David Lamb of Brown Bird has recently passed away from leukemia. We offer our deepest condolences to his surviving spouse, MorganEve Swain, and all the strength to carry on. Dave was loved by many, and we hope that if he or his music meant something in your life, that you’ll share that with MorganEve and offer your support. BrownBird.net. -MattRead More →

The Bad Plus – The Rite of SpringSony-out today3 / 5 Ambitious. That’s the first word that has to begin a review of the Bad Plus’ jazz interpretation of Stravinsky. It must be a heavenly marriage to bring the two together, the Bad Plus as a sophisticated, avant-garde jazz trio, and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, a ballet piece recognized as one of the most forward-thinking pieces of the 20th century. But we’re not here to praise (or belittle), only to give our thoughts: and in comparison to the beautiful original score, there’s quite frankly no comparison. There are certain inherent limitations that a trio hasRead More →

Lake Street Dive – Bad Self PortraitsSignature Sounds-out Feb 184 / 5 We think it comes down to Rachael Price’s voice. We think that’s what it is: Massachusetts-based quartet Lake Street Dive is so heavily anchored on Price’s strong, feminine soul voice that it’s hard to imagine the other fantastic pieces (guitar, acoustic bass, percussion) fitting together without that crux. You may look around at other reviews that try to describe their sound, and they’ll say it’s a mix of this, a hodgepodge of that, but truly, it comes down to a tight trio supporting a fantastic, colorful voice. And these songs – songs mostlyRead More →