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
Looking back, it feels a tad obvious that Hem had every intention of calling it a day when they released Departure and Farewell back in 2013. From the on-the-nose title to the stories of personal turmoil and addiction circulating in the pre-release press, the Americana collective did everything it could to signal their demise short … More Hem: Departure and Farewell
To those who know her work, Sarah Jarosz is a multi-talented singer-songwriter and instrumentalist who has captivated audiences with her unique blend of contemporary folk, Americana, and bluegrass music for the better part of fifteen years (and counting). Born and raised in Texas, Sarah started playing music at an early age and quickly developed a … More SARAH JAROSZ: Albums Ranked
Some 30 years (and counting) removed from the commercial success of their major-label debut, Dream Theater has managed to sustain and maintain their position as one of the premier names in prog-metal. With each new release, the immensely talented five-piece firmly re-establishes what longtime fans have known for years: Dream Theater is still creating relevant … More DREAM THEATER: Albums Ranked
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
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
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
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
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
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
Released: October 1, 2007 If you could listen to any record again for the first time, which one would you choose? It’s the sort of question that makes for a perfect icebreaker in a crowded room (remember those?) because of the variety of answers it’s sure to inspire. After all, few things evoke shades of … More Frames: A Look Back at the Oceansize Masterpiece
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
Released: August 13, 1996 History is filled with countless examples of unsung bands whose efforts proved crucial to a movement or scene that would ultimately pass them by. While the ’90s saw an alt-rock revival teeming with countless sound-alikes, Failure was a few years too early to the party. Still, while they only briefly flirted … More Failure’s Fantastic Planet
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
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
Generation Mixtape 