Rachel Loy kicked off the St. Patrick’s Day festivities Thursday (3/17) at Momo’s, clad in green and starting the night with a great mix of smart, playful and very tuneful adult pop.
Continue reading South by Southwest 2005: Rachel Loy at Momo’s in Austin
Tift Merritt at the Troubadour in West Hollywood
Grammy nominee Tift Merritt raised the roof at the venerable Troubadour nightclub on Friday night, making good on the promises that 2004’s “Tambourine” laid out for her.
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Keren Ann update: new album
Brooklynvegan has a nice writeup on Keren Ann, for those needing an introduction. Worth noting that the “Not Going Anywhere” album she released in 2004–and that I liked quite a bit–is her first English-language release. She’s been out and about for awhile in her native France.
Continue reading Keren Ann update: new album
Top 40 Albums of 2004
It’s the annual ritual of music journalists everywhere: the end-of-year best list. My editor at liveDaily.com asked for a top ten, but the stacks of CDs in the office were too tall to limit my personal list to just that.
Continue reading Top 40 Albums of 2004
Brian Setzer at the Universal Amphitheatre
Brian Setzer, in fine voice and slinging his trademark Gretch guitar, brought an old-time variety show vibe to the Universal Amphitheatre on Saturday night (12/18).
Continue reading Brian Setzer at the Universal Amphitheatre
Jem at the El Rey Theatre
In her return to Los Angeles, Welsh singer-songwriter Jem brought the hits but lost some of the intimacy that made her earlier visit crackle with energy.
Continue reading Jem at the El Rey Theatre
Bob Schneider / Aslyn at the Roxy
Working through a bout of allergy / sinus issues most of the day, I was on the fence about venturing into clubland to see Bob Schneider and opening act Aslyn. An invite from Aslyn’s publicist made the choice a lot easier – you don’t take comp tix for granted.
Continue reading Bob Schneider / Aslyn at the Roxy
Jane Monheit at UCLA
On Friday (12/3), Jane Monheit winked, wiggled and used her considerable vocal talents to dazzle in a solid but short-feeling show.
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Runner & The Thermodynamics: “So Sorry”
Turn this one up. Great garage-band rock out of Boston. Thanks to CMJ and Pitchfork for pointing them out. I see a lot of editorial space comparing them to early Who and Thin Lizzy and James Gang, but am I the only one who hears some early KISS knocking around in there? “100,000 Years,” anyone?
Continue reading Runner & The Thermodynamics: “So Sorry”
Joss Stone: “The Choking Kind”
There’s live review on this site of Joss Stone’s SXSW performance in March. I first heard her on NPR, probably late in 2003. I still hold to the belief that she’s got a very rare instrument in that incredible voice.
Continue reading Joss Stone: “The Choking Kind”