Mike Ledonne Groover Quartet + Gospel Choir

Wonderful!

Cellar, 2024

8/10

Listen to Wonderful!

The piano and organ player Mike LeDonne pairs his Groover Quartet with a gospel choir for these 8 tracks that serve as a tribute to Ledone’s wife and daughter.

The lively “Let Us Go” starts the listen with Vincent Herring’s soulful sax that suits the uplifting and harmonic choir, and “Lonnie’s Lament” follows with LeDonne’s strategic keys amid Eric Alexander’s booming tenor sax for the atmospheric landscape.

The halfway point belongs to “Put It Back”, where Joe Farnsworth’s frisky drums and Peter Bernstein’s fluid guitar flow alongside the repetitive singing, while “Bridge Over Troubled Water” bops and shakes with an infectious energy thanks to LeDonne’s soulful keys and the soaring voices.

Residing near the end, the calmer approach to “Make Someone Happy” comes with a hazy groove of beauty, and “Genesis”, the lone LeDonne original, exits with a rich and dynamic presence that uses animated sax and swift drums to its advantage.

An adventurous undertaking that meshes jazz and gospel with exciting results, LeDonne and company re-image some classics in highly creative ways.

Travels well with: Gerald Cannon- Live At Dizzy’s Club: The Music Of Elvin & McCoy; Marshall Gilkes- Life Songs

Steve Drizos

I Love You Now Leave Me Alone

Cavity Search, 2024

9/10

Listen to I Love You Now Leave Me Alone

The sophomore effort from the Portland, Oregon renaissance man Steve Drizos, the 8 tracks here revolve around various alt-rock ideas, and it welcomes players involved with Eels, The Decemberists and RoughCuts.

The soft and agile “Boomerang” starts the listen, and builds into a thumping and buzzing version of ‘90s alt-rock that’s plenty melodic, and “Troubled Heart” follows with bright acoustic guitar that uses Joe Mengis’ proficient drumming amid a warm jangle.

“Kick Into Touch” occupies the middle spot, and benefits much from Tim Murphy’s lively bass as a tuneful intimacy surrounds the heartfelt delivery, while “Shadow Life” emits a rich interaction between the players, where Jenny Conlee’s meticulous keys won’t go unnoticed or unappreciated alongside Drizos’ expressive singing and atmospheric guitar.

“Beautiful Nothing” and “Inside Outside” exit the listen, as the former recruits ambience that escalates into a thicker presence of hazy rock, and the latter is an acoustic focused strummer that embraces poetic singing and timeless singer-songwriter qualities.

Drizos’ resume includes being a touring musician and studio owner who has worked with countless well known artists. This effort focuses on his relationships with his loved ones, and with Todd Wright’s help on guitars and backing vocals, plus the aforementioned players, he pens a diverse and memorable listen in the area of indie and alt-rock.

Travels well with: The Lord Baltimores- The Lord Baltimores; John Amadon- Monarchs Of The Spukhaus

Yosef Gutman Levitt

The World And Its People

Soul Song, 2024

8/10

Listen to The World And Its People

The Jerusalem bassist and composer Yosef Gutman Levitt brings us 11 originals, where Tal Yahalom, Omri Mor and Yoed Nir accompany him for the thoughtful and often delicate delivery.

The warm piano of “Awakening” starts the listen with much beauty, where Yahalom’s dreamy guitar suits Nir’s elegant cello, and “My Soul Thirsts” follows with soothing strings that align with Gutman’s meticulous bass interaction which emits a poetic appeal.

Halfway through, “B’nei Heichala” swirls with a rare intimacy via Mor’s graceful keys and Nir’s bowed cello, while “Dancing Together” creates a rich and mesmerizing spirit via the firm keys and emotive guitar.

“David’s Harp” and “Purim Lanu” arrive near the end, where the former radiates a gentle melody and much sophistication, and the latter carries an uplifting demeanor of rumbling and textured grace.

A highly articulate effort that at its core might be classical, Levitt also borrows from country, folk and jazz, and it makes for a captivating, enlightening experience.

Travels well with: Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco/Luigi Perrachio- Piano Quintets; Lucia Caruso exceptional and Pedro H. Da Silva- Transclassical Concertos

Garry Dial And Rich DeRosa

Keep Swingin’

Outside In, 2024

9/10

Listen to Keep Swingin’

A tribute to the legendary jazz educator Charlie Banacos, Garry Dial and Rich DeRosa re-imagine these 10 tracks with an incredible line up illuminating Banacos’ esteemed vision.

