Albert Castiglia – Grits & Glory One can rarely take a vintage genre like the blues & apply enough originality & reality to it to create a compelling fresh soundscape. Miami’s Albert Castiglia applies a gutsy vocal to “In My America,” & with its gnarly guitars, predatory drumbeats & sizzling notes, Albert’s blues start to […]
Litvar – Being Here At first glance, this set appears to be a melancholy downer. However, on closer inspection, it could also be an album of filtering, reawakening, acceptance,& moving forward. There was a spell of grief & restoration, but the musicians turned it into something creative, contemporary, & meaningful. Endings & new beginnings can […]
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Joe Finstrom – Mountains EP This showcase is the first solo EP by Minneapolis multi-instrumentalist Joe Finstrom, which effectively mixes alternative nooks with modern Americana crannies. The set’s primarily personal songs that explore the changes of life & resiliency. Joe’s prior music under the name Vincent van Beethoven was more indie-pop oriented, but this toss […]
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Clark Paterson – Are You Lonely Like Me? Silly cover, but this album is filled with acute pop sensibilities right out of the gate & maybe the art is…appropriate. The Michigan native & Nashville-based Clark Paterson has some ingenuity in his compositions & has the right voice. A little ‘60s retro, but with dark […]
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Maura Dunst – Violin Songs EP Uh-oh, a quartet of violins album. Yes, but the vocals are by one Maura Dunst & that makes all the difference. What a pairing: a classically sounding, sawing-smooth-as-silk violin with Maura’s pristine voice. There are only 5 songs, spare, & they’re blissful. “Strong Enough,” a Sheryl Crow cover, leads […]
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Maya de Vitry – All My Faith This is a creative-sounding singer-songwriter effort with little in the way of being totally different or innovative. But, & that’s a big but,…Ms. de Vitry is a practitioner of following her own muse & sculpts a sound derived from many past sources while being ebullient & creative. Much […]
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Lance Cowan – The Air That You Breathe I’ve reviewed the critically acclaimed Nashville-based singer-songwriter Lance Cowan’s work in the past but always try to assess the newest with a fresh look. This is Mr. Cowan’s latest 11-track 3rd solo set, The Air That You Breathe (Drops July 24/Patio Records/Lantzapalooza Muzik/40:03), which boasts some fine […]
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Patrick McCormic – Crisis of Confidence It’s always a pleasure to hear a set of songs begin with a singer with a diversified voice who doesn’t sound like dozens of other singers & wannabes. Patrick has a cool-effecting vocal that begins with the title track Crisis of Confidence (Drops July 24/Independent/41:43) produced by Jim Reilley. […]
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Michael Falzarano – Sunrise Over the Unknown Another veteran musician who played with Jorma Kaukonen, & Hot Tuna with his own sparkling solo project & heavy themes, like recovery, the journey back, some inspirational pieces, one with lyrics (“Cupful of Rain”) by the late Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. This showcase is Michael’s 6th solo […]
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Mary Flower & Leon Cotter – Chants of Rain This interesting album opens with the kind of melody the late Leon Redbone would gladly play. It’s an instrumental “Mary’s Rag,” with the acoustic guitar fingerpicking clarity of Portland’s Mary Flower against the warm notes of Leon Cotter’s clarinet. Benny Goodman & Artie Shaw would be […]
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