The Miracle of It: Allison Russell on the Power of Self-Reflection
With a soulful new album and a book about her life coming out, Allison Russell has a lot to say about the state of the world and her own journeys.
Marty Lipp
Marty Lipp has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsday, Details and The Star-Ledger. He focuses mostly on soulful world and regional music, both traditional and contemporary.
Julieta Venegas Discusses Revisiting Her Norteña Roots
Having lived in multiple countries, Julieta Venegas discusses taking her audience on a journey into the Norteño music of Tijuana.
The Earliest Days of Talking Heads Are a Revelation
A new Talking Heads compilation acts like a scrapbook, looking at their early years as a trio before they exploded onto the New York scene and around the world.
Jorge Drexler Performs His Homecoming Dance
Internationally renowned artist Jorge Drexler returned to his native Uruguay, but this time he came to dance and tell us about it.
Carolina Chocolate Drops Bring the Past to Delight
Carolina Chocolate Drops’ third album is still revolutionary and lays out a singular vision that’s traditional, innovative, scholarly, and fun.
A New Compilation Celebrates CBGB’s Big Bang
The CBGB club was the Big Bang birthing center for a revolution in rock, and this four-CD set reproduces what shot out of that dark, dank space.
Mariachi El Bronx Suit Up Again After a Decade Away
While the idea of hard-core gringo rockers Mariachi El Bronx covering the hyper-emotional Mexican genre might seem like a goof, the musicians dove in and took it seriously.
Carminho Expands Portuguese Fado’s Boundaries
Carminho says Portuguese fado is, in some ways, analogous to punk because of its spontaneity and spilling over of raw emotions.
Stéphane Wrembel’s Django New Orleans Honors Reinhardt
Like Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Wrembel and his group are crowd-pleasers, taking music that is technically complex and making it instantly enjoyable.
iLe’s Boleros Give Women a Powerful Voice
iLe’s vocal outpouring makes the boleros seem like cousins to flamenco or Portuguese fado, which aim to express deep and powerful emotions.
John Fogerty Has Last Laugh by Remaking His Own Songs
John Fogerty recreates CCR songs note for note. Revenge rock? Maybe, but even die-hard fans will be pleased and perhaps even a bit amazed at the “new” songs.
Natalia Lafourcade Gains New Perspective with a Powerful Alter Ego
By adopting a new persona, Natalia Lafourcade delves deeper into her folkloric sonic landscape, uncovering new perspectives along the way.