The Indigo Girls Show Why it's only life after all

Concert Date: 9/28/24

Venue: Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, Woodinville, WA

Genre:  Folk Rock

---

Gay pride was on display and palpable in the air as I arrived at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in the Washington rain for an evening with Indigo Girls and Amos Lee, their opener. As I stepped off the shuttle bus, the skies cleared, and arching over the stage was a vivid double rainbow, a sure harbinger for the night ahead. 

Amos Lee set the stage, yes pun intended, with an inspired set in which he channeled the soulful ancestry of Otis Redding and Bill Withers along with being right in step with his contemporary Leon Bridges. When Amos left the stage, I did not know he would be appearing again to bookend the show with a rousing “Closer to Fine” sing-along, including a surprise guest, Brandi Carlile.

Speaking of books, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers took the stage to a backdrop of a giant bookshelf loaded with such titles as Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Heavy by Kiese Laymon, and Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five. It gave an air of the intellectuality of their music, especially lyrics that have addressed such issues as LGBTQ, Native American rights, and protecting the environment throughout their career. Perhaps that’s why they set the tone opening with “Shame on You” from their Shaming of the Sun (1997), calling out those who may be opposed to any of the above. Indigo Girls followed with “Get Out the Map” from the same album. It certainly feels like we need a map these days to navigate the constant shifts and changes. Their next song, “Moment of Forgiveness,” is a heartfelt song of relationship. Regardless of sexual orientation, the Indigo Girls do relationship songs very well, which lends itself to a broad audience appeal.

“Shed Your Skin” from Shaming of the Sun was another standout of the evening as it calls for inner transformation and a dropping of old ways that may not be serving one anymore. “Look Long,” the title track from their fifteenth album, released in 2020, was very touching, especially in light of the fact it came out in the early days of the pandemic. The next song, “Faye Tucker” surprised the audience as Amy Ray invited Washington local Brandi Carlile to the stage which added an additional spark to the show. 

A few songs later, though, the crowd went into the biggest uproar of the night when the Indigo Girls called, “on the resting soul of Galileo/ king of night vision/ King of insight” from their 1992 Rites of Passage album with its hit song, “Galileo.” It was certainly a crowd pleaser, and the Indigo Girls kept the momentum going when they called Amos Lee and Brandi Carlile back on stage to finish the evening with an inspired “Closer to Fine,” the song that put them on the map of stardom back in 1989 as it primarily speaks of the search for meaning in life which so many of their songs do. 

The current tour runs through December 15, 2024.  

Tour Dates

- Richard Meadows | Guitar & Pen

Kings of Leon - A Coronation in Boston

Concert Date: 9/16/24

Venue: MGM Fenway, Boston

Genre:  Hard Rock

---

In an ever-expanding landscape of sonic complexity, genres, sub-genres, and sub-sub-genres, it's comforting to return to where it all started: rock and roll. Kings of Leon embodies modern southern rock underscored by classic rock cool and indie rock indifference. Their current sound evolved from early garage rock and punk to a more refined, diverse, and complex alt-rock sensibility while remaining true to the core rock construct - three chords and the truth. Within this simplicity, KOL's songs are intricate masterworks. Delivered live, they simply explode.  

After a tepid opener, "Ballerina  Radio," from their latest album, "Can We Have Fun," KOL warmed up fast, ripping into "The Bucket," which set the tone for the night ahead. When the Followil brothers (and cousin) reached the chorus on On Call, "I'm on call..." they seemed surprised to hear the audience resoundingly respond, "to be there." Caleb remarked on the audience after the lights went up at the song's end. "I'll be honest, we didn't expect this on a Monday night in Boston."  

Not a single chair at the 5,000-seat MGM Fenway venue was empty, and everyone stood to share their appreciation for one of the best-kept secrets in rock music. The energy and sheer fanaticism were contagious across the intimate amphitheater. The connection between the band and the audience was palpable, and the power delivered onstage with musicianship and intensity was absorbed and reciprocated tenfold by the audience with wild cheers, singing, and... revelry. 

After the raucous "Razz" from their second album, Caleb paused once again to acknowledge the crowd. "Really. We were not expecting you guys to be this good." The fans erupted, demonstrating that the question "Can We Have Fun?" didn't need to be asked; they embodied the answer.

