Far Trio Set to Rock New York Area with a Series of Live Shows as They Gear Up for Highly Anticipated New Album

FAR Trio, an earthy fusion band hailing from Buffalo and formed over a decade ago in Fredonia, NY, is hitting the road this fall for an East Coast tour, bringing their unique blend of soul, blues, and singer-songwriter vibes to audiences across the Northeast. Comprising Eamon Rayhn (vocals, bass), Drew Azzinaro (vocals, guitar), and Ethan Fox (drums), the band has been a fixture in the region’s music scene for the past five years, performing over 150 shows annually across cities like Buffalo, NYC, the Finger Lakes, Philadelphia, and the Hudson Valley.

Known for their electrifying performances and organic sound, FAR Trio has played at renowned venues including The Bitter End, Rockwood Music Hall, Shakti Lounge, So Far NYC, and major jazz festivals such as The Northwest Jazz Festival and Carnegie Jazz Festival. Their extensive touring has earned them a dedicated fanbase and critical acclaim for their fresh takes on classic songs by artists such as John Lennon and The Allman Brothers, as well as for their compelling original compositions.

In 2022, FAR Trio released their second album, Ordinary Moments, recorded in Woodstock, NY, with legendary producer Scott Petito (James Taylor, Chick Corea, John Scofield). The album features 14 tracks ranging from soulful singer-songwriter tunes to raunchy blues-tinged grooves. This latest work showcases the band's evolution as a unit, with each member augmenting the others’ compositions and delivering a diverse sound that captivates a wide audience.

With two albums under their belt, including FAR Volume 1 (2019), and a new project on the horizon for next year, the band continues to write, experiment, and create music that transcends genres while keeping its soul firmly rooted in the earthy fusion they are known for.

Stream their latest album, Ordinary Moments, on all major platforms now, and stay tuned for their upcoming release next year.

About FAR Trio: F.A.R.Trio consists of Eamon Rayhn (vocals, bass), Drew Azzinaro (vocals, guitar), and Ethan Fox (drums). The band blends elements of soul, blues, and singer-songwriter genres, creating eclectic performances that resonate with audiences across the East Coast. Their music is defined by thoughtful songwriting, intricate arrangements, and an undeniable chemistry on stage. Your Needed Dose of Rock N’ Soul!

Reggae Rockers IRIEspect Release New Self-Titled Album

Dub Rock Reggae masters IRIEspect present the “IRIESPECT LP”, their eagerly awaited debut offering on Dubshot Records - now available on Spotify and all the major music services.
Recent digital highlights include their single "Blasting" being featured as the best new single in the Tun Up Reggae playlist on Apple Music, achieving 1,000 album streams on Apple Music within the first day of release (July 20th), and accumulating 10,000 all-time streams on Apple Music.

The band has had several recent notable performances, including the Great South Bay Festival in NY with Pepper, Badfish, Tropidelic, and more; supporting the legendary Long Beach Dub Allstars in Richmond, VA, and Ocean Mist, RI; a live on-air performance and interview at Irie Radio at Seacrets Ocean City, MD; and shows with The Quasi Kings at Bowery Electric, NYC, and with Sensamotion at Mercury Lounge, NYC.

IRIEspect has also expanded their reach to markets in RI, CT, MA, NH, PA, upstate NY, NJ, MD, VA, and down the East Coast to FL. They have shared the stage and collaborated with notable artists such as Ballyhoo, Pete Francis of Dispatch, Alific of Stick Figure, Ras Ajai of Dutty Rock (Sean Paul's record label), Marley of Rebelution, Gary Dread of The Movement, Dale & The ZDubs, Roots of Creation, Expendables, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Sid Mills of Steel Pulse, The Grouch, Treehouse, Joe Samba, Sundub, Half Pint, HR of Bad Brains, and many more.

IRIEspect is set to support The Wailers at Paramount NY on October 20th, promising an unforgettable performance. IRIEspect is a six-piece band known for their versatile sound that blends elements of roots, rock, reggae, live dub, hip hop, dancehall, Latin, and more. Their energetic live shows have captivated audiences across over 200 performances in the LI/NYC markets and the surrounding East Coast. Their music appeals to fans of Sublime, Stick Figure, The Elovaters, Slightly Stoopid, Pepper, Rebelution, Iration, and more.

