Matt Duke Kingdom UndergroundRykodisc By Al Kaufman Matt Duke stares out from the cover of his current CD with a mop-haired head, wide open puppy dog eyes, and enough scruff to make the girls think he has a dangerous side. Or maybe he's been too busy saving drowning kittens to shave. He exudes that kind of sensitivity. […]

  Griffin HouseFlying Upside DownNettwerk By Al Kaufman Many a musician has made a living playing music from the heartland. It is a sound that is full and majestic, while simultaneously speaking in the voice of the regular guy. Griffin House has thatsound down, thanks largely to producer Jeff Trott (Sheryl Crow), who called in […]

Lily Allen It's Not Me, It's You Capitol Records By Leila Regan-Porter Lily Allen is one of England's favorite crazy birds. You never know what you're going to get when she turns up, which is what gives her that eccentric charm. She could be sweet and friendly, or drunk and outrageous. And though this sophomore […]

Pierce PettisThat Kind of LoveCompass Records by Al Kaufman Pierce Pettis came out of that '80s folk movement that brought us the likes of Suzanne Vega, Tracy Chapman and Bill Morrissey. Like the three aforementioned songwriters, Pettis does not waste his time navel gazing or spouting platitudes. He writes honest little stories and slices of […]

Funeral Party The Bootleg EP Independent Label Group By Alexandra Edwards Funeral Party, a four-piece from working class East LA, have released a promising three-song EP that showcases their considerable popularity as a backyard-party band.  The Bootleg EP may not reinvent the genre, but it definitely proves they have an aptitude for post-punk dance music.

  Modern Skirts All Of Us In Our Night Self-released   By Julia Reidy Athens, Ga.’s Modern Skirts will never not make pop music, no matter how hard they try. Their sophomore full-length, entitled All Of Us In Our Night, is just that — albeit an exercise in pop with a good bit of the […]

  The Love WillowsHey! Hey!Decca by Al Kaufman It must be the dour economic times that makes people want to listen to unabashedly happy music. Last year we had the Submarines out of LA, and this year it's time for Atlanta's Love Willows. The duo of singer Hope Partlow and multi-instrumentalist and singer Ryan Wilson are […]

Ying QuartetDim SumTelarc **** by Al Kaufman Ah, these Ying kids. Three brothers and a sister make up a classical quartet consisting of two violins, a viola, and a cello. But this is not the classical music your stodgy old grandmother listens to. The CD is named Dim Sum because, like the food, these are […]

Sharon RobinsonEverybody Knows ***1/2 by Al Kaufman In her over 20 years in the music business, Robinson has penned songs for some of the biggest names; including Diana Ross, Don Henley, and Rufus Wainwright. Her biggest success came when she co-wrote the Patti LaBelle recorded "New Attitude" for Beverly Hills Cop. But if anyone in […]

Patty LarkinWatch the SkyVanguard ** 1/2 by Al Kaufman It's easy to imagine folkie Patty Larkin walking into the studio. Her eyes light up as bright as her fiery red hair as she views all the shiny knobs and buttons. She cuts her song (playing all the instruments herself), then plays with all the controls […]

Dare DukesPrettiest Transmitter of AllStarland Records **** by Al Kaufman A musician always takes a big risk by opening his CD with his best song. Sure, he captures the listener's attention right away, but then he puts himself in the unenviable position of having to retain it. Dare Dukes has no problem with this. Prettiest […]

Alison Brown QuartetEvergreenCompass Records **** by Al Kaufman Every year around this time some of the bigger artists release their Christmas CDs. Then they store them away in January and pull them back out again in November. It creates a guaranteed seller for at least one month out of the year. This year is no […]

George DukeDukey TreatsBPM/Heads Up International 4 stars by Al Kaufman George Duke is to be excused if he chooses to revisit the days of yesteryear, for he was a major player back in the day of old school funk, and if anyone can make it fresh again, he is the man. Duke is a titan […]

The Gay BladesGhosts4 Never Records/Triple Crown 2 stars by Al Kaufman Everyone knows people who are smart, but not nearly as smart as they think they are. These people also tend to not be nearly as funny as they think they are. But they sure as hell think they are smarter and funnier than you. […]

Amanda PalmerWho Killed Amanda Palmer?Roadrunner Records 4 stars by Al Kaufman As the front half of the punk-Cabaret duo, Dresden Dolls, singer-pianist Amanda Palmer has an obvious theatrical flair. And she has found her soul mate in Ben Folds. Folds produced and performs on half the songs on this CD. The two are both creative […]