Category: Rock
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The War On Drugs ‘LIVE DRUGS’ (2020)
The War On Drugs “LIVE DRUGS” is a celebration of the live performances from a band who has brought the nostalgic beauty of heartland rock to the masses. Today we dive deep into what makes this band so incredible.
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Frank Zappa ‘Apostrophe’ (1974)
Frank Zappa was part composer, part comedian, part critic of American culture, and fully unbothered by whether or not you cared. On “Apostrophe” Zappa refined his weirdness into commercial appeal.
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The Days of Stillness ‘The Days of Stillness’ (2006)
EDITOR’S NOTE: Today we’ll be covering my high school band The Days of Stillness. We re-released our old recordings this week onto the world wide web, and as part of the process I got together with the guys to reminisce about those golden days of our late teenage years and what it was like playing…
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Boston ‘Don’t Look Back’ (1978)
Don’t Look Back isn’t nearly as good as the pretty-much-perfect debut album from Boston they dropped in 1976, due in part to how quickly the band churned this record out due to pressure from their label to write a quick follow up. There’s an old adage in the music business that you spend your entire…
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Mouth Culture ‘Mishaps Of My Mid Twenties’ (2023)
There is something happening in Britain right now and I’m all about it. A new wave of rock bands is emerging from our brothers from across the pond, filled with piss and vinegar and a real penchant for plugging in guitars with the sole focus of blowing out your eardrums. Mishaps of My Mid Twenties…
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Sam Fender ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ (2019)
I’ve been a massive fan of Sam Fender ever since I heard his sophomore album Seventeen Going Under, an auto-biographical collection of short stories masquerading as songs from his childhood. Fender has earned comparisons to my all-time GOAT Bruce Springsteen over the years due to the profound level of personalization in his music as well…
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Foreigner ‘4’ (1981)
Foreigner’s magnum opus 4 is the kind of album that doesn’t pick a lane. Instead it swerves across the whole damn highway like someone who’s maybe had a few too many bourbons. It’s packed with arena-sized rockers like “Juke Box Hero” (a personal favorite of mine as a kid) and “Urgent”, all big massive riffs…
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Emerson, Lake & Palmer ‘Self-Titled’ (1970)
With Keith Emerson’s wild virtuosic organ work, Greg Lake’s soaring vocals and melodic bass, and Carl Palmer’s jazz-informed drumming, the dynamic trio blended classical music, jazz, and hard rock into something ambitious. The album moves from delicate acoustic moments to full-blown symphonic chaos that (at times) feels unapologetically over-the-top. The boys didn’t have any time…
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Wisp ‘Pandora’ (2024)
It’s not often I immediately replay an album I’m hearing for the first time from a new artist. Listening to one album per day across over the last two and a half years will do that to a man, creating an insatiable desire to find the next thing that will delight the ol’ eardrums and…
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Virgin Prunes ‘…If I Die, I Die’ (1982)
If you’re into Bauhaus or have a real hankering to dive into the world of gothic post-punk avant-garde rock, do I ever have a band for you. Weird chants, moody instrumentals, saxophone solos out of nowhere, …If I Die, I Die has it all in spades. Was this album a bit of a struggle to…
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Prince ‘For You’ (1978)
A year and a half ago we covered Prince’s impact on pop music when we wrote about his masterpiece Purple Rain, one of my favorite albums of all-time that captured the magic of Prince when he was at his creative and commercial peak. Today we throw it back to his debut album that was released…
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Cactus ‘Cactus’ (1970)
Along with having a pretty bad ass name for a classic rock band (seriously this is a great one) Cactus was known in the early 70’s for effectively being the American version of Led Zeppelin. Hard rock and blues, an all-time combination, and a raw sound filled with powerful guitar riffs and improvisational jams that…
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Aerosmith ‘Aerosmith’ (1973)
Aerosmith hadn’t yet reached their commercial and creative peak when they released their debut album 1973 (that would come in 1975 when they released the immaculate Toys in the Attic), but they did showcase a bit of what was to come with their muscular and stripped down version of blues rock. Their debut album is…
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Rush ‘Moving Pictures’ (1981)
