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Review

AC/DC Drummer Phil Rudd Releases Thunderous New Album

Sometimes being branded a “legacy act” can be a kiss of death for an artist, even if their creativity and talent haven’t worn off. Bands like Journey, Guns N’ Roses, and even INXS struggle to gain their share of relevance—even though sometimes they draw solid numbers at shows. But some bands like AC/DC have members […]

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Review

Patrick Krief Paints Lush Soundscapes in Automanic

Rock has become a tremendously tricky genre of late. Of all the genres that are undergoing fluid transitions, blending with various other genres, and weaving in and out of styles and classifications, rock is probably one of the most fluid. Patrick Krief, however, has specific ideas of not only what rock is, but also what […]

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Review

Sometimes Julie Reaches Great Heights Every Time

What does “Americana” mean to you? Is it blues, folk, country, or jazz? Sometimes it can be all of that — a meandering journey incorporating elements of every genre of music that has roots elsewhere but took shape in America. Many bands have tried to leave their stamp on the genre. Some get some elements right, […]

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Live Review

Jhevere Proves Next Best to Pharrell Live @ Bar Matchless

Clad in clean white boots and paint-splattered jean shorts, Jhevere started his set with his song titled “Rage To Roses.”  Immediately, his clear voice rang out above any instrumentals and bar din. Through the night, he blended electronic, indie, and soul together for a magical hour. He packed his lyrics full of soul in lines […]

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Live Review Review

Coldplay Kicks Off U.S. Tour Live @ MetLife Stadium

We have so precious few stadium acts left. The days of a band — and in this context, I mean bands, as opposed to solo artists or DJs — starting off in small venues like Irving Plaza in NYC or the Electric Ballroom in London, steadily building their profile, and then graduating to arenas and stadium […]

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Review

Laura Carbone Puts the “Badass” in Rock

If Laura Carbone is going for the badass female rock sound, she definitely nailed it. When I set her debut solo album to play, I found myself easily grooving to it with a sense of ease as I continued other tasks bopping my head to the beat. No song in particular grabbed my attention — […]

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Review

Chapell Nails It In Latest LP, “The Redhead’s Allegations”

Quirky, catchy, smooth — Alan Chapell’s journey to the birth of The Redhead’s Allegations is what makes the March release so very good. His diversity comes through in his lyrics, while his initial quirky sound stays true to his successful days on the East Coast playing in his college band, All the Voices. The album addresses […]

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Review

Marble Machine — A Feat of Both Music and Engineering

  What else is there to do with marbles beyond fuel a giant wooden music box? Maybe that wasn’t the exact thought process of the Wintergatan band members, but they did it anyway.   That’s right — Swedish musician Martin Molin and the band designed and constructed a 3,000-piece marble music box powering a vibraphone, […]