Given the lyrical content of his songs on Eleven Eleven, you'd expect to find Dave Alvin in a joint that reeks of cheap beer, second-hand smoke, and maybe the coppery scent of freshly spilled blood. …
July 17, 2011
Articles by Mark Ben Friedlander
Dave Alvin's Eleven Eleven
High Violet
Move over Morrissey, there's a new Pope of Mope; his name is Matt Berninger, lead singer and lyricist for the National, whose latest CD, High Violet, might be more aptly titled High Anxiety. Vocally and …
July 25, 2010
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
Grace Potter's got legs, and in the deathless words of ZZ Top, "she knows how to use them." Fortunately, for the visually impaired, she's got pipes too, and she uses them superbly on Grace Potter …
July 13, 2010
The Big To-Do
The Drive-By Truckers' tenth release explores territory familiar to the Athens-based band, which continues to mine the vein of ’08's Brighter Than Creation's Dark, with more tales of losers, juicers, a low-budget hooker, and a …
May 29, 2010
Heaven Is Whenever
The fifth studio release from Brooklyn-based the Hold Steady marks a transition for the quartet. With the defection of keyboardist Franz Nicolay, their sound is now tighter, more guitar-driven. Lead singer Craig Finn, who years …
May 15, 2010
Emotion & Commotion
The release of Emotion & Commotion confirms Jeff Beck's legacy as one of rock's finest instrumentalists. The eclectic collection includes original instrumentals from Beck and keyboardist Jason Rebello, classic-rock and R&B covers, orchestral pieces, and …
April 30, 2010