The aptly titled “Keep Swingin’” starts the listen with Dial’s fluid piano alongsid Dick Oatts’ lively sax and Terrell Stafford’s soulful trumpet for the rich climate, and “Great Awakening” follows with Joe Hubbard’s intricate bass and David Witham’s dreamy keys complementing the rhythmic vision.

“Mummy’s Curse” arrives in the middle, and allows for Jerry Bergonzi’s animated sax and Luther Gray’s strategic drums to shine in the textured album highlight, while the frisky “Bernie Burnola” benefits much from Anne Drummond’s airy flute, not to mention DeRosa’s well timed triangle.

Landing near the end, the very meticulous “Pluto Language” is populated by Victor Provost’s warm steel pan, Drummond’s flute acrobatics and Mauricio Zottarelli’s adventurous drums, and “Pelaghia” exits with a stirring intimacy that radiates via poetic keys thanks to Barbara Banacos and Margaret Banacos.

A project that truly captures the brilliance of Banacos’ methods and attention to detail, Dial and DeRosa guide us through plenty of timeless and exciting jazz.

Travels well with: Lucas Pino- Covers; Anthony Hervey- Words From My Horn

Lauren White

Making It Up As We Go Along

Café Pacific, 2024

8/10

Listen to Making It Up As We Go Along

The romantic vocalist Lauren White brings us 11 tunes that explore the intricacies of love on this 5th album, and they take much help from her longtime collaborator Quinn Johnson, who arranged most of the tracks.

The rich and lively “I’m Not The Same Without You” opens with White’s flowing pipes alongside Chris Wabich’s skilled drums and Brian Swartz’s warm trumpet, and “I’m Glad There Is You” follows with a radiant intimacy thanks to Kevin Axt’s cozy bass and Johnson’s elegant keys that match White’s flawless delivery.

Further along, “Tin Tin Deo” benefits much from Katisse Buckinham’s meticulous flute amid the expressive singing, while the title track places Johnson on Rhodes for the soft and emotive approach that’s full of timeless beauty.

Close to the end, “Make Sure You’re Sure” employs Dan Schnell’s agile drums to complement White’s soaring vocals, and “Turn Out The Stars” exits with the lovely piano and distinct vocals tugging on the heartstrings.

A well thought out collection of pop and jazz interpretations, White’s smoky, refined execution allows for the melodic storytelling to draw the listener in immediately.

Travels well with: Julie Kelly- Freedom Jazz Dance; Judy Whitmore- Come Fly With Me

Mesa Verde

All Is Well

Apollon, 2024

8/10

Listen to All Is Well

The sophomore album from the Oslo prog-rockers MesaVerde, the 9 songs here touch on pop ideas and are as colorful as they are memorable.

“Deep Time” begins the listen vocally strong, as rhythmic bass and crisp drums enter the rich climate, and “Pyramid Fucksnake” follows with buzzing keys, layered vocals and no lack of swirling melody.

In the middle, the calmer “Eva” radiates both mystery and warmth with some sci-fi nods, while “Tracing” balances thicker bouts with gentle ebbs of beauty via the harmonic, dreamy textures.

“Endurance” and “Story” exit the listen, where the former carries post-rock ideas thanks to the light instrumentation and waves of collaborative song craft, and the latter carries a hint of darkness amid the soothing bouts of reflective energy.

The band consists of Jørgen Apeness (Sauropod, Thea & The Wild, Lazy Queen), Lars Fremmerlid (Bugge Wesseltoft, Einar Stray Orchestra), Henrik Schmidt (Synne Sanden, Shimmering) and frontman Jonas Lundekvam. Together they make music that might bring to mind Yes, King Crimson or Meer, and will absolutely be enjoyed by prog-rock fans from any corner of the world.

Travels well with: K’mono- Mind Out Of Mind; Ribozyme- Celestial Low

Michael Hersch

Poppaea

New Focus, 2024

8/10

Listen to Poppaea

The composer and soprano Michael Hersch tells the tale of Nero from different angles, where a powerful delivery from multiple voices and libretto by Stephanie Fleischmann is present.

Disc 1 starts the listen with a firm mood, where Poppaea and Nero sing of how the birth of their child will negate all the problems associated with Nero killing his mother, as Steve Davislim’s tenor, via Nero, unfolds across tense and dark musicianship. At the end, during “Poppaea Witnesses Octavia’s Death”, mysterious keys and a gentle ambience are met with Silke Gäng’s stunning mezzo-soprano.

