Category Archives: Album Reviews

EP Review: Skyway – Time to Be Alive

Posted on by

photo courtesy of Skyway

EP Review of Skyway: Time to Be Alive

On Time to Be Alive, Skyway delivers fun, energetic, throwback ’90s/’00s pop-punk, offering up a collection of songs that would fit comfortably among Green Day, New Found Glory, and Good Charlotte on your enthusiastically energetic playlist. The band’s promo material touts its “nostalgic pop punk sound, featuring tight harmonies, catchy earworms, and plenty of singalong moments.” I don’t disagree with any of that.

image courtesy of Skyway

Now, I’m a little picky when it comes to punk rock – a little less so when it comes to the more pop-friendly punk that emerged in the ’90s, but I’m still a relatively harsh in my assessment. Of course, that might not be readily apparent at the blog, since I only share music I love, but I require tunefulness, hookiness, decent musicianship, and engaging vocals before I’ll even listen twice to a punk act. The vocals part, in particular, seems to be hard to find in a male-led punk act. The comparable famous bands in the previous paragraph, though, ticked all of my boxes. And so does Buffalo-based Skyway. This is an exceptional EP, sure to be a welcome addition to any pop-friendly-leaning punk rock fan’s collection. Indeed, I’ve been really digging getting familiar with these energetic, catchy tunes!

photo courtesy of Skyway

EP-opener “Marie” kicks off with a hooky guitar line, energetically diving into its first verse, quickly leading to its first singalong chorus: “Marie, Marie. Marie, Marie.” OK, so the lyrical content resides in the verses and bridges. In any case, this fun romp will get you pumped up. And if you’re looking for a slightly lesser-known comp, there are elements of this song that specifically remind me (a little) of Floor Space’s “Glass Dreams.” Regardless, “Marie” is a cool opening track, a great intro to this energetically fun five-song EP.

“Uncrumpled,” next, adds a little more power and velocity to the mix. It’s a thumping, high-tempo rocker, a fun romp that features very Weird Al-ish vocals. (Do you hear it, too?) I’m also pretty fond of the rawly tuneful guitar solo, something even more impressive when you realize Skyway found time for a guitar solo in a song whose entire runtime is less than 2 1/2 minutes.

photo courtesy of Skyway

“Wishing Well” is, to me, probably the most Green Day-ish number on the disc, at least in energy. The overall sound is very uniquely Skyway, but the smash-and-crash music in the intro, verses, and bridge are very Green Day-reminiscent. The chorus, meanwhile, is more like you’d find in an alt-pop-rock number, kind of raw and gritty but also tuneful.

From the opening “woo-hoo-hoo,” “Scars” marks its own territory, uniquely different from the rest of the EP. You want nostalgia? Well, I hear hints of Bowling for Soup. Do you? Regardless of influences – and Skyway’s sound is chock full of ’em – it’s a damn fun rock song.

The EP closes – much too soon, I might add – with the raucously rocking “What a Time to Be Alive.” A power-pop-rocker to the very end, this song will leave you happily out-of-breath by its conclusion.

photo courtesy of Skyway

From beginning to end, Time to Be Alive is a fun record, packed with nostalgia-inducing, energetic, original pop-punk that calls upon the genre’s giants for influence but is packaged into a wholly-identifiable Skyway sound. If this is your genre of choice – or even if it’s a musical style of tangential interest to you – Time to Be Alive is an EP you need to hear, and Skyway is a band you should follow.

Album Review: Dan Cloutier – The Iceberg

Posted on by

image courtesy of Dan Cloutier

Album Review of Dan Cloutier: The Iceberg

Dan Cloutier‘s The Iceberg, released last spring, followed a year of traveling that took him to Greenland and Newfoundland “to find icebergs and record music.” Indeed, two of the album’s eleven tracks were recorded in Ilulissat, Greenland, and one was recorded in St John’s, Newfoundland, thanks at least in part to the help of Dan’s Kickstarter campaign.

Dan’s songs are accessible and fall into a variety of buckets. Some are stripped-down, primarily guitar-and-vocal (or banjo-and-vocal) numbers that connect on a personal level. Others add a bit more instrumentation, with richer arrangements that draw upon varied styles and influences, but they, too, connect on a personal level. So I guess that’s a common theme. Dan also notes that “the music is all about finding hope during dark seasons of life. Like an iceberg, you cannot see what is underneath.” Indeed, hopefulness is another common theme.

The record is bookended by “The Iceberg” and “Iceberg II,” the two songs recorded in Greenland. On them, Dan’s banjo-work produces a memorable melody, while his lyrics and the background vocals provide a warmth perhaps not often found in such a barebones production.

