Features
Wednesday, June 4 2008
Ten Reasons Bo Diddley Is the Forgotten Heavyweight Champion of Rock
Here are 10 reasons why the recently departed Diddley is a bona fide rock legend and hugely important in the history of popular music for his vital role in the creation of rock 'n' roll in the 1950s.
Tuesday, March 27 2007
Inspiration, Integration, and the Soul Children: The Resurrection of Stax Records
Listening to songs like "(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay" and "Do the Funky Chicken" is like taking a stroll through the garden of sublime American soul music.
Tuesday, June 6 2006
Fart Jokes, Nazis, and Genius: Mel Brooks as Anti-Serious Auteur
Mel Brooks is one funny son of a bitch, and always was, and half these movies are classics, and the other half are really funny too, and then I make three fart noises and say that's about as serious as he gets.
Tuesday, December 28 2004
The Best However-Many-It-Ends-Up-Being Albums of 2004
Matt Cibula touts 'two discs of madness from Argentinaz most wanted' as the best of the year and heaps kudos on country artist Alison Moorer for 'daring to stand up harder against the war machine and the new religious tyranny than any other any American record did this year.'
Best Music of 2003 | Matt Cibula [18.Dec.03]
The Most Effective Weapon [27.Dec.02]
The Most Effective Weapon [27.Dec.02]
Best Music of 2002: Matt Cibula [16.Dec.02]
Hard Hitting Blues: Ten Reasons Bo Diddley Is the Forgotten Heavyweight Champion of Rock [28.Jun.02]
Bono Re-finds His Inner Yeats [15.Mar.02]
Best of 2001: Matt Cibula [17.Dec.01]
25 Up: Punk's Silver Jubilee: "Are You Taking Over Or Are You Taking Orders?": Some Thoughts About T [25.Oct.01]
Interview with Les Paul [1.Jan.95]
Reviews
Wednesday, November 28 2007
Various Artists: Cinematic
Better for people who value "lush" and "beautiful" over "exciting" or "jaw-dropping."
Wednesday, November 7 2007
Ann Wilson: Hope & Glory
Wilson still possesses one of the great voices in rock history, and it is in full effect all over this album.
Wednesday, October 31 2007
Bill Evans: Everybody Digs Bill Evans
A half century later, a good jazz album from '58 has become timeless.
Monday, October 29 2007
Mahmoud Ahmed & Either/Orchestra: Ethiogroove [DVD]
In Addis Ababa, I talked to a number of people from many different walks of life who absolutely love this guy.
Wednesday, October 24 2007
Billy Joe Shaver: Everybodys Brother
He spits and he hollers and testifies and challenges listeners to watch out for his "Holy Ghost power" if they try to kick his ass.
Sean Kingston: Sean Kingston [23.Oct.07]
Hector Lavoe: La Voz [12.Oct.07]
Over the Rhine: The Trumpet Child [8.Oct.07]
Habib Koité & Bamada: Afriki [3.Oct.07]
B-Side Players: Fire in the Youth [4.Sep.07]
Kat De Luna: 9 Lives [23.Aug.07]
Galactic: From the Corner to the Block [21.Aug.07]
Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete First Season [17.Aug.07]
Frank London: A Night in the Old Marketplace [17.Aug.07]
Lafayette Gilchrist: Three [1.Aug.07]
Jerry Butler: The Ice Man Cometh/Ice on Ice [17.Jul.07]
James Blood Ulmer: Bad Blood in the City [11.Jun.07]