Disc 2 begins with the crashing sounds of “Milk Bath”, before a dense and ominous climate builds, while “The Great Fire” is indeed intense and allows for Ah Young Hong’s booming soprano to guide the bristling dynamics. ““This World” exits the story, and is distinctly intimate, though in a way that’s unsettling and cryptic.

The dialogue follows Octavia in her cell awaiting death, where the orchestral manipulation and profoundly detailed singing resonates in a contemporary opera fashion via the exhilarating vision thanks to Hersch.

Travels well with: Tessa Brinckman- Take Wing, Roll Back; Ekmeles- We Live The Opposite Daring

Robby Hecht

Not A Number

Self-Released, 2024

8/10

Listen to Not A Number

The Nashville singer-songwriter Robby Hecht pens a dozen introspective and diverse tracks here, where 2 years of work and help from Anthony de Costa surround themes of divorce, emotional recovery and humanity.

The emotive and reflective “When I Wish Upon A Star” starts the listen with warm acoustic guitar and Hecht’s heartfelt singing that welcomes thumping drums, and “Old Radio” follows with a fuller approach of swirling melodies and pop nods.

Further along, “Dead Weight” radiates a bright tone amid the busy, poetic delivery, while “I Belong Next To You” resides closer to modern indie-rock ideas that use soulful backing vocals.

Moving towards the end, the dreamy and rich “Only In Your Mind” could actually suit a dance floor, too, just as it could mulling things over, and “They Are You” exits with acoustic guitar fueled intimacy that’s percussively frisky and employs gorgeous backing vocals.

Hecht has two decades under his belt as a touring musician, and similarities to Tom Waits or Jim Croce won’t be hard to spot. The addition of Caroline Spence, Jill Andrews and Lydia Luce, plus others, only adds even more allure to his personal and creative formula.

Travels well with: Andrea Von Kampen- Old Country; The Resonant Rogues- The Resonant Rogues

Vanisha Gould And Chris McCarthy

Life’s A Gig

Fresh Sound, 2024

8/10

Listen to Life’s A Gig

The esteemed vocalist Vanisha Gould and skilled pianist Chris McCarthy are joined by Kayla Williams on viola for these warm and welcoming 9 jazz tracks.

“Cool” starts the listen with McCarthy’s animated keys and Gould’s expressive pipes that make for a frisky delivery, and “Aisha” follows with a poetic intimacy that radiates much beauty from the flowing piano and heartfelt singing.

In the middle, “Fall In Love With Me In Fall” rumbles a bit, as the finger acrobatics shine amid the touching vocals and stirring strings, while the Dolly Parton classic, “Jolene”, retains the memorableness of the original thanks to Gould’s distinct tone and the elegant piano.

Close to the end, “No More” carries a firm presence via Gould and McCarthy’s strategic interaction, and “Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea” exits with a lively and energetic display of songwriting dynamics that will always be enjoyable.

Influences from Billie Holiday, Nina Simone and Joni Mitchell won’t be hard to spot here, as Gould, McCarthy and Williams creative emotive and touching song craft via both the covers and originals.

Travels well with: Stephen Philip Harvey- Library Card; Chris Mondak- Blank With Colour

Randy Napoleon

The Door Is Open: The Music Of Gregg Hill

OA2, 2024

8/10

Listen to The Door Is Open: The Music Of Gregg Hill

The inimitable guitarist Randy Napoleon continues his exploration of songs by Gregg Hill, and here he’s joined by an all star cast for the exciting 9 jazz tracks.

“The Lost Tune” starts the listen with Napoleon’s warm guitar alongside Rick Roe’s lovely piano and Lucas Lafave’s agile bass in the rich climate that showcases Aubrey Johnson’s glowing voice, and the title track follows with Quincy Davis’ firm drums complementing the soothing vocal scatting and flowing keys.

Approaching the middle, the frisky “Motel Blues” uses horns from Anthony Stanco, Walter Blanding and Andrew Kim for a soulful delivery, while “April Song” lands on the more intimate side of the equation, as Napoleon’s pretty guitar is met with emotive piano and hazy vocals.

“Skyline” and “Triple Play” exit the listen, where the former is a frisky and textured album highlight that bops and shakes with an infectious energy, and the latter welcomes Rodney Whitaker on bass for the dense, rhythmic and meticulous finish.

A body of work that can swing with adventurousness just as it can retreat to gentle ebbs, Napoleon and company make the most of every fluid moment here.

