The Devil Makes Three live release, Stomp and Smash is more than a title; it’s a review in itself. Recorded over two sold-out nights at the Mystic Theater in Petaluma, CA, these bluegrass Santa Cruzaders’ are hell bent with a raucous punk spirit. Spewing a sound about as smooth as whiskey, this trio of Pete… Continue reading The Devil Makes Three: Stomp and Smash | New Music Review
On his seventh studio album, Spirit Bird, Xavier Rudd’s gritty voice rises like dust from underneath the dancing feet along an ancestral Songline. In a modern world of industrial landscapes filled with neon signs, it’s hard to “imagine if the trees could tell us where to go.” Yet, Rudd introduces listeners to Australian Aboriginal mythology… Continue reading Xavier Rudd: Spirit Bird | New Album Review
As far as supergroup side projects are concerned, PHILM is a strange beast, and their debut album, Harmonic, follows its creators’ suit like a bipolar demon-child on acid. PHILM, consisting of Gerry Nestler (vocals/guitar, Civil Defiance), Dave Lombardo (drums, Slayer), and Pancho Tomaselli (bass, War) has a rawness to its sound that plays well with… Continue reading PHILM: Harmonic | New Music Review
Let me begin with the disclaimer that I only consider myself a casual fan of The Expendables. It’s not that I don’t like their music; far from it, actually, but I’m not about to start referencing old B-sides off the top of my head or anything of the sort in this review. That being said,… Continue reading The Expendables | 'Gone Soft' | New CD Review
Every now and again a little chuckle escapes. You don’t mean to, but you just can’t help it. And you don’t mean it in a bad way, it’s anything but that. But sometimes the lyrics are just funny, and surely Craig Elkins knows this. I Love You, the first solo album under the ex-Huffamoose frontman’s… Continue reading Craig Elkins' Quirky Way of Saying, I Love You
The Congress‘ Whatever You Want is a good-ass record, plain and simple. The album, a southern rock tribute to everyone from Molly Hatchet to The Grateful Dead, plays strong from start to finish with little let-up along the way. For the most part, The Congress focus on loud and gritty rock & roll, but they… Continue reading The Congress' Whatever You Want | New Music Review
Following upon the heels of last year’s highly regarded jam at the Lyons Folk Festival, Bob Weir, Chris Robinson and Jackie Greene cleared their schedules for a mini-tour that saw them headline the legendary Ryman Theater in Nashville and also get in three nights at three legendary Colorado venues – the Boulder Theatre, the Mishawaka… Continue reading Bob Weir, Chris Robinson & Jackie Greene | Review | Boulder
On Friday, May 11 the Kansas based high octane bluegrass trio known as Split Lip Rayfield (SLR) took the stage behind the sliding barn doors of Denver’s Larimer Lounge. Passionate bluegrass fans stirred in anticipation to watch the finely-aged, unique instrumentation that is Split Lip Rayfield. This is no ordinary bluegrass jam band; Split Lip… Continue reading Split Lip Rayfield | Larimer Lounge | Denver, CO | 5/11/12 | Review
Inside everyone rests passion and desire; Break Science puts those feelings into motion, stirring them up on a journey of all-encompassing musical wonder. The path was anything but straight, complete with twists, turns, and the always welcome drop. Feeling the music was the only option; there was no escaping the wide reaching combination of sounds… Continue reading Break Science | Fox Theater | 5/23/12 | Review & Photos
What is bluegrass? Is it the strictly dictated by the legacy of Bill Monroe? Is it constructed by the lead guitar flat-pick licks of Tony Rice, Norman Blake, or Charles Sawtelle? Is it held by the torch of the current up-and-up popularity that the genre is experiencing? So many contributing factors and all of them… Continue reading Trampled By Turtles | Boulder Theater | 5/17/12 | Review & Photos