The Newfoundland-produced song is near the end of the album. That song, “Chainmail,” is a pleasant, ’round-the-campfire encourager that may appeal particularly to the dungeons and dragons set (including those of us who dabbled with it lightly in high school). Or fans of medieval books and movies. Or those of us who simply enjoy a good metaphor. The song is built around the line “make me some chainmail for my soul,” with I guarantee is infinitely cooler than any chainmail reference we made as teenagers. The song is pleasantly-sung and likely to be a broadly-appreciated favorite. (Yes, it’s my personal favorite song, among many I really enjoy, on the record.)

The music and lyrics on this disc are thoughtfully-penned and successfully convey emotions, living up to Dan’s mission of identifying hope. Songs like “I Want to Feel Your Broken Heart Beating” and “Every Breath We Take is Holy” are such songs. Other songs like “Good Kind of Failure” and “Take Your Next Step” are more mid-tempo and directly encouraging.

At times, providing additional variety – a feature that makes this album an easy beginning-to-end listen – Dan amps things up even more with fun acoustic-rockers like “Windshield Wipers,” which implores his windshield wipers to move faster (though the lyrics are metaphorical, too, so it’s not just a song about car parts) and the edgy, acoustic alt-rocker “Synapses Fire.”

Finally – though not “finally,” since it’s song three – it’s worth noting “Rocky Shore,” a song whose melody and style are that of a sea shanty, a bit of a drinking song, regaling the rocky shore. Just a fun, additional song-style thrown in for good measure. And performed impeccably.

As a whole, The Iceberg is a fun record. Its songs vary enough to make its eleven tracks an easy listen. If you’re wearing black while listening to this record, your wardrobe will clash hopelessly with the incessant hopefulness of The Iceberg, but dressing in bright colors (or imagining you did, if putting on a new shirt is too much work for you) is a small price to pay to enjoy Dan Cloutier’s exceptional collection of songs. If you’re looking for a soft-to-mid-tempo, thoughtful, hopeful, not-quite-mellow but definitely mellow-adjacent record, check out The Iceberg.

EP Review: Nate Perry & Ragged Company – Till the Well Runs Dry

Posted on by

photo by Collin Heroux; photo courtesy of Knyvet

EP Review of Nate Perry & Ragged Company: Till the Well Runs Dry

Whether you’d call Nate Perry & Ragged Company a country band or an Americana band – I go back and forth, though I lean toward country – there’s no denying they’re an engaging, broad-appeal musical tour de force. The band’s most recent EP, Till the Well Runs Dry, fully supports that notion.

I enthusiastically reviewed the band’s The Otherside of Everything EP last spring. Till the Well Runs Dry is a worthy follow-up. The record was preceded by single releases of its first two tracks, “Count on You” and “Tonight.” Excellent choices, as they’re perhaps the most accessible of the EP’s five songs. Though I agree with the single selections, I would have to say album-opener “Tonight,” the second single released, is the biggest potential hit on this record. “Tonight” opens with aggressive drums before launching into a twangy number with a big sound, a wide-open feel, and a nifty little guitar hook. Harmony vocals and Perry’s edgy, insistent lead vocal add to the song’s immediate appeal. As I noted in my The Otherside of Everything review, there’s almost a bit of R.E.M.-as-a-country band vibe to Nate Perry & Ragged Company, and its especially evident on this track. “Count on You,” by contrast, has softer edges but still wields comparable vocal insistence, engaging guitarwork, and subtle hooks.

cover photo by Collin Heroux; design by Mike Chandler and Lance Fullin; graphic by Wes Allen; image courtesy of Knyvet

“Between the Lines,” next, is janglier and requires a bit more time to grow on you, ideal for a later single release or album track that engages the listener more with each listen, ultimately earning favorite status. It has a soulful country vibe that bridges the gap between soft rock and mainstream country. If I were to create a music video for “Between the Lines,” it would absolutely be required to conclude with an old pickup truck driving away down a dirt road.

“Disappear” is a bit more energetic again, with its own unique musical shuffle to distinguish itself from the rest of the disc. And the nearly-spoken “disappear” at the end of each chorus is exactly the appropriate, inspired vocal choice.

The EP closes with “How Much It Matters,” a song that features alt rock-meets-country musical and lyrical delivery choices, somehow intermingling into an Americana vibe. Guitar, keys, and vocal patterns trade off as the featured players on this song’s musical landscape. It’s a fun listen while it’s happening, but less memorable after the fact than the rest of the disc. In part, that’s because it feels a bit like a musicians’ jam, which makes it a fun EP-ender and almost certainly an enjoyable live cut.

Nate Perry & Ragged Company introduced themselves with the impressive The Otherside of Everything in 2024. They followed it up with another top-shelf record, Till the Well Runs Dry, in 2025, a year that saw the band earn multiple nominations from both the Boston Music Awards and the New England Music Awards. I can’t wait to see and hear what 2026 holds for this talented collection of musicians.

