Phish captures a live sound on its best studio album to date, “Big Boat.”
Category: Music Reviews
Album and song reviews
David Bowie’s Final Reflection Seen In ‘Blackstar’
As I spent last weekend listening to the latest album by David Bowie, “Blackstar” or as it’s stylized,★, I realized how clearly dark it really was. The themes of death and depression, darkness and letting […]
The High Note Best of 2015
It was hard to compile a list of my favorite albums of 2015. There were so many great releases and a lot of stuff just didn’t make the cut. I started out with 25 albums […]
Dylan Shows Us How He Did It On ‘The Cutting Edge 1965-1966: The Bootleg Series Vol. 12’
We finally know how he did it; how Bob Dylan captured brilliance and put it down on wax recording one of the best songs ever – “Like A Rolling Stone.” Well, sort of. The 12th […]
Real Estate hits home with “Atlas”
Why can’t it feel like summer? I’m not just longing for beautiful weather and endless days spent wandering the miles of New Jersey shoreline. “Atlas,” the latest release by Real Estate, has given me a new perspective on summer fun. As I waded into immersive sound that comprises the third album by the band that hails from Ridgewood N.J. I found myself seeing the entire world through the warmth of summer’s glow.
Real Estate has a modern rock ‘n’ roll sound. Leading off with a sultry and bluesy guitar intro, “The Bend” is among the best songs on the album and features some of the best guitar work including a very Zepplin-esk outro. One of my favorite aspects of this album is the jammy riffs that are prominent throughout the 10 tracks here and is a signature of band.
Beck gets better with age
Beck‘s latest album, “Morning Phase,” has steadily grown on me like a new haircut since its release on Feb. 21 on Capitol Records. Sonically, this mellow and folky album paints a pastoral landscape of twisting hills divided by ribbons of asphalt and old cars. That’s the world that Beck has created with his first album in six year.
Fanfarlo shows evolution with ‘Let’s Go Extinct’
Fanfarlo takes listeners on a musical and philosophical journey into the future with its third third full-length album, “Let’s Go Extinct.” The album is an adventurous leap in the time machine both back to 80s by incorporating synth melodies and into the future with progressive, futuristic themes by the London folk quartet.
Released Feb. 10 on the Fanfarlo’s own New World Records label in the United Kingdom and by The Orchard in the United States, the 10 tracks of “Let’s Go Extinct” were enjoyable and weird. I fell in love with the eclectic band after hearing the heavily trumpeted “The Walls Are Coming Down,” from its first album, “Reservoir” released in 2009. Although I didn’t find “Rooms Filled WIth Light” from 2012 until late last year, Fanfarlo has held a warm spot in my inner-ear.
“So Long, See You Tomorrow” is an enjoyable ride with Bombay Bicycle Club
With the bitter chill of February rattling windows throughout the northeastern United States, there is a hopeful reprieve found in “So Long, See You Tomorrow,” the latest album by Bombay Bicycle Club.
Songs for the Christmas season [Spotify playlist]
The eve of Christmas is upon us and it’s time to start feeling jolly. Some of Santa’s elves need a little extra pep. So, step on it reindeer, we need to deck the halls for tomorrow. Whether you’re doing some last minute shopping, decorating, baking Christmas cookies or preparing a holiday feast; The High Note has picked its favorite tracks to help everyone get into the mood this holiday season.
Open this link or click on the Spotify playlist at the bottom of this post to take these tunes with you into the kitchen, car or party as we celebrate the season with the best holiday songs.
Musgraves makes country music better
Kacey Musgraves isn’t necessarily the spokesperson for modern country music but her debut album, “Same Trailer Different Park,” is powerful enough to shift the direction of the genre. This album captures the untamed spirit of […]