Travels well with: David Friesen- This Light Has No Darkness: Volume 1; Bill Anschell- Improbable Solutions

Zach Rich

Solidarity

OA2, 2024

8/10

Listen to Solidarity

The trombonist, composer and arranger Zach Rich is joined by his Denver quintet and chamber orchestra for these contemporary jazz and modern classical sounds that are performed meticulously.

“Seraph” starts the listen with Rich’s distinct trombone, before Seth Lewis’ lively bass and Austin Cebulske’s glowing tenor sax make for a rich delivery, and “Broken Mirrors” follows with Gonzalo Teppa’s strategic bass and Timothy Gocklin’s precise oboe that textures the tune with awe.

Halfway through, “Reprise” radiates a distinct intimacy, where Erin Patterson’s moving cello adds much grace to the equation, while “June” allows the stirring strings to tug on the heartstrings amid a poetic climate of warmth.

Residing close to the end, “What Is The World Rated?” recruits Julian Carey’s mesmerizing voice and Gavin Dunn’s elegant piano, and “The Heavyweight” exits with Denin Slage-Koch’s upbeat guitar playing that suits the dynamic jazz finish.

An effort that’s not short on rhythmic and crisp interaction between the many players, Rich’s vision is a luminous and timeless take on jazz and chamber sounds that is quite exciting.

Travels well with: David Friesen- This Light Has No Darkness: Volume 1; Peter Erskine- Bernstein In Vienna

The Neal Kirkwood Big Band

Night City

Bjur, 2024

8/10

Listen to Night City

The 8th recording from the pianist/conductor Neal Kirkwood, the 12 tracks here welcome a large cast for a thriving and exciting Big Band performance.

After the quick and rhythmic “Prelude: Invitation”, “Eve’s Garden” follows with a hint of drama, as Ron Horton’s flugelhorn and Kirkwood’s piano cultivate much warmth.

Halfway through, the bouncy and stylish “Skywalkers” spotlights Willie Applewhite’s trombone and Adam Kolker’s tenor sax with playfulness, while “When I Hear That Serenade In Blue” takes nods to Jack Kerouac, where Diana Herold handles the lead vocal line on the vibraphone, and James Zollar’s trumpet is well placed and utilized superbly.

Arriving near the end, “Monolithic Attitude” carries a distinct dreaminess that benefits from Matt Hong’s soprano sax via the 10+ minutes of captivating song craft, and “The Light Of Birds” exits with Kirkwood’s meticulous, ambient keys alongside rich flute from Kolker and Hong.

A listen that exemplifies the hopes and dreams of city life, Kirkwood and company create swift melodies, uplifting interaction and animated rhythm that will appeal to fans of jazz from any era.

Travels well with: Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio- A Shade Of Blue; Alex Norris- Chess Moves

Jim Rotondi

Finesse

Cellar, 2024

8/10

Listen to Finesse

The 9th album from the trumpeter and composer Jim Rotondi, Finesse welcomes Steve Davis, Dick Oatts and Danny Grisset, plus an orchestra conducted and arranged by Jakob Helling for the involved 13 songs.

The playful “Ruth” opens the listen with the animated strings and soulful brass making for plenty of warmth, and “Dark Blue” follows and makes for a cinematic and unpredictable delivery of Big Band versus orchestral ‘finesse’.

Further along, “Falset” allows for Oatts’ soprano sax to radiate a distinct intimacy, while “For Curtis” presents rumbling keys from Grisset that match the bright horns for the album’s best.

Landing near the end, the tense “In Graz” displays Martin Fuss’ strategic alto sax in a busy but controlled climate, and “Miller Time” exits with Davis’ trombone front and center amid the cautious and reflective finish that benefits much from Mario Gonzi’s skilled drums.

A body of work that is very much rooted in the historically and musically rich hallmarks of Austria, Rotondi and company create plenty of melody and coziness that doesn’t shy away from excellent solos across this timeless jazz affair.

Travels well with: Mike LeDonne- Wonderful!; Skip Wilkins Trio- In Morava/Na Morave

Stephen Philip Harvey

Library Card

Hidden Cinema, 2024

8/10

Listen to Library Card

The saxophone wizard Stephen Philip Harvey brings along Max Murray and Jordon Stanley for these 7 exciting jazz tracks that welcome a literary theme.

“I Could Write A Book” opens the listen with Harvey’s fluid sax alongside Murray’s warm bass for the timeless jazz spirit, and “Huevos Verdes” follows with a lively climate, where Stanley’s animated drums complement the bright brass.

