Checking in with longtime artists feels like catching up with old friends, and it’s one of the great joys of writing The High Note each week. I was delighted to see singer-songwriter Samantha Crain release […]
Category: Music Reviews
Album and song reviews
Goose Takes Flight on ‘Everything Must Go’
Most jam bands live for live performance. There are a few notable exceptions like Grateful Dead’s “American Beauty” and “Farmhouse” by Phish. However, most songs written by jam bands serve primarily as launchpads for interstellar […]
Valerie June Casts a Spell with ‘Owls, Omens and Oracles’
If it weren’t for the Philadelphia Folk Festival, I don’t know if I would’ve discovered a fraction of my favorite artists — Valerie June is one of them. The Grammy Award-winning multi-instrumentalist released her sixth […]
Lily Seabird Takes Flight on ‘Trash Mountain’
Folk rock has always been my favorite kind of music. From my early years listening to Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young to my love of The Weakerthans, Ben Kweller, Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes and […]
The Solo Genius Returns: Lucy Dacus Hits Her Heartstrings on ‘Forever Is A Feeling’
One-third of the supergroup Boygenius, Lucy Dacus is back to her solo roots in her first album since the band released its 2023 debut, “The Record.” “Forever Is A Feeling,” the fourth solo album by […]
Marie Davidson’s ‘City of Clowns’ Turns Electro into Satire with Atlantic City Edge
Montréal-based electronic artist and producer Marie Davidson knows how to get my attention. “City of Clowns,” her sixth studio album released Feb. 28, 2025, on DEEWEE Records, struck me with its distinctive album cover shot […]
Sunny War Shines Through the Apocalypse on ‘Armageddon in a Summer Dress’
It always helps to find the good in a bad situation, which is exactly what Sunny War does on her latest album, “Armageddon in a Summer Dress.” Released Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, the fifth album […]
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band Raises a Ruckus on “Honeysuckle”
What’s old is new again as The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band breathes life into revivalist blues on “Honeysuckle.” Released Friday, Feb. 21, via Family Owned Records, the trio’s 11th album polishes their stripped-down sound […]
The War and Treaty Deliver a Love and Harmony on ‘Plus One’
Love is in the air when Michael and Tanya Trotter are singing through my speakers. It’s sweet and fitting to see the husband-and-wife duo, better known as The War and Treaty, release their fourth album, […]
Hip-hop’s Dream Team: The Alchemist, Larry June and 2 Chainz Shine on ‘Life is Beautiful’
I’ve always appreciated hip-hop as a team sport. From my early days as a Beastie Boys and Run-DMC fan—and even before that, when Kris Kross had me jumping—I loved the camaraderie of MCs trading verses […]