Album Review: Hotel Lights-Girl Graffiti
Girl Graffiti by Hotel Lights is a darn fine record. I’m just going to get that out of the way right off the bat because it needs to be said without any pretense or bullshit. That is in fact what makes it such a great record. It doesn’t try to be anything except what it is, [...]
Album Review:Keb Mo-True Reflection
Keb’ Mo’ – True Reflection I slid my new Keb’ Mo’ cd into my laptop and I-Tunes automatically categorized it in the “blues” genre. This certainly isn’t the computer program’s fault. Keb’ Mo’ first made a name for himself as a blues musician, playing a wicked slide guitar. While that may be where he came [...]
Album Review: The Submarines-Love Notes/Letter Bombs
The Submarines: Music for a Sunny Day. Love Notes/Letter Bombs, the third full-length album from indie pop duo John Dragonetti and Blake Hazard, known collectively as The Submarines, is not usually my cup of tea. It’s bright and sunny with infectious hooks and sing-along choruses. I usually prefer my music a little on the darker [...]
Album Review: Dropkick Murphys – Going Out in Style
Always In Style There is a familiar expression, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The Dropkick Murphys very much adhere to this old adage on their seventh studio album, Going Out In Style, a follow-up to 2007’s The Meanest of Times. The Massachusetts septet delivers their usual brand of raucous celtic-fried rock n roll [...]
Liner Notes:Battlin’ On: An Appreciation of Charlie Louvin 1927-2011
Liner Notes: Battlin’ On: An Appreciation of Charlie Louvin 1927-2011 I have been struggling over the past several weeks to find words to heap upon the legacy of country music pioneer, Charlie Louvin, after his recent passing at 83. At a certain point, the music alone should speak for itself. Regardless, I will attempt to [...]
Album Review: Wanda Jackson-The Party Ain’t Over
Party with the Queen Jack White strikes again. Coming off another busy year touring and recording with his Southern gothic blues outfit, The Dead Weather, the prolific rock n roller sets his sights on resurrecting the “Queen of Rockabilly,” Wanda Jackson. At 73, “Queen of Rockabilly,” Wanda Jackson still retains the smoldering fire that characterized [...]
The Dead Weather: Sea of Cowards
The Dead Weather: Sea of Cowards I’ve sat down to write this review at least half a dozen times over the past few weeks and found myself absolutely stymied as to how to express my feelings regarding Sea of Cowards, the second offering from Jack White’s (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs) latest project The Dead [...]
Liner Notes: My interview with The Shams’ Amy Rigby
Note: This is a follow-up to my column from May 17th. Amy Rigby was kind enough to take time out of her American tour with Wreckless Eric to answer a few questions about her time with The Shams. You can check her out in Raleigh, NC at the Berkeley Café on June 10th and in [...]
Liner Notes: Thrift Store Angels: Discovering The Shams
The Shams-3 AM The Shams-Beauty Parlor Rag “I consider the Shams to be the sexiest group in music today. The kind of sexiness you either want to marry or defile or emulate, depending on your personality type. They’re the perfect solution to all the confusion between Madonna and whore.” – Richard Hell (1992) I [...]
Liner Notes: Go Go Dex Baby
Go Go Dex Baby Dex Romweber has pretty much seen it all. Since forming Flat Duo Jets in 1983, the rockabilly whirlwind has played on David Letterman, been touted alongside the likes of R.E.M. in the seminal music documentary, Athens,Georgia: Inside/Out, and received a late career boost from Jack White (White Stripes, The Dead Weather). [...]
