Popular Music

Concert Review: The Duke Robillard Band Rocks Aplenty at Jimmy’s

May 27, 2023
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The music of the Duke Robillard Band may go back a long way, but there was nothing retro about the bittersweet, funky, lowdown sounds that rocked Jimmy’s.

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Album Review: Paul Simon’s “Seven Psalms” — A Prophet’s Message to Us All

May 25, 2023
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This album may be too mellow, too grim, too serious for the average listener but hear me: This is an amazing and important work of art, quite possibly the legendary songwriter’s own elegy.

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Album Review: Canadian Singer/Songwriter Marc Jordan — An Elegant Discovery

May 11, 2023
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Singer Marc Jordan has earned his voice the hard way, trekking through the music business for 50 years, and there’s a weathered honesty in his music now.

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Rap Album Review: Prof’s “Horse” — Carrying Minneapolis on Your Back Ain’t Easy

April 21, 2023
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Horse represents a victory lap (pun intended), a confident follow-up to the artist’s astonishing success with his self-release of Powderhorn Suites.

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Music Interview: Talking to Dennis Diken of The Smithereens — Unapologetically Inspired

April 18, 2023
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The Smithereens have released only two albums of original material since 1999, so it was pleasantly surprising when The Lost Album, consisting of a dozen songs recorded in 1993 but never released by the band, appeared last September.

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Music Interview: Singer/Songwriter Peter Case Talks About His New England Connections and “Doctor Moan”

April 13, 2023
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“I go out on the road and the clubs are full everywhere I go,” Peter Case gratefully acknowledges. “People come out to hear me play. It’s an amazing gift to have that.

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Festival Review: Ten for Ten at Big Ears in Knoxville

April 10, 2023
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In honor of Big Ears’ tenth edition, here’s a look at ten of my favorite festival moments.

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Concert Review: Le Vent du Nord — Five Formidable Quebecois Voices

April 9, 2023
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Touring to support their 20th anniversary CD, 20 Printemps, Le Vent du Nord delivered  a master class in musicianship.

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Music Remembrance: Burt Bacharach — Stealth Pop Composer

February 10, 2023
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Without us even knowing it, Burt Bacharach opened up our ears.

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Folk Album Reviews: Hearing The Real Thing — Field Recorders’ Collective’s Commitment to Traditional American Music

February 8, 2023
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The Field Recorders’ Collective is dedicated to preserving and distributing non-commercial recordings of traditional American music that are not available to the general public. In January, took three gems out of the archive and made them available to stream and download.

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