10 Blue Ocean – “Ode” Oakland is certainly a cinematic place these days, in its own right — for all its economic disaster and mass sports-team-exodus, there seems to be a rash of individuals there taking music very seriously, down to the sophisticated details. Blue Ocean is twee pop with a drum machine and a … Read more“Dolby’s Top 10 Tracks Oct./Nov. 2023”
I did one of these posts for Wilco, too, and truthfully, they both probably stand no chance of creation on account of label restraints. But the mission statement is clear on both: showcase the band’s best material on clear, analog sound, and pare things down to a $20 piece of merchandise that can be stuffed … Read more“The Best of Modest Mouse (Designed for Vinyl)”
10 Blur – “Barbaric” On “Barbaric,” Britpop heavy-hitters Blur go in a pretty typical directions for rock bands nearing the ends of their careers, which would be electronic, or at least the drum machine territory. A beautifully resigned and catchy chorus then paints the perfect disaffected picture of this malady: “I have lost the feeling … Read more“Dolby’s Top 10 Tracks July – Sep. 2023”
25 “Sand” (Farmhouse) 24 “Horn” (Rift) 23 “Julius” (Hoist) 22 “Dogs Stole Things” (Hampton Comes Alive) 21 “Maze” (Rift) 20 “Billy Breathes” (Billy Breathes) 19 “Water in the Sky” (The Story of the Ghost) 18 “Wolfman’s Brother” (Hoist) 17 “Sparkle” (Rift) 16 “Bouncing around the Room” (A Live One) 15 “Cavern” (Hampton Comes Alive) 14 … Read more“Dolby’s Phish Power Rankings — Autumn 2023”
I’m not sure what existential forces are at work here but we’ve now come to the age of the “Credit Union 1 Center,” an ampitheatre in the Chicago suburb of Tinley Park operating under the tenuous premise of providing meaningful experiences to anyone. It’s no big deal — it’s just the main venue I grew … Read more“A List of Artists Which Could Revive the Spirit of Tinley Park”
1 Miles Davis – Milestones This 1958 classic from Miles Davis creeps in slowly but will take over your senses and really knock your socks off once the whole band gets jamming and Philly Joe Jones really starts pummeling those drums. It’s a great showcase of Davis being ahead of his time, too, as the … Read more“My Vinyl Collection — Power Rankings (Summer 2023)”
10 Watchglass – “Eons Romance” Sydney, Australia’s Watchglass channel a seriously tranquil vibe here for some summer folk-pop that will penetrate your world with ease. .. 9 Saloli – “Nighthawk” Bandcamp lists Mary Sutton, a.k.a. Saloli, as a “pianist,” which is funny because I don’t hear a single analog sound on this whole album, let … Read more“Dolby’s Top 10 Tracks Apr. – June 2023”
Am I an a-hole for not wanting to purchase Mermaid Avenue on wax? Well, I’ve never heard anyone playing any of the songs other than “California Stars” in my life, so I’m not sweating it too much. Anyway, it’s high time this band released a best-of and gave us a smattering of their most brilliant, … Read more“A Call for a ‘The Best of Wilco’ on Vinyl with ‘California Stars’ on it”
10 Can Kicker – “Disassociate Now” The UK’s Can Kicker belt out intense, crisp grunge rock, in the old school vein of the punk-mindeds like The U-Men and Mudhoney, with tight grooves underlying the stylishly nihilistic vocals of the singer who just goes by the name “Luke.” ST LP will call to mind Iceage’s authoritative … Read more“Dolby’s Top 10 Tracks Jan. – Mar. 2023”
Pop-punk is making a comeback. That’s all there is to it. Well, what’s actually happening is just that the stigma is being lifted off of it — listening to it no longer garners implications of simplicity, stupidity or shallowness. I think we all deal with enough morons in our everyday lives to diffuse that ideal … Read more“Dolby’s Top 25 Pop-Punk Albums of All Time”