Ick’s Pick: Lucinda Williams’ ‘Blessed’
March 1st is not only day one of my favorite month (I’m in Arizona, so that means Spring Training games, a beer festival, and ideal weather), but it’s also release day for Blessed, the great new album from Lucinda Williams.…
Los Lobos returning to Arizona on May 5th
Last summer, thanks to the passing of Arizona’s anti-immigration bill SB1070, many artists made the decision to boycott the state. One of my very favorite bands, Los Lobos, was one of those who decided to say no to Arizona. They…
The Friday Five: February 25, 2011
On the sixth day of every week, Michael Parr shuffles through his library to bring you five random tracks.
The Airborne Toxic Event
A Facebook friend recently recommended taking a listen to the Airborne Toxic Event. So I dialed up their only full-length studio album (self-titled) and took a run around the ‘hood. I was seriously impressed. It’s a little bit hard-edged in…
The Makings of Rain
If I had to point to one performance that sums up everything I like about Prince, it would be his August 3rd, 1983 benefit show at First Avenue in Minneapolis (the day I turned 13!). It was not only the…
The Cars are Back [Video: “Blue Tip”]
For those of us who grew up listening to The Cars, there’s something comforting about hearing Ric Ocasek’s voice and that vintage Cars sound here in the year 2011. After all, the last time they released an album of new…
Radiohead’s ‘The King of Limbs’ [My 2 Cents]
Like a lot of you, I dropped the $9.00 for Radiohead‘s new album The King of Limbs, when it was offered up a day earlier than expected on Friday. What was it, last Monday when it was announced out of…
Bruce: Give My Love to Rose
I stumbled across this today. Still gives me chills… “tell my Rose to go and find another / you tell her that I will understand” From a 1999 tribute to Johnny Cash.
The Friday Five: February 18, 2011
On the sixth day of every week, Michael Parr shuffles through his library to bring you five random tracks.
My Dove, My Lamb
Today, I developed a case of the blahs. Without good reason, really. I’m blessed. Family, work, health…all great, no complaints. But sometimes, even when all’s well, that crap feeling can creep in and take hold. I think they call it…