Montreal Indie Mavericks Debbie Christ Topple Our Collective Inhibitions with Unbridled Theatricality and Flair on Unflinching Debut Album Tower

No one would ever mistake singer-songwriter/guitarist Clara O'Page as the shy type. As the mastermind and frontwoman behind the genre-bending Montreal mavericks Debbie Christ, O'Page rifles through an array of musical styles, topics, moods and perspectives like a stage actor going through costume changes. Now, with their thrilling full-length debut Tower, O'Page and her bandmates stand poised to topple our collective inhibitions around shame, sexuality, and trauma with a theatricality and fashion sense that hits hard while also making the subject matter more palatable.

"I'm the youngest of six," O'Page explains, "so I was encouraged to be funny and outgoing — I love to be goofy and make people laugh — but vulnerability was foreign to me. I grew up in an Evangelical household where you just don't talk about the icky bits. You save those for God. On top of that, my dad's side is English. It's a very repressed cultural mindset. So, where I'm typically a clown day to day, music is my place where I can be more serious. Getting into punk music, I gradually got more comfortable disclosing my feelings. I learned that it can be revolutionary just to simply say what you're actually feeling. That's very profound for someone like me. Like I'm not someone who cries very easily, so music is how I do my crying. And it evolved to the point where there's now a definite shock-value element."



The video for the single "Lust!" is the ultimate case in point. Suffice it to say you'd be hard-pressed to find another example of sexual violence portrayed with such stylishness and verve. "Stylish" isn't a word we typically associate with assault, but Debbie Christ and director Aaron Nadal have somehow managed to pull-off the impossible in their portrayal of physical violation as a metaphor for addiction.

"I'm not trying to piss people off," she adds with a laugh, "but I feel like people need to be shaken up. There are too many ways that we're all just so... bound-up. And it would benefit us all to just be able to break free and have room to breathe. My favorite photographer, for example, is Robert Mapplethorpe. I'm really inspired by his ability to make people question what art is versus what's just vulgar and over-the-top. And I like dwelling in that place where you're kind of squirming in your uncertainty. If you do that with a conscience — if you actually have a point — I feel like that can be very useful. Especially if the music underneath really grabs you. And that's where all the different styles come in. We're trying!"

An explosive mix of surf, garage, psychedelia, shoegaze, glam, punk, folk, and spoken-word, Tower jolts the "confessional music" stereotype into an all-new, decidedly assertive artform, even as O'Page's songs reveal softness and unguarded disclosure as a superpower. At times, Tower echoes the stylish minimalism of The Velvet Underground. At other times, Debbie Christ channels an avant-glam sensibility that would've made the likes of David Bowie and The New York Dolls proud. Elsewhere, serrating bursts of naked emotion split the difference between Patti Smith, PJ Harvey and contemporary art-pop experimentalists like Sasami.

Indeed, Tower allows us to imagine what it would be like if pop mavens like, say, Debbie Harry or Pat Benatar had been born a generation later and fronted the Canadian folk-punk trio And The Kids. Or, for instance, if Angel Olsen had been born a generation earlier and joined Alice Cooper at the height of their druggy eccentrism.

Speaking in a prayer-like cadence at the beginning of Tower, we hear O'Page incanting the words “Elixir of life, I ask for light... I am given sound”.

For O'Page, one form of expression can always swap places with another. "For me," she explains, "the act of making music is more like mixed media. My journals are very tactile, and I see slow fashion almost as like a new punk movement. I almost can't help but see all of these things as going hand in hand — melodies, phrases, visuals, and fabric are always sloshing around in my head. When people listen to the album, that's the sense I want them to get."

donSMITH Premieres New Album "Don't Ask Me Where I'm From"

donSMITH dropped a fresh new single- "Table" (featuring Radamiz) from his new album and it's streaming everywhere now. This Harlem born rapper is on the rise with some of the funkiest beats and rhymes from inside the reality of black and brown culture today. New York hip hop hasn't been this dope since RZA put a foot print in the New York City rap game. donSMITH continues that legacy in a whole new and invigorating way. The full length album ("Don't Ask Me Where I'm From") has that dark, raw and tripped out NYC tone, filled with ambient sound effects and movie soundtrack backdrop-beats in the style of the underground poetry of the city that never sleeps.

donSMITH compiled and masterminded the perfect soundtrack to these Manhattan streets and hypnotic times with vividly agile narratives and razor-sharp lyrics and grooves.  

