PAPA CROW “THINGS THAT ROAR” You may already know the tale of Bon Iver’s debut album “For Emma, Long Ago”. As the story goes, the bearded singer/songwriter Justin Vernon holed himself up in a northern Wisconsin cabin during a harsh winter to reflect and record what would eventually become one […]
TODD MCHATTON “GALACTIC CHAMPIONS OF JOY” I sloppily made out with “Sundays at the Rocket Park”, McHatton’s last album, during a torrid affair in 2010 but I want to elope in the middle of the night in Vegas with “Galactic Champions of Joy”. I’m filled with that level of poor-decision-making […]
THE JIMMIES “PRACTICALLY RIDICULOUS” Was the wait worth it? For longtime fans, any review of The Jimmies new album “Practically Ridiculous” may boil down to something no more complicated than those 5 words + a question mark. After all, if your then 6-year-old girl’s eyes got wide when watching Ashley […]
DAN ZANES “LITTLE NUT TREE” “Wonder Wheel” is the quintessential Dan Zanes song; as jubilant as a campfire sing-along, as memorable as an up-too-late Friday night with great friends, and loaded with imagery so specific in its 1st person experience yet also with an open slot for your own memories […]
RECESS MONKEY “FLYING!” [warning: the first 276 words of this lengthy review will make it seem as though I do not like this album. this is not true. please read through to the end.] This is not Recess Monkey’s best album. Thank. Freaking. God. The Seattle trio’s 6th CD does, […]
Chris Ballew is back with another set of stripped down toddler tunes under his playful Caspar Babypants monikor. The aptly titled “Sing Along!” has loaded with star power (Weird Al, members of Pearly Jam, Frances England, Recess Monkey, Rachel Loshak) but should it be loaded into your family CD player?
SUNSHINE COLLECTIVE “WANNA PLAY?” A tale of two halves. Graceful radio-friendly pop rock for the whole family with charm from the moment the needle drops to the closing hiss and crackle even though the stickiness of the songs fades a bit midway through. The Bear and Mouse are glued to […]
Remember the TV show Moonlighting? The program’s male lead was, of course, Mr. John McLane, er, Bruce Willis. The female star was the uber-chic Cybil Shepherd. Throughout the dramedy’s four year run, Shepherd never appeared on screen without the soft glow of um, moonlight, on her face. The illumination cast […]