Album Review: Jean-Pierre Llabador – 3’33 Treasure Hunt

Posted on by

image courtesy of Rock Rose Music PR

Album Review of Jean-Pierre Llabador: 3’33 Treasure Hunt (Castle Records)

Jean-Pierre Llabador is a legendary 1970s French jazz guitarist. His newest release, 3’33 Treasure Hunt, is a collection of eight 3 minute 33 second tracks. (With that being said, though the album lists the songs as 3’33”, the tracks seem to clock in up to 20 seconds longer or shorter for me, but I ain’t complainin’.) Unable to play guitar himself of the album, Llabador is joined on this record by an esteemed collection of musical colleagues, with Llabador composing the music and producing the contributing musicians.

Jean-Pierre Llabador; photo courtesy of Rock Rose Music PR

3’33 Treasure Hunt is a cool amalgam of styles, incorporating a jazz style with bluesy or rockin’ riffs, as appropriate. It’s an enjoyable beginning-to-end listen, a collection of stylistically-varying compositions that clock in at just under 30 minutes in their entirety.

One of my favorites is the very first song, “Roses in Rhodes,” one of just two songs on the 8-track disc that contains vocals. It kicks the record off coolly, with a bit of a funky rhythm, and incorporates the smoky-smooth vocals of Tania Margarit. It’s followed by the twangily alien-sounding “Bowlywood,” led by guitarwork from Pascal Corriu. Gerard Pansanel’s guitarwork on “The Link,” meanwhile, provides that song’s signature recurring hook, while the guitar noodling throughout much of the rest of the track gives the song a pleasantly meandering vibe.

“Long Beach” is probably my second-favorite entry on the record, behind “Roses in Rhodes.” On it, the flowing pianowork of Tania Margarit is accompanied by steady, supportive musicianship from the rhythm section of Jean-Pierre Barrera (bass) and Philippe Arnaud (drums), delivering a laid-back coffeehouse jazz vibe.

top row, left to right: Elea Schuhmann, Pascal Corriu, Jean-Pierre Barreda; bottom row, left to right: Philippe Arnaud, Tania Margarit, Bernard Margarit; photos courtesy of Rock Rose Music PR

Kicking off the second half of the record, Elea Schuhmann’s vocals are key to the soaring blues-jazz style on the record’s other vocal-driven number, “Betty on Franklin Avenue. “Big Deal,” next, a guitar number from guitarist Bernard Margarit, could easily be the soundbed of a soft pop-rock hit.

It’s followed by a completely different sound on “Ghazaouet City,” the one song on the record that could most easily fall into the “world music” category, with a unique eastern music-inspired rhythm throughout, though it periodically gives way to the sort of groovy sixties-esque jazz that you might expect from an early James Bond movie soundtrack, as well. It’s quite an ear-surprising amalgam that’s sure to hold your interest for the entire 3’33”.

The record closes with “Blast,” which blends a soft background with intrusive foreground riffs, with guitarists Corriu and Pansanel lending their skills to the effort, resulting in the sort of jazz number that leaves you not relaxed but, rather, edgy.

In all, 3’33 Treasure Hunt is an interesting, varied disc that showcases Llabador’s composing talent with the help of a collection of top-shelf jazz musicians. If that’s your vibe, you may very well find this to be a groovy assemblage of songs that fits niftily into your music collection.

Album Review: Midrone – Foreverness Revisited

Posted on by

image courtesy of Midrone

Album Review of Midrone: Foreverness Revisited

There’s a style of classic rock that drips with progressive rock styling. That’s what Midrone delivers on Foreverness Revisited. The vocals soar. The music is heavy but uplifting. And the musical progressions are, well, progressive yet not obscurely so. Rather, they’re pop-friendly. I even hear some Beatles-esque passages and structures on a track or two. As a result, this record is accessible to fans of more straightforward classic rock, with the requisite harmonies and hooks to appeal to a broader audience, primarily structured within a progressive rock framework. Just that combo alone marks this as a pretty cool release, notwithstanding how enjoyable the songs are, too.

Foreverness began as a collection of demos in 2012 and 2013. Foreverness Revisited is Midrone’s Paul J. No’s attempt to complete that decade-old vision with proper production value, so No almost entirely re-recorded Foreverness as Foreverness Revisited, featuring himself on vocals, keyboards, guitars, and programming, joined by JP Benadjer (guitars) and Seb Bournier (drums), with the record mixed and mastered by David Paredes.

“A Miracle is in the Air” kicks things off with pingy, progressive synthwork. Fuller instrumentation develops quickly, as the song soars musically behind a vocal line that lifts and drops alongside the music. To my ear, the final result comes across with the steadiness of a Peter Gabriel crossover track that’s set to the music of a reined-in version of Asia.

