Dave Pietro : The Talisman Review
With the bustling energy of contemporary jazz, Dave Pietro’s latest endeavor, The Talisman, is a beacon of post-bop creativity. Released under the SteepleChase label, this marks Pietro’s debut with the Danish imprint and finds the virtuosic alto saxophonists expressing sincerely with the rich language of the jazz tradition.
Pietro has been on the New York scene since 1987, performing with groups such as the Grammy Award-winning Maria Schneider Orchestra and the Gil Evans Project. This expansive experience brings a cosmopolitan sensibility to this recording with his approach to both composition and performance. The ensemble [...]
In the ever-evolving narrative of Lizzy McAlpine’s discography, Older offers a reflective and introspective body of work, distinct in its maturity and depth from her preceding albums, notably 2022’s five seconds flat. McAlpine, who has been on a clear upward trajectory since her debut, continues to push the singer/songwriter’s awareness of her artistry, delving into more personal and nuanced territories with Older. These fourteen songs, written over a three-year span marking McAlpine’s transition into adulthood, are a voyage through the complexities of growth, heartache, and self-discovery.
Older is built around raw emotion [...]
Elbow’s tenth studio release, AUDIO VERTIGO, hit the services on March 22, 2024, under Polydor Records, as a bold twelve-track program with an evolving sonic palette. This album encapsulates a journey that the Manchester-based rock band has embarked upon, navigating through rock, post-rock, and beyond, ever since their debut in 2001. With recordings taking place across Migration Studios in Gloucestershire, The Dairy in London, and mixed at Blueprint Studios in Salford, AUDIO VERTIGO is a homecoming of sorts, a synthesis of the band’s three-decade-long exploration of music.
The center presence of AUDIO VERTIGO is the band’s lead [...]
The album My Land by Chiyomi Yamada & Baobab represents a cross-cultural experience that weaves the nostalgic threads of ancient Japanese folklore with the vibrant hues of modern European folk-pop. Spearheaded by the classically trained soprano Chiyomi Yamada, born in 1956, and backed by the eclectic indie folk group Baobab, the album is a bridge between the mystic past and the eclectic present.
Chiyomi’s musical evolution is remarkable, from studying classical music in Tokyo to immersing herself in Baroque and polyphonic vocal music in The Netherlands. Her tenure with ensembles like Alba Musica Kyo and her exploration of [...]
Brian Bromberg, whose career has spanned a remarkable journey from an in-demand session musician to a leader in his own right, is back with his latest album, LaFaro. On the album, Bromberg pays tribute to Scott LaFaro, a legend whose contributions have left an indelible mark on jazz music. These twelve songs delve into the nuances of Bromberg’s bass playing and the chemistry within his ensemble and offer a comprehensive album of the influence of LaFaro and the Bill Evans trio in which LaFaro performed.
From the outset, LaFaro is an exhibition of Bromberg’s virtuosity and deep respect for jazz tradition. The album starts with [...]
Anna Hillburg’s latest album, Tired Girls, brings solid songwriting and tones to the indie pop genre, encapsulating the essence of contemporary womanhood through its intricate soundscapes and lyrical depth. With Hillburg’s decades of experience in the Bay Area’s music scene and a background that boasts collaborations with acts like Shannon and The Clams and The Dodos, her third solo album unfolds as a journey through her evolving artistry with her songwriting, instrumentation, and thematic exploration.
Tired Girls, released on October 13, 2023, by Speakeasy Studios SF, benefits from the collaboration between Hillburg and [...]
María Dueñas’ debut album, Beethoven and Beyond, is an exhilarating musical exposition, illuminating the intricate weaving of virtuosity and expression that characterizes the young violinist’s style. The album’s tour de force lies in its exploration of cadenzas. This musical endeavor amplifies the dynamic interplay between the perennial works of legendary composers and Dueñas’s nuanced, innovative interpretations.
Kicking off the album with Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, Dueñas unveils the musical palette she will [...]
Bonnie Raitt is back with her latest album, Just Like That…, her first album in over six years. The Rock And Roll Hall of Famer continues to draw on all the influences that have shaped her legendary career while simultaneously creating something that articulates the circumstances and challenges of these unprecedented times. Just Like That… was recorded in Sausalito, California, with an all-star band that included two longtime members of Raitt’s band, bassist James “Hutch” Hutchinson and drummer Ricky Fataar, as well as two new musicians, Canadian Glenn Patscha on keyboards and backing vocals and Nashville guitarist Kenny Greenberg. Her longtime [...]
Halestorm has released their album Back From The Dead, which is eleven songs produced by Nick Raskulinecz that takes the listener on a journey through navigating mental health, debauchery, survival, redemption, and rediscovery while still maintaining faith in humanity. Already the title track has earned the band their sixth #1 on Rock Radio. Halestorm has grown from a childhood dream of siblings Lzzy and Arejay Hale into one of the most celebrated rock bands of the last two decades as their music has surpassed a billion streams worldwide. Halestorm is Lzzy Hale on guitar and vocals, with drummer Arejay Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger, and bass [...]
Battle Beast is releasing their next installment of European power metal with its sixth studio album called Circus of Doom. The female-fronted metal band is buoyant with symphonic metal driven by agile guitar playing and the grit of singer Noora Luohimo. Who has lost none of her fire over the past 9 years. The sextet has created an album that is easy to listen to while still maintaining an aggressive metal edge. The ten songs have many hooks, riffs, and rebellious driving grooves.
The album sports many symphonic metal anthems, the best being the title track, “Circus of Doom.” There is an edge to the song with its aggressive guitar riffs, [...]
