Recap: John Mellencamp at Comerica Theater in Phoenix
I can’t quite figure out why it took me this long to see John Mellencamp live for the first time. Like so many other Americans around my age (that’s 45 in a few days), I came to know John Cougar…
Katie Queen of Tennessee
The song is sweet, catchy, and mesmerizing. It got me right from the moment I saw this video on Palladia. I’d never heard of the Apache Relay. They’re from Nashville, and they took their name from a scene in the…
Future Islands on Jools – Meet Samuel T. Herring
Another hat tip to Later…with Jools Holland for introducing me to yet another great act – this time, Baltimore’s Future Islands. “Seasons (Waiting On You)” is a great track, lush with synth melody. But it’s the antics of front man…
Jamie T’s Zombie
Zombie, punk pop groove Jaime T from Wimbledon Good for the ear holes
In Appreciation of Mellencamp’s “Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)”
After hearing 1996’s “Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)” two or three times at random times over the last week or so – on my iTunes/Spotify shuffle, on SiriusXM – I realized that, to me, it’s the last great…
Christopher Owens – Nothing More Than Everything To Me
I’ll admit to being slightly underwhelmed by Christopher Owens’ debut solo album, Lysandre, released a year and a half ago after his disbanding of the amazing band Girls. Yeah, it had its standout moments (“New York City” being my favorite),…
Required Viewing: Fred Eaglesmith
I experienced my first Fred Eaglesmith show Wednesday night as Fred’s ‘Traveling Steam Show” rolled through Arizona. How to even begin? The great music, the between-song monologues that are a show unto itself, the kickass backing band (including the talented…
The Stone: The Return of André Cymone
If you were ever sucked into the Prince vortex, as I was in 1984, you quickly found yourself seeking out every last morsel of musical goodness from anything Prince-related. In the mid-80’s, that meant marching into your local record store…
World Boogie is Here – North Mississippi Allstars Unleash
Swampy, dirty, badass rock n’ blues. I’ve listened to the North Mississippi Allstars here and there over the years, but nothing they’ve done has taken a hold of me like their latest release, World Boogie Is Coming. NMA are essentially…
Janelle Monae: Electrifying [Tempe Recap]
This woman is one of a kind. The Electric Lady, the title of Janelle Monáe’s latest album, is no joke. Electricity surges through her on stage: in the manic dance moves that channel James Brown, Michael Jackson, Prince, and Elvis;…