It’s followed by the song that made me think of the Beatles, “The Little Walk Down Memory Lane,” a catchy little ditty that’s one of the record’s more pop-accessible numbers. It’s also my personal favorite on this disc, though I enjoy spinning the record from beginning to end; it’s without a weak link, suggesting a disc full of potential favorites, depending on your nuanced musical preferences.

Midrone skews synth-meets-guitar prog on “Many Ways to Say Goodbye,” then comes in a bit more mellow on “Don’t Mean Anything,” a kind of Moody Blues-ish number. The constant is a tuneful vocal that leans pop, even though it’s paired with progressive musicianship.

Most of the rest of the disc is comprised of various combinations of elements I’ve already noted. I particularly like “The Story of Jimmy Jack,” which combines softly soaring segments with more aggressive passages.

Another song that deserves mention is the most experimental, progressive song on the record, mixing spoken word narration and engaging music to tell the story of the lead-up to the Wall Street crash of 1929 and, of course, given the song’s title, the aftermath – “The Party is Over.” (It may cause you to google John Jacob Raskob. I studied finance, among other things, and I can’t believe I didn’t already know the quote this song leverages!) I generally dislike spoken word in songs, but it really works here, one of the coolest song concepts you’re likely to ever discover. If you ignore the rest of this review, you should check out this song. It’s not a barometer of whether or not you’ll like the rest of the record, but it’s something you really should hear at least once. Or several times – it seems to get even better with multiple listens.

Finally, “Foreverness” closes the collection. It’s a good stylistic summation of the rest of the record. Most good progressive rock records end with this sort of satisfying conclusion, and Midrone delivers.

In its entirety, Foreverness Revisited resides in that musical corner of progressive rock that delivered mainstream hits for prog-influenced rock acts in the ’70s and ’80s, adeptly straddling those two worlds. Whether your tastes lean mainstream or progressive, I’d suggest giving this record a listen.

Album Review: Trousdale – Growing Pains

Posted on by

photo by Tessa Carroll; photo courtesy of Big Hassle

The Story Behind My Discovery of This Album

If you’re lucky enough to live in a town where your public library membership includes access to Freegal, you’ll know that it’s a cool way to accumulate songs and albums that are missing from your collection, as well as a great way to sample new artists. (Yes, you can do that with Spotify, but you can download the MP3s [a certain number of songs per week – at my library, it’s three] “free and legal” from Freegal. I mean, your library is paying for it, so it’s only free from the downloader’s perspective.) Last year while perusing Freegal, I stumbled upon the band Trousdale and their 2025 album Growing Pains, so I downloaded three songs each week for four weeks until I had the whole record.

Album Review of Trousdale: Growing Pains

Growing Pains, which you can find on all of the major streaming services using this link, seems to have been another step forward for talented trio Trousdale, with widespread touring and even a performance at the Grand Ole Opry coming since the release. As the band continues to draw more and more attention within its core musical subgenre, though to be fair it’s hard to pin them down to a single subgenre, the way music fandom is so segmented, many of you who are likely to love Trousdale’s music may not have heard of it yet. Well, if that’s the case, I’m here to remedy that. This is a group that delivers the sort of tightly-performed, well-written songs with crisp production that’ll easily become favorites among a broad swath of music fans. Get on board as a Trousdale fan now, enjoy this album, and join me in looking forward to what comes next!

image courtesy of Big Hassle

My initial impression of Trousdale was that of a song-driven, pop-rock act, with a rich, sunny sound and monster hooks. A few songs into the disc, the Americana and pop-country flavors become apparent, which is why you’ll often find Trousdale listed as an Americana or alt-country act, but trust me, this is broad-appeal tuneage.

Growing Pains is an album you might want to start from the beginning, as the first two tracks will reach out and grab you hard, and then you can settle into the rest of the album’s outstanding songs (you’ll probably find your personal favorites somewhere in there), with a couple more big-sound attention-grabbers mixed in for good measure.

Personally, I wonder how much the album’s initial raw-bluesy guitar chord predisposed me to like this band and this album. Oh, man, what crunch! Beyond that, I hear shades of Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop” in the opening measures of the disc-opening title track, “Growing Pains,” which settles into a raucous, thumping, energetic rocker that blends the dominant, pounding rhythm of a Bad Company number with the big, open, upbeat, tuneful energy of an ELO pop-rocker but with harmonies you’d expect from a pop vocal trio. It’s a kickass song that should have introduced Trousdale to the broader public, and it still might, as it’d be an ideal song to accompany an energetic sequence in film or TV. (Yes, I’m callin’ it top-shelf montage music.) As for the listener experience, before too long, you’ll find yourself singing along – probably with the background vocals – and you might even catch yourself swooping and dipping along, dancing in your seat.

photo by Alex Lang; photo courtesy of Big Hassle

“Over and Over” has a little bit of a sidewinding rhythm and a playful, funky vibe, with a catchy-af beat, killer three-part harmonies, and an overstuffed bag of hooky moments. It’s another great potential hit song, and Trousdale’s just getting started.

