Patsy Cline - A Tribute To Patsy Cline / A Portrait Of Patsy Cline (BGO; BGOCD809)
Patsy Cline was renowned for her mastery of the heart tugging ballad. She never overdid it. She always struck just the right note of sincere longing. Like Edith Piaf, she could bring a tear to the listener without going over the top. All she had to do was tell the truth, in that sweet, warm, soul stirring way she had… READ MORE
Resurrectionists - Here Hope Flows Like Blood From The Nose (Self-Released)
The footprints of the Resurrectionists can be found along the same dusty path traveled by the Alternative Tentacles act Slim Cessna’s Auto Club. Backwoods hellfire and brimstone serves as powerful inspiration for both bands. Their songs also share a steely guitar twang, a Southern note-bending style that adds a creepy twist to every lyric. Still, the Resurrectionists are not merely Slim Cessna Part Two. There’s a bit of Tom Waits here as well, not to mention a heaping helping of originality… READ MORE
Smithereens - B-Sides The Beatles (Koch; KOC-CD-4504)
Fame may come and go, but good music is forever. While The Smithereens aren’t in the national spotlight anymore, they are still cranking out some of the finest retro pop records ever. The band’s sound was always a mixture of the best of old and new, blending vintage mod, rock, folk, and beatnik sounds with a contemporary touch that can only be described as Smithereens… READ MORE
Slammers Maximum Jive Band [Live] - Hey There You (Self-Released; CD002)
Some bands are great in the studio. Some shine onstage. The Slammers Maximum Jive Band rocks both. After releasing a truly brilliant studio album earlier this year (the appropriately titled Jive Time), The Slammers return with Hey There You, an absolutely killer live recording… READ MORE
Michael Nesmith - Pacific Arts (CD/DVD; Edsel; EDSX 3004)
During his stint in the Monkees, Michael Nesmith spent a lot of time fighting the good fight for creative control. After leaving the manufactured pop group, he proceeded to demonstrate just how creative he could be, once he had control. Forming his own media company, Pacific Arts, in the 1970s, he released albums, produced films and television, pioneered the concept of music video as an art form, and even sold a pilot to Time Warner that was the basis for the development of MTV. The Edsel label’s new Nesmith CD/DVD compilation, Pacific Arts, features some of the company’s finest output… READ MORE
