David Marchese

Recent

Music

Riffing on Elvis

Everywhere you look these days, you're seeing traces of Elvis. Whether you know it or not.

David Marchese

Music

The Darkness: One Way Ticket to Hell... and Back

Simply put, rock and roll don't get no realer as we hit the home stretch of the new millennium's first decade.

David Marchese

Music

Robert Wyatt & Friends: Theatre Royal Drury Lane 8th September 1974

A rare breed of musician who is forever alive to the possibility of new opportunities and forever blind to the existence of obstacles.

David Marchese

Music

Cat Stevens: Gold

Stevens was once of the biggest, most beloved musical stars in the world. Gold, a new two-disc compilation of his work is a useful reminder of why that was.

David Marchese

Music

John Coltrane: The Bethlehem Years

His work in Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk's bands from the same era feature much more exploratory, innovative, and passionate playing.

David Marchese

Reviews

Dirty Three

are a working band and can't survive by just playing for an audience of one.

David Marchese

Reviews

Jimmy Scott + Savion Glover

It's difficult to connect something as terrestrially mundane as aging to this strange little man and his sad, enchanting voice...

David Marchese

Music

The Velvet Underground: Gold

Every track is going to absolutely slay you, but there's so much more to be had. You can buy this album if you want, but you have to promise me you'll buy their other ones too.

David Marchese

Music

Various Artists: The Rough Guide to the Music of Sudan

While Sudanese music may not yet have the cultural cache of some of its geographic neighbors, don't wait for the cultural cognoscenti to check your passport. The border's open.

David Marchese

Music

Frontier Index: Frontier Index

By demonstrating their willingness to expand upon as well as respect the boundaries of country music, Frontier Index have positioned themselves as musicians intent on scrubbing off the stink of formaldehyde that pervades so much alt-country.

David Marchese

Music

A Colossus Nears the End of the Road: Sonny Rollins at 75

It's not often you get a chance to speak with a legend. Forgive the upcoming hyperbole; Sonny Rollins deserves it.

David Marchese

Music

Various Artists: Putumayo Presents Mali

Almost every track feels like a signpost pointing me in a direction I'd like to travel, but then the song ends and I must keep moving. It is a bewildering experience.

David Marchese

Music

Babatunde Olatunji: Circle of Drums

If you're not already a fan of relatively unadorned tribal drumming, large sections of the album may sound repetitive and boring, but ultimately there is nothing on this disc that shames the memory of the great Babatunde Olatunji.

David Marchese

Music

Richard Thompson: Live From Austin, TX

While 'Live' is not the jaw-dropping Richard Thompson live album that must exist somewhere on tape, it has plenty to remind people why Thompson remains one of music's most talented -- and criminally underappreciated -- artists.

David Marchese

Music

James Blood Ulmer: Birthright

To hear Ulmer sing so nakedly about sex, race, and religion while playing such dusty music makes for a striking juxtaposition -- and is a strong case for the continued relevance of blues music.

David Marchese

Music

It's Just Honest Music: An Interview with Geezer Butler

The Black Sabbath bassist and GZR frontman goes from politicians to skulls in just two degrees.

David Marchese

Music

Dr. John: The Best of the Parlophone Years

If this was the best the good Doctor could muster he'd be far less important than he is. Fortunately there's considerably more best in the rest of his catalogue to choose from.

David Marchese

Music

The Dave Brubeck Quartet: London Flat, London Sharp

As technically proficient as ever, Brubeck's latest is too cool and too clean to be anything more than pleasant.

David Marchese

Music

Solomon Burke: Live at the House of the Blues / Soul of the Blues

There are moments on these albums befitting a man with the title 'the King of Rock 'N' Soul', but there are plenty more that would be better suited to a Blues Brother.

David Marchese

Music

Sloan: A Sides Win - Singles 1992-2005

The band's greatest albums may not even match the best of The New Pornographers or Teenage Fanclub, but narrow the competition down to singles and they've got at least a puncher's chance.