Third track “Lonely Night,” while clearly pop-rock and sporting a rather sparse instrumentation during its vocal-heavy spots, contains a bit of that Bad Company crunch early on (not obviously, but once I heard it on maybe the thirtieth listen, now I can’t unhear it) and fun, dancing guitar riffs in a late-song bridge, all while the chorus delivers a modern spin on classic hit vocal-pop styling. I know some of you are going to drift toward this Trousdale song as your favorite.

Indeed, Growing Pains is a record full of potential personal favorites. The songs are lyrically relatable, potentially striking a slightly different chord with each individual listener given the relatively universal themes explored by most of the tracks. The vocals are top-notch. The music is catchy. And the style is widely-accessible, with guitar riffs for rockers, pop-country tones from time to time for fans of artists like T-Swift and Ashley Cooke, with enough stylistically diverse elements and harmonies to appeal to fans of vocal pop and pop-rock music, yet insightful-enough lyrics to appeal to folk-rockers and other lyric snobs.

“Want Me Back” is one of those lyrically-thoughtful numbers with enough hook and twang to reach audiences from pop to pop-country. Meanwhile, “Death Grip” and “Second Hand Smoke” are a pair of well-crafted numbers whose varied degrees of hauntingness remind me a bit of Clare Bowen, with “Death Grip” recalling some of my favorites from her eponymous solo album, while “Second Hand Smoke” is slightly more the sort of thing her Scarlett character may have absolutely killed with on Nashville.

“Don’t Tell Me” kicks off with an attention-grabbing guitar riff, just as the title track did, but then chooses a tempo and rhythm that’s very country. Or maybe it’s the lyric, as the chorus begins with “Don’t tell me you love me to keep me from leaving. Stop callin’ me ‘baby,’ I don’t want to hear it.” Yeah, that’s kinda country. Coolly, as well, after the first chorus, just as you thought maybe the song would settle in, the music levels up, pulling you in. I know Trousdale doesn’t sound like Shania Twain, but this is definitely the sort of song I could hear as a Shania hit.

photo by Alex Lang; photo courtesy of Big Hassle

“Warm Shoulder, Cold Heart” is a soft number that really highlights the band’s vocal talents. If that’s your favorite thing about Trousdale, this will likely be one of your favorite songs, while “Sleeping At the Wheel” should appeal particularly to folkies, though again, for listeners who simply enjoy great songs delivered by top-shelf musical talent, you’re going to enjoy every song on this album.

“Save Me” adds a funky rhythm and a great big sound, while delivering a master class in lyrical attitude. “Vertigo” is an energetic, spirit-lifting example of classic, old-school, radio-friendly pop-rock that pushes persistently forward in the verses while exploding in the chorus. And “Last Bloom” closes the album with a soft, modern vocal pop-rock vibe that sets the listener down lightly, befitting an album-closer, as a lush one-and-a-half minute, harmonious farewell.

I know Trousdale has developed a large enough following that many of you already know how talented this trio is, how catchy their music is, and how easy they are to recommend to fans of a broad swath of musical genres. However, if the algorithms haven’t already spun up Trousdale for you, it’s time for you to seek them out intentionally and bend the algos in their direction. (You’re welcome.)

More Recently

In September, Trousdale released a cool post-album single, “The Ick,” whose catchy rhythm, nifty harmonies, and fun lyrical content are worth a listen.

Looking Ahead

Check out the “Tour” page of Trousdale’s website to find an upcoming performance near you. The band will be in the UK and Europe from late January through late February. They’ll also be performing on Andrew McMahon’s Holiday From Real Cruise that departs from Miami, FL (Feb. 28-March 4), at the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival in Okeechobee, FL (March 19-22), and at the High Water Festival in North Charleston, SC (April 18). Be sure to check the band’s website periodically to see when they’ll be performing near you.

