Brendan BensonLow Key(Schnitzel)3 1/2 out of 5 stars Those who only know singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Brendan Benson from playing shotgun to Jack White in the guitar-heavy Raconteurs have been exposed to just one aspect of the talented artist. The Detroit-bred Benson has been releasing solid, imaginative, power-pop albums intermittently since 1996. While they have been well received More

Kenny Wayne ShepherdTrouble Is…25(Provogue/Mascot)4 1/2 out of 5 stars You can imagine the reaction of record company execs when their calendars light up with the upcoming anniversary of a classic title on their label. It’s “cha-ching” time as they anticipate an easy cash influx with a deluxe reissue. Just open the vaults, unearth some demos, More

The CureWish-Deluxe Edition(Rhino)4 out of 5 stars It took 30 years but The Cure’s founder/frontman Robert Smith finally finds closure on Wish (1992). He is quoted as being unhappy with the first mastering of what turned out to be the band’s biggest-selling title because of a substandard bass mix along with other sonic issues. In More

Jimi Hendrix ExperienceLos Angeles Forum: April 26, 1969(Experience Hendrix/Legacy)4 out of 5 stars Try to imagine the puzzled faces on the crowd as Hendrix and his backing duo open their April 1969 show with an unreleased instrumental called “Tax Free.” The song, written by the Swedish duo of Hansson & Karlsson, had been in and More

Sarah Lee Langford and Will Stewart Bad Luck & Love (Cornelius Chapel Records) 3 out of 5 stars In the spirit of “it takes two,” this debut for the duo of Sarah Lee Langford and Will Stewart is not their first recording. Rather, the Birmingham, Alabama couple has been releasing music on their own for More

Elizabeth Moen Wherever You Aren’t (self-released) 3 1/2 out of 5 stars Iowa-born and raised singer/songwriter Elizabeth Moen’s music and idiosyncratic flair have never been easy to pigeonhole. That has become more obvious the further she gets into her still nascent career.  Even on her folksy debut in 2017, recorded on a shoestring, Moen combined More

Emily NenniOn the Ranch(Normaltown/New West)3 1/2 out of 5 stars I’m a honky-tonk girl who’s just getting started, says Nashville by way of California singer/songwriter Emily Nenni as the lead-up to her second full-length release. Judging from the quality of these nine expertly crafted originals (along with one Abba cover) and a voice that’s fresh More