Loudon Wainwright III: Strange Weirdos [1.Jun.07]
Various Artists: Company [29.May.07]
Yellow Sisters: Singalana [16.May.07]
Jerry Granelli V16: The Sonic Temple [9.May.07]
Cynthia G. Mason: Quitters Claim [9.May.07]
acid android: purification [4.May.07]
Radio Moscow: Radio Moscow [1.May.07]
Dale Watson: From the Cradle to the Grave [30.Apr.07]
The Photo Atlas: No, Not Me, Never [25.Apr.07]
Autonym: Shall We Skip to Excessive Celebration? [18.Apr.07]
Anat Cohen: Poetica / Noir [16.Apr.07]
Tim McGraw: Let It Go [11.Apr.07]
Anat Fort: A Long Story [4.Apr.07]
Tony Furtado: 13 [23.Feb.07]
Martha Scanlan: The West Was Burning [23.Feb.07]
Marnie Stern: In Advance of the Broken Arm [20.Feb.07]
John Waters: A Date With John Waters [14.Feb.07]
Ed Pettersen: The New Punk Blues of Ed Pettersen [12.Feb.07]
Stefano Bollani: Piano Solo [6.Feb.07]
Tyrone Wells: Hold On [5.Feb.07]
Get Set Go: Selling Out & Going Home [24.Jan.07]
Trick Daddy: Back by Thug Demand [22.Jan.07]
Lyrics Born: Overnight Encore [9.Jan.07]
Eufórquestra: Explorations in Afrobeat [22.Dec.06]
Družina: Tragare [15.Dec.06]
Ciara: Ciara: The Evolution [13.Dec.06]
Shane Bartell: Too Soon to Say [8.Dec.06]
Hamilton de Holanda Quintet: Brasilianos [7.Dec.06]
Dani Siciliano: Slappers [29.Nov.06]
Copping Free by Matthew Carnahan [29.Nov.06]
Tuxedomoon: Bardo Hotel Soundtrack [27.Nov.06]
Azam Ali: Elysium for the Brave [21.Nov.06]
Bob Schneider: The Californian [19.Nov.06]
Daniel Santiago: On the Way [15.Nov.06]
Willie Bobo: Lost and Found [13.Nov.06]
Sol'Jibe: Marinero [8.Nov.06]
Tate Moore: Punk Poet [1.Nov.06]
Maher Shalal Hash Baz: Faux Départ [26.Oct.06]
Reading Writing by Julien Gracq [24.Oct.06]
Hector Bambino El Father: Los Rompe Discotekas [23.Oct.06]
Tierra Santa: Mejor Morir en Pie [18.Oct.06]
The Mosquitos: Mosquitos III [17.Oct.06]
Robert Callender: Le Museé de LImpressionnisme [11.Oct.06]
Kultur Shock: We Came to Take Your Jobs Away [10.Oct.06]
OOIOO: Taiga [28.Sep.06]
Los Lobos: The Town and the City [28.Sep.06]
Marisa Monte: Infinito Particular [27.Sep.06]
Marisa Monte: Universo Ao Meu Redor [27.Sep.06]
Arling & Cameron: Hi-Fi Underground [19.Sep.06]
Darrell Scott: The Invisible Man [18.Sep.06]
Celebrity Duets [7.Sep.06]
Tanya Stephens: Rebelution [28.Aug.06]
Keb Mo: Suitcase [16.Aug.06]
Chris Knight: Enough Rope [10.Aug.06]
Los Lonely Boys: Sacred [28.Jul.06]
Marvin Sease: Candy Licker [19.Jul.06]
Carl Hancock Rux: Good Bread Alley [18.Jul.06]
Casey Driessen: 3-D [17.Jul.06]
Lee Roy Parnell: Back to the Well [19.Jun.06]
Cibelle: The Shine of Dried Electric Leaves [2.Jun.06]
Charlie Musselwhite: Delta Hardware [1.Jun.06]
Van Hunt: On the Jungle Floor [15.May.06]
Clear Static: Clear Static [12.May.06]
Gianluca Petrella: Indigo 4 [8.May.06]
Bruce Robison: Eleven Stories [5.May.06]
Gomez: How We Operate [4.May.06]
Zemog el Gallo Bueno: Cama de la Conga [27.Apr.06]
Tom Verlaine: Songs and Other Things [26.Apr.06]
&nbTom Verlaine: Around [26.Apr.06]
Various Artists: Gospel Music [21.Apr.06]
Karsh Kale: Broken English [12.Apr.06]
T.I.: King [11.Apr.06]
Dom Minasi: The Vampire's Revenge [29.Mar.06]
