Sometimes, it takes me a while to really start to like an artist. Beck is one of those. I have no excuse, really. This — and quite a few of his other records — is a masterpiece of a kind of modern, … [read more]
A review of The Neville Brothers’ Yellow Moon Sometime in the late 80s or early 90s, I became interested in Daniel Lanois‘ music. Here was an enigmatic producer who had worked with Brian Eno, U2, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Robertson, Jon … [read more]
A review of Dwight Yoakam’s This Time (1993) Even though I had Hillbilly Deluxe and Cadillacs, Guitars Etc. Etc. on vinyl in the 80s and liked them (really, they provided my first ‘country music’ experiences that weren’t related to the … [read more]
A review of Eric Clapton’s 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974) I don’t really remember where I first got this, just that I first heard it when I was a teenager. Prior to this, I had only read about Clapton – the … [read more]
A review of Michelle Shocked’s Short Sharp Shocked (1988) Some of the most memorable music from the 1980s, for me at least, stems from this album (and that’s perhaps because none of it sounds like the 80s at all). Michelle … [read more]
A review of Depeche Mode’s Violator (1990) It’s hard to remember, from today’s perspective, just how powerful Depeche Mode’s Violator was when it came out in 1990. It neatly, elegantly bridged the gap between punk and mainstream pop while at … [read more]
A review of David Bowie’s Heathen (2002) Released in 2002, this is – for me – Bowie’s most satisfying record of the 2000s so far. It demonstrates what rock can sound like today – well-produced, full, dense, interesting, full of … [read more]
A review of Simply Red’s Stars (1991) British soul pop at its finest. Mick Hucknall came from a reggae and soul perspective, but was really always a crooner first. This is an incredibly strong collection of songs, and it’s still … [read more]