Brian Q. Newcomb 
The Ophelias CrocusJoyful Noise Recordings [2021] The Ophelias, an indie folk/rock quartet which got their start in Cincinnati, return with a third studio album, Crocus. While the four members came together after playing the role of the “token girl” in a male band, their collaboration grew from their combined creativity marked by the unique voice … Read more
Jeff Elbel + Ping The Threefinger OperaMarathon Records [2021] When life gives you lemons, the crafty among us make limoncello, the saying goes. If you have a talent for language and storytelling, you can turn any horrible event into The Great American Novel. But what if you are a musician and you have an injury … Read more
Son Volt: Ludlow Garage; Cincinnati, OH; Saturday, September 18, 2021 As someone who lived in St. Louis from late ’83 thru the middle of ’08 and wrote semi-professionally about music for many of those years – contributing to the two largest publications that followed the music scene, The Riverfront Times and Post-Dispatch, as well as a … Read more
Alanis Morissette, “Jagged Little Pill 25th Anniversary Tour”, w/ Garbage, and Cat Power: Riverbend Music Center; Cincinnati, OH; Wednesday September 15, 2021 When Alanis Morissette finally hit the stage on Wednesday night you would have a hard time remembering that 26 years had passed since the release of her “Jagged Little Pill” as she paced … Read more
LowHey WhatSub Pop Records [2021] Hey What is the 13th studio album from Low, the curious noise band that juxtaposes challenging instrumentals against the sweet and often harmonious vocals of the married Minnesota duo, Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker. Like much of the contemporary compositions made in “serious music” circles (think modern takes on classical), … Read more
Alejandro Escovedo La CruzadaYep Roc Records [2021] Arriving 3 years after Alejandro Escovedo’s wonderful story about two young American immigrants – one from Italy, the other from Mexico – who bond over a love of punk rock and set out to explore the American cultural frontier, La Cruzada is that very same album, with all … Read more
Indigo De Souza Any Shape You TakeSaddle Creek Records [2021] At least twice a day, I hear someone complain about the state of modern music, often shaped by their belief that the music made when they were teenagers was “the golden era” of pop or rock, or music as a whole. What’s both sad and … Read more
St. Vincent: Daddy’s Home World Tour w/ Ali Macofsky: ICON Music Center; Cincinnati, OH – Tuesday, September 7, 2021 With the return of live music events, one of the concerts on my must-see list was St. Vincent, following the release of Daddy’s Home earlier this year, and year’s of hearing stellar reports about her artful … Read more
King Crimson w/ The Zappa Band: Rose Music Center; Dayton, OH – Thursday, September 2, 2021 It needs to be said right from the start, that King Crimson is a unique anomaly among progressive rock bands from the earliest era of rock music history. How early? Crimson released their fourth studio album 50 years ago, … Read more
WonderBus Music And Arts Festival (Day 2): Columbus, OH – Sunday, August 29, 2021 Despite a forecast that threatened rainstorms, the second day of the WonderBus music festival in Columbus on the lawn of the Chemical Abstracts Service came off without a hitch, with the two final bands of the evening delayed only a half … Read more
Phil Madeira Hornet’s NestMercyland Records [2021] With three jazzy piano albums under his belt in the last couple years, it’s no surprise by now that one of Phil Madeira’s musical heroes is jazz icon Thelonious Monk. That may be a surprise to anyone who’s only heard Madeira at his day job, playing backup to one … Read more
Mouse Rat The Awesome AlbumDualtone/Entertainment 720 [2021] Everyone’s heard the famous Oscar Wilde quote that “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life,” but who could have guessed that the mythical band Mouse Rat from the TV comedy “Parks & Recreation” would announce their intention to release an album into the real world on … Read more
Jackson Browne Downhill From EverywhereInside Recordings [2021] Mention Jackson Browne’s name these days and folks’ eyes tend to glaze over while they try to explain the difference between folk/rock and soft rock as if it matters. But both as a songwriter and a performer, he’s always had a lot more going on artistically than those … Read more
