Feature: New Indie CDs

Jon Sobel's reviews of music releases from independent artists and labels, collected and published about twice a month.

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• Music Review: Indie Round-Up – Gurf Morlix, Carey Ott, Putumayo's Bossa Nova

  Carey Ott's new 20-song opus, almost an hour and quarter of genre-coasting pop-rock, feels like a concept album—except the concept is the human experience.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Jan 21, 2011

• Music Review: Béla Mavrák & The Stars of Buena Vista - Un Sopio En El Aire

  This experiment in mixing musical cultures feels overly restrained.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Dec 20, 2010

• Music Review: Indie Round-Up – Shane Lamb, Stacie Collins, Kentucky Thunder

  Loaded with luscious multi-part harmonies, Kentucky Thunder's debut is a feast for the authenticity-starved soul.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Dec 08, 2010

• Music Review: Indie Round-Up – Tommy & the High Pilots and More

  From Tommy & the High Pilots, sweeping little power-pop suites with multiple parts that hold together and never lose their grip.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Oct 20, 2010

• Music Review: Indie Round-Up – Flipron, John Lee Hooker Jr., Whole Sky Monitor

  John Lee Hooker Jr. blasts out high-powered, recession-era blues.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Sep 02, 2010

• Music Review: Indie Round-Up – Levasseur, The Problems, Lisa Brigantino

  If we didn't know we needed a true soul music revival, now we do.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Aug 07, 2010

• Music Review: Indie Round-Up – Karling, Alguire, McVey

  Some of Karling's songs really sound like they could have been written in the 1920's.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Jul 16, 2010

• Music Review: Putumayo Presents Tribute to a Reggae Legend

  Good feelings all around—that's the spirit of this uneven but overall quite worthwhile disc.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Jul 09, 2010

• Music Review: Indie Round-Up – Mitchell, Tucker, Bates, Walker

  Mark Bates makes slow-rolling, emotional, but light-footed roots music a la The Band.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Jun 03, 2010

• Music Review: Indie Round-Up – Drive By Truckers, Empires

  I'd dig the new Drive-By Truckers disc a lot more if more of the songs cohered.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Apr 05, 2010

• Music Review: David Olney – Dutchman's Curve

  Olney and his main co-writer, John Hadley, have felt-tipped a subtle new entry in the Great American/Americana Songbook.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Apr 03, 2010

• Music Review: Indie Round-Up – Fight the Quiet, John Milstead, Tolstrup & Haskell

  Mark Tolstrup and Dale Haskell make an excellent blues pairing, like a smooth but hearty wine with a comfort-food dinner.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Mar 15, 2010

• Music Review: Jason & the Scorchers - Halcyon Times

  The veteran Americana rockers make everything sound easy on this scorcher of a disc, their first of new material since 1996.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Mar 09, 2010

• Music Review: Indie Round-Up – Delta Moon, Backyard Tire Fire, Patty Cronheim

  Delta Moon's blues-rock-soul music is as emotional as it is economical and tough, with time-worn themes couched in powerful and sometimes poetic imagery.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Feb 22, 2010

• Music Review: Ray Wylie Hubbard – A. Enlightenment, B. Endarkenment (Hint: There is no C)

  Ray Wylie trudges on, ever ruminating on death and glory in a dusty America of the imagination.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Jan 29, 2010

• Music Review: Indie Round-Up - Chris Schutz, Easter Monkeys, Putumayo's Jazz, Tom White

  Chris Schutz's CD is one of the top pop debuts of the year.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Nov 24, 2009

• Music Review: Indie Round-Up - Malcolm Holcombe, Jeff Norwood, Putumayo's España

  In a minor key, Malcolm Holcombe's grey, gravelly voice can sound like an extended death rattle.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Oct 16, 2009

• Music Review: Indie Round-Up - Pere Ubu, Blue Mother Tupelo, Kentucky Headhunters

  The Kentucky Headhunters finally release a live album, nineteen years later, and it's a winner.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Sep 22, 2009

• Music Review: Rachel Taylor Brown - Susan Storm's Ugly Sister and Other Saints and Superheroes

  In a perfect world, Brown's superhero songs would be distributed in goodie bags at Comic-Con.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Aug 04, 2009

• Music Review: Mark Stuart and the Bastard Sons - Bend in the Road

  Mark Stuart makes it sound easy, with or without the Man in Black.

  Review by Jon Sobel — on Jul 17, 2009