I have never been the biggest Rush fan but goddamn have I always been a Neil Peart fan. When Peart joined Rush in 1974 the band transformed from a blues rock trio into a progressive rock powerhouse largely due to Peart’s intricate rhythms, polyrhythmic mastery and unmatched precision behind the kit. He was a professor…
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Paul McCartney and Wings ‘Band on the Run’ (1973)
Band on the Run was Paul McCartney and Wings’ third album and followed a pretty underwhelming beginning of his solo career that began when The Beatles broke up in the spring of 1970. It marked his final album for Apple Records and followed the two commercial duds that were 1971’s Wild Life and 1973’s Red…
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Steely Dan ‘Gaucho’ (1980)
For all intents and purposes Walter Becker and Donald Fagen from Steely Dan were psychopaths. These dudes completely redefined what the word meticulous means during their grueling studio sessions, displaying an obsession with perfectionism that basically dragged everyone involved along with them down into a never-ending rabbit hole. The recording of Gaucho is probably the…
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The Mothers of Invention ‘Freak Out’ (1966)
Led by Frank Zappa’s razor-sharp wit and avant-garde musical sensibilities The Mothers of Invention took rock and roll and dismantled it. Combining a mix of doo-wop, blues, musique concrète, and political satire, Zappa transformed the band from a blues rock outfit to a conceptual juggernaut, catapulting them towards an experimental sound which defied commercial expectations…
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Coheed and Cambria ‘In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3’ (2003)
Coheed and Cambria blend progressive rock, post-hardcore, and a deep love for sci-fi storytelling. Their albums follow The Amory Wars, a sprawling space opera written by lead singer and frontman Claudio Sanchez. In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 is no exception, packed with soaring melodies, intricate guitar work, and dramatic, theatrical vocals. It’s ambitious,…
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Free ‘Fire and Water’ (1970)
Free’s Fire and Water is a perfect example of British blues rock at its rawest and most soulful. The album is built on gritty, stripped-down guitar riffs, steady grooves, and an undeniable sense of space that lets every note breathe. At the heart of it all is Paul Rodgers, whose smoky, powerful voice carries every…
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Finneas ‘For Crying Out Loud’ (2024)
I spent last night at the Ryman Auditorium watching Finneas play an incredible live show. For those of you not in the know, the Ryman Auditorium is in Nashville and is one of the most iconic live music venues in the United States, standing basically alongside Madison Square Garden as one of the most desired…
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Kid Rock ‘Devil Without A Cause’ (1998)
Kid Rock’s journey to mainstream success was anything but overnight. After his 1990 debut Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast led to his departure from Jive Records, he spent much of the decade toiling in relative obscurity, self-releasing albums and cultivating a small but loyal Midwest following. And by the time rap-metal exploded into the mainstream in…
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Steely Dan ‘Can’t Buy A Thrill’ (1972)
Steely Dan’s lead singer Donald Fagen’s obsession with songwriting is the stuff of legend, a tireless pursuit of the perfect chord progression and lyric that helped define the sound of 70s rock. Known for his meticulous perfectionism in the studio, Fagen approached music like an alchemist, blending elements from jazz, rock, and pop to create…
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Nirvana ‘Bleach’ (1989)
Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and an evolving roster of drummers (Dave Grohl wouldn’t join the band until 1991’s Nevermind) came together to distill raw, unpolished essence of the Pac Northwest’s burgeoning grunge scene with their debut album Bleach, setting the stage for a sound that would eventually change a generation. Recorded in a modest session…
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The Who ‘Tommy’ (1969)
The Who’s groundbreaking rock opera Tommy emerged in 1969 as a visionary project primarily penned by guitarist Pete Townshend, who basically wrote the whole thing by himself. The double album weaves the fictional tale of Tommy Walker, a boy who becomes deaf, dumb, and blind following childhood trauma, only to rise as a spiritual leader…
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Queen ‘Queen’ (1973)
Queen’s journey began with a chance encounter in London’s dirty rock clubs. Guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor were part of a band called Smile when a charismatic fan named Freddie Mercury entered the picture. A visionary with a flair for the dramatic, Freddie suggested the band adopt a more theatrical approach to their…
