John's Blog

Here are some of the reviews, articles, and news stories that we published recently:

Mindy Smith - Stupid Love: On her latest set, Smith weaves a narrative about relationships and surrounds her words with perky pop-rock arrangements.

John Mayall - Tough: John Mayall proves that he's not yet ready to cede terrain to his younger counterparts.

Johnny Winter - Johnny Winter: The Woodstock Experience: Johnny Winter was young and impulsive when he stepped on the stage at Woodstock. His energy fuels this set of hard-hitting blues tunes.

Here are a few highlights from the concerts coming to Chicago and Milwaukee through November 9, 2009.

The following is a list of albums that were released October 27:

Blind Boys of Alabama - Duets

Devendra Banhart - What Will We Be

Cesaria Evora - Nha Sentimento

Rosie Flores - Girl of the Century

Garage A Trois - Power Patriot

Gov't Mule - By a Thread

Hot Chelle Rae - Lovesick Electrick

Michael Jackson - This Is It: The Music that Inspired the Movie

Diana Krall - Live in Rio: Special Edition (2-DVD Set)

Fela Kuti - The Best of the Black President

Land of Talk - Fun and Laughter (EP)

Los Lobos - Los Lobos Goes Disney

Bryan Lee - My Lady Don't Love My Lady

Yo-Yo Ma - 30 Years Outside the Box (Boxed Set)

Monty Python - Almost the Truth (3-DVD Boxed Set)

Monty Python - Almost the Truth (2-Blu-Ray Boxed Set)

The Mother Hips - Pacific Dust

Dolly Parton - Dolly (4-CD Boxed Set)

R.E.M. - Live at the Olympia (2-CD Set)

R.E.M. - Live at the Olympia (2-CD/1-DVD Set)

Kurt Rosenwinkel - Standards Trios: Reflections

Rupa & the April Fishes - Este Mundo

Carly Simon - Never Been Gone

Marc Spitz - Bowie: A Biography (Book)

Squirrel Nut Zippers - Lost at Sea

Status Quo - Live at Montreux 2009 (DVD)

Rod Stewart - The Great American Soulbook

Stephen Sills - Live at Shepherd's Bush (CD/DVD)

Sting - If on a Winter's Night

String Cheese Incident - Trick or Treat

The Swell Season - Strict Joy

Tegan and Sara - Sainthood

Train - Save Me, San Francisco

U2 - The Unforgettable Fire (2-CD/1-DVD Limited Edition Boxed Set)

U2 - The Unforgettable Fire (2-CD Deluxe Edition)

U2 - The Unforgettable Fire

Various Artists - A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector

Weezer - Ratitude

Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg

Weird Al Yankovic - The Essential Weird Al Yankovic

For other albums scheduled for release in the coming weeks and months, please visit our New Releases page.

Forever the Sickest Kids has announced a five-week fall tour to support its forthcoming series of releases known collectively as The Weekend.

Switchfoot has announced a month-long fall tour to support its latest set Hello Hurricane.

Los Lonely Boys has continued to add shows in February to support its new EP 1969.

The Fiery Furnaces has will be on the road in November and December, and it will conclude its tour with a pair of New Year's concerts at Schuba's and Lincoln Hall in Chicago.

Chuck Prophet has lined up a six-week tour that begins in Winters, California on November 6.

Arctic Monkeys will be back in North America for another round of shows that run from mid-November to mid-December.

U2 will be back in the U.S. next summer to support its latest set No Line on the Horizon.

Other new tour dates includes: Ike Reilly, Bobby Bare Jr., Absentstar, Chris Isaac, Waco Brothers, Verve Pipe, Honey Island Swamp Band, The Avett Brothers, The Watson Twins, Ted Leo, Rooney, Joe Perry Project, Weezer, Bob Weir, Andrew Bird, Land of Talk, Aimee Mann, The Flaming Lips, Phoenix, and Pete Yorn.

(c) Copyright 2009 - The Music Box - All Rights Reserved.

Here are some of the reviews, articles, and news stories that we published recently:

U2 - No Line on the Horizon: The members of U2 may have become consummate professionals, but they also know how to keep their music sounding fresh.

Sonny Landreth - From the Reach: Last year's From the Reach is one of the more accessible outings in Sonny Landreth's canon.

Here are a few highlights from the concerts coming to Chicago and Milwaukee through November 1, 2009.

Our latest synopsis of recent music news includes stories on The Stooges, Michael Jackson, Mary Travers, Pavement, Oasis, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, and Thom Yorke.

The following is a list of albums that were released October 20:

Sam Bush - Circles around Me

Leonard Cohen - Leonard Cohen: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 [CD/DVD]

Eminem - Live from New York City (Blu-Ray)

Ben Gibbard and Jay Farrar - One Fast Move or I'm Gone: Kerouac's Big Sur

Colin Hay - Peaks and Valleys

Jethro Tull - Live at Madison Square Garden (CD/DVD Set)

Oliver Jones & Hank Jones - Pleased to Meet You

Kings of Convenience - Declaration of Dependence

Little Dragon - Machine Dreams

Lyle Lovett - Natural Forces

Maps - Turning the Mind

Loreena McKennitt - A Mediterranean Odyssey

Coco Montoya - The Essential Coco Montoya

Darrell Nulisch - Just for You

Old Canes - Feral Harmonic

Otis Redding - Otis Redding: The Best: See and Hear (DVD)

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Summer of Fear

The Roots - How I Got Over

Roxy Music - More than This: The Story of Roxy Music (DVD)

Timothy B. Schmit - Expando

Snow Patrol - Late Night Tales

JD Souther - RAIN: Live at the Belcourt Theater (Digital EP)

Star & Micey - Star & Micey

Sufjan Stevens - The BQE

Toto - Falling In Between Live (Blu-Ray)

Kristina Train - Spilt Milk

Various Artists - Things about Comin' My Way: A Tribute to the Music of the Mississippi Sheiks

ZZ Top - Double Down Live (2-DVD Set)

For other albums scheduled for release in the coming weeks and months, please visit our New Releases page.

This week's media update focuses on Frank Sinatra's new boxed set Sinatra: New York. Specifically, we have a 9-track audio sampler from the collection posted on our media page.

Wilco has laid out plans for a late winter/early spring tour in support of its latest set Wilco (The Album).

Alan Jackson has announced a two-week tour, which will take place in November.

Ozomatli will be on the road through the end of the year, though all of its concerts will be west of the Mississippi.

The Whigs will be back on the road for a 6-week tour that begins on October 28.

Gregg Allman has extended his annual winter solo trek into mid-January.

Other new tour dates includes: Toad the Wet Sprocket, John Prine, Furthur, Merle Haggard, Jason Isbell, and Imogen Heap.

(c) Copyright 2009 - The Music Box - All Rights Reserved.

Here are some of the reviews, articles, and news stories that we published recently:

The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses / self-titled: Each of the songs on this set is a exquisite slice of infectious indie-pop. In its latest incarnation, the outing has been expanded with concert footage, outtakes, b-sides, and alternate versions.

David Burnett - Soul Rebel: An Intimate Portrait of Bob Marley: Insight Editions has struck again with another terrific coffee table book of photographs that document the history of Jamaica's reggae scene.

Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk / self-titled: The album not only is a truly collaborative affair, but it also is so strong that fans can only hope that this is the beginning of a longstanding union rather than a one-off set.

Here are a few highlights from the concerts coming to Chicago and Milwaukee through October 24, 2009.

The following is a list of albums that were released October 13:

Ben Allison - Think Free

Joan Baez - How Sweet the Sound

Clarence Bucaro - New Orleans

Thad Cockrell - To Be Loved

John Denver - Around the World Live (5-DVD Boxed Set)

John Denver - Rocky Mountain High: Live in Japan (DVD)

Neil Diamond - A Cherry Cherry Christmas

Bob Dylan - Christmas in the Heart

Five for Fighting - Slice

The Flaming Lips - Embryonic

John Gorka - So Dark You See

Angela Hagenbach - The Way They Make Me Feel

Los Lonely Boys - 1969

Carolyn Mark - Let's Just Stay Here

Nellie McKay - Normal as Blueberry

Erin McKeown - Hundreds of Lions

James McMurtry - Live in Europe (CD/DVD)

Harper Simon - Harper Simon

Arturo Stable - Call

Tinariwen - Imidiwan: Companions

Various Artists - Playing for Change: Songs around the World: Deluxe Edition

Rick Wakeman - The Six Wives of Henry VIII (CD, DVD, and Blu-Ray)

Andy Williams - Moon River: The Very Best of Andy Williams

Jon Bream - Neil Diamond Is Forever: The Illustrated Story of the Man and His Music (Book)

For other albums scheduled for release in the coming weeks and months, please visit our New Releases page.

This week's media update focuses on Norah Jones' forthcoming album The Fall. Specifically, we have audio of the album's first single Chasing Pirates posted on our media page.

Jay Farrar and Ben Gibbard are teaming up for a short tour to promote One Fast Move or I'm Gone: Kerouac's Big Sur.

Son Volt will hit the road again for six weeks beginning in early November to support its latest outing American Central Dust.

Steely Dan has lined up another round of album-focused concerts.

Phish has announced a brief fall tour to support its latest set Joy.

Clarence Bucaro has announced a handful of concerts to support his latest endeavor New Orleans.

Other new tour dates includes: Dengue Fever, The Walkmen, Brendan Benson, Bad Lieutenant, Old Crow Medicine Show, Snow Patrol, Medeski Martin & Wood, Imogen Heap, Soulive, Tegan and Sara, Los Lobos, Umphrey's McGee, and Justin Roberts.

(c) Copyright 2009 - The Music Box - All Rights Reserved.

Here are some of the reviews, articles, and news stories that we published recently:

John Fogerty - The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again: He might get some help from Bruce Springsteen and a pair of Eagles, but this is really about Fogerty relaxing and having fun.

World Music Round-Up: October 2009: Surveying the world music scene, we examine recent efforts from Kimi Djabate, Kitka's Lily Storm, and Vieux Farka Toure.

Here are a few highlights from the concerts coming to Chicago and Milwaukee through October 8, 2009.

The following is a list of albums that were released October 6:

Air - Love 2

Bad Lieutenant - Never Cry Another Tear

Lou Barlow - Goodnight Unknown

Joe Bonamassa - Live from the Royal (DVD)

Built to Spill - There Is No Enemy

Brandi Carlile - Give Up the Ghost

Johnny Cash - Christmas with Johnny Cash: Yule Log Edition (DVD)

Rosanne Cash - The List

Kenny Chesney - All I Want for Christmas: Yule Log Edition (DVD)

John Coltrane - Side Steps (5-CD Boxed Set)

Mike Doughty - Sad Man, Happy Man

Orenda Fink - Ask the Night

Gossip - Music for Men

Vince Guaraldi - The Definitive Vince Guaraldi

Daryl Hall & John Oates - Do What You Want, Be What You Are: The Music of Daryl Hall and John Oates

Hockey - Mind Chaos

Jon Irabagon - The Observer

Jamie T - Kings and Queens

Etienne Jaumet - Night Music

Kiss - Sonic Boom

Kraftwerk - 12345678 The Catalogue (8-CD Boxed Set)

Kraftwerk - Autobahn

Kraftwerk - Radio-Activity

Kraftwerk - Trans Europe Express

Kraftwerk - The Man Machine

Kraftwerk - Tour de France

Greg Laswell - Covers (EP)

Massive Attack - Splitting the Atom (EP)

Daniel Merriweather - Love and War

The Mountain Goats - The Life of the World to Come

Maria Muldaur - Maria Muldaur & Her Garden of Joy

Brad Paisley - Brad Paisley Christmas: Yule Log Edition (DVD)

Joe Perry - Have Guitar, Will Travel

Relient K - Forget and Not Slow Down

Vonda Shepard - The Best of Ally McBeal: The Songs of Vonda Shepard

Sufjan Stevens & Osso - Run Rabbit Run

For other albums scheduled for release in the coming weeks and months, please visit our New Releases page.

Erin McKeown has announced additional tour dates to support her forthcoming collection Hundreds of Lions.

Kris Delmhorst has announced a smattering of shows this fall and winter to support her terrific 2008 endeavor Shotgun Singer.

Believe it or not, The Cranberries are back. The group has announced a 5-week fall tour that begins in early November.

Branford Marsalis has added some fall and winter shows to promote his latest set Metamorphosen.

Zero 7 will be back in the States this fall for a month-long tour that begins in late November.

Stone Temple Pilots is pushing onward with a lengthy tour that begins today and wraps up in 2010.

Devendra Banhart has added a short promotional tour to support What Will We Be, which is due on October 27.

Regina Spektor has lined up another round of concerts to support Far.

Other new tour dates includes: Locksley, Saul Williams, Umphrey's McGee, Gregg Allman Band, Garage a Trois, The Hold Steady, and The Mother Hips.

(c) Copyright 2009 - The Music Box - All Rights Reserved.

Here are some of the reviews, articles, and news stories that we published recently:

Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers: The Woodstock Experience: Volunteers was issued at a pivotal point in Jefferson Airplane's career. It not only marked the end of the ensemble's reign but it also laid the groundwork for Paul Kantner and Grace Slick's next project Blows Against the Empire. The outfit performed material from both albums when it appeared at Woodstock.

Grateful Dead - Road Trips Vol. 2, No. 2: Carousel, 2/14/68: This installment of the Road Trips series touches down in February 1968. The group had just completed a triumphant tour of the Pacific Northwest, where it captured the material that would allow it to complete Anthem of the Sun.

George Strait - Twang - George Strait is the consummate professional. Although he has sounded bored, at times, in recent years, he still makes ridiculously consistent endeavors. On his latest outing, Strait takes steps to get back on course.

Here are a few highlights from the concerts coming to Chicago and Milwaukee through October 8, 2009.

The following is a list of albums that were released September 29:

7 Worlds Collide - The Sun Came Out

Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue

Avett Brothers - I and Love and You

Chris Bell - I Am the Cosmos: Deluxe Edition

Joshua Bell - At Home with Friends

The Black Seeds - Solid Ground

Mariah Carey - Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel

Exene Cervenka - Somewhere Gone

Cherry Poppin' Daddies - Susquehanna

Sean Costello - Sean's Blues

Dawes - North Hills

Dennis Diken - Late Music

Ghostface Killah - Ghostdini, Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City

Grateful Dead - Winterland: June 1977 (9-CD Boxed Set)

Corey Harris - Blu.Black

Will Hoge - The Wreckage

Kris Kristofferson - Closer to the Bone

Miranda Lambert - Revolution

Ramsey Lewis - Songs from the Heart: Ramsey Plays Ramsey

Patti Loveless - Mountain Soul II

Daniel Merriweather - Love and War

Paramore - Brand New Eyes

Phonograph - OKNO

Anna Rose - Anna Rose

Poncho Sanchez - Psychedelic Blues

Chris Smither - Time Stands Still

State Radio - Let It Go

Rod Stewart - The Rod Stewart Sessions (1971-1998) (4-CD Boxed Set)

Curtis Stigers - Lost in Dreams

Barbra Streisand - Love is the Answer

Various Artists - Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy

Various Artists - Secret Policeman Rocks! (DVD)

Yonder Mountain String Band - The Show

For other albums scheduled for release in the coming weeks and months, please visit our New Releases page.

This week's audio streams include music from Manassas. To access these files, please visit our media page.

Rusted Root will be back on the road this fall. The group has also lined up its annual holiday trek, which includes stops in Chicago, Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. Rusted Root is supporting its new album Stereo Rodeo.

the subdudes has assembled an extensive fall tour that runs through the end of the year. The group issued its latest set Flower Petals in late August.

John Fogerty has put together a string of shows in November to support his new effort The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again.

Willy Porter has filled in the gaps in his fall tour schedule to support his new album How to Rob a Bank.

Morrissey has unveiled a string of West Coast tour dates to support his b-sides collection Swords.

Other new tour dates includes: Bob Weir/Rob Wasserman/Jay Lane, Pete Yorn, Rupa and the April Fishes, Furthur (with Phil Lesh and Bob Weir), John Wesley Harding, The Grates, Justin Roberts, Patty Loveless, Kings of Leon, Alison Brown, Alex Cuba, Omara Portuondo, John Mayer Trio, Kyle Hollingsworth, and Mark Stuart.

(c) Copyright 2009 - The Music Box - All Rights Reserved.