Galen & Paul (that’s Simonon) – Lonely Town
I’m always curious to find out how former Clash members are spending their time. In the aughts, Mick Jones collaborated with Tony James on the delightfully quirky Carbon/Silicon (moreC/S please!). Paul Simonon released a couple of albums with the Damon…
Zach Bryan’s God Speed
The sky was crystal blue north of Flagstaff a couple months back, and three feet of fresh snow covered the San Francisco Peaks like a white blanket. I had spent 90 minutes in traffic driving the 15 miles from Flagstaff…
As All Get Out – New from MLV
Ickmusic favorite Matthew Logan Vasquez (aka the front man of the great Delta Spirit) is back with another great batch of songs on his brand new album, As All Get Out (Bandcamp), released this past Friday. This is Matt’s 5th…
Recap: Leif Vollebekk comes to Phoenix
Since discovering Leif Vollebekk’s music a few years back, I’ve looked forward to the day I’d see him live. Last night, St. Patrick’s Day 2022, was the night. Leif is back on a big tour, and thankfully he was booked…
Bruce Cockburn’s cover of Ribbon of Darkness
This song has been percolating happily in my headspace for a good month or two now. From a 2003 tribute to Gordon Lightfoot, here’s the great Bruce Cockburn with a sublime take on Gord’s “Ribbon of Darkness.”
11 Past the Hour
Another spellbinding few minutes of music, this time courtesy of Irish singer Imelda May. Silky smooth, effortless and beautiful, the tune has a dreamlike, gliding quality that hits me in just the right place. Imelda hit my radar about 10…
when black midi comes to town
Always a treat to come across multi-talented new bands. black midi are young UK guys in their late teens / early 20’s who sound years ahead of their time. I bought this record after hearing “John L.” once and simply…
Jaime Wyatt’s Misery & Gin
If you haven’t checked out Amoeba Records’ long running “What’s in my Bag?” series on YouTube, I recommend it. It’s easy to go down the rabbit hole watching different musicians point out their favorite records and films. The Shooter Jennings…
My intro to Nicole Atkins
Nicole Atkins has evaded me all these years, but thanks to a friend pointing me to her latest release earlier this year (Italian Ice), and the last 24 hours of deep diving into her music, I am on board. Her…
Midnight to Stevens – The Clash Pay Tribute to an Original
I’m about a quarter of the way through Marcus Gray’s Route 19 Revisited: The Clash and London Calling. It’s a meticulously detailed account of absolutely everything having to do with the landmark 1979 album. Gray also wrote one of the…