It has become both fashionable and profitable for artists in the later stages of their careers to release albums comprised of old standards or covers of instantly recognizable Pop hits.
Leave it to Neil Young to follow that convention and then knock it upside its head. On Americana, Young resurrects Crazy Horse, his longtime and long dormant backing band and the foil for realizing some of his...  

Given the relative proximity of his Anderson, Ind., hometown, Pop singer/songwriter Jon McLaughlin could be considered a Tri-state talent. As a youngster, McLaughlin learned piano despite his aversion to lessons, eventually studying music at Anderson University. At 21, McLaughlin released his debut album, Up Until Now, followed a year later by his eponymous sophomore disc, which he supported by relentlessly touring the Midwest.  

There are guitar slingers, guitar masters, guitar heroes and guitar stranglers, and then there are the rare guitar icons, players who possess a distinctive style that makes them immediately recognizable after just a few notes. Sonny Landreth is surely among that hallowed group.
  

When people are confronted with my ridiculously voluminous music collection, they are most often struck with its distinct lack of commonality. Growing up within 70 miles of Detroit in the ’60s will do that; anything you can imagine between and beyond Motown and The Stooges will generally light my sparkler.
In reference to music specifically and to life in general, I have often remarked, “S...  

With last year’s six-song Nightlife, Phantogram lightened their atmosphere slightly while continuing to weave a fascinating sonic tapestry colored by threads of Chillwave, ephemeral Synth Pop and beat-driven sampledelica. In the design sense, a phantogram is a two-dimensional image that appears to be multi-dimensional. In the musical sense, Phantogram is a duo that sounds like an airy yet totally engaging Pop orchestra with dimensionality to spare.   

Since the 2005 release of their impressive Pikul EP, L.A.’s Brian Aubert and Silversun Pickups have gone from strength to strength with barely a hitch in their stride. The band’s 2006 full-length debut Carnavas was a bona fide smash, artfully blending Shoegaze crackle and fuzz with frenetic Indie Rock verve to create the Pickups’ singular sonic fingerprint.
As it turned out, Pikul and Ca...  

Anton Newcombe is one of the rare people about whom an old maxim is absolutely true — if he didn’t exist, someone would have to invent him.
Newcombe is a musical shaman, an acid casualty, a shrewd media manipulator and a conductor of immeasurable skill, a sonic conjurer who fearlessly channels eras, styles and influences with the scientific magic of an alchemist. Under the rotating auspice...  

The recent death of the Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch underscored the fact that Rap and Hip Hop have now been a major part of the musical conversation for over three decades. Earl Simmons, better known as DMX, is another Hip Hop figure whose evolution traces back to the genre’s nascence and whose success and gruff Rap style inspired a generation to follow his blazed trail.
  

Pinning down the Bright Light Social Hour’s sound is like describing the contents of a blender on puree. The group evokes the spirit of the ’70s with shards of Southern Garage Rock, Psychedelic Soul, electric R&B/Funk, Indie Pop and thunderously elemental Hard Rock, represented by acid-washed church and Farfisa organ, searing slide guitar and chunky riffage, all in the service of songs that are compellingly contemporary and utterly appealing.   

The music industry is fueled by schlockmeisters churning out sugary confections that make millions but provide little enlightenment, while a courageous few pursue their creative vision in relative obscurity, a noble ethic that earns a cult following and a smattering of critical respect. David Dondero falls solidly and willingly into the latter category.