Music 1
My Morning Jacket – The Waterfall
Over the course of a decade-and-a-half, My Morning Jacket has developed its signature blend of alt-country, soul, electronica, and roots rock — a seemingly self-contradictory concoction that has earned them their status as outdoor-festival gods. Their latest album, The Waterfall, runneth over with that classic sound, yet ventures into new sonic territory as well. Nature imagery and soundscapes abound, and the album has […]
Clifford T. Ward – Mantle Pieces
Back in the early ’70s, there was a songwriter who penned some of the loveliest, smartest, and knowing odes to quotidian life and its people. He wrote forgotten hits like “Gaye” and “Home Thoughts from Abroad” that struck British audiences with their perfect memorable mixture of literate lyricism and timeless Orchestral Pop arrangements. Now, for sure, […]
Swervedriver – I Wasn’t Born to Lose You
“I Wasn’t Born to Lose You” is the recently released new album from beloved ’90s shoegaze band Swervedriver, and their first since 1998. It positively confirms the truth behind the old idiom, “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” Featuring lead singer Adam Franklin’s distinctive, nonchalant vocal stylings and the swirling fuzz guitars that put […]
The Musical Almanac: Ethiopian Jazz
The Musical Almanac is an ongoing series highlighting musical styles or genres from around the world. Today, we focus on a unique style from Ethiopia. What’s Ethiopian Jazz? Imagine the “free” sound of John Coltrane meeting the impressionistic music of Debussy. Then, imagine all of this accompanied by African and American soul polyrhythms…that’s a start, but it can also […]