Throughout the 26-song set, fans of their raw early work or fully-baked later work were rewarded. Funky rhythms and delicious licks remain constant throughout. Highlights included "Manhattan," "Mustang," "Molly's Chambers," "Sex on Fire," and "Revelry." Heartfelt renditions of "Back Down South" and "Closer" completed the core set. The band returned for an impassioned trifecta of "Rainbow Ball," "Knocked Up," and "Use Somebody," the latter inspiring the band to open their arms to the crowd and sing, "...someone like you."

This tour only lasts a few more weeks, and if you missed this show in Boston, the good news is that they'll be back on October 7th. So don't miss your chance to see one of our time's most underappreciated rock bands deliver a tight, tireless, most unexpectedly outstanding show. 

Tour Dates

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

Cheap Trick Lights it up at MGM Fenway

Concert Date: August 3, 2024

Venue: MGM Concert Hall, Fenway Park, Boston

Genre: Hard Rock

---

Blazing onto the punk rock scene in the mid-70s and rubbing elbows with arena rock legends, Cheap Trick mixes gritty guitar, quirky lyrics, and catchy sing-along hooks to forge an unwavering, uncompromising, and immersive live act.  Their signature sound combines pop elements of the '60s with rock and punk elements of the '70s and has evolved and matured while remaining true to their roots. 

Their live act has not only aged gracefully but has taken on an even snarlier predilection emphasized in full after the opening "Hello There"'s sonic blitz when, during a resounding ovation, Rick Nielsen turned his back to the crowd and threw his middle finger in the air.  This only served to amplify the admiration as his guitar tech ran out to swap his guitar out for their next number.  He closed his hands in prayer, bowed, and then ripped into the opening riff of "Big Eyes." In less than 3 minutes, the jam-packed crowd at MGM concert hall alongside historic Fenway Park in Boston was on their feet shouting and screaming, evoking the soul-soaring vibe of their landmark 1978 live album, Cheap Trick Live at Budokan. 

The acoustics in the MGM Concert Hall played well to the band's strengths.  It was loud, like a punch in the shoulder, forcing you up and on your feet.  Rick's son, drummer Daxx Nielsen's Bonham-esque style pounded and resounded through the venue, creating a solid foundation for the band to explore more creative renditions of their signature songs.  

The band ran off a string of deep cuts, including a nod to Jeff Lynne's first band, The Move, with a "California Man" cover.  After some masterful guitar riffing on "Southern Girls," Rick Neilsen gave the obligatory shoutout to Boston and a nod to Kirk Hammett, who was in the crowd and had played Gillette Stadium in Foxboro a few nights earlier.  Rather than bring Kirk on stage, the band called up Extreme frontman and Boston native Gary Charone, who borrowed the mike and the stage from Robin Zander for "Baby Loves to Rock."  

Amidst the barrage of the first ten songs was this writer's favorite song of the night, a profoundly rockified cover of Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame." With a thunderous rhythm providing the canvas, Rick Nielsen painted a masterpiece on guitar as he blazed through a solo that burned through the night like a fire through the soul.  The sudden stop, like a firehose flooding the flames, followed by Robin Zander's cryogenic crooning, sent a wave of euphoria through the crowd.  The song underscored the history of Rock and Roll.  A Rockford, Illinois band interpreting a Fats Dominos interpretation of Mississippi Delta Blues.  After hitting #1 in 1955, a new incarnation lights up a sold-out crowd almost 70 years later. 

The band saved their best for last, taking the audience to new heights through a string of incredible songs that underscored Cheap Trick's legendary status.  "The Flame" rolled into every rock fan's favorite opening stanza: "I want you to want me."  "Dream Police" finished the set with Rick Nielsen taking over the mike to belt out in his inimitable style:  

I try to sleep; they're wide awake, they won't let me alone

They don't get paid to take vacations or let me alone

They spy on me, I try to hide, they won't let me alone

THANK YOU, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTES!!

Rick's guitar handed him what must have been the 10th guitar of the night.  Nielsen's playing was sharp and rife with attitude.  He strolled across the stage, stopping suddenly to lower himself toward the flow and lay down riffs, like exclamation points, accentuating and amplifying the moment. 

