AltWeeklies Wire
Ray Charles: Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singlesnew
Even though his most influential and celebrated work was recorded for Atlantic a decade earlier, Ray Charles' tenure with ABC Records in the 1960s and early '70s yielded some terrific material
San Antonio Current |
Michael Gallucci |
12-30-2011 |
Reviews
Faves From 2011new
Our music critics discuss the best music from the year gone by.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong, Sean Bottai and Jarret Keene |
12-30-2011 |
Music
Favorite Sounds of 2011new
Songwriting, execution, production, lyrics… It all counts when choosing the “best” anything on anyone’s list. But ultimately it all comes down to vibes. The following list is as flawed, incomplete, and subjective as anybody’s, but hey, what can I do?
San Antonio Current |
Enrique Lopetegui |
12-30-2011 |
Music
Better Than the Bestnew
For your listening pleasure, a year-end Top 10 that places the music first.
Colorado Springs Independent |
Bill Forman |
12-30-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Chris Isaak: Beyond the Sunnew
Chris Isaak was born to make this album, his tribute to the influential confluence of country, blues and rock 'n' roll created during the 1950s and 1960s at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, Tenn.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
12-30-2011 |
Reviews
Tags: Chris Isaak
How to Be a Busker (Legally)new
Gone are the halcyon days when a minstrel could gambol into town, set his hat on a sidewalk, and employ lute and lyric to earn his daily bread. Today, if you're interested in busking, or playing music in a public space for tips, you're going to need to deal with some red tape first.
Charleston City Paper |
Paul Bowers |
12-29-2011 |
Music
Tags: Busking, Street Music
The Best Music of 2011new
The top 20 releases of 2011 in no particular order
Orlando Weekly |
Bao Le-Huu, Jason Ferguson and Justin Strout |
12-29-2011 |
Reviews
Tags: Best Music of 2011
Imminent Descentnew
The thrash-death outfit Imminent Descent, San Antonio's latest attempt to recapture the glory of its mid-'80s metal scene, makes no bones about the oldness of its school.
San Antonio Current |
Gonzalo Pozo |
12-23-2011 |
Reviews
The leader of Trans-Siberian Orchestra reveals the magic of big catsnew
A year ago I sat at a deli and noticed what quite possibly was the greatest concert shirt ever made. On black cotton was a ferocious white tiger clawing an '80s style metal guitar, with crimson blood pouring out from the instrument's body.
San Antonio Current |
Jay Whitecotton |
12-22-2011 |
Music
James Brown adds a touch of heart and soul to the holidaysnew
On James Brown's Funky Christmas, the big standout is "Let's Make Christmas Mean Something This Year," a slow-burning ballad powered by bold, Supremes-like backing vocals. Most of it is driven by Brown's nostalgic storytelling.
Charleston City Paper |
T. Ballard Lesemann |
12-22-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
The Nightmare Before Christmasnew
On the night of December 9, jazz pianist Jordan Pollard did something she had never done before: she left her Nord Electro 2 keyboard inside her car.
San Antonio Current |
Enrique Lopetegui |
12-22-2011 |
Music
My Morning Jacket Buck Rock Traditionnew
Twenty years from now, when classic-rock radio is still on an endless rotation of Steppenwolf and Deep Purple and My Morning Jacket is a nostalgia-fueled arena headliner without a nationwide FM presence, the cold reality of obsolescence might finally dawn upon the rockists of yore. Since their earliest years, the Louisville band have possessed all the makings of what made the Allmans, CCR and Led Zep so great: tunes that latch on immediately and don’t let go, audacious ideas about the conventions of American music, massive guitar solos and, of course, lots and lots of hair.
YES! Weekly |
Ryan Snyder |
12-22-2011 |
Reviews
Tags: My Morning Jacket
The Dave Brubeck Quartet: Their Last Time Outnew
If you know only one jazz song, chances are it's by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. That tune, 1959's "Take Five," along with a string of successful subsequent releases, made Brubeck and his band the most well-known and successful jazz band of the '60s.
San Antonio Current |
J.D. Swerzenski |
12-22-2011 |
Reviews
Cruel Naturenew
Why PJ Harvey's 'Let England Shake' is the best album of 2011.
North Bay Bohemian |
Leilani Clark |
12-22-2011 |
Music