Buckwheat Zydeco: 100% Fortified Zydeco [21.Mar.06]
Erik Friedlander: Prowl [3.Mar.06]
B.Fleischmann: The Humbucking Coil [2.Mar.06]
Various: Guitars of the Golden Triangle [1.Mar.06]
Willie Nile: Streets of New York [1.Mar.06]
The Klezmatics Feat. Joshua Nelson [27.Feb.06]
Carlos Barbosa-Lima: Carioca [22.Feb.06]
Tail Dragger: My Head Is Bald [21.Feb.06]
Hiromi: Spiral [8.Feb.06]
Cuong Vu: It's Mostly Residual [7.Feb.06]
Lil' Wayne: Tha Carter II [25.Jan.06]
Various: Noches de Hip-Hop [13.Jan.06]
Barbra Streisand: The Television Specials [DVD] [23.Dec.05]
Jon Nicholson: A Lil Sump'm Sump'm [20.Dec.05]
Moacir Santos: Choros & Alegria [19.Dec.05]
Enrico Rava: Tati [14.Dec.05]
Joe McBride: Texas Hold 'Em [13.Dec.05]
Shakira: Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 [13.Dec.05]
Mercedes Sosa: Corazón Libre [12.Dec.05]
Budoár Staré Dámy: My O Vlku [8.Dec.05]
Ernest Ranglin: Surfin' [6.Dec.05]
Speedy: Nueva Generación [18.Nov.05]
Cuizinier: Pour le Filles: Street Tape Vol. 01 [14.Nov.05]
The Del McCoury Band: The Company We Keep [11.Nov.05]
Bantu featuring Ayuba: Fuji Satisfaction [9.Nov.05]
Alicia Keys: Unplugged [27.Oct.05]
Lula Côrtes & Zé Ramalho: Paêbirú [25.Oct.05]
Twista: The Day After [24.Oct.05]
Grupo Exterminador: El Hijo de México [14.Oct.05]
Anoushka Shankar: Rise [13.Oct.05]
Marty Robbins: The Essential Marty Robbins [6.Oct.05]
Kathy Mattea: Right Out of Nowhere [30.Sep.05]
Rodney Crowell: The Outsider [26.Aug.05]
Eddie Palmieri: Listen Here [15.Aug.05]
Cassidy: I'm a Hustla [5.Aug.05]
Shakira: Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 [3.Aug.05]
Waldemar Bastos: Renascence [22.Jul.05]
Miguel Zenón: Jíbaro [20.Jul.05]
Superaquello: Bien Gorgeous [8.Jul.05]
Joshua Redman Elastic Band: Momentum [7.Jul.05]
Saul Zonana: 42 Days [6.Jul.05]
Peter Himmelman: Imperfect World [5.Jul.05]
Dierks Bentley: Modern Day Drifter [27.Jun.05]
Charanga Cakewalk: Loteria de la Cumbia Lounge [15.Jun.05]
Various Artists: Elko! A Cowboy's Gathering [14.Jun.05]
Marta Topferova: La Marea [10.Jun.05]
Enuma Elish: Leviathan [2.Jun.05]
John Hammond: In Your Arms Again [1.Jun.05]
Amos Lee: self-titled [27.May.05]
Hacienda Brothers: self-titled [27.May.05]
Mannie Fresh: The Mind of Mannie Fresh [25.May.05]
Lo'Jo: Ce Soir Là [29.Apr.05]
Black 47: Elvis Murphy's Green Suede Shoes [27.Apr.05]
Brooke Valentine: Chain Letter [13.Apr.05]
Dallas Wayne: I'm Your Biggest Fan [8.Apr.05]
Chatham County Line: Route 23 [4.Apr.05]
Joey DeFrancesco with Jimmy Smith: Legacy [28.Mar.05]
Carlos del Junco: Blues Mongrel [23.Mar.05]
Frankie J: The One [21.Mar.05]
Dave Holland Big Band: Overtime [21.Feb.05]
LCD Soundsystem: self-titled [11.Feb.05]
Ladysmith Black Mambazo: No Boundaries [4.Feb.05]
Motion Trio: Pictures From the Street [25.Jan.05]
Traband: Hyje! [18.Jan.05]
Don Byron: Ivey-Divey [15.Dec.04]
Anastácia Azevedo: Amanaiara [14.Dec.04]
Emer Kenny: Parting Glass [8.Dec.04]
Migala: La Increíble Aventura [24.Nov.04]
Los Tigres del Norte: Pacto de Sangre [22.Nov.04]
Tin Hat Trio: Book of Silk [12.Nov.04]
Terrestre: Secondary Inspection [5.Nov.04]
Mory Kanté: Sabou [25.Oct.04]