The encore became the crescendo of the evening with "Clock Strikes Ten," followed by "Surrender," a song that gave millions of teenagers in the late 1970s the best advice they may ever get in their entire lives: "Surrender, Surrender, but don't give yourself away." "Goodnight" with Nielsen sporting a 5-neck guitar
bookended a night I won't soon forget.  The crowd did not want the evening to end, and I sensed the band didn't either, and we all walked away feeling we had experienced something special.  If you've been on the fence about seeing these living legends, jump off and go.

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

Rockin' Radio City - Elvis Costello & Darryl Hall

Score: 84/100 

Concert Date: 7/17/24

Venue: Radio City Music Hall, NYC

Genre: Rock, Pop

---

The unlikely pairing of Hall and Costello raised my reluctance as the show date drew near. I thought about driving my sister around town in the 1980s and fighting over which station to choose: my favorite alternative mainstay, WFNX, or my sister's pop pablum, KISS108. "Okay," I said. "FNX on the way there, KISS on the way back." And so became my attitude approaching this show.  

After walking fifteen blocks in 95-degree city heat, walking into Radio City Music Hall felt like walking into a refrigerator. I stared at the stoic God on the massive "Quest for the Fountain of Youth" mural standing on the mountaintop, staring into the clouds, and felt a similar sense of hope and wonder. Like Elvis and Daryl, perhaps I, too, was in search of that 80's atmosphere of boundless possibility when This Year's Model spun like a black hole of hope on the turntable in my bedroom when a bright light might have indeed cornered the market. 

The lights dimmed, and The Imposters with Charlie Sexton took the stage. In the key of B, a thumping bass and drum line began. Elvis rushed out, adjusted his microphone, and pumped out the intro to the suggestive This Year's Model anthem, "Pump it Up." Elvis approached the mic like it had stolen his lunch and sang, "I've been out on the tenderhooks. Ending in dirtly looks." reminding me that a lyricist as gifted as Dylan made me look words and phrases up to understand their meetings, thus filling in the cracks of my suburban Boston education.  

The vibe chilled as the band led us into the highlight of the evening, a reimagined "Watching the Detectives," which felt less like pop shop crafting and more like a soundtrack to a forgotten noir film from the 50s. Bruce Thomas'  stretched-out bass line and Pete Thomas' delayed staccato drum beat allowed Sexton to fill in the gaps with sublime outcries from his pedal steel guitar. All the while, Steve Nieve's hauntingly mysterious keyboard underscored the sonic atmosphere with attitude and amplitude.  

As the evening wore on, Elvis masterfully blended his well-known songs such as "Green Shirt," "Every Day I Write the Book," "Mystery Dance," and "Alison" with the more obscure "No Flags," "Indoor Fireworks," and "Everybody's Cryin' Mercy." The show came to a resounding crescendo with his two closing numbers, "I Don't Wanna Go to Chelsea" and "What's so Funny 'bout Peace, Love and Understanding," the latter striking a nerve given today's volatile political climate.  

After a brief intermission, came the ride home, and my sister got to change the station. Elvis' low-lit, dark, and dusty stage setting had been replaced by bright blue and white lights illuminating a stage full of shiny, candied instruments. As the pop priest in a pompadour and shades laid out some velvet vocals over a chill, yacht rock vibe, I felt overcome with a taste so sugary, I could barely swallow. "Maneater" set the tone for what was to come. A string of songs most pleasing to a Hall & Oates fan base, I'm sure, but my palette just needed to be cleansed. 

Settling in, I realized Hall's songs have more hooks than a strip of Velcro. There are few variations with Hall. "Rich Girl" came across as vibrant a pop masterpiece as it was in 1976. Hall's voice, the range at once so incredibly broad and daring, has aged quite gracefully and now takes on a different identity, which, despite the lack of variation, gives the songs a fresh sound. Never the more evident on this night than when he transitioned from "Every Time You Go Away" into "Sara Smile", two songs brilliant in their simplicity. 

