Review: Hard rockers unite. Or at least they used to. In an age when it often feels like even the last remaining vestiges of whatever subcultures survived MTV and the Millennium are themselves divided, every once in a while a record comes along that acts like a rousing call for unilateral response. The Satanic Rites Of is exactly that album. Reading reviews is smile-inducing, if for no other reason than the references to frontman Ginger as a 'godfather' of the British heavy-hard guitar scene. It's hard to deny, except if in your mind he still invokes images of a sprightly enfant terrible. In all honestly, the latest is both - an outfit that have lost none of their high energy snarl and commitment to doing interesting, ferocious things, but have years of wisdom on their side to achieve them.
Review: Not to be confused with the landmark London club of the same name - one of many sorely missed spots in the UK capital - Plastic People is almost the opposite of that now-defunct electronic dance music stronghold. Wildwood's 1968 garage psyche triumph is equally determined to encourage us to escape, only in a far earthier, rawer, and rougher kind of way. With plenty of hoarse guitar riffs, Hammond organ lines and powerhouse vocals coming from the man himself, this is a wonderful reminder of a ridiculously fertile period in rock & roll history that maintained values of the decade it rounded off, but was also increasingly looking to a future in which punk and progressive were beginning to lay their own foundations. In short, it's epic and trippy and incredibly human.
Review: Under the open skies of Southern California, with the San Bernardino Mountains in sight, Sam Wilkes, Craig Weinrib, and Dylan Day came together to craft this album in one seamless evening session. Wilkes' bass, Weinrib's drums, and Day's electric guitar unite to form an organic and unhurried collaboration. The trio's sound feels effortless yet focused, driven by the natural chemistry between them rather than stylistic constraints. Each note speaks to a deep mutual understanding, allowing the music to evolve naturally, guided by the landscape and the moment.
Review: Compared by some to the likes of Crosby, Stills and Nash or Richie Havens, brothers Will and James Ragar present rich, calming and subtly seductive folk-soul that could almost belong in a bygone era. If it didn't sound so utterly timeless - a great example of why unplugged sounds seem to have such a long half-life. As a record, this is a great accompaniment to Will & James Ragar's startling, stop-you-dead-with-serenity debut album, One, which first landed in 1980. But The Acoustic Album takes that tried and true blueprint and then delves deeper into the soothing-yet-aching, sublimely heartbreaking and life affirming formula. 16 tracks written between the late-1970s and early-1990s, recorded in 2016 in one seamless session, each sounds as beautiful, poignant and essential as the next.
There I Go I've Said It Again (Second version) (2:26)
Gotta Get Away (Second version) (2:34)
Far & Away (2:36)
Blow My Mind (First version) (2:26)
Gotta Get Away (First version) (2:45)
There I Go I've Said It Again (First version) (2:35)
E2D (2:26)
Fly Fly PSA (1:02)
Review: William Penn & His Pals (also known as William Penn Fyve) were the ultimate 60s garage band from the Bay Area. With a lineup boasting Mike Shapiro on lead guitar (author of the garage, acid-punk anthem 'Swami', which features here), Gregg Rolie (of Santana/Journey fame) on organ and vocals, and Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead on drums, this is a lesser-spotted compendium of some of the band's earliest complete recordings. Also a vital sonic slice of history of San Francisco rock, the album via Guerssen here comes with a wealth of rare photos, memorabilia and inserts, courtesy of the city's foremost local rock music historian, Bruno Ceriotti.
Review: Yasmin Williams' upcoming album, Acadia, marks her debut with Nonesuch Records and her most expansive work yet. The album features nine primarily instrumental tracks composed and produced by Williams herself. Known for her innovative approach to guitar, she also plays the banjo, kora, calabash drum, and even tap shoes. Collaborators include Immanuel Wilkins, Dom Flemons, Aoife O'Donovan, and more, bringing a diverse range of musical influences into the fold. The single 'Virga', featuring Darlingside on vocals and Rich Ruth on synth, shows her unique blending of folk traditions with modern textures. Williams describes the song as a reflection on navigating the challenges of being an artist in a world that doesn't always value introspection and art. The album as a whole draws from the idea of Acadia as an idyllic space for creativity and collaboration, crossing genre lines to explore new dimensions of folk music. Williams' unique style and imaginative approach has a vibrant, innovative sound. With Acadia, Williams continues to break boundaries, crafting an album that both honors tradition and carves new paths in contemporary music.
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