"Don't Ask Me Where I'm From" is now available on Spotify, YouTube, Amazon, Apple Music and all the major services.

With limited features from east coast artists like PayDay signee Radamiz, and D.C. 's quickly rising emcee Ankhlejohn, donSMITH proclaims his cultural pride and geographical commitment, especially at the hands of gentrification.

On additional tracks like “Piragua” & “NYCHA”, donSMITH is boldly emphasizing a central theme: for us, by us, while records like “donDADA” & “All I Got” give praise to the family and women birthed in the culture of uptown, New York City. 

This album acts as the centerpiece to donSMITH's soulful and politically charged duel EP’s “Dear Culture” & “Postscript", circling back to a central theme: “for us, by us”.

donSMITH · TABLE (feat. Radamiz)

STREAM THE VIDEO:

PREMIERE: Shock Radar shares new science-fiction inspired single from "OBSERVATIONS" album

"But You Will" is the beasty new single from New York City indie band Shock Radar. They have already shared one darkly chilling and ominous track, today we are debuting their crushingly loud single, taken from their forthcoming album, they call “the soundtrack to an imaginary science fiction film." The gently twinkling "More or less the same" feels more ethereal and tender than the group's heavy new song, but no less eerie or spellbinding. It was inspired by their love of vintage Twilight Zone episodes and Philip K. Dick novels. The band explains:

"We gave 'But You Will' a conceptual form as we’ve been intrigued by sci-fi horror films. They have been the perfect place for examining the creative process and its inherent powers of transcendence and self-destruction. We produced it like a film score to a fictional screenplay about people addicted to adrenaline highs through joy or pain. The theme follows a characters escape from the boredom of everyday life through video footage collected by an omniscient narrator."

Jennifer Truesdale Releases New Album “Through the Circle”

Boston based singer-songwriter Jennifer Truesdale returns to center stage with her new CD “Through The Circle”. Written and arranged by Jennifer and co-produced with David Minehan at Boston’s famed Woolly Mammoth Sound, Through The Circle is “a masterpiece of soulful and bluesy storytelling that embraces each listener into the thoughtful lyrics and brings them along on a feel-good journey.”

Moving seamlessly from blues, to soulful R&B, to jazz and gospel inspired melodies, Through The Circle speaks of love, loss, longing, laughter and the beautiful journey that is life. The first single, “I Need You Tonight”, is a sassy blues romp that is garnering attention from radio and press alike. From her belting vocals to the jazz-laden horns that support them, the truly bluesy lyrics make for a fine juxtaposition in a story of lingering love from a songwriters perspective - “I said I wouldn’t be lonely if you said goodbye // Looked out the window, watched you walk away, told myself I wasn’t gonna cry // I sat down to write a symphony but it didn’t turn out right // And oh I just need you, I need you tonight”. Other powerful tunes include the gospel inspired "We Will Not Be Forgotten", sure to be the new anthem for 2019 with inspiring and empowering lyrics that will have you singing them over and over again.

Jennifer is joined on the album by an incredible cast of Boston A-list musicians, many faculty members and alumni of Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music and the Boston Symphony Orchestra including: Joe Musella, Marty Ballou, Bill D’Agostino, John Mulroy, Tom West, Hiro Tokushige, Ririka Tokushige, Angel Subero, Joe Santerre, John Grant, Lydia Harrell and Kit Holiday.



“Jennifer Truesdale reflects true artistry on “Through The Circle”....a towering vocal talent...Influences from Billie Holiday to Etta James come to mind..” - Billy Copeland Music News

In addition to 8 original songs, Through The Circle contains stunning arrangements of the John Fogerty classic “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” and Stephen Stills’ “Love The One You’re With”. Showcasing a powerhouse rhythm section, stellar horn section and soaring vocal arrangements.