In this reviewer's humble opinion, Elvis Costello should have headlined this tour, but record sales dictate the billing, not the depth of lyrics and musicianship. Understanding this, Darryl Hall delivered his form of the goods, and like my drives with my sister back in the day, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

Alt Rock Review: Ratboys - The Window

Score: 84/100 

Release Date: August 25, 2023

Genre: Alternative, Indie

Similar Artists: Big Thief, Sun Kil Moon, Kevin Morby, Big Thief

---

A low-key and low-fi dynamo, Chicago-based Ratboys have been making music since songwriters and guitarists Julia Steiner and Dave Sagan met at Notre Dame in the early 2010s. 

The band's standout album, Printer's Devil, in 2020, when the band expanded from a duet to a quartet, was this writer's first exposure and embodied an eclectic and otherwise ineffable sound that defied labels. All I knew was that I liked it, especially the heavy groove, Flaming Lips-channeled "Alien With a Sleep Mask On," and the relaxed, hooky, disaffected vibe of "I Go Out at Night."  

Earlier this year, an early release from The Window, a song called "Black Earth, WI," came onto my radar, and I became hooked. It is the type of slow bass groove that locks you in from the start. When Steiner's charming yet broken voice enters the fray, one can envision a bird flying into a windstorm, and you know you're in for a ride. There is no question that that bird will fight its way out, and that battle is scored by Sagan's soulful and blistering four-minute guitar solo. When the clouds pass, our faith is rewarded with the return of that sweet bird, the resolution of a conflict, and a most satisfactory conclusion. This song is a masterwork and the highlight of the album.  

If you're not into eight-minute masterworks, the rest of the songs, albeit shorter, are equally unpredictable and vary in sonic tone and theme while skillfully alternating between the sweet and the sour to create a sensation to the ears, not unlike a mouthful of Sour Patch Kids to the mouth. 

Opening The Window is "Making Noise for the Ones You Love." It's a screamer that, like other songs on The Window, such as "Break" and "No Way," are both soft and loud, making a Pixies influence difficult not to draw, albeit more of an even keel. It's Alive is the most accessible and sure to appeal to a broad audience. It is quintessential Ratboys and will hopefully draw listeners into the rest of the fine work on this album.  

Bad Reaction closes The Window in an impassioned and affected fashion. Here, Steiner draws on a formative experience coming out clean on the other side. 

Drove to the graveyard where you were not

Found a nice little hill with an empty plot

I threw the wheels in reverse so fast

Lost in the headache, didn't look back

The velvet hammer method in which Steiner delivers cutting phrases wrapped in soft tones only makes them more powerful and draws comparisons to Big Thief's Adrianne Lenker. 

Overall, The Window is wide open to the rest of the world. With the release of this exceptionally diverse and exhilarating album, no longer shall they be Chicago's best-kept indie-rock secret.  

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

Banging in Bangor - Greta Van Fleet Rocks the Cross Insurance Center

Score: 91/100 

Release Date: 8/2/23

Venue: Cross Insurance Center

Genre: Rock

---

On a cool October evening in Bangor, Maine, the Cross Insurance Center buzzed with the vibrant sounds of the soulful Greta Van Fleet. 

First up was Robert Finley, a blues and soul artist, who wowed the audience with his powerful vocals and impressive guitar skills. His music transported everyone to the classic blues era, leaving a lasting impact.

Following Finley, Houndmouth brought indie rock vibes to the stage, getting the crowd dancing and singing along. Their harmonies were tight, and they seamlessly switched between upbeat tunes and heartfelt ballads, showcasing their versatility and infectious enthusiasm.

Finally, the much-anticipated moment arrived as Greta Van Fleet hit the stage, delivering explosive rock anthems. The audience was immediately captivated by frontman Josh Kiszka's soaring vocals and the band's exceptional musicianship. 

Greta Van Fleet’s performance cannot simply be classified as classic rock. It is a testament to their own unique talent, which infuses a fresh, modern edge while paying homage to their blazing hard rock influences. 

From the rootsy blues of Robert Finley to the high energy of Houndmouth, the night reached its crescendo with the explosive rock of Greta Van Fleet. It was a concert experience that exceeded all the audience's expectations.  

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

Alt Review: Panda Bear & Sonic Boom - Reset

Score: 92/100 

Release Date: August 22, 2022

Genre: Alternative, Indie

---

The music of Panda Bear (aka Noah Lennox) has historically sampled the past. This was especially true as a solo artist with Animal Collective and now as a collaborator with Sonic Boom (aka Pete Kember).  

