Dennis Cook

Features

George Michael, Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1 (1990)

By Dennis Cook

After "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", maybe this record's title asked too much. Still, this song cycle has the ambition of Stevie Wonder's 1970s work and Michael nearly had the talent to pull it off. [9 February 2006]

Strong on the Horizon

By Dennis Cook

My Morning Jacket talks about how a new producer and new members brought a surprising shift in the band's sound on the forthcoming Z. [1 January 1995]

Divergence in Technicolor: An Interview With Christian McBride

By Dennis Cook

The bandleading bassist pulls together a cast of violins and trumpets and turntables for complex exploration, and he makes it sound fun.

Insinuating Voices: An Interview with Mark Kozelek

By Dennis Cook

The songwriter who led Red House Painters explains the curious contours of his solo career and his recent decision to record an album of Modest Mouse covers with his new band, Sun Kil Moon.

Sounds Better in a Song: An Interview with Drive-By Truckers

By Dennis Cook

Drive-By Truckers guitarist Mike Cooley talks with us about the blood and guts inside the Southern rock band's rollicking new album.

A Rake to the Mind: An Interview with Will Johnson

By Dennis Cook

The Centro-matic songwriter finds humor in dark situations, big words, and touring challenges, and still isn't sure what happens when he crosses the Atlantic.

Salsoul Survivor

By Dennis Cook

Almost 40 years ago, he was at the forefront of the Latin R&B fusion that changed the sound of soul in the 1970s. Now, after a 20-year hiatus, Joe Bataan has returned to the recording studio.

Reviews

FEST FLASHBACK: High Sierra Music Festival 2006 feat. My Morning Jacket, Brakes, and Apollo Sunshine

By Dennis Cook

There's a palpable sense of remove from the normal life in High Sierra. [6 June 2007]

Journey

By Dennis Cook

Don't Stop Believin'; don't... stop... believin'. [25 August 2006]

Def Leppard

By Dennis Cook

On wearing trousers that are tight enough to tell...

The Black Crowes

By Dennis Cook

Hanging on one of those gently curving, multi-consonant streets that crisscross Amsterdam, I felt rock 'n' roll's heathen gospel goodness seep into my pores... [15 May 2006]

High Sierra Music Festival Part 2 feat. Apollo Sunshine, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, The New Up, and Sh

By Dennis Cook

High Sierra has its fair share of innocuous acts, sure, but in recent years the festival has also opened the door to some healthy aggression. [1 January 1995]

High Sierra Music Festival Part 1 feat. My Morning Jacket

By Dennis Cook

You might well be on the road to Rivendell, Shangri-La, or maybe even Grandma's House.