Review: Tia Carrera – The Quintessential

Label: Small Stone Records

Released: October 27, 2009

Over the course of just a few releases, Tia Carrera has proven not only to be among the best of the modern stoner psych bands, but also one that has paved its own path through the influences that permeate the genre.

Their latest album (and first for stoner haven Small [...]

Review: Paul McCartney – Good Evening New York City

Label: Hear Music

Released: November 17, 2009

In this decade, Paul McCartney has released as many live albums as he has studio albums. Even packaged with a DVD, Good Evening New York City, his third live release since 2002′s Back in the US, begs the question, “Why another live album?” It doesn’t take the album [...]

DVD: Thin Lizzy – Are You Ready?

Label: Eagle Rock Entertainment

Released: November 10, 2009

Are You Ready? finds the great Thin Lizzy in 1981, on tour for the less-than-great Renegade album. It also features guitarist Snowy White who, by his own admission, never felt suited to Thin Lizzy’s hard rock sound and lifestyle. One would think this would add up to [...]

Best of 2009

1. Pomegranates – Everybody, Come Outside!
From the first few seconds, it was clear that this was the album where Pomegranates went from promising to amazing.

2. Grant Hart – Hot Wax
Knowingly or not, Grant Hart went back and explored the influences that he poured into his work with Hüsker Dü. The results are astounding.

3. Rachel [...]

Review: WASP – Babylon

Label: Demolition Records

Released: October 13, 2009

Are you sick of the 80s? I certainly am. Having the synthpop of my youth sold back to me as if it’s a new thing is bad enough, but the more egregious offenders are the old hair metal dinosaurs who not only want to resell their corporate sound, [...]

Review: Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) – What It Takes to Move Forward

Label: Count Your Lucky Stars Records

Released: September 29, 2009

Empire! Empire!’s previous release, last year’s Year of the Rabbit 7″, had some interesting musical moments that were drowned in a sea of emo drama. Their latest, What It Takes to Move Forward, still has its fair share of the dramatic and sometimes it still supersedes [...]

Review: Incite – The Slaughter

Label: I Scream Records

Released: October 20, 2009

Considering they’re fronted by Max Cavalera’s stepson Richie, there’s probably no way that Incite can avoid comparisons to Sepultura. That has to be a bit daunting for a young band on their debut album. After all, they’re going to measured against one of metal’s most intense and [...]

Review: Kiss – Sonic Boom

Label: KISS Records

Released: October 5, 2009

Before even listening, Sonic Boom suffers from some degree of disingenuousness just because they dressed Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer up as Ace and Peter. C’mon guys, at least Eric Carr and Vinnie Vincent got their own Kiss persona. And gee, the cover art looks a little familiar [...]

DVD: Rick Wakeman – The Six Wives of Henry VIII: Live at Hampton Court Palace

Label: Eagle Rock Entertainment

Released: October 13, 2009

When you combine Rick Wakeman with a celebration of the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII’s ascension to the throne of England, things are bound to be a bit over-the-top. Not to disappoint, Wakeman comes out in royal robes with six “wives” in period dress and the whole thing [...]

Review: Creedence Clearwater Revival-The Singles Collection

Label: Concord Music

Released: November 3, 2009

Of the 30 tracks that make up the two CDs of CCR’s The Singles Collection, over half are songs we all know like the back of our hands. However, unlike a traditional greatest hits collection, this one includes all the b-sides as well. Sure, some had two sides [...]



I am no longer writing. You're still welcome to contact me HERE, but odds are I won't be able to review your material as much as I'd love to hear it. I have had reviews and articles published in AMP and Glide magazines as well as FensePost.

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