New Album Reviews: Beck/Depp, Journey, Christine McVie, Drive By Truckers, Pink Floyd

This is kind of a mish-mash of different releases; new stuff I have played and think deserving of some words. Jeff Beck / Johnny Depp , 18. At first glance I thought this was some kind of novelty joke. I’ve been a fan of Beck for 50 years, although I find his more recent material … More New Album Reviews: Beck/Depp, Journey, Christine McVie, Drive By Truckers, Pink Floyd

Musical Surprises

I love to be surprised by music I didn’t know about or was convinced I would not like. As I get older, I have to fight harder to move out of my comfort zone of musical tastes. Retracing my steps over many decades, there are some game-changers. Although I will not likely be shouting the … More Musical Surprises

Pearl Jam (Part 2)

Thirty years of Pearl Jam. I thought it would be fun to look at their first album, Ten, and their most recent studio release, Gigaton. These two albums couldn’t be more different. Initially, the brooding, aggressive sound of this band did not register with me. However, I love many brooding, aggressive bands, the case here … More Pearl Jam (Part 2)

Andy Shauf: New Music

Let me clarify, new music to me. I was watching this streaming show called Loudermilk, and I heard this haunting, melodic song, lush, almost ethereal. The gentle piano chords instantly settled into my brain. This should be subtitled: Music for Introverts. The music is highly reflective and feels like is describes those puzzle pieces that … More Andy Shauf: New Music

Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? (1993): The Cranberries

What a great debut album!  The Cranberries brought a fresh sound in the decade of 1990s, when indie rock swept in a great, new rush of music. At the time, this album rose to number 18 on the charts and had two hit singles.  Over the years, it has sold over five million copies in … More Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? (1993): The Cranberries