Music Street Journal - Music News & Reviews

I really wanted to cover this release, but it’s hard to review. That’s because everything here is played on a double bass, exclusively.

I like this album a lot.

This outfit hails from Denver, Colorado. Listening to them you might expect they would live some place further south.

This four song set has two great songs, one that’s very good and one that could have been done better.

The music here is strong. There are some songs that stand taller than others, but none land in the "weak" zone.

I know Gerry Rafferty was best known for the song "Baker Street." That tune combines jazzy textures along with melodic rock and more.

This might well be my favorite Rainbow live recording. This show was purely on fire.

Once upon a time Ritchie Blackmore was known as the guitarist for Deep Purple. Eventually he left that band and formed Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow.

This live album from the new incarnation of Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow is a solid set. It's also the companion to the video I reviewed in the last issue of Music Street Journal.

This new live album from Rainbow is so strong. The band really captures the sound and magic of the classic songs - both Rainbow and Deep Purple.

The music on this has a contemporary edge to it, but it’s more rooted in retro blues rock than anything else.

One could almost say that The Raskins are a gimmick band.

I've never heard of this band before, but apparently they are big in Germany. The stage banter on this album is all in German, but the singing is in English.

Folk rock singer songwriter type music is the main order of business here.

I've seen Jeff Ray described as a country artist. There are a couple songs here that land under country.

This is pretty adventurous album. Given the fact that the title translates to that, it makes sense.

This set is essentially electronic dance music, but there is a decent range to it beyond that.

This is a brand new single from an act I've not heard before. Based on the strength of this, I'd love to hear more.

When I reviewed the previous single from this act (in this same issue), I said that I'd like to hear more from them. Well, shortly after completing that review I got this opportunity.

This album has some modern music in the mix.

This is quite an interesting release. It covers a good amount of territory musically.

Alternative rock, emo and punk all merge on this short disc. It's a solid set that works well from beginning to end.

I suppose these guys are pretty much guaranteed to have a fan base, even before anyone heard them. That’s because the lineup is legendary.

Just in time for the holiday season, this is a new reissue of Leon Redbone's Christmas album. Perhaps it's best known for the duet between Redbone and Dr. John on "Frosty the Snowman."

Jimmy Reed was a big influence on rock and roll music.

Andrew Reed is probably best known as part of the band Space Apaches. This new solo set doesn't share much ground with that outfit.

This collection is all class. Then again, you expect quality from Bear Family Records, well at least I do.

This group is a trio that produces a sound that is roots based. This is familiar yet fresh.

This is an intriguing disc. It has a real roots music vibe to it.

It's hard to imagine a musical world without the legacy of Django Reinhardt. He has created such a huge, and lasting, influence on many genre.

There is plenty of familiar sound in the mix here. Classic rock, soul, funk, blues and more all show up here.

If you were to combine Pearl Jam with DOA you might come up with something really close to the sound of this album. There is a great range of sounds here.

With a wide range of sounds, this is modern pop music, but twisted in a very different way.

John Renbourn was probably best known as part of the band Pentangle. I know a lot of people consider that group to be progressive rock, and I suppose progressive folk might apply.

This is one heck of a cool set. For those who need to catch up on the earlier part of REO's catalogue (you know, before they were superstars), it's really a great value.

This new box set is a massive release. It is a nine-CD set featuring the "classic" era of REO.

There is a modern pop rock vibe to this music for sure. The thing is, it's also well rooted in the music of the 1970s.

I reviewed a previous set from Repko. On that one I talked about the vocals being a bit too much like Green Day (I find Billy Joe Armstrong's voice to be too whiny and don't like his band because of it).

I have reviewed two of Rhett Repko's previously releases. I felt that the second one was the stronger of those two.

Do you like female based acoustic guitar backed music? If so, you will probably enjoy this.

I reviewed another single from this artist in the previous issue of Music Street Journal. This is her newest release.

This is the third single from Resurrection Fern I've reviewed. It's actually the second for this issue.

I think these guys tend to get a bit of a bad rap. The outfits and poppy choruses probably have a lot to do with that.

This is very much a modern pop styled set. That said, there is some decent range in place.