An alumnus of Berklee College of Music and actively performing member of Boston’s thriving music scene, Jennifer Truesdale artfully blends Blues, Soul, Jazz, R&B and Pop with thought-provoking lyrics to create a sound that is both powerful and deeply personal. Her songs - as a solo artist and as a member of the band The Ultrasonics - have aired on major network television shows including: Hawaii 5-0, Soul Food, All My Children, One Life To Live, The Young and The Restless and Melrose Place. The Boston-area Director of the long-running showcase series Chick Singer Night, (est. 1988) Jennifer works tirelessly to showcase and promote emerging artists and give back to the community from which she came. Jennifer lives near Boston with her husband of 21 years and their 14 year old son.

Upcoming Performances:

Wednesday, May 22nd, 7:30PM @ Concord’s Colonial Inn, Concord, MA

Thursday, May 30th, 8:00PM @ Town Tavern, Arlington, MA

Sunday, June 2nd, 4:00PM @ Caffe Sorrento, Milford, MA

Saturday, June 8th, 2:00PM @ Arlington PorchFest, Arlington, MA

Wednesday, June 12th, 7:30PM @ Concord’s Colonial Inn, Concord, MA

Thursday, June 27th, 6:30PM @ Condon Shell Summer Concert, Medford, MA

Sunday, June 30th, 4:00PM @ Caffe Sorrento, Milford, MA

Singer/Songwriter Thomas Priest Drops New EP “Wake Up Call” with Album Release Party at Revolution in Amityville

This Friday July 12th, up and coming young Singer/Songwriter Thomas Priest is releasing “Wake Up Call”; his second EP recorded in Nashville and first with Rian Dawson of All Time Low behind the board. Thomas will be celebrating the occasion with a live performance at Revolution Bar & Music Hall (140 Merrick Rd, Amityville, NY 11701). Doors open at 7pm for this all ages show, admission is $10. Also playing will be The Brothers Union, Collideoscope, Aoeria and Same to you, Bud

GET TIX TO THOMAS PRIEST AT REVOLUTION!

Thomas Priest is a fast rising music star from East Northport, Long Island. On his 13th birthday, Thomas began jamming on the electric guitar and realized that he had a real passion for music, immersing himself in the art and quickly learning to play the acoustic and bass guitars as well. He began songwriting and playing live a few years later; his first performance being at his High School’s talent show when he was just 15. Over time, Thomas learned he also had a knack for singing and within a year of that first show the now competent and confident Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist began writing and recording his own songs in a studio. After completing two incredible tracks which immediately became the talk of his hometown, Thomas set his sights on making his dream to become a professional nationally touring musician come true.

Earlier this year, Thomas had the pleasure of recording his second EP in Nashville, TN with Rian Dawson of All Time Low as Producer. The fruits of their labor can be heard on this brand new EP entitled "Wake Up Call", which comes out on July 12th everywhere. Thomas Priest isn't looking back, he’s charging forward. No prayers needed; he’s got the drive, determination and most of all the exceptional talent required to truly succeed. Listen online and decide for yourself. You’ll want to catch him performing LIVE in a city near you very soon!

Check out Thomas Priest on Spotify HERE!

Check out Thomas Priest on Apple Music HERE!

Brooke Moriber Drops Brand New Album “Cry Like A Girl”

Having Released the Debut Single of the Same Name This Past November, Fans Will Finally Get the Full Taste of The Acclaimed Singer/Songwriter Parade Magazine Recently Lauded For Sharing “Raw Emotion with Strong Vocals and a Spot-On Delivery”

New York, NY (April, 2019) -- Coming off a recent taping of “Cellar Sessions” at New York’s City Winery just last month where she was able to debut some of her most inspired tracks in an intimate live setting, acclaimed Singer/Songwriter Brooke Moriber has finally released her brand new album Cry Like A Girl!

The album was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, with legendary producer Fred Mollin (Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Shawn Colvin) at the helm and mixed by 5 time Grammy Winner Chris Lord-Alge (Carrie Underwood, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen). With Parade Magazine hosting the exclusive premiere of the first single in late 2018, they called it a “high-powered Americana-infused track with an empowering message" with Popdust jumping on board as well proclaiming Brooke a “powerhouse”.

The 11-track release delves into messages of self-discovery, empowerment, and overall growth explored in the single, which Moriber says embodies the collection as a whole. “Itʼs a statement about the strength that comes from embracing your emotions and allowing yourself to heal and grow. The making of this album was a journey of self discovery for me”.

