Essentials

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Essentials: The Top 10 Laurel Canyon albums

September 2, 2021 Alan Fitter 5

If anyone ever invented a time machine (unlikely, if not impossible but I can dream can’t I?) there are a lot of times and places I’d go back to but Laurel Canyon any time between 1967 […]

Essentials: The top 10 Dave Alvin albums

August 26, 2021 Clint West 5

Dave Alvin is a multi-faceted, multi-talented cornerstone of americana. As a singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer he has consistently excelled to the point where anything bearing his name, in whatever role, is usually a cast-iron guarantee of […]

Essentials: The top 10 NRBQ albums

August 19, 2021 Martin Johnson 24

The New Rhythm and Blues Quartet (originally Quintet), NRBQ or simply just The Q, if you haven’t heard of them, and worse still, haven’t heard any of their music and are a lover of good music […]

Essentials: The top 10 Lee Hazlewood songs

August 12, 2021 Sean Hannam 0

When NME reviewed Lee Hazlewood’s 1973 album, ‘Poet, Fool or Bum’, the journalist famously wrote a one-word critique, ‘Bum.’ Sure, it’s not one of his best records, and although Hazlewood was arguably all three of those […]

Essentials: The top 10 Gordon Lightfoot songs

July 22, 2021 Emily Dongray 8

Canadian legend Gordon Lightfoot has a career that spans over six decades. He has released 19 studio albums, three live albums, and a whopping 47 singles. There are also 19 authorised compilations to date. With a […]

Ismay “Half Truth”

July 14, 2026 0

Quietly adventurous songs that reward patient listening with emotional depth and subtle musical invention. For listeners drawn to the quietly adventurous music of Aldous Harding, Cate Le Bon or Jessica Pratt, Half Truth, by California songwriter […]

Jenny Gillespie Mason “Medicine Of Light” – a healing balm

July 14, 2026 0

On her new album In the Safety of the Light, Jenny Gillespie Mason is turning back to her musical roots. After a decade pursuing psychedelic pop, jazz, and electronic textures through her project Sis (and most […]

Video: Alex Southey “Green Sunday” – a constant giving-in

July 14, 2026 0

Vancouver-born, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Alex Southey has released an absorbing new single. Green Sunday opens with gently insistent guitar before lush layers are introduced and, halfway through, percussion is ushered in, giving the song a greater urgency. […]

Essentials: The Top 10 Laurel Canyon albums

Essentials: The top 10 Dave Alvin albums

Essentials: The top 10 NRBQ albums

Essentials: The top 10 Lee Hazlewood songs

Essentials: The top 10 Gordon Lightfoot songs

Ismay “Half Truth”

Jenny Gillespie Mason “Medicine Of Light” – a healing balm

Video: Alex Southey “Green Sunday” – a constant giving-in

For The Sake Of The Song: Roger McGuinn “Car Phone”

Ed Snodderly “ES Pearl Presents Baggage Flies Free”