Reset is more than an album title. It's a declaration to the world of modern music that anything is possible. The underlying rhythm is intricate and infectious, transporting the listener to a children's music room filled with skilled musicians. You'll hear what sounds like xylophones, plastic drums, washboards, and maracas.  

The opening track, "Getting to the Point," borrows from Eddie Cochrane's "Three Steps to Heaven," adding the schoolhouse rhythms, synths, and infectious vocals to create an infectious pop song.  

The album cover of brightly colored paddles and whole and half circles indicates symmetrical punctures in the fabric of time. These black holes transport us to other dimensions in the rock and roll continuum. There are strains of 1968 America when the Monkees and Archies sang sugar pop harmonies mixed with 1982 England when Joy Division and The Fall shook our senses with horror and delight. The listener also tastes the modern era, with hints of Tame Impala, Flaming Lips, and Gorillaz.  

Reset forces the listener to stop and look backward in order to move forward. Lennox and Kember have embraced the sounds of the past and skillfully placed them in context with the contemporary music landscape providing a clear path toward the future.  

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

Alt Rock Review: Jerry Cantrell - Brighten

Score: 87/100 

Release Date: October 29, 2021

Genre: Alt-Rock, Country-Rock, Grunge, Blues

Similar Artists: Alice in Chains, Mark Lanegan, Thurston Moore

---

Former Alice in Chains guitarist releases his first solo work in 19 years, and the results are pleasantly compelling. An all-star cast of characters (Duff Mckagen, Gil Sharrone, and Greg Puciato) joined Cantrell in the studio, and Cantrell produced this remarkable work.

Cantrell describes the album as "a journey up through darkness to light." Brighten is filled with space; within that space, Cantrell reflects on the past two decades of healing and growth.  

The opening track, Atone, is one that Cantrell tells us has haunted him for twenty years. It is a soundscape that could serve as a soundtrack for a late-sixties spaghetti western. His grunge has mellowed with age and, as mixed with country and folk, creates something altogether new. 

Prism of Doubt, the most rhythmic and harmonious track, is a triumph of wills in which the singer recognizes his shortcomings, and no matter how his perspective has changed over the years, it is an unshakable prism of doubt that shapes his thoughts.  

The undertones of Brighten are that of a guilty man who feels he has gotten away with something and does not deserve his lot in life. The pathos is palpable and identifiable, yet the story is spun with threads of lessons learned and hope - as if stepping out into the sun after a long season of rain.  

When the dust of Cantrell's not-so-everyday life settles, we're treated to a surprisingly fitting finale, a cover of Elton John's "Goodbye." Here we hear Cantrell's voice in relative isolation, in this reviewer's opinion letting listeners know that what we have just experienced only comes around every few decades and don't expect anything more for quite some time. 

 

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

Metalcore Review: Architects - For Those Who Wish to Exist

Score: 82/100 

Release Date: August 26, 2022

Genre: metalcore, progcore, ambient postmetal

Similar Artists: While She Sleeps, Killswitch Engage

---

British metalcore phenoms, Architects are back with their ninth full-length release.  It is their second since Tom Searle's (lead guitarist, synth programmer, songwriter, and lyricist) passing after a three-year-long battle with skin cancer at the age of 28. At the time, his brother, drummer Dan Searle, refused to mince words or offer any false reassurances "I don't know what will become of Architects." The good news is that they became something better, something more evolved.

On For Those Who Wish to Exist, Architects progressive sound is less metalcore and more progmetal. The sonic texture is more Porcupine Tree than As I Lay Dying. For someone who prefers not to be screamed at, it's a welcome shift. The arrangements are diverse and skillfully blended. Metal riffs, singalong melodies, and slow jams ride an undercurrent of palpable punk angst. 

The production is flawless as it emphasizes these shifts quite dramatically. That said, the band does go back to the well on "Goliath," where lead singer Simon Neil's vocal onslaught shot from a cannon of earth-shaking bass and machine gun guitar riff is enough to have you running to your mommy.  

Let's face it.  It is difficult to sound original in a genre so homogenized. I get it; you want a sound all your own but need to be true to your fanbase, so you rest on your laurels a bit and branch out as tactfully as possible. Architects do this well.  They are a band that prevails and stands out in a crowd of followers. 

