Joel Paterson “Michelle” (2019)
One of the great benefits of the forthcoming Joel Paterson album “Let It Be Guitar!” – to be released by Bloodshot Records on September 20th – is that my wife can casually enjoy some beautiful, new arrangements of completely recognizable Beatles tunes, while I can focus intently on the fabulous intricacies of Paterson’s highly developed,...... Read More
Average White Band “Work To Do” (1974)
It’s Labor Day, which means the end of the summer, which for someone like me who so looks forward to the warm weather and so hates the cold, I can honestly only say, fuck that. But, in addition to its significance as a marker on the seasonal calendar, it is..... Read More
Rush “Limelight” – scene from “I Love You, Man” (2009)
Man, I did not love Rush. Until Rush was featured in the movie “I Love You, Man” – and at that, really after just one scene in particular. The 2009 bromance comedy stars Paul Rudd and Jason Segal, whose shared worship of Rush – the Canadian power trio known to them simply as The Holy Trinity..... Read More
The Lovin’ Spoonful “Summer In The City” (1966)
There are just too many great summer songs to mention, but The Lovin' Spoonful made one of the best, "Summer In The City," and omitting one letter from a lyric may have made it the greatest ever.... Read More
Aretha Franklin “Today I Sing The Blues” (1961)
I’m quite sure there’s not a soul who needs me to try to describe the greatness of The Queen of Soul. Aretha Franklin was one of those artists that’s just universally accepted as magnificent, and deservedly so. Like the Mona Lisa, Aretha’s grandeur had long ago ceased to even be something to assert, her artistry...... Read More
Chris Stapleton “Midnight Train To Memphis”
I got back to the garden. Not MSG, not that garden, but the one about which Joni Mitchell wrote and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young most famously sang: at the erstwhile home of Yasgur’s Farm, the mythical “garden” of Woodstock. This summer (this week, in fact) is exactly 50 years since “The Summer Of Love”...... Read More
Chris Shiflett “Sticks & Stones” (2017)
Chris Shiflett has, for around 20 years, been the guitarist in two different bands, with two vastly different levels of notoriety: Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, the greatest punk rock cover band ever (seriously, they are), and another one you’re more likely to have heard of, the Foo Fighters. Most recently, he’s set off... Read More
Guitar Shorty “Get Busy” (2004)
A lot of times I feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to listen to all the awesome rockin’ blues guitar there is. What’s a guy to do, except... Read More
Robert Gordon “Red Hot” (1977)
A brief but memorable meeting with Robert Gordon, who teamed with Link Wray on tunes like "Red Hot" and "Black Slacks" to make some of the greatest rockabilly music ever... Read More
Tedeschi Trucks Band “I’m Gonna Be There” (2019)
What the Tedeschi Trucks Band can create is something truly rare: pure joy... Read More