Tag: Music

Stephen Pearcy Discusses 40th Anniversary Reissue of Ratt's Out of the Cellar, the Musical Importance of 1984, and Why the Surviving Ratt Members Haven't Reunited Recently.

Canadian indie rock band Mother Mother have come a long way from their days in the attic in Vancouver. A series of well-received albums and the group's sudden bombshell resurgence on TikTok in 2020 has cemented them amidst a new generation of fans, one which embraces the band's alien soundscape as their own.

The highlights of October's new reviews seem to be mainly vocal releases, with a diversity of styles. Of particular note: the women of the Corvus Consort (pictured) are joined by Louise Thomson for a variety of works specifically for female voices and harp. Please explore our classical highlights for October.

There is a fine line between inspiration and imitation, and Greg Prato's new book "Led Clones: The Led Zeppelin Imitator Craze of the '80s...and Beyond" digs into this phenomenon in depth. Here's an excerpt focusing on the particular decade that gave us Star Wars, pet rocks, bell bottom jeans, afros, and punk rock – in addition to several bands motivated by Plant, Page, Jones, and Bonham.

Halloween novelty tunes are altogether ooky and all, but we here at AllMusic wanted to reveal the albums that actually scared us. Brooding themes and stark instrumentation. Real (perceived) devil worship and horrifying abandonment. Stabbing strings and haunting vocals. Psycho mansions and Lux Interiors. These are the themes of the recordings we've chosen to showcase: Actually Scary Albums.

In constructing the mammoth "Cocaine & Rhinestones: A History of George Jones and Tammy Wynette," author Tyler Mahan Coe has effectively combined three separate books: An expertly told love story/cautionary tale, an in-depth reference material, and a philosophical exercise.

Iron Maiden's early singer, Paul Di'Anno, has passed away at the age of 66. Greg Prato interviewed Di'Anno at length for the book Iron Maiden: 80 81, which thoroughly studies this early era of the band.

Shortly before the release of I Want Blood, Alice in Chains guitarist and longtime solo artist Jerry Cantrell chatted with AllMusic about the album and two of its standout tracks, in addition to songwriting, and if there can be another movement like grunge and alt-rock of the early '90s.

Young artists including Icelandic-Chinese singer songwriter Laufey, English pop group Wasia Project, London-based singer/songwriter Ella Hohnen-Ford, and American Jazz singer Samara Joy, utilize their own personal fusions of contemporary jazz and pop to bridge the genre divide. We explore these musicians who are helping to introduce jazz-adjacent sounds to new audiences.

In September, our classical editors discovered new recordings of well-known pieces including piano quartets by Brahms, featuring the late Lars Vogt on piano in his final recording. Albums of new music included Solos featuring compositions by The National's Bryce Dessner and Anna Clyne: Shorthand, with Eric Jacobsen (pictured) leading his orchestra, The Knights.