Track Listing:

1. Cry Like A Girl

2. Steal the Thunder

3. The Last Goodbye

4. The Devil I know

5. Behind the Scenes

6. 99 Days of Rain

7. Here and Gone

8. It Doesn’t Hurt

9. Time Takes It’s Time

10. Long Long Time

11. Shattered Glass

To celebrate the occasion, Brooke will also be taking the stage LIVE at Rockwood Music Hall - Stage 2 (196 Allen St, New York, NY 10002) on Wednesday, June 12th at 9:00PM. For tickets, VISIT: www.RockwoodMusicHall.com

Ryan Chernin Packs Brilliant Indie-Rock, Alt-Focused Tunes in Latest “You Know Who You Are” LP

Following the release of the single and video “Ash Tray Kisses”, Singer/Songwriter Ryan Chernin recently dropped his Debut LP “You Know Who You Are” via Inhuman Records. Packed with “mature songs, personal lyrics, and intricate instrumentals” its being called “more like an exploration of self than a combination of songs”. And for the NY based Chernin, it seems likely only more positive feedback is headed his way!

Singer/songwriter Ryan Chernin showed an inclination for music at an astoundingly young age.

“My mom has this one story – my grandmother swore by it too – that at three or four months old they were talking to me in my crib and I apparently gave them their exact intonation back,” Chernin recalls, laughing. “According to my mom, that was my introduction to music.” He insists that his real introduction was the Yellow Submarine tape she’d play for him in the car, and the piano lessons he begged his parents to sign him up for as a child.

Over the years Chernin’s parents continued to encourage his love for music and his passion for performing, knowing even back then that it was more than just a phase.




In college Chernin studied film, and as an accomplished actor, spent much of his time in and around theaters. However the spotlight is something the soft-spoken artist has never been entirely comfortable with. The reason, according to him, is simple: “Every time I got on stage and did musical theater, I was always a character. I was very much about throwing myself into those characters.” That disconnect is something Chernin struggled to overcome as he began working on his latest LP, “You Know Who You Are”. “It’s me up there. It’s my pain, my happiness. It’s all out there and it’s very vulnerable.”

You Know Who You Are is the culmination of a year’s worth of work in and out of the studio, a sultry collection of songs about life, love, and loss. “What was most important to us was to take our time with it and really make sure it was perfect every step of the way,” Chernin explains. “It was about selecting the right people.” That list of people includes producer John Eugenio, mixer Chris Davies, and SNL guitarist Jared Scharff. The result is a maturity and depth that takes most artists years to capture, with Chernin’s quick wit and caustic sense of humor complimenting his raw indie rock sound.

For More Information on Ryan, VISIT:

www.RyanChernin.com

Shock Radar Release Brand New “Innovations” LP

With 2018 in full swing, NYC-based Shock Radar recently released their latest full length studio album “Innovations” produced over a five year period, tracked and mixed in the most illustrious recording studios in the world!

Singer/Songwriter- Lee J Diamond worked on this material for an extended amount of time, as the band felt rushed in the past to release more content on a high-speed frequent schedule.  "Innovations" is a kaleidoscopic audio journey through many different styles of music from art-pop new wave singles to atmospheric soundtrack landscapes.  This was a labor of love for Diamond since the beginning.  Shock Radar is notorious for their chaotic live performances and metal-riff inspired rock songs.  Various musicians from different backgrounds were assembled to create something uniquely different from the previous releases.  Diamond not only composed the music, but played a variety of obscure instruments including vintage analog synths, banjo, sitar and Moog.

"I wanted to break out of the wall-to-wall guitar rock my band is known for and explore new ground.  I had been working on soundtrack and film scoring material while writing these songs and felt like a schizophrenic New York City rock opera of sorts was brewing.  If I threw away the typical guidelines most bands follow in making a record, I knew I could create something extraordinary.” says Diamond. He continues “Having years off to record in different studios with a large group of multi-talented musicians added to the unknown result of what this album would become. I worked with different lead singers for the first time on this one to come up with a whole new sound, reinventing myself as a composer. Within this psychotropic journey, there are still elements of the original band- feel good rockers, sing-along choruses, but mostly it is an experimental album, organized and compiled like a movie soundtrack."

