Fans of mid-20th-century Southern music will likely recognize the name of the act for which Rich-R-Tone is most known: the Stanley Brothers, whose first 14 bluegrass recordings appeared on the label and are all included here.
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Music & Film Reviews: Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Nebraska ’82,’ plus Diane Hubka, the Kasambwe Brothers, and Terry Klein
What might well offer sufficient reason to fork over your money for this expanded edition are the live performances of 'Nebraska'’s songs, which are presented in the same order as on the original album and offered both on CD and as a film on Blu-ray.
Read More »Music Reviews: Françoise Hardy Reissues, plus Bill Scorzari, Rosy Nolan, and Jamie Granger
Hardy was popular throughout Europe, and a sensation in her native country, where she scored 11 Top 10 singles, nine Top 10 LPs, and numerous lesser hits. Folks in the U.S. now have a chance to hear some of what they’ve missed, thanks to a slew of reissues.
Read More »Music Reviews: ‘Jac Holzman Presents Dylan’s Circle’ and Frank Zappa’s Expanded ‘One Size Fits All,’ plus Dallas Burrow, Rags Rosenberg, and the Far West
There’s not a bad track on the album, which isn’t surprising given how consistently Holzman’s fabled label [Elektra] issued superlative music in its heyday.
Read More »Music Reviews: The Peanut Butter Conspiracy, plus Dar Williams, Marshall Crenshaw, Wynonie Harris, West Texas Exiles, and Patton & Brokus
Formed from the ashes of a group called the Ashes (which included future Jefferson Airplane drummer Spencer Dryden), the Peanut Butter Conspiracy dealt in frequently adventurous rock, much of which deserves more attention than it has received.
Read More »Music Review: Aaron Helgeson – ‘As I Write This’ – Songs and Solos of Aaron Helgeson
Composer Aaron Helgeson's starting points range from traditional Norwegian fiddle to Shakespeare to Debussy.
Read More »Music Review: Ross Thorn – ‘Fitting In’
"Did you hear, she up and left me, like some old country song. Don't have a dog or truck, but if I did they'd be gone."
Read More »Music Reviews: A Marianne Faithfull Box Set, plus Robin Batteau and an Anthology of Early Rock and Rockabilly
Faithfull’s 1960s material is the subject of a recently released six-CD, 81-track anthology that shows she was capable of handling everything from traditional and modern folk to Brill Building tunes and rock.
Read More »Music Reviews: Anthologies from the Pale Fountains and the Kinks, plus the Feelies and Kissing Other Ppl
Perhaps the Pale Fountains will finally garner some notice following the appearance of a new four-CD box set devoted to Michael Head's critically acclaimed band, which formed in Liverpool in 1980 and split up in 1987.
Read More »Music Reviews: Nick Drake’s ‘The Making of Five Leaves Left’ and Eric Andersen’s ‘Blue River: Live in Tokyo’
Let’s hope we’ll soon see similar boxes devoted to the making of Drake’s other two studio albums, both of which are as noteworthy as his debut. The world needs all the music from him that it can get.
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