The Crossroads Band concoct ‘stirring brew of steak-house blues’

Reviewed by Alison Murphy The Crossroads Band/Crossroads The Crossroads Band make it look easy, concocting a stirring brew of steak-house blues and red-state Americana, then giving it a classic-rock finish. This is the type of back-to-the-roots acts you used to find on the FM band during the glory days of AOR radio, kindred spirits of […]

Breathtakingly gorgeous Americana separates Dianna Cristaldi from Nashville fluff

Reviewed by Alison Murphy Dianna Cristaldi/Dianna Cristaldi Singer/songwriter Dianna Cristaldi sings of love, death, God, and war without softening the sharp edges of biting reality. This was once the spirit of country music, conveying messages and telling everyday stories without worrying about bringing people down. It’s not that Cristaldi’s songs are depressing; it’s just that […]

Andrew Portz sculpts music with ‘honest and somber lyrics’

Reviewed by Jack Richter Andrew Portz/Blue Lake California Blue Lake California drips of wanderlust; from the very first track, “Dream About The Stars,” the record is drenched with it.  Underneath the melody – partly Neil Young, partly Tom Petty – Andrew Portz sings, “I wanna lay things down/I’m gonna leave this town.” Immediately, he opens a […]

Greg Thomson’s ‘Pretending’ CD has blue-collar grit of Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty

Reviewed by Alison Murphy Greg Thomson/Pretending California-based singer/songwriter Greg Thomson doesn’t sound like your stereotypical West Coast rocker. His songs have a certain blue-collar grit to them; you simply cannot imagine him surfing with Jack Johnson anytime soon. It’s been ages since any new artist has been compared to John Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom […]

The MCP Band makes mark with happy and upbeat blues-inspired tracks

Reviewed by Cindi Ross The MCP Band/Above the Waterline With a pure knack for happy, eclectic, and upbeat tunes, the MCP Band does not dare to shy away from any musical boundaries, encompassing rock and blues-inspired songs that can fill any room with dancing, head bopping, shoe tapping, hand clapping music enthusiasts to get down […]

Paul Ford’s ‘The Moon’ percolates with bluesy grit and swamp rock

Reviewed by Alison Murphy Paul Ford/The Moon Shades of John Fogerty’s swamp rock and the Black Crowes’ bluesy grit percolate in Paul Ford’s retro bash, The Moon. Those who like their garage fix served with more melody will savor what Ford has in store here. The opening slice, “What They Want,” is harmonica-fueled classic rock […]

Kat Goldman’s ‘Sing Your Song’ is ‘enchanting, mesmerizing’

Reviewed by Alison Murphy Kat Goldman/Sing Your Song The title cut of Kat Goldman’s latest CD has a classical air; piano, strings, and violins waltz around her fragile, emotionally wounded singing, a steady drum pattern keeping the blood flowing. Yet, despite the stylish, arty arrangements, Goldman has a sharp ear for a pop hook, turning […]

Country duo will bring grown men to tears on new album

Reviewed by Alison Murphy Amy Gallatin and Roger Williams/Something ‘Bout You Amy Gallatin and Roger Williams seem to have stepped out of a time machine, recording an album of country covers simply united by the drop-dead gorgeous harmonizing of their voices. You don’t hear these duet records often anymore, and Gallatin and Williams match each […]

Lisa Dudley gives spiritual depth to bluegrass music

  Reviewed by Alison Murphy Lisa Dudley/I Believe in America (EP) Lisa Dudley’s love for her country – and empathy for the soldiers who fight for its freedom – is at the heart of this moving three-cut EP. Country music has gotten a bad reputation for songs about cheating and drinking, but the genre, going back […]

Tokyo Rosenthal displays painfully honest emotions on ‘One Score and Ten’

  Reviewed by Carson James Tokyo Rosenthal/One Score and Ten Looking somewhat like a beatnik, Tokyo Rosenthal is about as old-school as it gets in both appearance and sound. And in these days of mass-produced adult rock, that is a huge compliment. Rosenthal comes across as a combination of some of the best singer/songwriters in […]