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A Quick List of Songs for Halloween

Everyone knows Bobby “Boris” Pickett’s hit,“The Monster Mash.” That’s a Halloween classic, but here’s a playlist of less traditional Halloween-minded songs. Donovan – “Season of the Witch” (1966) Taken from his landmark album “Sunshine Superman,” this rock-blues number, with its...

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October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (3)

Review: Ray LaMontagne’s “Gossip In The Grain”

Ray LaMontagne is a folkie from Northern New England with a woodsy beard and a honey-soaked, R&B-ready set of pipes. Despite his northern roots, when he sings, his voice simmers with an uncanny southern soul. His high, haunting voice has...

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October 29, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (3)

Review: Keane’s “Perfect Symmetry”

Four years ago, when the British band Keane first started making waves, they had a hook. They had a minimalist approach featuring vocalist Tom Chaplin, pianist Tim Rice-Oxley and drummer Richard Hughes. It was an approach which worked well for...

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October 17, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (8)

Review: Ingrid Michaelson’s “Be OK”

You may know Ingrid Michaelson for her appealing song “The Way I Am,” which thanks in part to Old Navy was seemingly culturally ubiquitous for a moment last year. You may have also heard her music on “Grey’s Anatomy.” Most...

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October 17, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (1)

Review: Oasis’ “Dig Out Your Soul”

Fourteen years or so after they took Beatle-fandom to surprisingly new levels with their debut, “Definitely Maybe,” the Gallagher brothers and their crew are back with yet another set of tunes. Yes, they still are not afraid to borrow liberally...

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October 10, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (2)

Review: Gemma Hayes’ “The Hollow of Morning”

Back in 2003, Gemma Hayes wowed me with her debut, “Night on My Side.” Combining an intimate, appealing songwriting style with occasional washes of atmospheric shoegazer guitar, she crafted something truly extraordinary. In 2005, the Irish singer released a follow-up,...

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October 8, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (0)

Review: Ani DiFranco’s “Red Letter Year”

It’s amazing to think that it’s been almost twenty years since Ani DiFranco debuted. Frustrated with the corporate recording industry, she decided she didn’t need them and formed her own record label, Righteous Babe. Since then she has released roughly...

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October 1, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (2)