An Album (Or Two) In My Head 0069

A rocker who sounds Alternative by being traditional; and 1970s Astral Jazz from the African diaspora. sabattaknow my nameSelf-released2014 Deep in the recesses of your grandparents’ record collection lies the murky, smelly, swaggalicious style of Rock and Roll that managed to bend genres while still making you understand Rock’s reason to exist. I don’t call […]

An Album (Or Two) In My Head 0067

You’re looking at three albums this week, instead of two. The Leyla McCalla and Matthew Shipp albums were obvious choices for me, but Hannah Jadagu has kept me curious about what’s next for her … Breaking the Thermometer Leyla McCalla2022Anti Records I’m drawn to the deep-dish Americana Folk, enriched by three distinct ingredients that redefine the […]

Album in the Crosshairs: Saoul — Popsicle | 2023 | Phreakyamind Inc

Saoul’s Popsicle may be one of the most sobering groovalicious parties in your ear this summer — a satisfying album in the face of “cookie-cutter” celeb culture and politico worship that have packaged themselves to become a new phallic north star for unicultural market appeal. Had enough of unhealthy celeb admiration, and public debates about […]

Scene & Heard: Jenny Hates Techno

Some of you have been waiting for this: a modern Punk band that doesn’t sound like a 90s Pop doppelganger. Welcome to Jenny Hates Techno. I really appreciate the pairing of band members John M. Ellison on guitar and “Boo” Dixon on bass. They probably listened to the same bands you and I did growing […]

The 1865 is realer than most of your fave Punk bands right now — and they’re performing live tomorrow at Lincoln Center

and The Don’t Tread on We! album remains ‘essential’ … Birthright Punk Rock is never apologetic, nor written for digital real estate. It speaks truth to discomfort. Yes, and to power. It’s the kind of music that can make you lose social media friends, if done right. Which means The 1865’s debut album, Don’t Tread […]

Aural Dive: “Maxine” by Saoul

Funk as a music genre is far from dead. For the moment, it’s spending time in the worthy hands of multi-instrumentalist Saoul in the form of “Maxine”, the funkiest track I’ve heard so far this year. What makes Saoul’s Funk so unique for 2020 is that he moves beyond the basic, lower-shelf grooves and immerses […]

An album (or two) in my head 0066

I listened to Harriet Tubman’s latest album again — it’s crazy Deep Space Blackout, where the all-so-dope trio sees our Colson Whitehead and raises it with an ion thruster. Spaceways, Inc. is smiling all the way from Saturn. I’ve also been getting my sway on with a dancefloor-friendly release of vintage Metal, blended into Afrobeat. […]

Album in the Crosshairs: Saoul — The Juice (Independent Release)

I dig songwriter-musician Saoul Bumbu’s latest album, The Juice, for a reason similar to why I have a problem with much of modern Pop music recordings: the songs — even the ones performed by highly competent musicians — sound like the artists are simply playing by the numbers. And you then wonder if the culprit […]

Thank You, Gregg Allman. You’re Bigger Than Southern Rock.

I’m saddened to hear that Rock luminary, elder and Allman Brothers Band co-founder, Gregg Allman, has passed on. It’s not hard to say that at 69 years of age — with a willingness and skill to create music that matters — Allman’s earthly departure is a life cut short of inspiring additional thousands of future musicians, […]

Remembering David Mancuso, Loft Lord

When placed in chains, they created spirituals that gave birth to much of the music you hear today. Gave them tough, green leaves — long thought to be degenerative cabbage shoots — and the resulting simmered collard greens they made have graced the menus of countless restaurants. Shut their writers out of the mainstream publishing […]