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Pulp ‘Different Class’ (1995)
Different Class is a cornerstone of 1990’s Britpop, synth-pop theatrics combined with razor-sharp lyricism that at one point put them in the same stratosphere as the legendary Oasis. Released in 1995, the album examined themes of sex and social class through a lens that was biting and witty in a way our friends across the…
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Pink Floyd ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ (1973)
Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon stands as one of the most profound explorations of human fragility ever captured. It’s one of my favorite albums of all-time for literally a hundred reasons, an introspective and powerful concoction of musical genius mixed with thematic brilliance. This is an album that makes you think and…
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Led Zeppelin ‘Led Zeppelin II’ (1969)
1969 was a busy ass year for Led Zeppelin. They were proving out their status as rock’s rising titans with a world tour and the release of Led Zeppelin II, which came a mere ten months after their self-titled debut album. This sophomore effort, forged in a patchwork of studios across North America and the…
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The Tragically Hip ‘Fully Completely’ (1992)
The Tragically Hip rose to prominence in the late 1980s with their blues-infused alternative rock, becoming a cornerstone of Canadian cultural identity in the process. Led by lead singer Gord Downie, whose evocative lyrics painted vivid portraits of Canadian landscapes and histories, The Hip struck a chord that resonated deeply with fans across the country.…
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Lynyrd Skynrd ‘Pronounced Leh-Nerd-Skin-Nerd’ (1973)
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s story is as quintessentially American as their music. Formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964 by a group of high school friends—Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Larry Junstrom, and Bob Burns—the band began honing their craft in garages and local dives. By the time they released their self-titled debut album in 1973…
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Bon Jovi ‘Slippery When Wet’ (1986)
Fueled by massive anthems like “You Give Love a Bad Name”, “Wanted Dead or Alive”, and the timeless drunk karaoke favorite “Livin’ on a Prayer”, Slippery When Wet rocketed the New Jersey group to global superstardom. Produced by Bruce Fairbairn and polished to a shimmering, radio-ready perfection, Slippery When Wet bridged the gap between glam…
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Yes ‘Close to the Edge’ (1972)
Close to the Edge is a cornerstone of progressive rock, a sprawling masterpiece that pushed the boundaries of what rock music (and more broadly music in general) could achieve. Released in 1972, the album’s sprawling three epic tracks showcased virtuosic musicianship, complex compositions, and a sense of ambition that was unprecedented at the time and…
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Beck ‘Odelay’ (1996)
Beck has had such a wide-ranging and successful career that it’s almost impossible to really define who he is as an artist– as my brother (who is probably one of Beck’s biggest fans) can attest to, his varied musical influences are as wide-ranging as any artist. Odelay is a kaleidoscopic masterpiece that redefined alternative music…
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Blue Öyster Cult ‘Agents of Fortune’ (1976)
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 25 years you’ve probably seen the SNL “More Cowbell” skit featuring Christopher Walken and Will Ferrell that parodies “Don’t Fear The Reaper”, the lead single off Blue Öyster Cult’s Agents of Fortune. It’s an iconic skit that sticks with you long after you’ve seen it,…
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Frank Zappa ‘Hot Rats’ (1969)
Frank Zappa was a groundbreaking composer, guitarist, and bandleader whose career spanned a metric ton of musical genres while he was active from the late 60’s to early 90’s. Drawing on influences from doo-wop to avant-garde classical music, he fused rock, jazz, and complex modern music with a satirical twist that often mocked popular culture…
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Dawes ‘Stories Don’t End’ (2013)
Taylor Goldsmith possesses a rare gift for distilling the quiet beauty of everyday life into poignant songs that feel deeply personal and universally relatable. It’s everywhere in Dawes music– the idiosyncratic descriptions of the mundane going-ons of everyday events, the subtle character observations of quirky personalities, the romanticization of life itself. There’s no better storyteller…
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