Cloudspeakers

Many supposed “one hit wonders” of the ‘80s and ‘90s, or any decade maybe, were actually musicians with a significant catalogue of music, with a story and personality beyond that one hit. Listening... Lees meer

It’s been nearly a decade since the first Reflection Eternal album, Train of Thought, though the cover of that album played down the duo’s moniker by stressing their individual names, Talib Kweli a... Lees meer

The UK band Lucky Soul’s 2007 LP The Great Unwanted was one of the more stunning debut albums in recent years, a sparkling fusion of melody and melancholy, rooted in the sounds of Motown and ‘50s ‘... Lees meer

Three years after the release of the elaborate box set celebrating their first decade (Labrador 100: A Complete History of Popular Music), Sweden’s Labrador Records is having one of their best year... Lees meer

“Sebastopol”, the first song on Nick Jaina’s A Bird in the Opera House, starts out sounding a lot like the river-flowing sound of Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks, but it’s not as mystical or natural-wo... Lees meer

The key to longevity is changing things up. Alan Jackson knows this. After the flashy variety show Good Time in 2008, he has brought us a more low-key LP, in the vein of 2006’s Like Red on a Rose, ... Lees meer

To understand why Whitney Houston is a superstar, all you need to do is listen to the live version of “Greatest Love of All” that is included as a bonus track on the deluxe, 25th anniversary reissu... Lees meer

“American Honey” is the name of Lady Antebellum’s current single, but it could just as well describe Josh Turner’s voice. He has one of those deep, supple voices that make people compare it to mola... Lees meer

Fans bring their own perspective and bias to hearing a new work from musicians they admire. When it comes to the defunct indie-pop/rock band Beulah, my take is that they released four excellent alb... Lees meer

Lady Antebellum’s second album is titled after the song “Need You Now”, a #1 country single last year. The main reason it stood out from the pack of soft-pop-leaning country ballads of attemp... Lees meer