The eccentric styling of Shock Radar’s 'Post-Rock' songs are fresh and unique. Born and raised in New York where he worked at several record stores until attending Boston's Berklee College of Music on scholarship, and further studying art and journalism at New School University, Lee J Diamond has climbed his way to the top, simply doing what he does best- mixing and playing all styles from around the world.

"Innovations" was mixed and produced at Mozart Street Studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn by Ryan Howe.

Scott Weiland & The Wildabouts: "Blaster"

8.5

This is the first album from Scott Weiland since his divorce from Stone Temple Pilots. There's been a lot of hype behind "Blaster" for that reason, but more significantly, guitarist Jeremy Brown passed away the day before its release. He was not only an accomplished musician, but the driving force behind the sound of this album. It's filled with heavy riffs and an assortment of versatile guitar effects. Half the record sounds like something STP would release, but the other half is more like The Smiths or Echo & the Bunnymen. "Blaster" is not as artistically self-indulgent as Weiland's previous solo efforts, although both albums were thoroughly awesome. It's more concise as to a specific 'rock and roll' direction, almost like a garage rock band from the 1970's recorded through hi-fi modern production gear. Scott Weiland is known to slink and slide into different characters and alter his voice depending on what era of his career you're listening to. For this album, Marc Bolan seems to be the dominant influence. It's feel-good music with an addictive touch of lyrical pop hooks, somewhat like a T Rex album and Weiland admits this by including a stellar cover version of "20th Century Boy". The band proves to be more than competent and sadly due to the loss of Jeremy Brown, The Wildabouts may be remembered as a one-off, one record band that could have done so much more. It definitely has that raw sound, the sound of a band finding itself on its debut recording. The Wildabouts aren't overreaching or trying to reinvent the wheel, but they establish a unique sound and hard hitting rocker of an album for the Weiland fans. Don't expect a 1990's grunge album or a throwback to Weiland's other former bandmates- Velvet Revolver, but expect a refreshed and renewed Scott Weiland starting over via classic and indie rock influences. I don't know where this album will place on the charts, but I think it will stand out as a highlight in Weiland's discography as an ambitious attempt to recharge his career and a successful one at that.

notable trax: "Hotel Rio", "Circles"

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds: "Chasing Yesterday"

9.

This is great album from the former Oasis dictator- Noel Gallagher. He's still catchy as ever, still in search of those secret pop melodies along with the signature Oasis guitar chug. This is a more 'dancey' trip-pop record than the last one and a bit psychedelic while mellow in tone. It's a softer Noel. Surprisingly, the best track, or most rock and roll song is the B-side "Do the Damage". It's hard not to imagine this material with his brother Liam's voice on it. These songs would make the best Oasis songs ever.

There are two really groovy tracks toward the middle of the record called "The Right Stuff" and "While the Song Remains the Same". Both are very spaced out lounge vibe tracks, like Serge Gainsbourg making acid funk.

The ethos of Noel Gallagher remain in the 1960's, 70's classic rock records. Few people can still write a good song, hell... give him credit.

notable trax: "Riverman", "While the Song Remains the Same"

Warpaint: Warpaint

9.

The new Warpaint album is a step forward experimentally for the band. The songs are more complex, yet more composed. Their sound got trippier, more spacey. There are similarities to the previous album, the way the guitars integrate, but further exploring new territory over intricate beats and skeletal drum patterns. The drumming is most notably funkier and more ambitious. There are new instruments, synths and sound effects added to the mix. Warpaint seem to be flourishing as a band and this new direction is wonderful.

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks: Wig Out at Jagbags

7.5

Well, it sounds like Pavement. Stephen Malkmus and his gang are back with zany lyrics and trippy guitar effects, but are the songs as good as those old Pavement records? This solo venture has taken a few different directions but still has all the Malkmus-isms of the 1990's. His solo work hasn't strayed far from what he's made a niche for himself as a songwriter. Still, I must say, there is something missing. Perhaps it's just the changing of the times and this style of indie rock isn't fresh anymore. It's not bad by any means but I don't see myself listening to this record on repeat with that excitement he once gave me. Albums like this make you wonder how much influence the other members of Pavement had on Malkmus' songwriting. This record has its moments, a bunch of cool guitar riffs, funny and clever lyrics that you'd expect from this group, but how effective it will be in the long run is anyone's guess. All I know is the audience's attention span keeps getting shorter and this genre or brand of indie rock may be on its way out. Might be time for Malkmus to reinvent himself musically, or stir up another Pavement reunion. We all loved that, didn't we?

