Sarah Bettens Never Say Goodbye Cocoon Records By Al Kaufman The idea of putting out an unplugged acoustic CD is nothing new, but few are able to utilize the form to its full effect the way Sarah Bettens. A superstar in Europe, especially Belgium, Bettens is essentially known in the US for the song "Not […]

AssjackAssjackSidewalk Records By Al Kaufman Say what you will about any of the three Hank Williams', but the one thing they all have in common is a rebellious streak. But the most rebellious of them all has got to be the grandson, Hank III. Instead of going the country route like his grandpa and his […]

LadyhawkeLadyhawkeDecca By Al Kaufman Since the inception of CDs, artists have been getting the re-issue treatment. Most of the big-wigs have had their back catalogs that fans previously had only on vinyl freshened up, or digitally re-mastered. The record label throws in a few outtakes or live versions of the songs from the album and, […]

Various ArtistsInglourious Basterds SoundtrackA Band Apart/Warner Brothers By Al Kaufman First, two confessions: 1) I believe Quentin Tarantino to be the greatest living American director behind Martin Scorsese. 2) I embarrassingly admit that I have yet to see Inglorious Basterds. Without first seeing the movie, the songs on the soundtrack will need to stand on […]

Rhett MillerRhett MillerShout Factory By Al Kaufman One need look no further than the first line of his new self-titled CD to know that Rhett Miller likes playing with words. "Keyboards and keystrokes and keystones and keys," he sings on "Nobody Says I Love You Anymore." The song also includes the clever turn of phrase, […]

Colin HayAmerican SunshineCompass Records By Al Kaufman Anyone over the age of 30 knows Colin Hay. He was the guy with the lazy eye fronting the reggae influenced pop band Men at Work, who invaded America from Australia with songs such as “Who Can It Be Now?” and “Down Under,” and had us wondering what […]

Jeremy AggersWhat It Comes Down ToBrash Music By Al Kaufman Jeremy Aggers has the same carefree, effortless voice that has helped fellow North Carolinian James Taylor pay the rent all these years. When he playfully finger picks through the title cut, or subtly displays his sentimentality about his town (and a certain girl in said […]

Jeff MerchantCity Makes No Sound By Al Kaufman Imagine crystalline water flowing down a rocky waterfall surrounded by lush greenery on a blue-skied summer's day. Pretty, isn't it? So is Jeff Merchant's music. Merchant's sound is a mix of the Decemberists and Death Cab for Cutie after they've been listening to a lot of latter […]

Kava KavaForwardsMidnight Swimming By Al Kaufman Michael Hutchence has been gone for almost 12 years now, but his ability to intertwine pop with club has never been duplicated. While Hutchence leaned more toward his pop tendencies, Kava Kava, a six-piece Britpop band making its US debut, tend to start in the club/electronica camp and sprinkle […]

Courtney Fairchild11 ChancesStanley Recordings By Al Kaufman In 2006, Courtney Fairchild divorced her husband, left her friends, and moved from her hometown of Dallas, Texas to Philadelphia, Penn. The result was her 2007 album, Quit. The following summer, sequestered in her friend's guest house with huge amounts of bourbon and a high fever, she realized […]

T Bird and the BreaksLearn About It By Al Kaufman T Bird and the Breaks bring the funk. They bring the soul. The bring the horns, the soul, the swagger, the sweat and everything else that comes with being a 10-piece soul/funk ensemble. While critics have been drooling over themselves trying to come up with […]

Dave DanielsJust Like Ghosts By Al Kaufman Atlantan, by way of Florida, Dave Daniels has a cute little story in the liner notes of his CD. It seems he was arrested for jaywalking and when the jail guard asked him what type of music he played, he couldn't answer him. The angry guard locked him […]

Drew SmithDrew Smith's Lonely ChoirFat Caddy Records By Al Kaufman Austinite Drew Smith is everything that's right with CDs, both musically and aesthetically. For the visual sense, this is a gorgeous CD. Dave Schwab's intricate pen and ink drawings are whimsical, and the artistry on the liner notes is brilliant. This is a wonderfully packaged […]