SPIN CYCLE- Rare, Overlooked and Worthwhile Records to Explore  I cycle through a lot of records here—some are rare or obscure and many are deserving of further attention, but most don’t get covered simply due to time constraints. Many are overlooked and all are worthwhile, depending on your taste and sense of adventure.  Thus, this piece, highlighting records worthy of further exploration; some will get more in-depth reviews as time permits.   Nate Morgan- Journey into Nigritia This comes from Nimbus West, another great label with an interesting mix of spiritual jazz... Read More

  The Talking Blues-Doug MacLeod’s Break the Chain I’ve always liked the blues. In some ways the simplest, yet often the most difficult music to play: the changes are easy, and while many players stun with instrumental virtuosity, what really sticks (for me) is the raw, emotional outpouring, not the flashiness. Sometimes it just falls flat because it seems like you’ve heard it a million times, and it is being played by rote. Doug MacLeod’s Break the Chain, recently released on the audiophile label, Reference Recordings (more about the label and production below), is in some... Read More

Randy Holden- Guitar God   For those of you with an appreciation for hard, heavy guitar-centric rock from the period, it doesn’t get any better than Randy Holden. His solo album, Population II, is now a highly collectible rarity for good reason: it’s a monster album. If you only have passing knowledge of the man, or look him up on the Internet, the accepted wisdom recites that Holden is “best known for” his work on Blue Cheer’s New, Improved! But that album doesn’t even scratch the surface. In fact, it is partly a Blue Cheer album and partly a Randy Holden album; the dividing... Read More

  Comus: First Utterance    The folk music revival of the ‘60s not only revitalized interest in traditional music but also sparked the creation of more contemporary sounds that were influenced by the cultural tides and musical shifts of a turbulent decade. Although it was not released until 1971, First Utterance stands today as a “Ur” album of the psychedelic folk movement; it is a wild ride even by “modern” standards, inured to a post-punk, industrial, hip-hop, noise rock sensibility. It must have been shattering to listen to at the time of its release.   Roger Wootton... Read More

Sabbath’s Heaven and Hell: Your Choice   One of the greatest Black Sabbath albums was delivered after the early albums on Vertigo Swirland subsequent to Ozzy Osbourne’s departure: Heaven and Hell, released in 1980, featuring Ronnie James Dio as vocalist. This album represents a high water mark in the band’s recorded performances, not only for its two sides chockful of rhythmic, driving songs with the heavy riffage characteristic of the best of Sabbath; the album was a fresh take on the classic Sabbath sound that breathed new life into the band. Dio’s involvement didn’t... Read More

GRANICUS –s/t; Interview with Woody Leffel  Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, Granicus recorded one self-titled album for RCA in 1973 that received little support from the label before the band called it quits. Even today, the album remains relatively obscure among aficionados of hard rock for reasons that remain a mystery: unlike many early hard rock records that have achieved cult status (often, with prices to match), it contains consistent, powerful performances and sounds neither derivative nor dated. I was sufficiently intrigued by the record to reach out to the re-formed band, which... Read More

Steep Canyon Rangers- Out in the Open There is something very satisfying about the new album Out In The Open by the Steep Canyon Rangers. Whether it is ease with which they harmonize or their mastery of traditional bluegrass instruments including the mandolin and fiddle, these gentlemen cast a spell of homespun warmth that is both authentic and fresh. The band was an unknown quantity to me, though they’ve won a Grammy and have collaborated with Steve Martin over the years. When I saw an announcement from Ramseur Records about Out In The Open, I was intrigued and asked for a copy. I’m... Read More