Posted in Albums That Surprised Me Covers Reviews

Albums That Surprised Me: It’s Like This / Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee Jones tried a variety of approaches between 1995-2001 — originals, acoustic versions, live album at Red Rocks. But in the middle, she accomplished the unusual: a quality all-covers disc, coherent in sound and reflecting the artist’s diverse tastes in…

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Posted in Reviews

The Mayflies USA / The Pity List (Archives, 2000)

Power pop is less about innovation than a belief that you can express some universal emotions in a glorious noise just by mastering some basics, no matter who or where you are, or even what year it is. It’s about setting…

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Posted in Reviews

Joan Osborne / Righteous Love (Archives, 2000)

“Can you see me rising since your disappearance? / Safe to say that I’ve regained myself.” As far as most people know, these are the first words to come out of Joan Osborne’s mouth in five years. You’d think that…

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The Wallflowers / (Breach)(Archives, 2000)

The third album from Jakob Dylan and associates conveys a certain sense of mystery, and not always in a good way. Lyrically, Dylan has his hits and misses like any writer. Hits include lines like “Cupid, don’t draw back your…

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Posted in DMB Reviews

Dave Matthews Band: 8/29/00 Saratoga Springs, NY (Live Trax 11)

Was the summer 2000 tour the best of times for Dave Matthews Band shows? At the least, it was the last summer of a golden era. Around the corner, the process and content of Everyday would suggest that something was off kilter within…

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Fastball / The Harsh Light Of Day (Archives, 2000)

Life is uncertain. This explains why we find confidence so attractive. After all, the longer we stick around, the longer we see how easy it is to leave a wrinkle in the gift wrap, forget your lines, or overseason the sauce….

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