Album Reviews

Not quite old, not quite modern, Cote makes ‘Cryptoseismology’ a journey rather than just a series of songs.

For weeks I’ve been listening to the new 'A Decade of Dio: 1983-1993' box set from Rhino Entertainment and regretting time lost. As opposed to the usual “greatest hits” collection approach to a box set with interspersed unreleased alternate takes, 'Decade' is simply the first six albums from Ronnie James Dio’s solo career, remastered and repackaged with some amazing new artwork from longtime Dio cover artist, Marc Sasso.

‘Introversions’ features 13 songs listeners can interpret in many ways.

Blending a myriad of sounds and instruments both acoustic and electronic, this musical journey promises a spectrum of sonic delight that’s sure to appeal to music lovers everywhere.

With material taken from the end of the 1940s all the way up through 1952, 'Unheard Bird' finds Charlie Parker fitting his sound into such variations as fronting a big band, leading a quintet, floating effortlessly above a Latin jazz orchestra and playing alongside such jazz luminaries as Thelonious Monk, Max Roach, Buddy Rich, and Dizzy Gillespie.

This decent score comes recommended with reservations - it offers plenty of content but falls a bit short on making memorable music. This WaterTower Music release is a great deal on digital formats and is also available on CD.

'Any Way You Love, We Know How You Feel' is a dream of an album. Continuing much of the spacey jam-rock of the band’s previous three albums, it also breaks rank from those other releases and manages to forge along in a new and seemingly less restrained path.

Scott Smith’s tendency of combining catchy melodies with thoughtful lyrics makes for some solid tracks.

A melodic theme permeates the entire set with enough unique twists to keep the album from being interminably, repetitively long.

With 'Stripped', Macy Gray marries her songwriting and interpretive skills in one place. The new album acts as proof that Gray's style has become its own blueprint on making, and playing, by one's own set of artistic rules to achieve longevity.