Teedra Moses: Complex Simplicity [18.Oct.04]
Issa Bagayogo: Tassoumakan [15.Oct.04]
Cris Aflalo: Só Xerêm [22.Sep.04]
Superaquello: Mu Psiqui Ta [16.Sep.04]
Afroman: Afroholic: The Even Better Times [14.Sep.04]
J.J. Cale: To Tulsa and Back [1.Sep.04]
Triple Seis: Only Time'll Tell [27.Aug.04]
Pastor Troy: By Any Means Necessary [28.Jul.04]
Juvenile: Juve the Great: Screwed and Chopped [30.Jun.04]
Pepito: Everything Changes [18.Jun.04]
Dani Siciliano: Likes... [4.May.04]
Terry Allen: Juarez [21.Apr.04]
Anthony Hamilton: Comin' from Where I'm From [9.Apr.04]
Usher: Confessions [6.Apr.04]
Nellie McKay: Get Away From Me [31.Mar.04]
Baby Bash: Tha Smokin' Nephew [23.Mar.04]
Martyn Bennett: Grit [12.Mar.04]
David Banner: MTA2: Baptized in Dirty Water [8.Mar.04]
Twista: Kamikaze [13.Feb.04]
Elephant Man: Good 2 Go [30.Jan.04]
Ying Yang Twins: Me and My Brother [6.Jan.04]
ZZ Top: Mescalero [5.Jan.04]
Al Green: I Can't Stop [19.Dec.03]
Robert Earl Keen: The Party Never Ends [16.Dec.03]
Glen Campbell: Legacy (1961-2002) [15.Dec.03]
Virgínia Rodrigues: Mares Profundos [9.Dec.03]
Nappy Roots: Wooden Leather [2.Dec.03]
DMX: Grand Champ [21.Nov.03]
T.I.: Trap Muzik [20.Nov.03]
Stew: Something Deeper Than These Changes [13.Nov.03]
Jimmy Cliff: Anthology [24.Oct.03]
Robert Earl Keen: Farm Fresh Onions [24.Oct.03]
Gary Allan: See If I Care [17.Oct.03]
Shelby Lynne: Identity Crisis [9.Oct.03]
The Finishing School: Destination Girl [26.Sep.03]
Bubba Sparxxx: Deliverance [19.Sep.03]
DJ Keoki: Keokiclash [19.Sep.03]
Over the Rhine: Ohio [10.Sep.03]
Junior Senior: D-d-don't Don't Stop the Beat [5.Sep.03]
Chingy: Jackpot [20.Aug.03]
Karsh Kale: Liberation [19.Aug.03]
Cibelle: self-titled [18.Aug.03]
Susheela Raman: Love Trap [15.Aug.03]
Panjabi MC: Beware [8.Aug.03]
Gang Starr: The Ownerz [6.Aug.03]
The Klezmatics: Rise Up! [11.Jul.03]
Yusa: self-titled [10.Jul.03]
Martin Gordon: The Baboon in the Basement [3.Jul.03]
Gigi: Illuminated Audio [27.Jun.03]
Mamani Keita & Marc Minelli: Electro Bamako [20.Jun.03]
Junior Murvin: Police and Thieves [18.Jun.03]
Nobukazu Takemura: Assembler/Assembler 2 [6.Jun.03]
Nobukazu Takemura: Songbook [16.May.03]
Mull Historical Society: Us [18.Apr.03]
Tosca: Delhi9 [16.Apr.03]
Jacky Terrasson: Smile [11.Apr.03]
Ibrahim Ferrer: Buenos Hermanos [25.Mar.03]
King Britt: Adventures in Lo-Fi [20.Mar.03]
Majesticons: Beauty Party [20.Mar.03]
t.A.T.u.: 200 KM/H in the Wrong Lane [14.Mar.03]
DJ You DJ Me: Can You See the Music? [10.Mar.03]
Devendra Banhart: Oh Me Oh My ... The Way the Day Goes by the Sun Is Setting Dogs Are Dreaming Love [6.Mar.03]
Matthew Shipp: Equilibrium [3.Mar.03]
Paul van Dyk: Global [19.Feb.03]
Ry Cooder & Manuel Galbán: Mambo Sinuendo [17.Feb.03]
Various Artists: Hey, Bo Diddley!: A Tribute [31.Jan.03]
Taj Mahal Trio [29.Jan.03]
Ephat Mujuru: Journey of the Spirit [29.Jan.03]
Salif Keita: Moffou [27.Jan.03]
The Ukrainians: Respublika [23.Jan.03]
Stella Chiweshe: Talking Mbira [22.Jan.03]
Dave Holland Big Band: What Goes Around [17.Jan.03]
Cabruêra: self-titled [15.Jan.03]
MIDIval PunditZ: self-titled [13.Jan.03]
FC Kahuna: Machine Says Yes [10.Jan.03]
