A decade ago, Iggy Pop and Jane’s Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell might well have been musical father and son. But, since their glory days, they’ve taken their own distinct paths, and their new albums show things have taken a new turn for both men. In addition, other artists with new CDs in stores include Radiohead, Roxy Music, the Cult, Doyle Bramhall II and Brand New Immortals. Continue reading
Bob Dylan is a man of many mysteries. Answering those questions and uncovering the man behind the myth is the primary task of two new books, “Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan” by Howard Sounes and the latest edition of Clinton Heylin’s biography, “Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades Revisited.” Continue reading
Two years ago, Prince strolled onto a stage in front of a Twin Cities crowd and grabbed everyone’s attention from the start by strumming the menacing riff that leads into “Sign ‘O’ The Times.” At Saturday night’s show in St. Paul, Minn., most people didn’t even notice him when he snuck onstage for a cameo appearance during the opening act. Continue reading
May’s batch of new releases from veteran artists brings into question the maxim of “respect your elders”. Continue reading
While a reissue of Marvin Gaye’s masterpiece, “What’s Going On,” threatens to leave listeners in a a state of permanent excitation, two other new releases — Daft Punk and most of all, the Melvins — quickly quell that feeling. Continue reading
Too long surrounded by an army of like-minded longhairs, singer-songwriter Devendra Banhart is beginning to outgrow his handle as the prophet of “freak folk.” His new album documents a maturing artist who has grown into a songwriter and performer of surprising utility. Continue reading
Paul Simon’s new album, “You’re The One,” carries a sense of the understated. The album’s serene songs, which seem to move and weave with a strong sense of effortlessness, hover only a bit louder than silence. They remain low-key, like shy wallflowers at a school dance. Continue reading
Both Live and Counting Crows are tried-and-true alternative rock bands who slid into heavy video rotation on MTV in the ’90s. At a co-headlining show in Minneapolis on Wednesday night, this double feature reinforced how they won mainstream appeal. Continue reading
For most of the last decade, singer-songwriter Victoria Williams has quietly released folk-oriented albums and collaborated with her husband Mark Olson (formerly of the Jayhawks). But, her newest effort, “Water To Drink,” threatens to alter the world’s musical perceptions of Williams and to bring her to a wider audience. Continue reading
On their self-titled debut, the new band Unified Theory — which features ex-members of alternative-rock stalwarts Blind Melon and Pearl Jam — has created a sound that borrows quite a bit from the frolicking 1960s, albeit with a modern twist. If only the songs were better. Continue reading
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