The Smile : A Light For Attracting Attention

The Smile I’m sure is the kind of project that fans of early Radiohead get all riled up about. Worried for Phil, Colin, and Ed because Thom and Jonny are off doing their weird artsy stuff and leaving the rest of the band behind. “How will they eat?” “Who’s making sure Colin’s shoes are tied?” […]

Sharon Van Etten : We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong

Sharon Van Etten has made a steady climb to premier American songwriter ever since her debut, 2009s Because I Was In Love. Dark pop complimented by layered harmonies, personal lyrics, and a dramatic feel that everything hangs in the balance, Van Etten has taken that intimacy and built it into a solid career. Each album […]

Snakehandler Church : Cheap Heat

Pete Dio has lived quite a few musical lifetimes over the years. Touring the world with Left Lane Cruiser, and stepping out from behind the drum set and forming Pete Dio and the Old & Dirty. Both projects had a southern flair to them, with LLC taking two-man dirty blues to a new level while […]

John Scofield : John Scofield

Guitarist John Scofield has had a storied career since the early 70s, first as a guest player with everyone from Charles Mingus and Chet Baker to Gary Burton and Miles Davis, then starting in 1977 a prodigious run of solo albums that run the gamut between fusion, acid jazz, funk, and experimental. He’s collaborated with […]

Lovelock : Burning Feeling

So you only need to browse a bit over on this site to know I’m a bit of a Steve Moore fanboy. Zombi, solo work, score work, and even his series of covers he did as Zombi and Friends over the course of 2020 and 2021 were nothing short of brilliant. It wasn’t until recently […]

Salvatore Mercatante : SM Synthesis

New York-based electronic musician Salvatore Mercatante doesn’t stick to just one vibe. He’s worked in the world of Giallo, experimental, minimalist, house, and heavy synth over the course of his musical endeavors. Regardless of what world he’s creating in, it’s always striking and engaging. I’m still unpacking albums like Tre Sfere, Presents Pistacchio Sessions, and […]

Joel Ross : The Parable Of The Poet

Joel Ross is part of the new wave of artists continuing a decades-long journey in creating evocative and forward-thinking music in the realm of jazz. The Chicago-born, New York City-based vibraphonist released his debut in 2019 titled Kingmaker with Blue Note Records and established himself as a musician and composer to watch. His music is […]

Kurt Vile : (watch my moves)

Kurt Vile runs on his own frequency. He blends rock, folk, and country into something quite unique and very much his own. Jangle one minute and rocking and psychedelic the next, Vile takes Prine, Petty, and Young and blends them all together with a touch of early 90s Dinosaur Jr and Pavement. Over nine albums […]

Sankofa : Legacy Materials

Midwest MC Sankofa is not one to let much time lag between projects. Whether it’s constantly writing verses for new tracks, collaborating with friends, fellow MCs, producers, or coming up with ingenious new merch to help promote his work, Sankofa does not waste a drop of creative juice. Stephen Bryden, aka Sankofa, doesn’t let a […]

Namen Namen : Namen Namen EP

Every once in a while a local band sends an album my way and I get the feeling they won’t be a local band for long. Fort Wayne has seen its share of amazing artists; Orange Opera, Vandolah, Thunderhawk, B-Sharps, and Heaven’s Gateway Drugs to name a few. Four-piece Namen Namen can now be added […]