This is an album that is hard rocking and at times leans toward progginess. It's psychedelic, alternative and fun.

What an amazing set this is. I’m reminded of some descriptions I’ve heard of the band Phish.

There is a sung, piano based movement that opens this.

This act didn't get as much respect as they deserved. Think a lot of that comes from the fact they were put together by Elektra Records after auditions, rather than being signed as a group.

Buddy Rich is a legendary jazz performer and also a big influence on a lot of modern drummers.

This was recorded in 1985. The tapes were stored in a facility that suffered a fire, and thought lost forever.

This is a strong mainstream rock album. Of the five songs here, three are what I would consider exceptional.

I know the conventional wisdom is that Elvis Presley was "The King of Rock and Roll." Personally, I've never felt he deserved that title.

This is an unusual disc. It’s also a compelling one.

Bear Family releases a lot of music from artists of yesteryear. They also put out some things that feature acts that are modern, but whose music is rooted in old-school sounds.

These guys are really a great band.

This act is a modern one based out of New York state. Listening to them, you might think they came out of an earlier era and more Southern location.

This is a unique and intriguing album. The music here ranges from Americana to things that are almost art rock.

This is the new CD from someone in my geographical neighborhood.

Rival Empire’s website includes the following disclaimer about this album:

I’ve seen some people who call these guys a reggae band.

So you say you like Heart? You probably should check this album out, then. This is not a carbon copy of that band, by any means, but it definitely is a close relative.

I know Marty Robbins is a country artist.

This is one of a new set of discs featuring two classic albums on one CD.

This album really harkens back to a bygone era. The music here fits well within the vocal jazz genre.

This CD is a new edition of an album that was released on vinyl in the 1970s. The type of music here is old school rock and roll and blues.

While the Stray Cats were bigger, the Rockats were the originals. They were actually an inspiration on Brian Setzer.

This LA band sounds familiar, but are also very entertaining. Their blend of rockabilly, rock and roll, punk and even alternative sounds is nothing new, but they do it really well.

This act is described as a mariachi band. I don't think you can hear that at all in this song.

The Rolling Stones have been an institution for a long time. It's cool that they are still rocking in the modern era.

This double CD set features a Rolling Stones show from 1999. Rather than the mega-arena shows the band are known for, this was a concert in front of about 2,000 fans.

This is one of those albums that might be better taken one song at a time. In order to maintain interest for a whole album, songs need to vary quite a bit.

I have seen this act listed as a punk rock band. I don't see that fitting based on this album.

Fun, jazzy, blues based music is the order of business. There is a decent range of sound within that picture.

This six song EP lands in the neighborhood of spacey alternative rock.

I know this artist is considered folk music.

When approaching a new Tokyo Rosenthal album, it’s a pretty safe bet what you are going to get.

I've been reviewing Tokyo Rosenthal music for quite some time now. His brand of roots music meets singer/songwriter sounds is always compelling.

Based on the title and the cover you might think this is some new rough-edged hard rock band.

I have to admit that this is the first time I heard of this act. Apparently they were big in the Goth scene in the UK in the 1980s, but broke up in 1998.

A lot of people disregard hip hop as “not music.” Certainly that label applies to some of the genre.

This second album from Ruffyunz might be even stronger than the first. Their blend of funk, hard rock, metal, psychedelia and prog is both familiar and fresh.

The sound on this album is pretty diverse. There is a healthy helping of electronic music here.

This EP showcases an intriguing act. The name of the group features "Katie" in reference to leader and singer Kate Coleman.

I previously reviewed another EP from this act. I found it quite entertaining and intriguing.

This reissue is pretty cool.

This set is pretty cool. I enjoy pretty much everything here. .

I definitely consider myself a fan of Tim Russ.

Finding music that can entertain kids without seriously annoying their parents can be tough. This seems to be an album that will work for such a purpose.

Mitch Ryder has just unleashed a brand new holiday album. It's quite a successful one.

Mitch Ryder is known for his particular flavor of old school rock and roll and blues rock. This album delivers plenty of that.

This collection is intriguing. It merges electronic music with soul, hip hop, jazz and more.

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