A new book traces the ever-stalled career of ’70s power-pop icons Big Star. Although the Memphis combo is a key musical touchstone for many rock bands, the group’s artistic achievements went largely unnoticed during their brief existence. David gives a book report about this story filled with classic albums marred by disappointment and tragedy. Continue reading
With last week’s Bob Dylan documentary still fresh in listeners’ minds, a brand new box set devoted to seminal ’60s combo (and former Dylan sidemen) the Band seeks to reemphasize this largely forgotten group’s place in rock history. Boasting five CDs, one DVD, David judges the weight. Continue reading
Sheryl Crow’s new album is a quieter and a more intimate effort than her old albums, but like the others, it goes to great lengths to please listeners’ ears. David explains why and how Crow does it. Continue reading
Thanks to their masterful 2004 releases, singer-songwriter Devendra Banhart and one-man-band Iron And Wine have set themselves as among the leaders of an acoustic music revival in the chic rock underground. David assesses if the pair’s latest albums have them turning up anything new. Continue reading
Soundbytes Music Column 