J.P. Reali – Grateful Blues You have to look at this from the perspective that it’s a good idea. Turning a few Grateful Dead classics into blues. It’s like when you take all the leftovers of the week & make a Shepherd’s pie on Friday with all those wonderful, tasty ingredients in it. “Easy Wind” […]
Lily Meola Lucky To Be “I got lucky enough to find you and I,” sings Maui native Lily Meola. Her debut album, Lucky to Be, released on July 17 via Nettwerk Music Group, revolves around love, gratitude, and the serendipity of human connection. The album’s twelve songs remind us that sometimes destiny hangs by a […]
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Claire Lynch Empty Pair of Shoes (Thrill Hill Records) The old adage ‘less is more’ has never been more appropriate than it is applied to Claire Lynch’s long-awaited follow-up to 2016’s North By South. It’s been a long time coming and, at only 8 songs and 24+ minutes in length, I (somewhat foolishly) asked her, […]
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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 […]
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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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Fisherman’s Blues, the fourth and best-known album by the UK’s Waterboys, signaled a quantum leap for an already excellent band. The result of three years of studio work, this 1988 LP found the group expanding its focus from alt-rock to embrace country, folk, gospel, and soul as well as traditional Irish, Scottish, and Celtic music. […]
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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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Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves Bury Deep My Heart A new album by Owen Lake is freshly available this week, Bury Deep My Heart. At 13 songs, the commitment and breadth of Owen Lake’s work and inventive capabilities is solidly showcased here. Owen Lake is the stage name of Jeff Snyder, who is the […]
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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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