Philly six-piece Audible recently released their latest EP “Isolette”, which as of this writing you can still download for free here – but move fast, as I’ve been assured that’s only temporary. In fact, you might want to do that now, and have these great new tunes as a companion for the review. Go ahead. I’ll wait for you.

That’s right, Russ’s favorite. Not claiming to be an exhaustive list or a definitive list. So don’t tell me it was criminal of me to ignore the latest Jimmy Buffet album. It was downright heroic.

CD: The Land Is Wild

Ah, the solo album. You can’t really have one in the traditional sense unless you’ve spent some time in an established band, thereby ensuring that  you’ll never be able to objectively release any music ever again without bearing the crushing weight of its legacy. So how did Dave Bidini, one of [...]

Photo by Jason Strong

CD: Setting Fire To The Great Unknown

Usually around this time of the year, some springy and rough-around-the-edges pop gem grips me and becomes my “windows down” album as I start to anticipate summer (until the first 90 degree Philadelphia day, when I lament Springs and Autumns that used to last more than [...]

CD: In Simple Intervals

Now THIS is the type of recording that usually grabs me around this time of year — full of great pop sensibility, layered guy/girl harmonies, and chiming guitars with just the right amount of grit on them. I’m talking about the first self-released recording by Philly’s own Audible [...]

CD: Pain Is A Reliable Signal

When we last checked in with Sam Jacobs, we were reviewing the latest release from LiPSTIK – the EP “There Is Only One Thing”. At the time, work on the follow-up full length was already underway – and it has finally arrived, along with a name change for the group [...]

Chicago-based photographer Lee Klawans just informed us that he was the man behind the iconic picture of Marnie Stern that we used for our CD review of her latest release – which led us to take a look at his other material (like the great shot of Company of Thieves at the Metro shown above). [...]

First, let me be clear about something – I am by no means an expert on contemporary R&B. It’s not that I don’t like it, just that when it comes to R&B and Soul, I tend to gravitate toward the classics. I guess that’s why I’ve always perked up when music by Javier has entered [...]

CD: Strange Scars

Our love affair with New York artist Julia Brown began back in 2001 after hearing her debut release Jubilant Newborn Alien Haze and subsequently being sure to catch all of her Philadelphia appearances when she swept through town. After the flurry of critical praise, international touring, and appearances following that release, we waited anxiously [...]

CD: Computer vs. Banjo

Well, 2008 is almost ¾ over, so start getting ready for those year-end lists (you can bet a few of them will be supplied by our own Jeff Lyons, too). This year has been such a blur for me that it’s going to take some thought to get [...]