Simone Baron & Arco Belo ‘The Space Between Disguises’ GenreFluid simonebaron.bandcamp.com When I read in the liner notes for Simone Baron & Arco Belo’s forthcoming album — out November 8 — that Baron’s ensemble was “genre-queer,” I thought this was a bold appropriation of a gender term. But after listening, I realized that “The Space […]
Album Review
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Album review: ‘For the Record’
Jack West ‘For the Record’ Self-released jackwestlive.com Local fourteen-year-old prodigy Jack West collaborated with famed producer Barrett Jones at Laundry Room Studio in Seattle for his debut studio album, "For the Record," released back in August. The eight-song album is an homage to old-school vinyl records, while West’s lyrics reflect the simultaneous feeling of jumping […]
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Album review: ’64’
Vanishing Sun ’64’ Self-released vanishingsun.com Local jazz fusion sensation Vanishing Sun is about to release its third studio album, "64." Originally formed as an instrumental collective in 2016, Vanishing Sun now boasts six members, including its powerhouse vocalist Zahyia. "64" combines jazz, pop, electronica, and hip-hop, bringing the heat and attitude with an emphasis on […]
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Album review: ‘Dream Float EP Vol. 1’
Dream Float ‘Dream Float EP Vol. 1’ Self-released dreamfloat.bandcamp.com Rochester piano trio Dream Float performs with little to no written material, allowing compositions to flow from improvisations focused around a theme. Drummer Chris Palace and keyboardist Thomas Mariano originally formed the group in 2018, adding bassist Jordan Rabinowitz later that year. In September, the instrumental […]
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Album review: ‘Always There’
Full Body ‘Always There’ Five Kill Records fullbody.bandcamp.com After four years together and a recent personnel change, local quartet Full Body is about to release its third studio album. Recorded mostly at Headroom Studios in Philadelphia, "Always There" delivers a sludgy mix of hardcore, grunge, slowcore, and shoegaze. Lead singer Dylan Vaisey’s vocals cut through […]
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Album review: ‘One Time..’
Papa Herb and The Sol Vibration ‘One Time’ Self-released herbheins.com You might as well give into where Herb “Papa Herb” Heins is gonna take you with his new album with The Sol Vibration, “One Time..” It’s hard to keep it cohesive and not repeat yourself, but Heins offers eleven tracks with variety and some serious […]
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Album review: ‘Arka’
The Moho Collective ‘Arka’ Self-released themohocollective.com The Moho Collective is back, baby, opening its new instrumental EP “Arka” with “I’m a Real Boy.” It’s all funky sledgehammer drums and guitar, giving the finger to the apocalypse as the music careens out of your preferred listening device. This record shows off the band’s staggering talent and […]
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Album review: ‘One//Four’
Jackson Cavalier ‘One//Four’ Self-released jacksoncavalier.bandcamp.com It’s not that Jackson Cavalier has signed over to more countrified constraints. But I gotta say: Just dig the tonk and twang of Cavalier’s reedy voice as he puts it through the paces on his new, three-song EP “One//Four.” The first of an eventual quartet of EP’s, “One//Four” is a […]
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Album review: ‘The Cool Club and The Lipker Sisters’
The Cool Club & The Lipker Sisters ‘The Cool Club & The Lipker Sisters’ Self-released coolclubandlipkersisters.com Deep into the new, self-titled album by The Cool Club & The Lipker Sisters, listeners may feel like they’ve time-traveled to the 1940’s. While the three sisters, Marilla, Grace, and Elizabeth, are wailing away on “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” […]
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Album review: ‘Triple Helix’
Anat Cohen Tentet ‘Triple Helix’ Anzic Records anatcohen.com Over the last two decades Israel has been such a strong breeding ground for jazz musicians, it’s become the new New Orleans, the Big Uneasy. Among Israel’s top musical exports is perpetually poll-topping clarinetist Anat Cohen. “Triple Helix,” her new album with her wonderful Tentet, finds her […]
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Album review: ‘Sphereology Volume One’
Andrés Vial ‘Sphereology Volume One’ Chromatic-Audio andresvialmusic.com The opening track of Montreal-based pianist Andrés Vial’s “Sphereology Volume One” may cause jazz listeners to do an aural double take. “Bluehawk” strongly recalls pianist Ahmad Jamal’s recordings of the late-1960’s, but in this case Vial’s piano is matched by Peter Bernstein’s guitar. Like Jamal, Vial and Bernstein […]
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Album review: ‘The Unfortunate Case of Mortis Rocksalt’
Moses Rockwell ‘The Unfortunate Case of Mortis Rocksalt’ Self-released mosesrockwell.bandcamp.com Heavily influenced by John Coltrane’s "A Love Supreme," Rochester rapper Moses Rockwell brings a sophisticated blend of jazz, R&B, and hip-hop in his beats. Rockwell has put out ten albums since 2012, including his latest, "The Unfortunate Case of Mortis Rocksalt," which was released in […]
