Author: John B. Moore

Posted on: October 15, 2019 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Old Crow Medicine Show – Live At The Ryman (CD)

There is no venue more appropriate for Old Crow Medicine Show to record their live album in than Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, the 125 year old historic landmark that was once formerly known as the Grand Ole Opry and is essentially mecca for Country, Bluegrass, Americana and all of the various offshoots. It also happens to be the local venue for the brilliantly talented Nashville-based Americana String Band Old Crow Medicine…

Posted on: October 8, 2019 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Dogmatics – She’s The One

Long before the current generation of garage rock punks were even birthed, the Dogmatics were pioneers of the genre, with the band’s brilliant 1986 debut and for 30 years, sole release.  The Boston band is finally back with the 5-track She’s The One EP and time has certainly been kind to the band. The themes of this album are wildly, pleasantly all over the place, from the title track; the…

Posted on: October 7, 2019 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

BRETT NEWSKI – Live in Wisconsin (CD)

For close to a decade now, Brett Newski has been living the troubadour life. And not, “oh, that guy tours for a month at a time, he’s a real troubadour.” No, the Wisconsin-based musician Newski, began his career in 2011 with a six-month Southeast Asia tour. He followed it up the next year with a 20-date South African tour and has pretty much been on the road ever since –…

Posted on: September 29, 2019 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

The Subjunctives – Sunshine And Rainbows (CD)

Seattle, the city that brought you grunge, and one of the only emo bands that every really mattered (Sunny Day Real Estate), is not the first place you think of for witty, melodic warp speed pop punk. But The Subjunctives just might change that. On Sunshine And Rainbows, the trio reel through 15 blistering tracks in just over 30 minutes, leaving you both spent and wanting more. The band spans…

Posted on: September 17, 2019 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

The Messenger: The Songwriting Legacy of Ray Wylie Hubbard

Ray Wylie Hubbard may not be top of mind to casual Country/Americana music fans, but he certainly influenced a slew of the musicians making that music today. It seems rather appropriate then that Hubbard’s peers and acolytes would come together to explain his musical brilliance in writing. The Messenger, though not the best book to explain the life and career of Hubbard (that one would be his own 2015 memoir,…

Posted on: September 9, 2019 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Corb Lund – Cover Your Tracks (CD)

Cover albums usually go one of two ways: They are either exhaustingly mediocre exercises in stalling while the performer buys time until a new record is finished or, in very rare instances, it’s an example of an artist being able to stretch way beyond expectations and their relegated genre and deliver a satisfyingly compelling album. For Corb Lund, the latter applies here. The only real downside to Cover Year Tracks,…

Posted on: September 6, 2019 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Matthew Squires – Visions Of America

Coming off with a vibe close to the first Jonny Polonsky record or the output from Daniel Johnston, Matthew Squires latest is bedroom pop at it’s best. The production, though cleaner on Squires album than the other examples, is minimal at best allowing for the songs to come across in the most organic, natural form possible. It’s been just three years since his last release, but his knack for writing…

Posted on: September 4, 2019 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Jesse Malin – Sunset Kids

At the invitation of longtime friend Lucinda Williams, Jesse Malin caught her opening set at Tom Petty’s final show. That moment eventually led to Malin writing the beautifully sanguine “Shinning Down” (complete with a perfect Petty jangle guitar sound throughout), a track midway through Malin’s latest Sunset Kids. The song is a brilliant encapsulation of the record, carrying on Malin’s punk-bred singer/songwriter vibe that has defined his solo career; songs…

Posted on: September 3, 2019 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Ezra Furman – Twelve Nudes (CD)

Ezra Furman made the declaration recently that Twelve Nudes is his punk record and as much as he’s flirted with the genre over his past few albums, the anger, spiked guitars and red-throated vocals are clearly front and center here. That vibe is underscored perfectly with the scorching opening track “Calm Down aka I Should Not be Alone” careening to a crash after a Ramones-appropriate two-minutes-and-22 seconds. Some of the…

Posted on: September 3, 2019 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Rob Laufer – The Floating World (CD)

It’s been almost a decade since Rob Laufer last focused on his own music. In the interim, he served as a producer, songwriter, guitarist for hire and music director for Wild Honey Orchestra. While he was in high demand from others, his voice as a solo artist was sorely missed over the past nine years. The Floating World is proof that not a bit of rust set in on his own work.…