Lyrically, the band doesn't stray from the theme of surviving on a warming planet rife with political divide. An inescapable horror and sense of impending doom pervade, which, depending on where your head is, can come across as either scary or cathartic.

All elements considered, the Architects manage to pull off a difficult feat, blending finely written compositions with an undercurrent of palpable angst.  For Those Who Wish to Exist is a gripping experience from start to finish, and Architects remain comfortable and confident within their newly created surroundings.

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

8.7.3

Indie Rock Review: Shambertans - Wallflower

Score: 85/100 

Release Date: November 16, 2020

Genre: Indie Rock/Pop

Similar Artists: Housemartins, Libertines, The Jam

---

The Shambertans' debut EP, Wallflower, is an achievement in sonic alchemy. Formed in Cambridge, England in 2019, the band's sound is an extraordinary diversity of melody and mood, a blend of post-punk pop and modern no-frills rock. These balances are difficult to strike, and most modern rock bands end up producing grocery store music – one of a hundred varieties of the same product.

While the band stands on their own solid ground, the influences are clear. On the title track, “Wallflower," one can hear the strains of "Happy Hour" by The Housemartins. The pop hooks and the mellifluous tone of lead singer James Malone's voice bears an uncanny resemblance to Housemartins frontman Paul Heaton. Further on, songs with harder edges, such as "Sun in Your Eyes," bring to mind The Libertines in their ability to cut searing guitar licks between subtle yet impactful lyrics.

The theme throughout these understated lyrics is one of alienation and the fear of fading into the woodwork. On "Wallflower," Malone sings, 

"No life lives forever, deadmen rise up never, I'm a sleeper without a dream, searching for something." 

"Standing on The Dancefloor" takes us into the mind of the lovelorn, astounded that in a crowded bar he somehow has the woman of his dreams alone to himself. 

"’Cuz I want to be you; I need to be. Letting all the liberties fly. I see you. I want to be near you. It's what everyone wants, and only you can make them cry."  

The band’s power is restrained only by the pop song structure, and one gets the sense that Malone, guitarist Simon Jupp, bassist Sam Hester, and drummer Adam Mansfield are just itching to let loose live. Post lockdown, I'm hopeful that the band will do just that.

All in all, Wallflower is an impressive debut by a band on the brink of a breakout. Like a perfectly mixed cocktail, Shambertans blend influences and stylings to produce a modern, stylish sound that goes down easy and packs a punch. This band is establishing its footing as a force to be reckoned with for years to come. 

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

8.6.1

Rock Review: Foo Fighters – Medicine at Midnight

Score: 75/100 

Release Date: February 5, 2021

Genre: Hard Rock

Similar Artists: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Audioslave, Pearl Jam

---

Having risen from the ashes of grunge rock, Foo Fighters have gifted their hardcore fan base with a tenth studio release and the first since 2017’s Concrete and Gold.  With Medicine at Midnight, the band remains deeply entrenched inside a groove they’ve carved for themselves out of which it is so difficult to climb. Let’s face it, the formula pleases fans, supports the crew, appeases the record company, and further solidifies their standing in the pantheon of rock royalty.  

Make no mistake, their standing is well earned. Dave Grohl has carried the band forward through tragedy and travesty, proving that which does not kill a rock band only serves to make it stronger. Nirvana was but a starting point. Grohl seasoned that sound with flights of fancy taking it to new sonic heights. Remarkably, Foo Fighters come across as an amalgamation of the history of rock music.  There are traces of early ‘70’s Mountain and Foghat fused with ‘80s Rick James and ‘90’s Wu-Tang Clan. Alongside Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters rescued rock music from the fraudulent grasp of hair metal.

Medicine at Midnight starts with a bang and then retreats to the safety of the commonplace. 

“Making a Fire” is as fresh and intoxicating as you’ll hear from this band. Riding on a funk groove that would make Nile Rodgers sit up and take notice, “Shame Shame” is the real standout. The groove stays sharp on “Cloudspotter” while “Waiting on a War” turns back to an acoustic backbone supporting so many of their past hits. From this point on, the album takes a turn toward the typical failing to move the listener emotionally in any clear direction.  