The Joy Formidable Into The BlueHassle Records [2021] On its 5th full-length release, Welsh alternative rockers The Joy Formidable continue to deliver on The Big Roar, the title of its 2011 debut. A decade later on Into The Blue, the trio continue to evolve beyond their influences by wall-of-distortion shoegaze bands like My Bloody Valentine … Read more
T. Hardy Morris The Digital Age Of RomeNew West/Normaltown Records [2021] Sometimes an artist or musician taps a universal theme of love, hope, or purpose that transcends the everyday, and feels relevant in any context in which it is experienced because it’s not specific to any event or era. Classic rock songs may suggest a … Read more
Robert Finley Sharecropper’s SonEasy Eye Sound [2021] Robert Finley is a classic late bloomer. As the title of his sophomore album for Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye label suggests, he’s a “Sharecropper’s Son,” who grew up singing Gospel music in the church, playing guitar and acting as bandleader in an Army band while serving in the … Read more
Emmylou Harris & Los Lobos: Rose Music Center; Dayton, OH – Saturday, August 7, 2021 Emmylou Harris was singing alternative country before it was cool, long before it was called Americana. With 14 Grammys and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Harris’ early start singing harmony vocals for the likes of Gram Parsons (The Byrds, Flying … Read more
Yola Stand For MyselfEasy Eye Sound [2021] 2019 was a great year for British singer/songwriter, Yola, who’s debut solo album Walk Through Fire earned her a Best New Artist nomination at the Grammys. Born Yolanda Quartey in Bristol, England, the expatriate currently living in Nashville spent that summer on tour opening for Sheryl Crow, and … Read more
James Taylor & His All-Star Band w/ Jackson Browne: Wright State Nutter Center; Dayton, OH – Wednesday, August 4, 2021 Given the boyish grin on 73-year-old James Taylor’s face throughout his 90 minute set in front of the mostly full Nutter Center arena on Wednesday night, it would be hard to say who was the … Read more
Son Volt Electro MelodierTransmit Sound/Thirty Tigers [2021] There was a time back in the day, when Uncle Tupelo, the band often credited with kick-starting the alternative country craze, would close their shows with encore covers of Neil Young rocker “Cortez the Killer” or maybe “Cinnamon Girl,” Jay Farrar playing lead guitar through his worn SG. … Read more
Los Lobos Native SonsNew West Records [2021] When a band that’s been around just two years short of half a century puts out an album of covers, you might be tempted to think they were creatively running on fumes, about to run out of gas. But when Los Lobos creates an album celebrating the … Read more
Mudhoney Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)Sub Pop Records [2021] Mudhoney, a band name that just screams Seattle “grunge,” formed in 1988 after the demise of the band Green River, setting free Mark Arm and Steve Turner as well as two guys who went on to join Pearl Jam, Stone Gossard and … Read more
Hiss Golden Messenger Quietly Blowing ItMerge Records [2021] On the current single from his new album, “Sanctuary,” singer/songwriter MC Taylor, a.k.a. Hiss Golden Messenger, gets that the world is a mess right now. “Feeling bad, feeling blue,” he sings, acknowledging that “I know it feels like hell now/‘Til we get to the otherside,” he wants … Read more
Vanishing Shores MapsSelf-Released [2021] Cleveland, Ohio band Vanishing Shores delivers the kind of high energy, anthemic rock on their debut full-length release Maps, that aspires to fill arenas with big guitar sounds, floating synths, and big, power pop sing along choruses. This 8-song album is set-up like an opening set you might hear, delivered by … Read more
Sleater-Kinney The Path Of WellnessMom + Pop Music [2021] On the tenth album from Portland, Oregon’s Sleater-Kinney, the duo of Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein sound like the veteran musicians that they are working hard to both re-connect to the band’s nearly 30-year legacy, while continuing to evolve as they see fit. The tension is … Read more