Everyone's a Critic:
Music Reviews from our Readers
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CD Reviews
Brighter Day
By Robert Duffy, Nov. 21, 2009
British singer Noel McKoy has been on the fringes of the soul and acid-jazz scenes since the late ’80s. In the early ’90s he fronted the James Taylor Quartet. This year McKoy released his solo debut album via the Martin Chess and Eddie Piller helmed Tri-sound label. McKoy’s unashamedly retro ... More Post a comment
The Rumba Foundation
By Daphne Galang, Nov. 20, 2009
One travels around the globe when listening to the contemporary flamenco guitarist Jesse Cook. From his eighth album, The Rumba Foundation, we hear the influences of Colombia with modern interpretations of international guitar music in the vein of Gipsy Kings and Ottmar Liebert. "Bogota by Bus" takes us high into ... More Post a comment
The Incident
By Andrew Hamlin, Nov. 16, 2009
Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson, itching to create a prog-metal masterwork with the audacity of Tales From Topographic Oceans or The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, at last materializes his wish. The Incident takes up 55 minutes or so all on one disc. Because Wilson's apparently got prog-metal scrubbing out his ... More Comment (1)
Never Cry Another Tear
By Robert Duffy, Nov. 16, 2009
Former New Order singer-guitarist Bernard Sumner debuts his new outfit, Bad Lieutenant, with Never Cry Another Tear. In the ranks of BL are New Order conscripts Stephen Morris and Phil Cunningham, but anyone expecting a New Order record (minus Peter Hook) will be surprised. It's like post-punk never happened; Bad ... More Post a comment
Humbug
By Michael Lee, Nov. 16, 2009
Two years have passed since the Arctic Monkeys’ sophomore disc Favourite Worst Nightmare, so was Humbug worth the wait? On the first listen, it seems layered, structured, safe...mature. Happens to the best of us. Or perhaps that was the hand of Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of ... More Post a comment
Concert Reviews
Sonic Crowd Control
By Nick Peterson, Nov. 16, 2009
Danish rock duo the Raveonettes stopped at Solano Beach's Belly Up, bringing their harmonies, fuzz noise, and solid rock ’n’ roll to the show. Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo shared the vocal duties, utilizing a ... More Post a comment
Electric Sexy
By Katharyne Harrnacker, Nov. 14, 2009
My previous experience of Detroit cult act Electric Six was in the U.K., in the cavernous surroundings of Hull University, where the sextet played to frenzied students. It was a more subdued Dick Valentine and band ... More Post a comment
Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel
By Michell Thitathan, Nov. 14, 2009
Friday the 13th brought the premier of Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel (sung in English by Lyric Opera San Diego) to the Birch North Park Theatre. It was an entertaining performance even in the absence of ... More Post a comment
Daygo City Live
By 40oz. Chris Pribilo, Nov. 14, 2009
The Rhythm Lounge gig was billed as "the official album release concert" for San Diego hip-hop compilation Young Mass Presents...the Best of Daygo City. Opener Forte rocked the spot with a Zapp-style talk-box rendition of One ... More Comments (3)
Airborne Toxic Event
By Neal Bach, Nov. 6, 2009
Glendale group the Henry Clay People delivered a rote workingmen set at House of Blues Tuesday night, which was met with audience apathy. It would be novel to see an emerging band display the talent worthy ... More Post a comment
The Joy of Art Brut
By Stefan Walters, Nov. 5, 2009
As soon as Art Brut took the Casbah stage, the English quartet launched into a frenetic version of "Formed a Band," their signature song. It got the crowd jumping, but how were they going to keep ... More Post a comment
Trick-or-Treat, Dirty Sweet!
By Robert Duffy, Nov. 3, 2009
East Village hot spot El Dorado Cocktail Lounge played host to Dirty Sweet’s sold-out Halloween bash. The band was ghouled and tuxed-up for the evening and kicked off an 11-song set at 11 p.m. The quintet ... More Comment (1)