David Marchese

Music

Roky Erickson: I Have Always Been Here Before: The Roky Erickson Anthology

Erickson's status as a cult legend is based in large part on his sci-fi rockers, but to dismiss this portion of his music as lunatic kitsch would be a grave error.

David Marchese

Reviews

Collapse Expand Reviews

Features

29 Black Music Documentaries for Black History Month 2020: #2 'The Apollo'

England's Postwar Paranoia Creeps in the Shadows of Three Film-Noirs

Perfect Harmony: An Interview with Legendary Vocal Group the Waters

Collapse Expand Features

PM Picks

Collapse Expand Pm Picks

Pop Ten

29 Black Music Documentaries for Black History Month 2020: #2 'The Apollo'

Collapse Expand Pop Ten

Everywhere you look these days, you're seeing traces of Elvis. Whether you know it or not.

It works as a fun soundtrack to a dimly-lit, vodka and Red Bull drenched basement party. But if you really want to kick the party into gear, the album’s older brother is still the one to podcast.

Simply put, rock and roll don't get no realer as we hit the home stretch of the new millennium's first decade.

A rare breed of musician who is forever alive to the possibility of new opportunities and forever blind to the existence of obstacles.

Stevens was once of the biggest, most beloved musical stars in the world. Gold, a new two-disc compilation of his work is a useful reminder of why that was.

His work in Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk's bands from the same era feature much more exploratory, innovative, and passionate playing.

are a working band and can't survive by just playing for an audience of one.

It's difficult to connect something as terrestrially mundane as aging to this strange little man and his sad, enchanting voice...

Every track is going to absolutely slay you, but there's so much more to be had. You can buy this album if you want, but you have to promise me you'll buy their other ones too.

While Sudanese music may not yet have the cultural cache of some of its geographic neighbors, don't wait for the cultural cognoscenti to check your passport. The border's open.

By demonstrating their willingness to expand upon as well as respect the boundaries of country music, Frontier Index have positioned themselves as musicians intent on scrubbing off the stink of formaldehyde that pervades so much alt-country.

It's not often you get a chance to speak with a legend. Forgive the upcoming hyperbole; Sonny Rollins deserves it.

Almost every track feels like a signpost pointing me in a direction I'd like to travel, but then the song ends and I must keep moving. It is a bewildering experience.

Taking a large, appreciative bite of bland consistency and ubiquitous uniformity, one writer challenges refined taste to prove an old adage right and discover a slice of identity.

If you're not already a fan of relatively unadorned tribal drumming, large sections of the album may sound repetitive and boring, but ultimately there is nothing on this disc that shames the memory of the great Babatunde Olatunji.

While 'Live' is not the jaw-dropping Richard Thompson live album that must exist somewhere on tape, it has plenty to remind people why Thompson remains one of music's most talented -- and criminally underappreciated -- artists.

To hear Ulmer sing so nakedly about sex, race, and religion while playing such dusty music makes for a striking juxtaposition -- and is a strong case for the continued relevance of blues music.

The Black Sabbath bassist and GZR frontman goes from politicians to skulls in just two degrees.

If this was the best the good Doctor could muster he'd be far less important than he is. Fortunately there's considerably more best in the rest of his catalogue to choose from.

As technically proficient as ever, Brubeck's latest is too cool and too clean to be anything more than pleasant.

There are moments on these albums befitting a man with the title 'the King of Rock 'N' Soul', but there are plenty more that would be better suited to a Blues Brother.

The band's greatest albums may not even match the best of The New Pornographers or Teenage Fanclub, but narrow the competition down to singles and they've got at least a puncher's chance.

Backwoods rockabilly one-man-band Hasil Adkins earned the name 'the Wild man' for his raw, impulsive performances. Many called him a lunatic, but it's more accurate to simply call him American.

Erickson's status as a cult legend is based in large part on his sci-fi rockers, but to dismiss this portion of his music as lunatic kitsch would be a grave error.