Tandy: The Lowdown: 1997-2002 [9.Jan.03]
Sígur Ros: ( ) [27.Dec.02]
L.L. Cool J: 10 [20.Dec.02]
Carl Cox: Mixed Live: 2nd Session, Area2 Detroit [18.Dec.02]
Soulive: Get Down! [6.Dec.02]
The Streets: Original Pirate Material [8.Nov.02]
BT: 10 Years in the Life [5.Nov.02]
Buddy Miller: Midnight and Lonesome [16.Oct.02]
Baaba Maal: Missing You (Mi Yeewnii) [15.Oct.02]
The Blasters: Trouble Bound [11.Oct.02]
Charles Mingus: Mingus Ah Um [1.Oct.02]
Shalabi Effect: The Trial of St-Orange [27.Sep.02]
Migala: Restos de un Incendio [20.Sep.02]
Mike Phillips: You Have Reached Mike Phillips [18.Sep.02]
Mr. Lif: I Phantom [17.Sep.02]
Karsh Kale: Redesign: Realize Remixed [13.Sep.02]
George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic [11.Sep.02]
Laura Nyro: Live: The Loom's Desire [30.Aug.02]
Thin Lizzy: The Boys Are Back in Town [23.Aug.02]
El-P: Cannibal Oxtrumentals [21.Aug.02]
The Makers: Strangest Parade [20.Aug.02]
Orbital: Work 1989-2002 [16.Aug.02]
Peter Tosh: reissues [13.Aug.02]
Future Sound of London: The Isness [9.Aug.02]
Dave Alvin and the Guilty Men [24.Jul.02]
Violent Femmes: self-titled [24.Jul.02]
Coldcut: 70 Minutes of Madness [16.Jul.02]
Dave Alvin and the Guilty Men: Out in California [12.Jul.02]
Fermin Muguruza: Brigidistak Sound System [28.Jun.02]
Cornershop: Handcream for a Generation [14.Jun.02]
Cornelius: Point [7.Jun.02]
The Breeders: Title TK [4.Jun.02]
Antipop Consortium: Arrythmia [30.May.02]
Saul Williams: Amethyst Rock Star [30.May.02]
Antibalas: Talkatif [24.May.02]
Points of Departure: New Stories from Mexico Edited by Monica Lavin; Gustavo V. Segade, translator [3.May.02]
Gomez: In Our Gun [3.May.02]
Pepito: Migrante [26.Apr.02]
Ed Harcourt: Here Be Monsters [19.Apr.02]
Hobart Smith: Blue Ridge Legacy [12.Apr.02]
Unwound: Leaves Turn Inside You [2.Apr.02]
Shani: Call of the Wild [28.Mar.02]
Dressy Bessy: Sound Go Round [25.Feb.02]
Baaba Maal [8.Feb.02]
The Sunshine Fix: Age of the Sun [28.Jan.02]
Busta Rhymes: Genesis [12.Nov.01]
Brasil All-Stars: Sons da Terra [12.Nov.01]
Shakira: Laundry Service [12.Nov.01]
Various Artists: Farewell Fondle 'Em [29.Oct.01]
Bebo Valdés: El Arte del Sabor [22.Oct.01]
Don Byron: You Are #6 [22.Oct.01]
Jane Bunnett: Alma de Santiago [22.Oct.01]
Coleman Hawkins: The Hawk in Hi Fi [24.Sep.01]
Spiritualized: Let It Come Down [24.Sep.01]
Lucy Kaplansky: Every Single Day [10.Sep.01]
The Charlatans UK: Wonderland [10.Sep.01]
JJ72: self-titled [10.Sep.01]
Various Artists: Swaraj: Future Asian Beat [10.Sep.01]
Stefon Harris and Jacky Terrasson: Kindred [10.Sep.01]
The Two-Minute Miracles: Volume II [13.Aug.01]
Gonzalo Rubalcaba: Supernova [16.Jul.01]
The Hermit: Flying Out of Solitude [9.Jul.01]
Chicago Underground Quartet: self-titled [18.Jun.01]
Susheela Raman: Salt Rain [7.May.01]
Fermin Muguruza: FM 99.00 Dub Manifest [7.May.01]
Mike Ladd: Vernacular Homocide [5.Mar.01]
Crazy Rhythm by Leonard Garment [1.Jan.95]
Ray Lema & Tyour Gnaoua: Safi [1.Jan.95]
The Moto-Litas: For the Greater Good [1.Jan.95]
Terrance Simien: The Tribute Sessions [1.Jan.95]
Bersuit Vergarabat: Hijos del Culo [1.Jan.95]
