Justin Piper fuses multiple influences and music breeds on his recording. The result is a melodic tapestry of idyllic figures and balmy ambiences.
Read More »Music Genres
Music Review: Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa – ‘Black Coffee’
A collection of (mostly) obscure songs by familiar artists, Bonamassa and Hart's new album features earthy, electrified reinventions that breathe new life into old numbers while giving the guitarist and the singer plenty of room to show off within icy-tight arrangements.
Read More »Music Review: Elder – ‘Reflections of a Floating World’
'Reflections of a Floating World' shifts from Isis-esque sludge to headbang-worthy, arena-ready guitar solos reminiscent of Rainbow—often within the same song. But for all of its chameleonic transmutation, it never sounds unfocused.
Read More »Music Review: Jeff Beck – ‘Live at the Hollywood Bowl’ (Blu-ray/2CD 50th Anniversary Concert)
With iconic special guests including Steven Tyler, Buddy Guy, and ZZ Top's Billy F. Gibbons, Jeff Beck's 'Live at the Hollywood Bowl' is an essential collector's item for longtime fans. Period.
Read More »Music DVD Review: ‘Sting: Live at the Olympia Paris’
'Sting: Live at the Olympia Paris' is an outstanding 102-minute main performance with bonuses totaling 137 minutes, making it a premiere music concert experience!
Read More »Theater Review (NYC Broadway): ‘Farinelli and the King’ with Mark Rylance
Well played all around, this Shakespeare's Globe production is blessed with the preternaturally naturalistic Rylance, whose severely manic-depressive and sometimes delusional King Philippe V of Spain is both brilliantly imagined and pulsatingly real.
Read More »Concert Review: ‘Early Music of the Maghreb’ – Traditional Music of Northern Africa (NYC, 12 Dec 2017)
The phrase "Early Music" usually refers to early European music, while the term "Afro Roots" generally means music from sub-Saharan Africa. Salon/Sanctuary Concerts teamed with Afro Roots Tuesdays to challenge both those assumptions with a concert of tradition-rooted music from northern Africa.
Read More »Music Review: Tinsley Ellis – ‘Winning Hand’
Great bluesman that he is, Ellis can speak volumes in a few well-placed notes. The songs span Chicago blues, rock, and soul with ease, delivering a dose of just about everything electric blues can offer.
Read More »Concert Review: The Lumineers Serenade Sacramento Fans at Radio 94.7’s Electric Christmas 2017
The Lumineers, Portugal. The Man, and Walk the Moon headlined Radio 94.7's fifth annual Electric Christmas concert event at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on December 7, 2017.
Read More »Music Review: Glassjaw – ‘Material Control’
On December 1, 2017, without warning, Glassjaw released their third album, 'Material Control.' The 15-year drought is over, but can it live up to the impossibly high hype?
Read More »
Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment