DAVID ARNSON

Music Connection — The Moon Duo hits you hard between the eyes, ears and frontal lobes with an unabashedly psychedelic approach to their dark rock & roll, and every track is a delight. Especially notable is their use of a constant and propulsive drumbeat, which puts them closer to psych-punks Hawkwind as opposed to a mellower Pink Floyd.

Music Connection November 2019 — > >>> Peter Laughner >>> “Peter Laughner' >>> Smog Veil Records >>> Producers: Frank Mauceri, Mary Ann Livchak, Nick Blakey >>> 7.5 stars This 5LP/6 CD box set is the loving, meticulous and fascinating excavation of a ghost. Peter Laughner was an intrinsic member and driving force of the Cleveland rock n'roll scene as it morphed into the punk rock explosion that took hold in New York City at places like CBGBs. As chronicled here, Laughner was an exceptional and spirited folk and blues player who fell under the sway of artists like The Stones,Lou Reed, and Television. A founder of the legendary Pere Ubu and Rocket From The Tombs, these (often raw) demos and live recordings show the incandescent talents of an artist who sadly fell victim to addiction and death before emerging as the next Richard Hell? Jim Carroll? Truly tantalizing...!

Music Connection — This psychedelic masterpiece from Phoenix, AZ was originally only available as a pressing of 300 in 1971. The songs are about half instrumentals, and though mostly brief, they are brilliantly orchestrated and composed, using fuzz guitars, keyboards, percussion and backwards effects, and combining classical, science fiction, prog rock and spaghetti western elements.

Music Connection — Bursting out of LA's "Paisley Underground" scene in the early '80s, Dream Syndicate was initially known for a Velvet Underground-style sound. As the band added keyboards, they evolved into a hard-rocking proto-Americana. Now they present stretched-out compositions with an improvisatory flow and occasional lyrics, sounding closer to the '70s Krautrock band can than you'd expect.

Music Connection — The Schizophonics are one of the most exciting live bands on the garage/punk scene right now, and this release shows they can back it up in the studio. The music is based on insistent riffs a la The MC5, The Sonics and early Kinks, and the singing is as passionate as the playing.

Music Connection — The Desert Daze Festival has basically earned its place as the best live (and most forward-thinking) rock music event in the USA right now. Although its focus is mainly on bands with a psychedelic or garage-rock edge, there is still enough of a nod to who is the best and biggest on the current alternative music scene.

Music Connection — The SST label of the '80s stitched jazz and punk closely together, and here is a truly interesting recording by graduates of that scene. Apparently ace bassist Mike Watt and ace drummer George Hurley (both ex-Minutemen and Firehose) recorded some improv rhythm tracks that equally-ace guitarist J.Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.)

Music Connection — When your recorded debut was playing guitar on one of modern rock's most influential albums (Television's Marquee Moon), then you've set a pretty high bar for yourself. Lloyd in his solo career has always favored the traditional verse-chorus pop song format, but let's just politely say that he ain't no Shakespeare lyrically, although, interestingly enough, he does reprise a line about 'the smell of water' from Marquee Moon here.

Music Connection — The Morlocks have been in and out of circulation for several decades, and have now come roaring back with their patented grimy version of '60s garage rock. There is a definite hard-rock edge to their songwriting here. One can also hear traces of classic rockers such as The Seeds

Music Connection — The Beths are a female fronted quartet from the "other Down Under"-New Zealand! Their song "Future Me Hates Me," with its self-explanatory hilarious title, would be a number one hit in a perfect Top 40 universe. The Beths excel at snappy, perfectly played, guitar-heavy (and catchy!) power pop.

Music Connection — The burning question for us rabid and greedy fans is why does ex-Stooges guitarist Williamson only play his fabulous leads on 2/3 of the songs on Behind the Shade?! That said, craftsman Williamson delivers some stone solid classic rock & rhythm here, with OG L.A.

Music Connection — Chip Kinman's career stretches back 40 years, through The Dils, Rank and File, Blackbird, and Cowboy Nation. He's always broken his own rules musically, playing styles from punk to country to industrial. His latest band finds him a world-weary survivor, with lyrics like "I feel it closing in, ma, but I expect it," and "Good morning, dark American night."

Music Connection — Jim Thomas' instrumental trio The Mermen has been slowly but steadily releasing music since the mid-'90s, and this recent work stands as one of their best. The music is a heady combination of surf-tinged jams and delicate picking, with long passages that

Music Connection — Score: 9 out of 10 Guitarmeister John Reis (Rocket From The Crypt and Drive Like Jehu) reinvents himself with an amazing set of surf-rockers. Ably assisted by Minnesota band, the Blind Shake, these tunes are superbly crafted all-instrumental rock & roll.

Music Connection — Jorma delivers a relaxed, self-assured and entertaining sampler of the Americana roots that have nourished his musical odyssey over the past 50 (!) years. Prior to his time with the Airplane and Hot Tuna, the guitarist steeped himself in folk, blues and bluegrass, and has now come full circle.

Music Connection — Known for his impeccable taste and skill, veteran rocker Dave Edmunds interprets some of his favorite tunes through a purely instrumental approach, and like Jeff Beck he can make his guitar sing and cry without the aid of pesky vocals.

Music Connection — Björk unleashes a remarkable effort with her latest recording. Coming off of the heartbreak depicted on her last album, here she utilizes a woman's flute chorus, bird and jungle noises, layered vocals and plenty of harp and keyboards to introduce us to her rebirth as a happily centered yet explosively creative artist.

Music Connection — New Jersey indie-rock legends, the Feelies' first release in five years opens with the sounds of birds, insects and rain, and this seems to be their most acoustic-guitar dominated effort yet. The 11 songs feature their unapologetically Velvet Underground/ Lou Reed-influenced chord progressions and strums, backed up by an amazingly tight rhythm and percussion section.

Music Connection — Recreating the spirit of the early '60s surf/sun/fun pop era rides a fine line between parody and sincerity. The cartoony Spongebob delivery and goofy attitude of most of the vocal tunes here render things, well, kind of CORNY.

Music Connection — Founded in 1977 on the principle of bridging the gap between "the street and the elite," Music Connection has grown from a popular print publication into a spectrum of products and services that address the wants and needs of musicians, the music tech community and industry support services.

Music Connection — Chip Kinman's career stretches back 40 years, through The Dils, Rank and File, Blackbird, and Cowboy Nation. He's always broken his own rules musically, playing styles from punk to country to industrial. His latest band finds him a world-weary survivor, with lyrics like "I feel it closing in, ma, but I expect it," and "Good morning, dark American night."

Music Connection — As a teenager in the 70's, I was fascinated upon coming across the record 'Silver Apples of the Moon', by Morton Subotnick. It was a completely electronic composition from 1967, commissioned by the classical music label Nonesuch Records.

Music Connection — AMAZING live-sounding production--like the band is right in front of you! Stubbs has released a classic album of instrumentals that references the best elements of blues, surf, jazz, garage, soul and many other styles, with some of the tunes recalling Los Lobos' borderline atonal clank.

Music Connection — Trippy rockers Wand bust out of the starting gate with "Setting," which recalls '60s classic "Pictures of Matchstick Men," and it just gets better from there. This release combines and freshens influences from Neil Young, Jerry Garcia, Television, Sonic Youth and Stereolab, but retains a creamy and dreamy center of its own.