Jason M. Rubin
Recorded prior to a debilitating stroke and released a year afterward, Michael Kiwanuka’s album offers beautiful songs of pain, loneliness, heartbreak, and despair.
On “To Oscar With Love,” the jazz vocalist brings warmth, wit, and a fresh perspective to twelve songs by an underappreciated master storyteller.
Each month, our arts critics — music, book, theater, dance, television, film, and visual arts — fire off a few brief reviews.
Suzanne Vega is many things: a singer/songwriter, musician, poet, author, entrepreneur, playwright, and actress. A number of her personas are converging right now.
Channeling equal parts Lucinda Williams and Levon Helm, the album features Robin Lane’s rich, earthy voice supported by sparse instrumentation.
Chant For Our Planet is a great recording full of exciting ensemble playing, with lots of tasty solos and, if you want to listen in that way, an important theme that expresses deep concern for the state of our environment.
Unlike the slow, spacy stonerism of the 1973-77 era, early Pink Floyd is a much more rocking experience, and those foundational tunes of English psychedelia take on the excitement of punk to modern ears when heard live.
I applaud She & Him’s selection of Brian Wilson tunes while at the same time feeling that some are not well-suited to their loungey, languid pop stylings.
Each month, our arts critics — music, book, theater, dance, television, film, and visual arts — fire off a few brief reviews.
Legendary percussionist Bill Bruford’s recorded output reveals him to be a restless innovator who went from one band to another so he could learn more about his instrument and about himself as a musician.
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