Eric Andersen - Blue River
As the '60s ebbed into unease and uncertainty, Eric Andersen cast a deadly, unveiled glance on his own life -- the drugs and the affairs, the dreams and the journeys -- ultimately turning his own spiritual and emotional desolations into an unconscious accounting of the whole decade. "I knew a
Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, Vol II
As the '60s bled into the '70s, Bob Dylan evinced a growing discomfort with his persona. Whether fueled by the lingering effects of a near-fatal motorcycle accident, an increasing dissatisfaction with the masks of stardom, or a general sentiment in the air, the artist became obsessed with
Charlie Walker - Pick Me Up On Your Way Down
It's a neat coincidence that this collection arrived on my doorstep just days after I heard that Procter & Gamble, maker of Charmin toilet paper, was going to resurrect Mr. Whipple, the long-retired character who pitched the brand. For those not old enough to remember, Mr. Whipple&
Bottle Rockets - Brand New Year
People stood in line to see Jeff Beck at South by Southwest this year. Maybe that should have been a sign. The next night, the Bottle Rockets took the stage in full Motorhead mode and tore off a 45-minute set of new songs.
Not the same as the old
Joe South - Retrospect
A few years back I asked a critic friend if there was a good Joe South collection available on compact disc. No, came the expected reply, along with a partial explanation: When it comes to Joe South, "Yankees don't get it."
Yet back in 1969, South
Stacey Earle - Making her own name
Family and self-reliance are two concepts central to Stacey Earle's life and career. While her brother Steve's dramatic ups and downs have been the subject of news reports and magazine profiles, Stacey has experienced considerable personal turbulence without all the public attention. But this relative