimism along the way, is what Dylan draws upon and evokes on his latest

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-9895454407619808362010-03-25T04:06:00.001-04:002011-12-22T23:49:20.854-05:00

On June 30, 1990 in Hertfordshire, England, on the stomping grounds of some of rock’s most historic, landmark events — the site of Led Zeppelin’s last stand on British soil, in ’79; where Freddie Mercury fronted Queen for the final time, in '86 — approximately 120,000 people descended upon Knebworth Park for a massive all-star concert benefiting the Nordof-Robbins Music Charity Centre and the

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-80486222622591162912010-03-22T05:09:00.005-04:002011-12-23T00:36:52.744-05:00

In a little bit over half an hour and through ten eclectic, well-crafted songs, Beth Thornley illustrates the possibilities and creative sweep of pop on her latest album, Wash U Clean. Having written it, for the most part, on the piano, Thornley enriches the work with resonant, unmistakable melodies that wouldn't sound out of place on an early Elton John record. And in exploring a tapestry of

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-38919942365277508132010-03-17T06:54:00.003-04:002011-12-24T20:01:07.629-05:00

Jimi Hendrix released his third and what would turn out to be his final studio album, Electric Ladyland, nearly two full years before his untimely death on September 18, 1970. It's worth noting, though, that his remaining time on the mortal plane wasn't downtime by any means.While maintaining a fractured relationship with the Experience, he formed the Band of Gypsies with bassist Billy Cox

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-87592365240513301492010-03-11T23:08:00.004-05:002011-12-23T23:11:29.501-05:00

With songs both quirky and endearingly candid, singer/songwriter Amber Rubarth is a refreshing talent on the rise. As illustrated on her third and latest LP, Good Mystery, she complements a gentle, folk/pop vibe with a storyteller's engagement and the unassuming, often-awkward charm of a girl you wished lived next door.While gearing up for next week's SXSW Music Festival, where on March 18

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-46956321668958421182010-03-04T10:12:00.001-05:002011-12-23T23:18:28.411-05:00

In the case of Clarence Greenwood, better known as Citizen Cope, the songwriting process owes as much to intuitiveness as it does to technique or ability. In the eight years since the Brooklyn-based (by way of Washington DC) artist's critically acclaimed, self-titled debut, he’s turned out a handful of inspired albums, with each one intended at enriching "an overall artistic statement,” he

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236642632330875846.post-15823185232790841632010-02-26T08:33:00.006-05:002011-12-23T00:54:12.885-05:00

On March 23, legendary jazz bassist and composer Dave Holland will issue his latest work, Pathways, introducing the first document of his eponymous Octet on his own Dare2 Records label. Culled from performances recorded at Birdland in New York City, the album features Holland's regular working band — Robin Eubanks, Steve Nelson, Chris Potter, and Nate Smith — with the addition of three horn

Donald Gibsonhttps://profiles.google.com/104424154119067892389noreply@blogger.com0