Album Review: Maja Babyszka, Gilad Atzmon and Nikos Sidirokastritis – In Memory Of That Song

Posted on by

photo courtesy of Aesthetiko Musicians Collective

Album Review of Maja Babyszka, Gilad Atzmon and Nikos Sidirokastritis: In Memory of That Song

I’m not a huge jazz music fan, at least I’m not particularly knowledgeable about the genre, but I appreciate exceptional musicianship. And there are some albums that are a pleasant listen, offering interesting musical paths that journey in different directions while maintaining a stable center and/or returning to repeated patterns. My favorite kind of jazz record is one that offers enough flourishes to keep things interesting while allowing my mind to simultaneously focus elsewhere. In other words, music to work to. In Memory of That Song is one such record. It structures my thoughts when I’m not actively listening while offering cool musicianship that’s equally fulfilling when I’m doing nothing else but listening.

image courtesy of Aesthetiko Musicians Collective

Anyway, this recording assembles rising Polish pianist and vocalist Maja Babyszka, British woodwind specialist Gilad Atzmon, and Greek percussionist Nikos Sidirokastritis. The album aptly utilizes all of their talents, with each featuring more prominently in certain songs or passages of songs. The album kicks off with “A Dark Movie Scene,” a song on which the cool woodwind provides a rich and – for lack of a better term – woody texture. Second track “In Baku,” meanwhile, showcases some lively and sparkling pianowork. “At About 3:40 PM,” next, mixes the woodwinds and piano more evenly, with percussion playing a significant and dramatic role. It’s also the rare offering featuring vocals, though not lyrics, as Babyszka’s vocals play along with the keys and winds as if a third instrument.

The record continues with “We Had an Illusion,” a sparsely-instrumented, mood-eliciting number that brings to mind images of black-and-white film noir for the first couple of minutes before the piano joins in, adding a lighter, more playful presence. The back half of the song explores both of those styles alternately, with a variety of transitions to keep things interesting.

“Peace Has Prevailed,” following, is a pleasant number that effectively and enjoyable supports decompression and relaxation. It’s followed by the title track, the sixth and final song on this 39-minute album. “In Memory of That Song” begins with percussion, the only song on the record to begin that way, which sets the stage for wind and piano to join in an almost reluctantly playful way at first, though the musical addition evolves, as if gaining confidence a few minutes into the song. It’s an example of the variety found on the album, though at the same time the record is still clearly a cohesive collection of songs. The longest song on the record, “In Memory of That Song” clocks in at eight-and-a-half minutes, but it’s a welcome length, as it extends the particularly enjoyable listening experience.

With that, as the title track softly fades away, this inspired album comes to a close. Indeed, though I’m more of an occasional jazz listener than an expert, when I hear something I like – like In Memory of That Song – I like to share it with you. I hope my descriptions have done the record justice. The one thing that isn’t up for debate is the talent of the trio on this exceptional disc.

 

Album Review: Sado-Domestics – Getting the Ghost

Posted on by

image courtesy of the Sado-Domestics

Album Review of Sado-Domestics: Getting the Ghost

The Sado-Domestics are one of metro Boston’s premier Americana acts, comprised of musicians whose talents aren’t limited solely to participation in this project. The singing-songwriting duo of Chris Gleason and Lucy Martinez are joined by Jim Gray (bass), Eric Royer (pedal steel), and Jimmy Ryan (mandolin) on their latest full-length recording, Getting the Ghost. Both Eric Harabadian and I have reviewed previous Sado-Domestics releases, so click through to our reviews here (Camouflage: Stories by T.J. Gerlach) and here (Beach Day in Black and White) to read a bit more about the band’s background and our takes on their other recent releases.

The latest record, Getting the Ghost, kicks off with one of its more memorable tracks, “Big Cat,” which is always wise – kick an album off with a song that’ll grab listeners from the very start. In the case of “Big Cat,” steady picking structure and exotic rhythm support Lucy’s slightly edgy vocal, while a rich-yet-noisy wall of sound pushes the song along in key parts. It’s a creative spin on the uniquely Sado-Domestics base sound, making it a great opener. It’s followed by “Good Day,” which is a more straight-up Sado-Domestics sound, a little off-kilter and rockin’ with some creative musical details and nuances thrown in to keep the listener’s ears busy.

photo courtesy of the Sado-Domestics

“I Don’t Know You Very Well” is a beautiful if haunting softer number, while “Autumn Glow” follows with a horse-riding git-along rhythm and a pleasant travelling pace. “The Getaway (Major Motion Picture),” next, inspired by the 1972 film, continues the previous song’s vibe but with a bit more energy, a more prominent rhythm, and some effective, enjoyable instrumental flourishes.

I’m not quite sure why, but “New Logo” is probably my personal favorite on the disc. Its opening few measures remind me 0f the opening of Clint Black’s “A Good Run of Bad Luck,” though they’re not a copy. The sound is heavy, the vocals crisp but persistent. I mean, it’s a cool delivery, on the rockin’ end of the Sado-Domestics’ usual range. But it’s probably the lyrics that seal the deal for me: “Same old brand with a new log.” A fun take on “a leopard never changes his spots.” The next song, “Wolf,” maintains and even builds upon the energy and pace before the band slows things down with the twangy, country and western dancehall-sounding “Chancer.”