“Son Of Poseidon” and “Lunar Lullaby” land in the middle, where the former carries a distinct intimacy thanks to Harvey’s rich tone, while the latter is full of soulfulness via the hazy sax and crisp drums.

The last track and best selection, “Let’s Go Exploring”, pairs Harvey’s soaring sax with Stanley’s furious drums, as the swift and sharp dynamics unfold with incredible attention to detail.

Included are 6 originals and a lone standard for this 5th album from Harvey, and it continues his spontaneous and inimitable version of jazz that few could replicate.

Travels well with: Chris Mondak- Blank With Colour; The Steven Husted Quartet- Standards And Then Some

Kaze

Unwritten

Circum/Libra, 2024

9/10

Listen to Unwritten

The first entirely improvised effort from the international ensemble Kaze, the 3 in depth tracks here emit Christian Pruvost, Natsuki Tamura, Sakoto Fujii and Peter Orins’ talents in unpredictable and fascinating ways.

“Thirteen” begins the listen with strong attention to mood, where Orins’ proficient drumming and hazy trumpet from Pruvost and Tamura mesh with Fujii’s finger acrobatics on piano. The piece unfolds across 35+ minutes, and gets quite busy, but can also retreat to ebbs of soft grace.

“We Waited” arrives in the middle, and leads with a gripping ambience, before the firm piano and dense drums enter amid the unorthodox, rhythmic exploration.

“Evolving” closes out the listen, and recruits ‘found object’ like percussive nods, where minimalistic gesturing emits a curious, engaging finish.

As to be expected from a line up with this much talent, every moment here is purposely abstract, rumbling with avant-rock bursts or simmering in timeless jazz spells that we could never tire of.

Travels well with: Ches Smith- Laugh Ash; Richard Nelson- Dissolve

Quadro Nuevo

Happy Deluxe

GLM, 2024

9/10

Listen to Happy Deluxe

A body of work that was inspired by Quadro Nuevo’s travels to Buenos Aires, the Balkans, the Aeolian Islands and Iceland, the 16 songs here welcome plenty of guests that complements Mulo Francel, Andreas Hinterseher and D.D. Lowka’s inimitable talents.

The elegant and breezy “Quadro Samba” opens the listen with Chris Gall’s contributions on piano, which suits the rich melodies from Paulo Morello’s flowing guitar, and it isn’t long until “Morello Beach” welcomes Tim Collins’ glowing vibraphone amid Francel’s lovely sax playing.

Halfway through, “Pervenche” benefits much from Philipp Schiepek’s meticulous guitar, as Lowka’s playful bass makes an impression, while “Rio Sunrise” recruits Marco Lobo’s worldly percussion, which helps cultivate the cultured intimacy that makes great use of Hinterseher’s accordion.

Landing close to the end, the soft demeanor of “Before Your Eyes Were Open” is packed with cautious vibes, charming accordion and frisky bass plucking, and “Don’t Worry Be Happy” exits with a very clever take on the McFerrin original that’s just as uplifting as the first time you heard it.

A record that continues their eclectic and globally aware ideas that have been impressing us since 1996, Quadro Nuevo’s Latin influenced jazz sounds just as luminous all these decades later.

Travels well with: Christian Winninghoff- Cloud Sounds; Giovanni Costello- In Alto Mare

Tessa Brinckman

Take Wing, Roll Back

New Focus, 2024

9/10

Listen to Take Wing, Roll Back

The New York City flutist Tessa Brinckman fleshes out a highly unique listen here, where her instrument makes for a geo-poetic exploration of both past and present, and doesn’t lack any humor, pathos and drive.

Norio Fukushi’s “Dawn Brightens The Day Of Mortals Robed In Purple” starts the listen with Brinckman’s fascinating flute playing that carries much emotion and takes help from Caroline Delume’s flowing acoustic guitar, and “Zeuze”, by Andile Khumalo, follows with Kathleen Supové’s gripping piano playing that complements the cinematic landscape.

Residing in the middle, “Taniwha”, an original, has Brinckman playing all the instruments for the sci-fi friendly climate that uses piccolo, horomona horo and several flutes, while “Wade Through Water”pairs Brinckman’s alto flute and Supová’s keys, which makes for a harmonic and unpredictable album highlight in the collaboration piece with Khumalo.

Shirish Korde’s “Tenderness Of Cranes” arrives near the end and is a solo flute outing that illustrates Brinckman’s profound skill with her instrument, and “A Cracticus Fancie” exits with Brinckman using a piccolo with spoken word via a hint of mystery

A fascinating journey into contemporary classical flute dynamics, Brinckman’s vision touches on African gestures, Japanese traditions, New Zealand poetry and many other worldly ideas that further solidify this body of work as culturally and artistically superb.