Bruce Springsteen: High Hopes

7.4

The Boss is back with a new album full of covers, outtakes and lost tape recordings. He decided to re-record his own classics with a modern edge. Some of it works, but some of it lacks the energy and magic the original versions had. For example, “The Ghost of Tom Joad” features Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello spewing guitar noises all over it. But would there ever be a better rendition than the stripped down acoustic version? Was it even necessary to make an attempt at bettering a song like that? Perhaps Springsteen is not trying to modernize himself, but offer another flavor to his songs. Some will say this is a cash grabber, others will question it, and his loyal-to-the-bone fans will devour the record as usual. Springsteen’s in that weird place in an artist’s career, where everything he puts out is a success much like his predecessor Bob Dylan. But that can get in the way of a songwriter’s mojo. Call it a controversial album, a mockery, or merely another quickly produced half-baked compilation made by a prolific musician that can’t slow down, nevertheless it will be known as a curveball from The Boss in the list of his discography. And maybe that’s just what he wanted to throw at us. I must say, the title is intriguing for such an unambitious record for Springsteen. "High Hopes"?

Prefab Sprout: Crimson / Red

8.

This is a fine 'comeback' album for Prefab Sprout. I was surprised to hear all the similarities to their earlier material, that 80's production is prominent. But it's not their best album, nor their worst. It's kind of a lost B-sides collection, except these are new songs. That's what it sounds like if you're a fan already. There are police sirens and sound effects throughout the record, making this a trippy little pop album, but essentially it's exactly what a fan would expect from the group. I don't think that's bad, but I would have liked to hear how they would sound in a more modern setting. I applaud them for keeping 'their' signature sound, but the material isn't up to par as their classics. Like all reunion albums, if that's what this is considered, it's passable and listenable, but missing some ingredients that made their early releases so special.

Joel RL Phelps & the Downer Trio: Gala

10.

This is a magnificent return from Joel Phelps. There is more of a country rock influence on Gala compared to his previous release Customs (2004). It's a fair mix of acoustic country ballads and heavier rock tracks. Phelps' music is emotional, realistic and passionate. He is an original with a profound musical vision of his own, sonically and lyrically. It's adult music for the modern 'indie' listener. His voice is very powerful and expressive in a unique way. There are some beautiful acoustic songs reminiscent of the late Townes Van Zandt mixed throughout the album. Gala is the perfect rainy day rock album for your collection.

Pearl Jam: Lightning Bolt

8.

"Everyone's a critic..." sings Eddie Vedder on the first track of Lightning Bolt. After the lackluster response to 2009's Backspacer, Pearl Jam settle in on a roots rock, soulful kind of sound. Much like The Rolling Stones in their "Tattoo You" phase, classic riffs and old-fashioned lyrics like "She's a lightning bolt", the band show they age gracefully on this one. It's a raw rock and roll record, made by a twenty year old band, much different from their previous work, but still hangin in there. Pearl Jam are fueled by perseverance. They have changed forms over the years, but there's always 'that' energy. Lightning Bolt features "Getaway",  a mid-tempo number with a punk attitude, the Neil Young inspired "Future Days" and the title track "Lightning Bolt" go in unique and unexpected directions.  Pearl Jam are somewhere in that experimental period for a band that's been around this long. There isn't a single vision as there once was, a more democratic approach to making records, but they stay true to their influences. This album is looser than the last, the band plays more laid back, they let songs wander. There are less guitar solos, and more colorful patterns in dynamics. Drummer Matt Cameron's style gives a twist to the softer, country-rock ballads. There is intelligent and interesting three guitar interplay between Gossard, McCready and Vedder. "Sirens" is the new single, which truly focuses on Vedder's vocal capabilities. It's an impressive performance. In essence, the new album is somewhat of an unexpected 'comeback' for Pearl Jam. It sounds like they stopped trying to appease a certain kind of audience and do what they want. It's more ambitious than commercial. If they quit now, they'll be able to say they had a good twenty year run and end on a good note. But something tells me they don't plan to quit. It's become their day job. We'll see how the fans react. 

Lightning Bolt is a solid 8.