Talking Under Water “Tossing & Turning” Self-released talkingunderwater.bandcamp.com Somehow the word “epic” feels inadequate in describing Rochester band Talking Under Water’s EP, “Tossing & Turning.” The album gets off to a gentle start: all peaceful and harmonious like The Shangri-Las on methadone. It’s at this point you say to yourself, “Gosh, this sure is all […]
Album Review
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ALBUM REVIEW: “Arrival”
Kire Najdovski “Arrival” Self-released Multi-dimensional guitarist, Kire Najdovski occupies an unparalleled stratospheric level of technical skill and power, like a less noodly Jeff Beck. Having lent his guitar to more limited settings — like his work with David Letterman’s Al Chez — “Arrival” marks the arrival of the sonic shriek and fusion found in this […]
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ALBUM REVIEW: “Lone on the Mountain”
Miles Wide “Lone on the Mountain” Self-released mileswide.bandcamp.com Miles Wide, the stage name for Rochester-native Kyle Donovan, threw his hat into the local singer-songwriter ring after moving back to town from Colorado. “Lone on the Mountain,” Miles Wide’s second album, contains live, acoustic renditions of original songs from his debut, “Moon Howls.” This seven-track […]
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ALBUM REVIEW: “Köln”
Marshall Gilkes with the WDR Big Band “Köln” Alternate Side Records marshallgilkes.com In the minds of many jazz fans the German city of Köln will always be associated with “The Köln Concert” by Keith Jarrett. Marshall Gilkes and the WDR Big Band have just released “Köln,” an album so powerful it’s bound to claim some […]
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ALBUM REVIEW: “Not so Long Songs of Longing”
Passive Aggressives Anonymous “Not so Long Songs of Longing” Self-released paaband.bandcamp.com I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to find out that deconstruction and introspection don’t necessarily equate to self-flagellation and shoegaze. Rochester quartet Passive Aggressives Anonymous plays deceptively simple and all the way brilliant tunes on its new EP, “Not so Long Songs […]
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ALBUM REVIEW: “The Dan Eaton Band”
The Dan Eaton Band “The Dan Eaton Band” Self-released facebook.com/daneatonband From its red velvet cake cover, to its blue collar endurance, The Dan Eaton Band’s new self-titled release is a powerful and sweet affair. The album kicks off rough and tumble with “Happy Man,” a tune that has the guitar scratching the sky while trading […]
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ALBUM REVIEW: “Beggar’s Flesh”
Goodbye Ronnie “Beggar’s Flesh” Self-released reverbnation.com/goodbyeronnie I suppose if Ronnie Lickers didn’t bang three albums out as quickly as he has, his head would explode like a piñata full of broken hearts and candy. It’s perhaps easier to look at his rapid three-CD output — culminating with his new “Beggar’s Flesh” — as more of […]
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Gary Holt
Gary Holt Because I Can Self-released Regional nob-twiddler, studio hot shot, recording guru par excellence, and all-around swell egg, Gary Holt has pulled the Padre Pio act on this CD. That’s not to say the cat has received the stigmata, but he’s managed to be on both sides of the mic to produce “Because I […]
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ALBUM REVIEW: “Baila El Twomp”
Hula Baby “Baila El Twomp” Folc Records Hulababy.bandcamp.com Rochester garage rock sensations The Hi-Risers sell out to crowds of screaming kids wherever they go, including Spain, where the trio inspires fans and musicians alike. But this blurb isn’t about The Hi-Risers, it’s about Hula Baby, a Spanish twang-tastic, fantastic band clearly influenced by the Flour […]
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ALBUM REVIEW: “Big Hero 6”
“Big Hero 6” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Walt Disney Records music.disney.com Having composed for more than a dozen features including “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Winnie the Pooh,” Henry Jackman’s filmography has thus far been dominated by two main types of movies: superheroes and animation. With “Big Hero 6,” he finally has a chance […]
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CD Review: “How to Train Your Dragon 2” Soundtrack
Composer John Powell’s score to “How to Train Your Dragon 2” musically achieves what we hope from all sequels: incorporating established themes while expanding them with new elements that are just as strong. It’s a delicate line to tread, but it’s one that Powell faces with aplomb. The now-familiar melodies from his Academy Award-nominated score […]