Travels well with: Ekmeles- We Live The Opposite Daring; Yu-Hui Chang- Mind Like Water

Ted Russell Kamp

California Son

KZZ/Blue Elan, 2024

9/10

Listen to California Son

This 14th album from the prolific and exceptional Ted Russel Kamp has him playing the bulk of the instruments, where the songs fleshed out in his home studio show much diversity under his Americana template.

The warm and cozy spirit of the title track starts things off with Kamp’s flowing vocals and Brian Whelan and Zachary Ross’ swirling guitar playing, and “Hard To Hold” follows with harmony vocals from John Schreffler that adds a bit of grit to the country-rock climate.

“The Upside To The Downside” lands in the middle, and showcases Tommi Viksten’s fluid guitar that suits Kamp’s expressive pipes for a playful delivery, while “Ballad Of The Troubadour” allows Kamp’s rasp to shine amid the sophisticated keys and Matt Lomeo’s glowing harmonica that makes for a sublime intimacy.

Arriving close to the end, “Hangin’ On Blues” is a vocally strong moment which illuminates Kamp’s vivid storytelling, and “Every Little Thing” exits with a fuller approach that benefits from Jamie Douglas’ thumping drums via the rich and harmonic finish.

If you’ve been following along, you’re not going to be surprised by the quality of the songwriting here. If this is your first time exploring Kamp, as long as you’re open to grooves, finger pickin’, honky tonk flavor and outlaw gestures, you’re going to enjoy this musical ‘Love Letter To L.A.’

Travels well with: Breezers- Hideaway; Jon Byrd- All Your Mistakes

Doug MacDonald

Sextet Session

Dmac, 2024

9/10

Listen to Sextet Session

The always impressive guitarist Doug MacDonald is aligned with an all star assembly of Doug Webb, Aaron Janik, Josh Nelson, Mike Gurrola and Charles Ruggiero for these 8 straight jazz tunes.

The fluid and smooth melodies of “Desert Blues” opens the listen with Webb’s bright sax and Ruggiero’s lively drums complementing MacDonald’s spirited guitar lines, and “Whispering” follows with Nelson’s intricate piano and Gurrola’s playful bass helping cultivate a charming jazz landscape.

“You’ve Changed” and “AT #33” land in the middle, where the former showcases MacDonald’s inimitable playing amid the dreamy textures, while the latter illuminates Janik’s soulful trumpet that suits the cautious yet frisky album highlight.

Arriving near the end, “Si Miner” allows for the animated bass plucking to radiate, though the soaring brass doesn’t disappoint, either, and “Bubbles In The Wine” exits with an uplifting and rich landscape that’s dance floor ready and flowing with infectious interaction between the players.

There is just no bad place to start in MacDonald’s impressive catalog of music, and Sextet Session is right at the top of his discography, which is no easy feat.

Travels well with: Paul Kendall- Whisper Not; Rob Susman- Top Secret Lab

Shane Alexander

A Life Like Ours

Buddhaland, 2019

9/10

Listen to A Life Like Ours

If you’ve spent any considerable time watching TV, you’ve probably already heard Shane Alexander’s music on one of the many shows he’s help soundtrack. On this 7th studio release, Alexander offers bare pieces as well as full, lush rockers, and it all comes from a very spiritual place, as the troubadour finds plenty of intimacy across A Life Like Ours.

“Everything As One” gets the album off to a soft and sparse start, as Alexander’s expressive vocals guide us through a gentle folk tune, and the suicide themed “Lost Road” follows with a fuller delivery where calm percussion and keys flow alongside his graceful delivery.

An album where every track is a highlight, “Taxi Cab” moves with a cautious pop spirit amid the Americana influences, while “I’ll Be Here”, a tune about anti-gun violence, displays his strong guitar playing amid hushed beauty with an orchestral slant.

Deeper in the listen, “Riverbed” shuffles with a rural beat in a playful yet subdued gem, and “Evermore” ends the listen crisp and bright with Alexander’s charming formula radiating emotion, positivity and strong song craft.

Alexander is in fine company here as players who worked alongside Lady Gaga, Shooter Jennings, and Grateful Shred are in attendance, and they help illuminate his gripping storytelling perfectly.

Travels well with: Jeff Buckley- Grace; Bruce Springsteen- Nebraska