“Tip of My Tongue” continues the twanginess, leaning into one of Lucy’s sweeter, richly textured vocal performances on this record. “Killing Me Kindly” follows, and you may recognize this one. It’s a Sado-Domestics-flavored rendition of the song that was one of my favorites on Los Goutos’ Mighty release, Los Goutos being one of Chris Gleason’s other bands. (Yes, I reviewed that album, too.)

Finally, the record closes with “Balthazar,” a strumming, introspective, thoughtful number that provides a soft landing for the record. It’s has deliciously off-kilter, very Sado-Domestics styled vibe to it.

In the end, this was another strong release from the reliably exceptional purveyors of Americana music known as the Sado-Domestics. On the heels of this release, the band was deserving nominated in the 2025 New England Music Awards’ Americana Act of the Year category.

Looking Ahead

Per the “Shows” page on the Sado-Domestics’ website, the band currently has a few January and February shows booked in Massachusetts, with dates listed in Roslindale, Maynard, and Somerville.

EP Review: Nate Jones – Greatest is Love

Posted on by

photo courtesy of Nate Jones

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

EP Review of Nate Jones: Greatest is Love

Nate Jones is a singer-songwriter/guitarist from Detroit, Michigan who has been steadily building a fervent and loyal following for over 15 years. The 30-something troubadour has dabbled in all areas of musical endeavor as a solo artist, a member of acoustic rock-based trio Athens Creek, and as a weekly host of several open mic nights.

The intrepid artist also has a select body of recorded work and original songs, with influences that run the gamut from James Taylor and Jim Croce to Johnny Cash and The Avett Brothers. With Greatest is Love, he is at the peak of his powers in terms of self-actualization and reflection. You’re getting the “best” version of Jones, where he’s putting his life and love on the line to show the audience what makes him tick. And, in doing so he, no doubt, is connecting to the listener in the most empathic and unfiltered way possible.

image courtesy of Nate Jones

This six song EP was recorded in Nashville, TN in early 2025. Jones had spent a few years there soaking up the creative atmosphere and ambience. And there are, indeed, a number of stylistic tropes that lean toward, perhaps, the country influences gleaned from such tenure. But he’s got his own signature thing going that defies mere categorization, other than to call it “Nate Jones music.”

Track one is called “Live it Loud,” and it immediately grabs you by way of a structure totally built on catchy hooks and an indelible melodic arrangement. This must surely be a crowd pleaser, with its upbeat message and collective spirit from his fellow collaborators. It starts with a refrain that’ll lock inside your consciousness: “Let me see your upside down frown, hands up in the air. Let me hear you sing it out loud, living without a care.” It’s infectious like that through the whole song. It’s a rouser, to be sure!

That’s followed by the seemingly autobiographical “Sober.” It’s a song with a serious tone about addiction and the joys of sobriety. This is Jones putting it all out there in a packaged token of appreciation for realizing the importance of having love in his life. Again, it’s got a great hook and a great message.

photo courtesy of Nate Jones

“(If Everyday Was) Friday Night” scratches that CMT/Active Country itch. This song is tailor-made for radio, with strong video potential as well. Imagine some of Chris Young and Luke Combs’ best work, and you get the gist of what Jones is going for here. Former Athens Creek partner Taylor Walls shows up brilliantly in duet and lead vocals on this track.

“Needed You to Know” is another emotionally charged piece that builds to a dynamic finale. This is, perhaps, one of Jones’ best love songs, as poetic as it is sincere. He sings, “Lonely is the man that waits for you. Who only hides the lies and tells the truth. Holding out his hand to hold onto. Lonely is the man that waits for you.” Torch songs rarely get much better and heartfelt than this.

“So Alive “is another rallying cry for feeling appreciation for the supportive people in one’s life. It’s all about embracing memories and shared moments. The song addresses the simplicities we all share but may not always acknowledge. But, as aforementioned, you’re getting the “best” of Nate Jones here, and he’s being as transparent as possible.

The title track talks about what he’s learned in life and golden rule kind of stuff. He sings about basic precepts he absorbed from his parents about music, relationships, forgiveness, etc. But, for all the wisdom he’s gained in dealing with various situations in life, the greatest manner in which to handle it always comes down to grace and love.

Joining the thought-provoking Jones on his musical journey are co-producer and guitarist Alex Bonyata, bassist Nathan Moll, keyboardist Tony Salomone, drummer Trey Poluga, guitarist and fellow Athens Creek member Oscar Sosa and backup vocalist Kara Frazier.

For more information on touring dates and events just go to natejonesmusic.com.

