Magic Castles – ‘Starflower’ (2015)
Nearly three years ago, even with the help of Anton Newton [Brian Jamestown Massacre], or perhaps because of it, Magic Castles were nearly written off and doomed to...
Jenell Kesler
JAZZ CORNER Presents: Dexter Gordon – Gettin’ Around (1966)
The proof that one can have a presence in jazz without being muscular is Dexter Gordon; especially so on “Gettin’ Around.” Of course there are those, and rightly...
Surf City – Jekyll Island (2015) review
Surf City - Jekyll Island (Fire Records, 2015) Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDG2vZN0hzY Opening with the enchanting “Beat The Summer Heat,” infused with Eastern style drone, laced with fuzzy jangling guitars,...
Kill West – Smoke Beach (2015) review
Kill West - Smoke Beach (Echo Drug Recordings, 2015) Listen: https://killwest.bandcamp.com/ Thickly layered and nearly edgeless, the music of Kill West doesn’t so much emerge from your speakers, it’s...
Pauw – Macrocosm Microcosm (2015) review
Pauw - Macrocosm Microcosm (Caroline Records, 2015) Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSXneEvG5Vs It’s always been my contention that once played, a song never really stops playing, perhaps over your stereo, but not...
Quilt – Plaza (2016) review
Quilt - Plaza (Mexican Summer, 2016) Quilt’s new album is sensational on many levels ... first the vinyl is clear, second the gatefold album jacket is embossed, and...
Pink Floyd – 1965: Their First Recordings (2015) review
Pink Floyd - 1965: Their First Recordings (Parlophone, 2015) Prior to their seminal release of The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Richard Wright...
The Velvet Underground – The Complete Matrix Tapes (2015) review
The Velvet Underground - The Complete Matrix Tapes (Universal Music Enterprises, 2015) Having seen The Velvet Underground many times, mostly at The Second Fret in Philadelphia. And with...
Luna – ‘Long Players (92-99)’ (2015)
There are those of us who want the vinyl period, we make on excuses for this ... quality vinyl on a good stereo system presents rewarding results. It’s...
New Candys – ‘New Candys as Medicine’ (2015)
Like a Sodium Pentothal drip, New Candys warmly hypnotically hold you at a barely conscious level, mending the atmosphere in front of your half closed, half aware eyes,...