Liam Gallagher and John Squire Play the Familiar
Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and Stone Roses guitarist John Squire sound reenergized on their new collaborative album, but the songs never catch fire.
psychedelic rock
This Is Your Life: XTC’s ‘Oranges & Lemons’ at 35
In 1989, XTC released Oranges & Lemons, one of their finest. There are nods to trippy 1960s touchstones, but it’s more of a lush, power-pop celebration.
MGMT Love You to Death on ‘Loss of Life’
MGMT’s Loss of Life culminates with a run of songs about sleep, love, and death so deeply felt that it doesn’t matter if they are still joking on some level.
Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Then Play On’ and Humble Pie’s ‘Town and Country’ 55 Years On
Fleetwood Mac and Humble Pie were a part of the progressive 1960s ethos that carried successfully into the 1970s and beyond. These 1969 albums tell the story.
San Francisco’s Fabled Fillmore Remains Ground Zero for Rock ‘n’ Roll
From Phil Lesh returning to home base to rising stars like Margo Price, the Fillmore remains the most hallowed hall in American rock ‘n’ roll.
Moe Get Their Groove Back in California
The Gen-X rockers from Buffalo, New York, Moe, transcend recent tribulations with an old-fashioned Saturday night rager at the Fillmore in San Francisco.
Hot Tuna Electrify the Fillmore for the Final Time
Hot Tuna’s Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady continue to age like fine spirits with their masterful skills as pioneering rock tone scientists.
Paul Reed Smith and Eightlock Roar Like Lions Stuck in Quicksand
The flow of Paul Reed Smith’s LP resembles its namesake felines. The music starts loud, maybe not as noisily as a lion’s roar, but a savage joy is expressed.
Skyway Man Explores the Cosmos on ‘Flight of the Long Distance Healer’
Skyway Man’s Flight of the Long Distance Healer settles into a solid retro-pop vibe full of brightness and melody, but some of it disappears into stargazing.
Grails’ ‘Anches en Maat’ Takes a Cinematic Turn
Grails’ new LP is like listening to the soundtrack for an existential cosmic Western, Andrei Tarkovsky taking a stab at some Werner Herzog Mesoamerican mythologizing.
Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros Let It Grow with the Stanford Symphony Orchestra
Bob Weir premieres his symphony project that adds orchestral backing to Grateful Dead classics, making this show a special event.
‘When the Alarm Clock Rings’ Isn’t Worth Waking Up For
The always reliable Cherry Red Records delivers an unusual psychedelic garage-rock comp that feels made of lesser entries despite the label’s great research.