All in all, Medicine at Midnight keeps the Foo Fighters legacy of hard-driving rockers with a hybrid sound replete with nods to their forefathers well intact.

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

8.5.7

Prog/Electronic Review: Steven Wilson - The Future Bites

Score: 73/100 

Release Date: January 29, 2021

Genre: Electronic, Prog-Rock

Similar Artists: Pineapple Thief, Moby

---

With his 6th studio album, former Porcupine Tree frontman and Prog Rock wonderboy turns sharply into the digital netherworld, challenging his most ardent followers' expectations. 

After Wilson's brilliant Hand Cannot Erase and To the Bone, it was anyone's guess as to which direction he'd turn. Yet, the deep and profound songs of alienation and marginalization backed by more digital underpinnings such as "Routine," "Perfect Life," and "Permanating" should have tipped us off.  The dangerous impact technology has in slowly stripping away our bodies' souls and transforming people into automatons continues to be the thread that runs through Wilson's most recent endeavors.   

Let's be clear, this is unlike anything you've ever heard from Wilson, and there are certain risks in steering down this path. It didn't bode well for Dennis DeYoung, and Styx with 1983's Kilroy was Here. "Mr. Roboto" remains the unfortunate example of how not to make this turn, and there are moments on this album that made me wonder if I was listening to a prog-rock mastermind or a failed Barry Gibb project from the late '80s.

Still, there's an argument to be made for suspending your disbelief, dispelling your preconceived notions, and giving this album a good honest listen.  In doing so, I was pleasantly surprised by several tracks. "12 Things I Forgot" is quintessential Wilson with confessional, soul-searing lyrics riding upon layers of acoustic guitar rhythm and piano. It would not be out of place on any Wilson or Porcupine Tree album. "Eminent Sleaze" is an innovative mix of genres and a song helped along by a strong chorus of backing female vocals, while " Follower" delivers poignant, timely lyrics upon smart and diverse sonic textures.

In full disclosure, Wilson's recent dissing of Eddie Van Halen's playing style after his death and his sudden shift in genres may have clouded my opinion. Once I accepted the man as the shape-shifting virtuoso he is, I was able to appreciate The Future Bites for the smart and complex achievement that it is.  

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

8.5.7

Folk Rock and Soul Review: Skyway Man - The World Only Ends When You Die

Score: 87/100 

Release Date: October 23, 2020

Genre: Folk Rock, Soul, Gospel

Similar Artists:  My Morning Jacket, Wilco, M. Ward

---

James Wallace, singer, songwriter, and producer behind Skyway Man describes his third studio album, The World Only Ends When You Die, as "a spinning disc flashing the finest examples of cosmological country and sci-fi gospel blues." If that's not enough to give it a listen, I don't know what is. After I did, I found his description quite apt. There's a lot of soul here, a lot of good ole fireside foot-stomping, and enough howls at the moon to make the wolves think you're one of their own.  

Songs such as "Night Walking, Alone," "Sometimes Darkness…," and "Common Void" reveal the sonic easiness of early My Morning Jacket while "Muddy Water" is so early Dylan-esque it feels as if it belongs on one of the New Basement Tapes Dylan cover albums alongside Marcus Mumford's "Going Back to Kansas City."  

The World Only Ends When You Die is construed by the artist as a cinematic psych-folk opera about a person rendered incapable of coping with an uncertain reality following a near-death experience. Under a spell of mixed wisdom by several "trickster guides" hailing from the future, they leap back into the world of the dead only to spend a hero's journey climbing out, finally returning to the strange American existence of 2020. 

After Wallace's lyrics seep into the listener's consciousness, a realization sets in that while the struggles we've all faced within the uncertainty of 2020 have hardened us, that hardening has also left us stronger and better prepared to take on whatever the future brings.  

"Muddy water like a piece of ancient church glass flowing. We're on the darkest stretch, but the bend ahead is glowing."

"Sometimes darkness in the mind, sometimes it leaves us."

"Don't feel bad about being alive. Sometimes the ship rocks you side-to-side. Some hold tightly, some watch the moonrise bobbing up and down in the water."

I've given this album a good ten listens, and the beauty of it doesn't fade after two or three. In fact, the more I listen, it seems the more I discover. A welcome start to the 2021 year in music.  

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

8.5.7