Album Review: Ward Hayden & The Outliers – Little By Little

Posted on by

photo by Sasha Israel; photo courtesy of September Gurl

Album Review of Ward Hayden & the Outliers: Little By Little

Ward Hayden & the Outliers are one of New England’s best country bands. When the band was called Girls, Guns, and Glory, I was a near-miss at several of their performances, which were hosted and/or attended by friends and connections whose opinion I generally consider to be consistently spot-on. So was I surprised when I finally dug into the new Ward Hayden & the Outliers album, Little By Little, and it blew me away? Not at all, though it exceeded any reasonable pre-listen expectations. This is an exceptional, tight, rich album from a band that’s also known for its great live performances. In New England, Ward Hayden & the Outliers are no secret. As further proof of that, the band was named Country Act of the Year and received one of the two Performer of the Year awards at the 2025 New England Music Awards.

I know this seems like an abrupt transition, but I should note that I’ve never been a deep-catalog Bruce Springsteen fan, or even a big fan of some of his hits. I did always enjoy “Dancing in the Dark,” a fun song that Ward Hayden & the Outliers put a nifty, modestly country spin on as Little By Little‘s third track. The anguished emotion in the vocal and the warm ambience of the soundbed make this rendition just as enjoyable as the original and with a unique Ward Hayden spin on it.

The preceding song on Little By Little, “Youngstown,” also sounded familiar to me, and I wasn’t surprised to find it was also a Springsteen song. Hayden and company serve it up as a lively, powerful, guitar-picking-driven sound with a full rockin’ country arrangement and well-placed fiddle flourishes.

image courtesy of September Gurl

Sensing a pattern, I finally took a look at the album’s press material. I usually like to let albums marinate for a while before reading about them so I’m not influenced by either the press material’s or other reviewers’ thoughts until my own are mostly formed, so I hadn’t given them a glance. Lo and behold, all eight songs on Little By Little are Bruce Springsteen’s covers. Yeah, I know, I probably should have realized it sooner, but like I said, while I respect and enjoy Springsteen’s music – and even my esteem for the Boss has grown with each passing year to be quite substantial by now – I know little beyond his biggest hits, mostly the ones from the ’80s. Some of the songs on Little By Little are deeper Springsteen cuts, too. Well-chosen ones, I might add, selected almost certainly because they can be arranged to fit Ward Hayden & the Outliers’ strengths. Indeed, these eight track are fully Outliers-styled, so much so that if  you didn’t know they’re Springsteen tracks (I raise my hand here), you’d be easily convinced they’re the band’s originals.

One of my favorite songs on Little By Little is the album’s opener, a lively performance of “Promised Land” whose feisty pace is enhanced by the way the band dives quickly from between blocks of lyric, from verse to verse, verse to chorus, and chorus to bridge or next verse. It’s an introduction to Ward’s powerful vocal delivery with its cracking and quavering that create a convincing sincerity, and it includes opportunities for a variety of well-integrated instrumental featurettes (or solos, if you prefer).

“Cadillac Ranch” is another strong entry, a rockabilly-tinged number (I hear shades of Jerry Lee Lewis in the pianowork) that moves a mile a minute and leaves the listener energized but breathless by its conclusion.

Probably my very favorite song on this record is track five, though. “If I Should Fall Behind” is a steadily-plodding, loosely (yet richly) instrumented number whose heartfelt message lives in the cracks and wails of Ward Hayden’s vocals. The haunted western rhythms in the song’s instrumental sections – I know, I always reference Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game,” but that’s because you all know what that sounds like – add another cool element that’s relevant to the song’s sonics and lyrics both.

“Two Faces” is delivered in a stripped-down fashion, with the vocals primarily accompanied by rhythmic drums, supported by the rest of the band in an as-necessary fashion without the sort of big, rich sound found on most of the other tracks, providing some stylistic variance while focusing the attention more heavily on the lyrics.

The stripped-down flavor continues with “County Fair,” though it’s more of a sweet, old-school, twangin’ country crooner, as opposed to the more avant garde vibe of “Two Faces.”

Ward & the Outliers close with “Used Cars,” delivered in a steady style that leans country while recalling the delivery of John Cougar Mellencamp, particularly on working-class songs like this one.

In all, Little By Little is an album that’ll appeal to country music fans, Springsteen fans (at least, if you can appreciate different arrangements of his music), and simply fans of well-conceived arrangements of damn fine songs. But wait, there’s more because more recently…

More Recently

Little By Little was released early in 2025. It was followed by the summer release of Piece By Piece, a collection of eight more Bruce Springsteen songs given the Ward Hayden & the Outliers treatment. I haven’t checked out that collection yet, but I’m sure it’ll rock. Well, country rock. Also worth noting is the summer release of Restless, an EP from Ward Hayden & Greg Hall.

Of course, this fall, as I mentioned at the top, the band won a pair of New England Music Awards. Ward Hayden & the Outliers were also nominated in the Boston Music Awards’ Americana Act of the Year category. (The oft-nominated band’s most recent Boston Music Award win was for Country Act of the Year in 2023.)