Author: Jordan Blum

Progressive Rock 

ALBUMS: Big Big Train Treks Forward with the Exceptional ‘Common Ground’

August 6, 2021August 7, 2021 Jordan Blum 0 Comments Big Big Train, Common Ground, Danny Manners, Dave Gregory, England, Prog Rock, Progressive Rock, Rachel Hall, XTC

Despite a reduction in its line-up, the English progressive rock quartet return with some of their finest material to date

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Heavy Metal Progressive Rock 

ALBUMS: The Isolated Ingeniousness of Devin Townsend

July 16, 2021July 16, 2021 Jordan Blum 0 Comments Alluvial, Decrepit Birth, Devin Townsend, Empath Vol 2 European Tour, Liam Wilson, Samus Paulicelli, The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Faceless, Wes Hauch

Yet another comical and captivating live overview of Townsend’s singular catalog

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Pop 

Hey, Jupiter: Tori Amos’ ‘Boys for Pele’ Turns 25

February 17, 2021February 18, 2021 Jordan Blum 0 Comments 1996, 25th Anniversary, Boys For Pele, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, Laura Nyro, Peter Gabriel, Tori Amos

The singer/songwriter’s third studio album remains an idiosyncratically peculiar yet poignant opus

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Folk Pop 

Hello Darkness: Simon & Garfunkel’s Sounds of Silence Turns 55

January 26, 2021January 26, 2021 Jordan Blum 0 Comments 1966, Art Garfunkel, Chromatics, Disturbed, Glen Campbell, Hal Blaine, Joe Osborn, Larry Knechtel, Paul Simon, Red House Painters, Simon & Garfunkel, Sounds of Silence, The Sound of Silence, The Wrecking Crew, Tom Wilson, Vinnie Bell

The folk rock duo’s second album was the one that saved them, and us

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Heavy Metal Progressive Rock 

ALBUMS: Alive On Dead Air With Katatonia

November 23, 2020November 23, 2020 Jordan Blum 0 Comments 2020, Dead Air, Doom, Katatonia, Peaceville, Progressive Rock, Sweden

The Swedish doom/prog outfit’s latest is a testament to both their artistry and the potential for live music during lockdown

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Zappa 

Alex Winter’s Most Excellent Frank Zappa Film

November 18, 2020November 19, 2020 Jordan Blum 0 Comments 2020, Alex Winter, Frank Zappa, Gail Zappa, Magnolia Pictures, Mike Keneally, Moon Zappa, Ruth Underwood, Steve Vai, Zappa Family Trust, Zappa film

An in-depth, touching and quite entertaining examination of the late musical genius’ life and impact

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Progressive Rock 

ALBUMS: Circuline Comes Alive

October 21, 2020October 21, 2020 Jordan Blum 1 Comment Alek Darson, Andrew Colyer, Circuline, CircuLive::NewView, Darin Brannon, Joel Simches, Natalie Brown, Prog Rock, Progressive Rock, ProgStock, Rahway, William Spillane

A superb glimpse at what makes the progressive/cinematic rock troupe so beloved

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Alternative Rock Pop Power Pop 

Baby’s Come Back: Jellyfish’s Bellybutton at 30

September 10, 2020September 10, 2020 Jordan Blum 0 Comments 1990, 30th Anniversary, Andy Sturmer, Beatnik Beatch, Bellybutton, David Bowie, Jason Falkner, Jellyfish, Jr, King's X, Mike Portnoy, Roger Joseph Manning, The Black Crowes, Three O’Clock, Todd Rundgren, World Party, XTC

Inside the album that helped usher L.A. rock into the 1990s

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adblock Alternative Rock 

Ain’t No Wrong: Jane’s Addiction’s Ritual de lo Habitual Turns 30

August 31, 2020November 30, 2020 Jordan Blum 0 Comments 1990, 30th Anniversary, Ain’t No Right, American Dad, Anger Management, Been Caught Stealing, Burnout Paradise, Dave Navarro, Eric Avery, Guitar Hero II, Jane's Addiction, Lollapalooza, Perry Farrell, Ritual de lo Habitual, Rock Band 4, Stephen Perkins, Stop!

Decades later, the Los Angeles quartet’s third album remains refreshing and ruthless

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Alternative Rock Pop Power Pop Punk 

The Best Imitation of Themselves

August 28, 2020August 28, 2020 Jordan Blum 0 Comments 1995, Ben Folds, Ben Folds Five, Boxing, Darren Jessee, Howard Cosell, Lexx Luthor, Majosha, Muhammad Ali, piano, Pots and Pans, Robert Sledge, The Semantics

The eponymous debut by Ben Folds Five turns 25

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Fusion Pop Power Pop Progressive Rock 

Broke Down But Not Busted: Todd Rundgren’s Runt at 50

August 3, 2020August 3, 2020 Jordan Blum 0 Comments 1970, Ampex Records, Bearsville, Bearsville Studio, Great Speckled Bird, Jesse Winchester, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Runt, Stage Fright., The Band, The Nazz, Todd Rundgren, Todd Rundgren's Utopia

Why the Wizard’s first solo album after The Nazz is his McCartney I

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Folk Pop Soul 

ALBUMS: The Many Flavours of Italian Ice

July 12, 2020July 16, 2020 Jordan Blum 0 Comments 2020, Britt Daniel, David Hood, Erin Rae, Italian Ice, McKenzie Smith, Midlake, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Nicole Atkins, Phil Spector, Seth Avett, Single Lock Records, Spoon, Spooner Oldham, St. Vincent, The Avett Brothers

As usual, Nicole Atkins and crew mix and match styles to spark retro yet fresh magic

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Progressive Rock 

For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Us: Jethro Tull’s ‘Benefit’ at 50

June 27, 2020June 29, 2020 Jordan Blum 4 Comments 1970, Beardfish, Benefit, Big Big Train, Chrysalis Records, Cream, Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin, Martin Barre, Mick Abrahams, Phideaux Xavier, Rikard Sjöblom

Fifty years later, Benefit remains one of Jethro Tull’s most ageless, individualized and tight records

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Pop 

Sentiments and Notices: Ben Folds’ Songs for Silverman at 15

May 25, 2020May 25, 2020 Jordan Blum 0 Comments 2005, Ben Folds, Bucky Baxter., David Henry, Jared Reynolds, John Mark Painter, Lindsay Jamieson, Ned Henry, Songs For Silverman, Weird Al Yankovic

Still the best of the Ben solo years

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Hard Rock Heavy Metal Progressive Rock 

The Amory Wars Arrive: Coheed and Cambria’s Year of the Black Rainbow at 10

May 8, 2020May 8, 2020 Jordan Blum 1 Comment 2010, Claudio Sanchez, Coheed and Cambria, Dream Theater, Mastodon, Muse, Radiohead, Steven Wilson, The Mars Volta, Tool, Year of the Black Rainbow

Ten years on, YOTBR remains an indispensable, enjoyable, and mostly underappreciated addition to the foursome’s remarkable arsenal

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