GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV: Albums Ranked

For the majority of his career, Gregrory Alan Isakov has quietly flown below the proverbial radar, all the while dutifully assembling a catalog of timeless classics. For anyone reading this, I’m likely preaching to the fully converted, but I’ll offer the following background as a blanket ‘just-in-case.’ Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, but raised in … More GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV: Albums Ranked

Wunderhorse: Singer/Songwriter in Spirit, Amps-to-Eleven in Execution

Released: October 7, 2022 It’s an all too common tale: a young band bursts onto the scene, makes a ton of noise, and soon crumbles under the weight of critical acclaim-fueled expectation. Occasionally, a mercurial artist manages to emerge from the wreckage and sets out in a bold new direction. This list isn’t as long … More Wunderhorse: Singer/Songwriter in Spirit, Amps-to-Eleven in Execution

Failure: Wild Type Droid

Released: December 3, 2021 Wild Type Droid, Failure’s sixth overall full-length, just might be the band’s most focused, artistically-potent release to date. Hot take? Maybe, but trust me, I took notes, and I’m more than happy to show my work. First, some context: there was a period following their late-’90s hiatus where ‘Failure’ seemed destined … More Failure: Wild Type Droid

EOB: Earth

Released: April 17, 2020 Given the fact that Ed O’Brien had been working on a solo album for several years, there was no shortage of anticipation and expectation surrounding 2020’s Earth (released under the EOB moniker). For starters, there was the whole ‘Radiohead’ thing—as a member of one of the most influential and acclaimed rock … More EOB: Earth

The Afghan Whigs: In Spades

Released: May 5, 2017 When the Afghan Whigs released Congregation back in 1992, they immediately sounded like a throw-back alternative to alt-rock. Combining elements of soul and funk with a sexually-charged lyrical perspective, frontman Greg Dulli and his cohorts were clearly marching to their own beat. The band subsequently courted mainstream success with a pair of decade-defining releases … More The Afghan Whigs: In Spades

Andrew Bird: My Finest Work Yet

Released: March 22, 2019 It’s hard to believe that Andrew Bird has been making records for over twenty years. Only yesterday, it seemed the violin-wielding songsmith was destined to be the ‘next big thing.’ While he saw measured success with releases like 2009’s Noble Beast and 2012’s Break It Yourself, Bird never quite reaped the benefits of the post-Millenium indie-folk … More Andrew Bird: My Finest Work Yet

Run the Voodoo Down: Miles Davis – Bitches Brew

Released: March 30, 1970 Miles Davis famously said, “do not fear mistakes—there are none.” He’s also the man who reinvented jazz “four or five times.” He played his trumpet for decades, weathering one cultural revolution after another. He was an innovator, originator, and visionary. His audience spans a handful of generations at this point, and … More Run the Voodoo Down: Miles Davis – Bitches Brew

That’s Me In The Spotlight: R.E.M. – Out Of Time

Released: March 12, 1991 It’s nearly impossible to discuss R.E.M.’s ascent from enigmatic indie-rockers to stadium-filling pop stars without mentioning the band’s seventh album, Out Of Time, and the brooding, minor-key anthem “Losing My Religion.” The band had long conquered the college-rock landscape, but everything changed in 1991. Thanks to the universal embracing of the unconventional … More That’s Me In The Spotlight: R.E.M. – Out Of Time

The Sound of Stars Aligning: The Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Released: September 24, 1991 For better or worse, Blood Sugar Sex Magik changed everything. Not only did the record provide the Red Hot Chili Peppers their immutable mark of permanence on the pop-culture landscape (satellite radio is still eating up “Under The Bridge”), but the Rick Rubin-produced album also found Anthony Kiedis and the boys complete the transition … More The Sound of Stars Aligning: The Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik

At The Peak of Their Powers: Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream

Released: July 27, 1993 One of alt-rock’s most polarizing bands, Chicago’s Smashing Pumpkins successfully managed to ride the early-90s grunge wave to unparalleled success, all the while maintaining a unique sense of identity. Eschewing many of the genre’s aesthetic trappings, the band’s sound and image were more in line with the pomp and circumstance-excess of … More At The Peak of Their Powers: Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream