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https://thedailyripple.org/index.php/art-music/music-reviews-all-reviewers 2026-06-10T05:27:51+00:00 The Daily Ripple Joomla! - Open Source Content Management 2023-04-17T13:01:53+00:00 2023-04-17T13:01:53+00:00 https://thedailyripple.org/index.php/art-music/cat-blog-reviews-david-masciotra/68-music-review-murder-of-songs-by-grant-peeples-dm Terry Ryan

5 April 2023   Grant Peeples has no time for nonsense. The veteran singer/songwriter and poet has released a passionate new protest record, A Murder of Songs, that confronts the grim threats facing American democracy with sadness, rage, defiance, and even a dose of dark humor. His country and folk music delivery extracts emotional investment from the listener, and pays homage to the familiar sounds of Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris. Peeples is at his best when acting as a creative composer of music as well as a poet. There are songs that, like Springsteen’s The Ghost of Tom Joad, have so little musical accompaniment that they sound and feel more like spoken word exercises than music. But, also like Springsteen, Peeples is a lyric-forward songwriter. Whether it is a beautiful fiddle leading Peeples through the bouncy, “Revolutionary Reel,” or the Irish march, “Insurrection Song (January 6),” the thoughtful and tough lyrics benefit from the corresponding jolt of crafty music. The latter is one of the highlights of the record – a fiery condemnation of the January 6th insurrectionists and their leaders. Peeples offers a clever paraphrase of Kris Kristofferson’s most famous lyric when he sing, “Freedom’s just another word for all we have to lose,” and concludes, “Let the sons of bitches rot in jail for what they tried to do.” Anyone who believes in American democracy will reply with a hearty “amen.”   “Liberal with a Gun” allows Peeples to showcase his dark sense of humor, warning right wing extremists that “liberals too have guns,” and that they are prepared to fight for justice, equality, and their own rights. “Let’s Start Killing Each Other” is another amusing, but sharp treatment of the cultural divide. Peeples offers his titular advice with a sardonic grin, but at the same time, makes the listener think about where the hatred will finally end – certainly, nowhere healthy.   Peeples’ A Murder of Songs is a clear-eyed, rough and tumble response to the dangers facing American democracy. It is not only good music, but relevant art.         David Masciotra (www.davidmasciotra.com) is the author of four books, including Barack Obama: Invisible Man (Eyewear Publishing, 2017) and Mellencamp: American Troubadour (University Press of Kentucky, 2015). To read all of David's reviews, click here          

5 April 2023   Grant Peeples has no time for nonsense. The veteran singer/songwriter and poet has released a passionate new protest record, A Murder of Songs, that confronts the grim threats facing American democracy with sadness, rage, defiance, and even a dose of dark humor. His country and folk music delivery extracts emotional investment from the listener, and pays homage to the familiar sounds of Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris. Peeples is at his best when acting as a creative composer of music as well as a poet. There are songs that, like Springsteen’s The Ghost of Tom Joad, have so little musical accompaniment that they sound and feel more like spoken word exercises than music. But, also like Springsteen, Peeples is a lyric-forward songwriter. Whether it is a beautiful fiddle leading Peeples through the bouncy, “Revolutionary Reel,” or the Irish march, “Insurrection Song (January 6),” the thoughtful and tough lyrics benefit from the corresponding jolt of crafty music. The latter is one of the highlights of the record – a fiery condemnation of the January 6th insurrectionists and their leaders. Peeples offers a clever paraphrase of Kris Kristofferson’s most famous lyric when he sing, “Freedom’s just another word for all we have to lose,” and concludes, “Let the sons of bitches rot in jail for what they tried to do.” Anyone who believes in American democracy will reply with a hearty “amen.”   “Liberal with a Gun” allows Peeples to showcase his dark sense of humor, warning right wing extremists that “liberals too have guns,” and that they are prepared to fight for justice, equality, and their own rights. “Let’s Start Killing Each Other” is another amusing, but sharp treatment of the cultural divide. Peeples offers his titular advice with a sardonic grin, but at the same time, makes the listener think about where the hatred will finally end – certainly, nowhere healthy.   Peeples’ A Murder of Songs is a clear-eyed, rough and tumble response to the dangers facing American democracy. It is not only good music, but relevant art.         David Masciotra (www.davidmasciotra.com) is the author of four books, including Barack Obama: Invisible Man (Eyewear Publishing, 2017) and Mellencamp: American Troubadour (University Press of Kentucky, 2015). To read all of David's reviews, click here           2023-04-21T13:28:22+00:00 2023-04-21T13:28:22+00:00 https://thedailyripple.org/index.php/art-music/cat-blog-reviews-david-masciotra/69-music-review-car-crash-life-by-shoebox-letters-dm Terry Ryan

7 March 2023   Lynyrd Skynyrd titled their third record, Nuthin’ Fancy. Even if Skynyrd is a Southern Rock band, the same description fits the new album from country band, Shoebox Letters. With their memorably-named collection of songs, Shoebox Letters delivers straightforward, no frills country. It is a refreshing break from the gimmicky and slick production that has come to dominate contemporary country radio. Most of the songs are the creation of lead vocalist and guitarist, Dennis Winslow. He shows a deft range of lyricism and country composition, but the success of Car Crash Life is far from his alone. Stephanie Cox often takes lead vocals, bringing an enjoyable tenderness to Winslow’s Dan Baird-like growl. The guitar work is honky tonk authentic, while the rhythm section – Dave Stricker on bass, Brian David Willis on drums – keeps a steady, and sometimes raucous, beat. The songs range from the hardboiled confessions of classic country territory – “Drinking Till I Can’t Walk Straight,” “Car Crash Life” – to more romantic fare. “Under the Same Roof” is a mature love song, celebrating the bond of matrimony and the ways that affection grows, rather than diminishes, with time. “If I Can’t Have You,” an effective duet from Winslow and Cox, speeds through the desirous end of unrequited love. The eight song record clocks in at 25 minutes. It is direct, and despite its brevity, feels like a full album experience. With most song ending under three minutes, Shoebox Letters is still able to not only demonstrate musical skill, but also explore various emotional facets of life.       David Masciotra (www.davidmasciotra.com) is the author of four books, including Barack Obama: Invisible Man (Eyewear Publishing, 2017) and Mellencamp: American Troubadour (University Press of Kentucky, 2015). To read all of David's reviews, click here         

7 March 2023   Lynyrd Skynyrd titled their third record, Nuthin’ Fancy. Even if Skynyrd is a Southern Rock band, the same description fits the new album from country band, Shoebox Letters. With their memorably-named collection of songs, Shoebox Letters delivers straightforward, no frills country. It is a refreshing break from the gimmicky and slick production that has come to dominate contemporary country radio. Most of the songs are the creation of lead vocalist and guitarist, Dennis Winslow. He shows a deft range of lyricism and country composition, but the success of Car Crash Life is far from his alone. Stephanie Cox often takes lead vocals, bringing an enjoyable tenderness to Winslow’s Dan Baird-like growl. The guitar work is honky tonk authentic, while the rhythm section – Dave Stricker on bass, Brian David Willis on drums – keeps a steady, and sometimes raucous, beat. The songs range from the hardboiled confessions of classic country territory – “Drinking Till I Can’t Walk Straight,” “Car Crash Life” – to more romantic fare. “Under the Same Roof” is a mature love song, celebrating the bond of matrimony and the ways that affection grows, rather than diminishes, with time. “If I Can’t Have You,” an effective duet from Winslow and Cox, speeds through the desirous end of unrequited love. The eight song record clocks in at 25 minutes. It is direct, and despite its brevity, feels like a full album experience. With most song ending under three minutes, Shoebox Letters is still able to not only demonstrate musical skill, but also explore various emotional facets of life.       David Masciotra (www.davidmasciotra.com) is the author of four books, including Barack Obama: Invisible Man (Eyewear Publishing, 2017) and Mellencamp: American Troubadour (University Press of Kentucky, 2015). To read all of David's reviews, click here          2023-04-21T13:30:44+00:00 2023-04-21T13:30:44+00:00 https://thedailyripple.org/index.php/art-music/cat-blog-reviews-david-masciotra/70-music-review-gratitude-by-dan-imhoff-dm Terry Ryan

5 October 2022   Dan Imhoff demonstrates delightful dexterity and variety on his new record, Gratitude. Aptly titled, given that he composed and recorded it at the height of the pandemic, the album showcases a light, soulful touch as Imhoff and his adept crew of supportive musicians move through gospel, folk, pop, and jazz. Imhoff’s knack for melody, composition, and arrangement emerge most clearly and colorfully on the lighter material. “Coming Into View” sounds like a soulful-pop hit, and it leads into, perhaps, the album’s highlight, “So Good To Be a Dog.” Showing an effective sense of humor, Imhoff sings about the pleasures of the canine life, and the endless enjoyment of having humans cater to one’s every need. The song moves into a jazzy shuffle after each chorus, occasionally slowing down for drawn out verses. Imhoff has ample skills as a guitarist, playing with a rock and roll rhythm on the opening title track, and even picking with a southern rock meets jazz fusion hybridity on the innovative, “Accidentally Valencia.” A mini-choir of backup vocalists provide a gospel punch, but never overwhelm the arrangements. The production choices are always tasteful and element, allowing the songs to shine no matter how virtuosic the instrumentation. Another triumph, “Factory of Tangled Dreams,” exemplifies a Steely Dan style understanding of how jazz can meet pop/rock, along with richly emotional and detailed lyrics about the small frustrations of the blue collar grind. Forgive such an on-the-nose and predictable closing, but Gratitude offers an auditory of pleasure. Give it a spin, and prepare to feel grateful.          David Masciotra (www.davidmasciotra.com) is the author of four books, including Barack Obama: Invisible Man (Eyewear Publishing, 2017) and Mellencamp: American Troubadour (University Press of Kentucky, 2015). To read all of David's reviews, click here         

5 October 2022   Dan Imhoff demonstrates delightful dexterity and variety on his new record, Gratitude. Aptly titled, given that he composed and recorded it at the height of the pandemic, the album showcases a light, soulful touch as Imhoff and his adept crew of supportive musicians move through gospel, folk, pop, and jazz. Imhoff’s knack for melody, composition, and arrangement emerge most clearly and colorfully on the lighter material. “Coming Into View” sounds like a soulful-pop hit, and it leads into, perhaps, the album’s highlight, “So Good To Be a Dog.” Showing an effective sense of humor, Imhoff sings about the pleasures of the canine life, and the endless enjoyment of having humans cater to one’s every need. The song moves into a jazzy shuffle after each chorus, occasionally slowing down for drawn out verses. Imhoff has ample skills as a guitarist, playing with a rock and roll rhythm on the opening title track, and even picking with a southern rock meets jazz fusion hybridity on the innovative, “Accidentally Valencia.” A mini-choir of backup vocalists provide a gospel punch, but never overwhelm the arrangements. The production choices are always tasteful and element, allowing the songs to shine no matter how virtuosic the instrumentation. Another triumph, “Factory of Tangled Dreams,” exemplifies a Steely Dan style understanding of how jazz can meet pop/rock, along with richly emotional and detailed lyrics about the small frustrations of the blue collar grind. Forgive such an on-the-nose and predictable closing, but Gratitude offers an auditory of pleasure. Give it a spin, and prepare to feel grateful.          David Masciotra (www.davidmasciotra.com) is the author of four books, including Barack Obama: Invisible Man (Eyewear Publishing, 2017) and Mellencamp: American Troubadour (University Press of Kentucky, 2015). To read all of David's reviews, click here          2024-02-15T13:01:53+00:00 2024-02-15T13:01:53+00:00 https://thedailyripple.org/index.php/art-music/cat-blog-reviews-david-masciotra/129-music-review-sparrow-by-jeff-talmadge-dm Terry Ryan

February 15 2024   “The Sound of Falling Snow” is a beautiful song in the second half of seasoned singer/songwriter, Jeff Talmadge’s new record, Sparrow. The gentle tune captures the quiet moments of life – those seconds that it is so quiet that it is possible to hear “the sound of falling snow.” It is a fitting summary of Sparrow’s appeal. Talmadge’s songs are tailor made for silent mornings or evenings when one is in the mood for contemplation of the subtle highs and lows of life. Talmadge has a Kris Kristofferson-like vocal delivery, leading a small Americana band through his reflective stories of beleaguered protagonists staring at the crossroads: Young men, for good or ill, unable to control their passion, ghosts on European trains, and those with hope in their hearts for more romance, more peace, and more abundance. Talmadge’s melodic turns are subtle – sometimes too subtle as a few of the songs closely resemble each other. However, he and his band’s measured delivery is also effective. The slight lift in Talmadge’s voice, or the short flare from one of the instrumentalists, underlines the emotional depth and resonance of Talmadge’s lyrical material. Sparrow flies into the pain of life, but always with hope and love. Talmadge’s authentic and honest songwriting is worthy of time and attention.           David Masciotra (www.davidmasciotra.com) is the author of four books, including Barack Obama: Invisible Man (Eyewear Publishing, 2017) and Mellencamp: American Troubadour (University Press of Kentucky, 2015). To read all of David's reviews, click here      

February 15 2024   “The Sound of Falling Snow” is a beautiful song in the second half of seasoned singer/songwriter, Jeff Talmadge’s new record, Sparrow. The gentle tune captures the quiet moments of life – those seconds that it is so quiet that it is possible to hear “the sound of falling snow.” It is a fitting summary of Sparrow’s appeal. Talmadge’s songs are tailor made for silent mornings or evenings when one is in the mood for contemplation of the subtle highs and lows of life. Talmadge has a Kris Kristofferson-like vocal delivery, leading a small Americana band through his reflective stories of beleaguered protagonists staring at the crossroads: Young men, for good or ill, unable to control their passion, ghosts on European trains, and those with hope in their hearts for more romance, more peace, and more abundance. Talmadge’s melodic turns are subtle – sometimes too subtle as a few of the songs closely resemble each other. However, he and his band’s measured delivery is also effective. The slight lift in Talmadge’s voice, or the short flare from one of the instrumentalists, underlines the emotional depth and resonance of Talmadge’s lyrical material. Sparrow flies into the pain of life, but always with hope and love. Talmadge’s authentic and honest songwriting is worthy of time and attention.           David Masciotra (www.davidmasciotra.com) is the author of four books, including Barack Obama: Invisible Man (Eyewear Publishing, 2017) and Mellencamp: American Troubadour (University Press of Kentucky, 2015). To read all of David's reviews, click here       2025-07-01T13:01:53+00:00 2025-07-01T13:01:53+00:00 https://thedailyripple.org/index.php/art-music/cat-blog-reviews-david-masciotra/144-music-review-late-bloomer-by-kellys-lot-dm Fred Boenig

July 2 2025   Kelly’s Lot is an eclectic and exploratory songwriting duo consisting of Kelly Zirbes and Perry Robertson. Veterans of music, both at home and abroad, Kelly’s Lot has crafted their 18th album, Late Bloomer. Their years of dedication to composition and public performance shine through all of Late Bloomer’s eleven musical windows. Looking through the vistas of their design allows listeners to enter a world of hope through struggle, pride through defeat, and joy through pain. The music demonstrates much greater variety than the typical “Americana” record. Far from whispering sad stories over the soft strums of an acoustic guitar, Kelly’s Lot display a versatility and creativity with inspired instrumental choices, like the clarinet solo on the opening up tempo number, “Pied Piper,” and daring melodies that borrow, with skill, from European folk more than the American south. c’s voice has a haunting effectuality, most especially on the ballad, “Terry.” Robertson’s guitar riffs are memorable, providing solid scaffolding for this series of moving and enjoyable songs. The emotions of the record have a range similar to the musical arrangements. The title track is a hopeful anthem for improving with age, set to a reggae-like rhythm. “Bully” is an angry warning against those who abuse their power in an attempt to impose their will on those they deem inferior. The titular sociopaths whom Kelly’s Lot rightfully condemn include those who “break up families” and those who “break up countries.” “Miner’s Ode” is a chilling, dark folk song about the hardship of going down into the coal mines for a hard day’s living. Rich piano notes open the closing song, “Where There is Hope,” an infectious secular hymn in search of truth, love, and hope, marching ahead according to Kelly’s Lot’s belief that “Where there is hope, we will find it.” The album, Late Bloomer, provides fitting accompaniment for the search. https://www.kellyslot.com/music         David Masciotra (www.davidmasciotra.com) is the author of four books, including Barack Obama: Invisible Man (Eyewear Publishing, 2017) and Mellencamp: American Troubadour (University Press of Kentucky, 2015). To read all of David's reviews, click here      

July 2 2025   Kelly’s Lot is an eclectic and exploratory songwriting duo consisting of Kelly Zirbes and Perry Robertson. Veterans of music, both at home and abroad, Kelly’s Lot has crafted their 18th album, Late Bloomer. Their years of dedication to composition and public performance shine through all of Late Bloomer’s eleven musical windows. Looking through the vistas of their design allows listeners to enter a world of hope through struggle, pride through defeat, and joy through pain. The music demonstrates much greater variety than the typical “Americana” record. Far from whispering sad stories over the soft strums of an acoustic guitar, Kelly’s Lot display a versatility and creativity with inspired instrumental choices, like the clarinet solo on the opening up tempo number, “Pied Piper,” and daring melodies that borrow, with skill, from European folk more than the American south. c’s voice has a haunting effectuality, most especially on the ballad, “Terry.” Robertson’s guitar riffs are memorable, providing solid scaffolding for this series of moving and enjoyable songs. The emotions of the record have a range similar to the musical arrangements. The title track is a hopeful anthem for improving with age, set to a reggae-like rhythm. “Bully” is an angry warning against those who abuse their power in an attempt to impose their will on those they deem inferior. The titular sociopaths whom Kelly’s Lot rightfully condemn include those who “break up families” and those who “break up countries.” “Miner’s Ode” is a chilling, dark folk song about the hardship of going down into the coal mines for a hard day’s living. Rich piano notes open the closing song, “Where There is Hope,” an infectious secular hymn in search of truth, love, and hope, marching ahead according to Kelly’s Lot’s belief that “Where there is hope, we will find it.” The album, Late Bloomer, provides fitting accompaniment for the search. https://www.kellyslot.com/music         David Masciotra (www.davidmasciotra.com) is the author of four books, including Barack Obama: Invisible Man (Eyewear Publishing, 2017) and Mellencamp: American Troubadour (University Press of Kentucky, 2015). To read all of David's reviews, click here       2026-04-10T01:01:53+00:00 2026-04-10T01:01:53+00:00 https://thedailyripple.org/index.php/art-music/cat-blog-reviews-david-masciotra/152-music-review-cold-dawn-james-kahn-dm Fred Boenig

April 10 2026 James Kahn "Cold Dawn" Novelist, screenwriter, singer/songwriter, and modern Renaissance Man, James Kahn has returned with a timely and bracing new single and video, "Cold Dawn." With a New Orleans rhythm and blues-inflected raspy vocal, Kahn summons the spirits of the best of American art to confront an America dancing along the edge of catastrophe.    One of the failures of the troubled times that define the present is a dearth of protest music. At the precise moment when art should marshal its power to inspire and agitate, many artists, including those with millions of dollars and followers, have chosen to cower in a corner of their own celebrity.    Kahn demonstrates a gratifying and enlivening willingness to sing and play according to, in the words of Martin Luther King, the "fierce urgency of now." His lyrics offer condemnation of the hatred, violence, and fascism that threatens the stability of democracy and the hope for equality, but his chorus pleads with listeners to "hold on" in the "cold dawn." Kahn is rightfully angry. He is also providing an anthem for resistance, solidarity, and tenacity - the very measure of what is necessary to preserve any experiment of self-governance. The music video juxtaposes images of the Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan with Donald Trump before cutting to scenes of democratic rebellion. It acts as a musical document of the stakes of the era, while still managing to entertain.    The singable chorus of "Cold Dawn" is infectious, but not cloying. It would offer appropriate accompaniment for any No Kings or anti-ICE rally.          David Masciotra (www.davidmasciotra.com) is the author of four books, including Barack Obama: Invisible Man (Eyewear Publishing, 2017) and Mellencamp: American Troubadour (University Press of Kentucky, 2015). To read all of David's reviews, click here      

April 10 2026 James Kahn "Cold Dawn" Novelist, screenwriter, singer/songwriter, and modern Renaissance Man, James Kahn has returned with a timely and bracing new single and video, "Cold Dawn." With a New Orleans rhythm and blues-inflected raspy vocal, Kahn summons the spirits of the best of American art to confront an America dancing along the edge of catastrophe.    One of the failures of the troubled times that define the present is a dearth of protest music. At the precise moment when art should marshal its power to inspire and agitate, many artists, including those with millions of dollars and followers, have chosen to cower in a corner of their own celebrity.    Kahn demonstrates a gratifying and enlivening willingness to sing and play according to, in the words of Martin Luther King, the "fierce urgency of now." His lyrics offer condemnation of the hatred, violence, and fascism that threatens the stability of democracy and the hope for equality, but his chorus pleads with listeners to "hold on" in the "cold dawn." Kahn is rightfully angry. He is also providing an anthem for resistance, solidarity, and tenacity - the very measure of what is necessary to preserve any experiment of self-governance. The music video juxtaposes images of the Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan with Donald Trump before cutting to scenes of democratic rebellion. It acts as a musical document of the stakes of the era, while still managing to entertain.    The singable chorus of "Cold Dawn" is infectious, but not cloying. It would offer appropriate accompaniment for any No Kings or anti-ICE rally.          David Masciotra (www.davidmasciotra.com) is the author of four books, including Barack Obama: Invisible Man (Eyewear Publishing, 2017) and Mellencamp: American Troubadour (University Press of Kentucky, 2015). To read all of David's reviews, click here       2026-05-27T01:01:53+00:00 2026-05-27T01:01:53+00:00 https://thedailyripple.org/index.php/art-music/cat-blog-reviews-david-masciotra/162-music-review-theres-a-change-a-comin-by-wiser-time-dm Fred Boenig

May 27 2026 “There’s a Change A-Comin’” by Wiser Time" Carmen Sclafani performs under the name “Wiser Time.” The stage name is a bit pretentious and self-indulgent, but it does contain some truth in advertising. The singer/songwriter is attempting to resuscitate that protest spirit of 1960s folk and rock. At least in terms of artist engagement with societal crises, it was a “wiser time” in American culture. Wiser Time (Sclafani) has a soulful voice and play his acoustic guitar in a warm, intimate style. It is a pleasure to listen to him weave stories and emote through political and personal subject matter, but the minimal accompaniment, soft delivery, and down tempo of most of the material does create a sense of repetition throughout the nine original compositions of “There’s a Change A-Comin’.” None of that is to say that there aren’t profound and deeply moving highlights, most especially the evocative and tenderly emotional “If You Never See Me Again” and the soul-fused “Divided.” On the latter, Wiser Time’s voice communicates in the frequency of the heart, as it resembles Richie Kotzen. Of the political songs, “The People’s House” is the most powerful. Singing in the voice of one of the January 6th insurrectionists, he threatens to kill Nancy Pelosi, boasts of destroying and defiling government property, and confidently expresses his expectation for a pardon. It was a brilliant move to adopt the voice of one of the villains rather than one of the heroes or victims. Wiser Time, through the gift of his song and the courage of his indignation, reminds listeners how dark, stupid, and dangerous our times have become when the president of the United States aids and protects terrorists, while defaming and threatening their targets. Wiser Time, despite the album’s flaws, has delivered a soulful and bracing testimony of the power of art in defiance of injustice. https://wiser-time.com/       David Masciotra (www.davidmasciotra.com) is the author of four books, including Barack Obama: Invisible Man (Eyewear Publishing, 2017) and Mellencamp: American Troubadour (University Press of Kentucky, 2015). To read all of David's reviews, click here      

May 27 2026 “There’s a Change A-Comin’” by Wiser Time" Carmen Sclafani performs under the name “Wiser Time.” The stage name is a bit pretentious and self-indulgent, but it does contain some truth in advertising. The singer/songwriter is attempting to resuscitate that protest spirit of 1960s folk and rock. At least in terms of artist engagement with societal crises, it was a “wiser time” in American culture. Wiser Time (Sclafani) has a soulful voice and play his acoustic guitar in a warm, intimate style. It is a pleasure to listen to him weave stories and emote through political and personal subject matter, but the minimal accompaniment, soft delivery, and down tempo of most of the material does create a sense of repetition throughout the nine original compositions of “There’s a Change A-Comin’.” None of that is to say that there aren’t profound and deeply moving highlights, most especially the evocative and tenderly emotional “If You Never See Me Again” and the soul-fused “Divided.” On the latter, Wiser Time’s voice communicates in the frequency of the heart, as it resembles Richie Kotzen. Of the political songs, “The People’s House” is the most powerful. Singing in the voice of one of the January 6th insurrectionists, he threatens to kill Nancy Pelosi, boasts of destroying and defiling government property, and confidently expresses his expectation for a pardon. It was a brilliant move to adopt the voice of one of the villains rather than one of the heroes or victims. Wiser Time, through the gift of his song and the courage of his indignation, reminds listeners how dark, stupid, and dangerous our times have become when the president of the United States aids and protects terrorists, while defaming and threatening their targets. Wiser Time, despite the album’s flaws, has delivered a soulful and bracing testimony of the power of art in defiance of injustice. https://wiser-time.com/       David Masciotra (www.davidmasciotra.com) is the author of four books, including Barack Obama: Invisible Man (Eyewear Publishing, 2017) and Mellencamp: American Troubadour (University Press of Kentucky, 2015). To read all of David's reviews, click here       2023-04-21T13:56:34+00:00 2023-04-21T13:56:34+00:00 https://thedailyripple.org/index.php/art-music/reviews-cat-blog-tom-druckenmiller/83-music-review-by-the-risin-of-the-sea-by-james-kahn-td Terry Ryan

11 December 2022   There is an increased interest in sea shanties in the wake of the popular movie Fisherman's Friends. Performers are finding joy in the powerful harmonies and stirring sentiments of the sea shanty. James Kahn is an American medical specialist concentrating in emergency medicine. He also has become quite well known as a writer of science fiction and the novelization of some very popular movies including Poltergeist, Return of the Jedi and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. He also began to write for television, most notably St. Elsewhere, Star Trek and All My Children. A writer so steeped in the Hollywood scene would not be expected to try yet a third career but James is also a fine composer, singer and instrumentalist. This collection of self-composed sea shanties is primarily a vocal set of songs in traditional harmony with the minimal but essential instrumental backing of guitar, fiddle, accordion, hammered dulcimer, various recorders and bodhran.The strong vocals are mostly from James and his producer and musical mentor David West.   By the Risin' of the Sea is James' third release and features twelve stirring traditional and contemporary-based shanties. The most traditional are “The Vast Infinity” and the title track “The Risin' of the Sea.” Both have the sound of the shanty tradition but with investigation, the lyrics concern contemporary events and problems. The lush harmonies benefit from the use of the modern recording studio. The most contemporary shanty is the obvious “In the Covid Times” (radio programmers beware) concerning observations of 2020 and the pandemic. In another time this would be perhaps considered a traditional tune about a sailor leaving difficult times in his schooner. My favorite selection is the acapella song “Landfall” featuring James and David in close harmony.  By the Risin' of the Sea is a lovely and timely reimagination of the sea shanty by the very talented physician-writer-musician James Kahn.      Tom has a long history with Sing Out! as a writer and regular contributor (for more than a decade) and deep and rich skills as a radio host and programmer of folk and roots music! He's been a folk musician and teacher for over forty years. Tom began playing and singing Bob Dylan and Tom Paxton songs, but fell in love with old-time music and the clawhammer banjo after hearing John McCutcheon at the legendary Bethlehem folk club Godfrey Daniels. He has studied with old-time music greats Dwight Diller, Riley Baugus and Norman and Nancy Blake … and has, himself, taught at many music camps and workshops including The Augusta Heritage Workshops (in Elkins WV), the Pocono Dulcimer Fest (in Stroudsburg PA) and the Maidencreek Old-Time Music Festival (in Blandon PA). Druckemiller’s continuing regular local radio gig “In The Tradition” has aired on WDIY-FM in Allentown PA for the past 16 years, and he also co-hosts the “Sunday Folk” program on the station. TO READ ALL OF TOM'S REVIEWS, CLICK HERE         

11 December 2022   There is an increased interest in sea shanties in the wake of the popular movie Fisherman's Friends. Performers are finding joy in the powerful harmonies and stirring sentiments of the sea shanty. James Kahn is an American medical specialist concentrating in emergency medicine. He also has become quite well known as a writer of science fiction and the novelization of some very popular movies including Poltergeist, Return of the Jedi and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. He also began to write for television, most notably St. Elsewhere, Star Trek and All My Children. A writer so steeped in the Hollywood scene would not be expected to try yet a third career but James is also a fine composer, singer and instrumentalist. This collection of self-composed sea shanties is primarily a vocal set of songs in traditional harmony with the minimal but essential instrumental backing of guitar, fiddle, accordion, hammered dulcimer, various recorders and bodhran.The strong vocals are mostly from James and his producer and musical mentor David West.   By the Risin' of the Sea is James' third release and features twelve stirring traditional and contemporary-based shanties. The most traditional are “The Vast Infinity” and the title track “The Risin' of the Sea.” Both have the sound of the shanty tradition but with investigation, the lyrics concern contemporary events and problems. The lush harmonies benefit from the use of the modern recording studio. The most contemporary shanty is the obvious “In the Covid Times” (radio programmers beware) concerning observations of 2020 and the pandemic. In another time this would be perhaps considered a traditional tune about a sailor leaving difficult times in his schooner. My favorite selection is the acapella song “Landfall” featuring James and David in close harmony.  By the Risin' of the Sea is a lovely and timely reimagination of the sea shanty by the very talented physician-writer-musician James Kahn.      Tom has a long history with Sing Out! as a writer and regular contributor (for more than a decade) and deep and rich skills as a radio host and programmer of folk and roots music! He's been a folk musician and teacher for over forty years. Tom began playing and singing Bob Dylan and Tom Paxton songs, but fell in love with old-time music and the clawhammer banjo after hearing John McCutcheon at the legendary Bethlehem folk club Godfrey Daniels. He has studied with old-time music greats Dwight Diller, Riley Baugus and Norman and Nancy Blake … and has, himself, taught at many music camps and workshops including The Augusta Heritage Workshops (in Elkins WV), the Pocono Dulcimer Fest (in Stroudsburg PA) and the Maidencreek Old-Time Music Festival (in Blandon PA). Druckemiller’s continuing regular local radio gig “In The Tradition” has aired on WDIY-FM in Allentown PA for the past 16 years, and he also co-hosts the “Sunday Folk” program on the station. TO READ ALL OF TOM'S REVIEWS, CLICK HERE          2024-02-17T01:56:34+00:00 2024-02-17T01:56:34+00:00 https://thedailyripple.org/index.php/art-music/reviews-cat-blog-tom-druckenmiller/130-music-review-sparrow-by-jeff-talmadge-td Terry Ryan

February 17 2024   Jeff Talmadge is a Texas songwriter through and through. It's been ten years since Kind of Everything his last album. It's been even longer since he tried his last case as a board certified civil trial attorney.  He's been awarded the Academy of American Poets Award from Duke University and has won a number of accolades as a songwriter. Sparrow is just about a perfect recording. Jeff's style is classic singer songwriter with strong melodies and lyrics that are easy to understand delivered in a relaxed style reminiscent of classic Tom Rush or John Prine. The recording is produced by Jeff along with J. David Leonard and Bradley Kopp who both offer tasty accompaniment to Jeff's fine fingerpicked guitar. The recording opens with “Hurricane” which depicts life on the coastal plain on Texas where Jeff spent his childhood. The tune features gentle backing vocals and guitar from Koop. The song that lends the title to the CD “If I Was A Sparrow” is a classic singer/songwriter piece with a timeless quality to the tune and the lyric. The subject is a lost love and a relationship that despite the ending he would “do it all again”. I found myself listening to this track more than any other.  “Devil's Highway” is a is a collaborative effort from Talmadge and Austin songwriters Jim Patton and Steve Brooks. It's the story about a guy who took a wrong turn down the Devil's Highway to leave his family to travel into the unknown. How it turns out we'll never know for sure but by the conclusion of the story “he lives alone and he's down on his luck, life came at him like a semi-truck, he looks in the mirror and doesn't know the man with Halloween eyes and the midnight tan”. We've all been there. “Katie's Got a Locket” is the story of a good girl and maybe her first “true” love. The song describes how she feels today when she thinks of those past days as she looks at the locket. It's unclear whether the two of them stayed together but it's clear that both of them have tender feelings for each other. A song for the one that got away. This is just a few of the wonderful offerings on Sparrow by Texas songwriter Jeff Talmadge. Let's just not wait ten years for the next.    Tom has a long history with Sing Out! as a writer and regular contributor (for more than a decade) and deep and rich skills as a radio host and programmer of folk and roots music! He's been a folk musician and teacher for over forty years. Tom began playing and singing Bob Dylan and Tom Paxton songs, but fell in love with old-time music and the clawhammer banjo after hearing John McCutcheon at the legendary Bethlehem folk club Godfrey Daniels. He has studied with old-time music greats Dwight Diller, Riley Baugus and Norman and Nancy Blake … and has, himself, taught at many music camps and workshops including The Augusta Heritage Workshops (in Elkins WV), the Pocono Dulcimer Fest (in Stroudsburg PA) and the Maidencreek Old-Time Music Festival (in Blandon PA). Druckemiller’s continuing regular local radio gig “In The Tradition” has aired on WDIY-FM in Allentown PA for the past 16 years, and he also co-hosts the “Sunday Folk” program on the station. TO READ ALL OF TOM'S REVIEWS, CLICK HERE     

February 17 2024   Jeff Talmadge is a Texas songwriter through and through. It's been ten years since Kind of Everything his last album. It's been even longer since he tried his last case as a board certified civil trial attorney.  He's been awarded the Academy of American Poets Award from Duke University and has won a number of accolades as a songwriter. Sparrow is just about a perfect recording. Jeff's style is classic singer songwriter with strong melodies and lyrics that are easy to understand delivered in a relaxed style reminiscent of classic Tom Rush or John Prine. The recording is produced by Jeff along with J. David Leonard and Bradley Kopp who both offer tasty accompaniment to Jeff's fine fingerpicked guitar. The recording opens with “Hurricane” which depicts life on the coastal plain on Texas where Jeff spent his childhood. The tune features gentle backing vocals and guitar from Koop. The song that lends the title to the CD “If I Was A Sparrow” is a classic singer/songwriter piece with a timeless quality to the tune and the lyric. The subject is a lost love and a relationship that despite the ending he would “do it all again”. I found myself listening to this track more than any other.  “Devil's Highway” is a is a collaborative effort from Talmadge and Austin songwriters Jim Patton and Steve Brooks. It's the story about a guy who took a wrong turn down the Devil's Highway to leave his family to travel into the unknown. How it turns out we'll never know for sure but by the conclusion of the story “he lives alone and he's down on his luck, life came at him like a semi-truck, he looks in the mirror and doesn't know the man with Halloween eyes and the midnight tan”. We've all been there. “Katie's Got a Locket” is the story of a good girl and maybe her first “true” love. The song describes how she feels today when she thinks of those past days as she looks at the locket. It's unclear whether the two of them stayed together but it's clear that both of them have tender feelings for each other. A song for the one that got away. This is just a few of the wonderful offerings on Sparrow by Texas songwriter Jeff Talmadge. Let's just not wait ten years for the next.    Tom has a long history with Sing Out! as a writer and regular contributor (for more than a decade) and deep and rich skills as a radio host and programmer of folk and roots music! He's been a folk musician and teacher for over forty years. Tom began playing and singing Bob Dylan and Tom Paxton songs, but fell in love with old-time music and the clawhammer banjo after hearing John McCutcheon at the legendary Bethlehem folk club Godfrey Daniels. He has studied with old-time music greats Dwight Diller, Riley Baugus and Norman and Nancy Blake … and has, himself, taught at many music camps and workshops including The Augusta Heritage Workshops (in Elkins WV), the Pocono Dulcimer Fest (in Stroudsburg PA) and the Maidencreek Old-Time Music Festival (in Blandon PA). Druckemiller’s continuing regular local radio gig “In The Tradition” has aired on WDIY-FM in Allentown PA for the past 16 years, and he also co-hosts the “Sunday Folk” program on the station. TO READ ALL OF TOM'S REVIEWS, CLICK HERE      2023-04-21T13:35:17+00:00 2023-04-21T13:35:17+00:00 https://thedailyripple.org/index.php/art-music/cat-blog-reviews-jim-hynes/71-music-review-murder-of-songs-by-grant-peeples-jh Terry Ryan

26 February 2023    If you feel, like this writer has in recent years, that the outspoken folk singer has disappeared, then you’d best listen to the latest, A Murder of Songs, from Grant Peeples. His is a brutal commentary on our country’s divisive, troubled state. If only Peeples had recorded this album after learning that the Fox News hosts knew they were lying about the 2020 election, and that Speaker McCarthy turned over 40,000 hours of Jan 6 footage to Tucker Carlson, of all people, it would be even a stronger gut punch. Nonetheless, Peeples shines a light on the absurdity of our current situation. Welcome back to protest music that we’ve dearly missed. But Peeples is the exception. He’s been writing substantive songs for over two decades now through eleven albums, three books of poetry, live albums, and multi-media videos made during the pandemic called Clay Tablets. He opens in soft, acoustic style with the only non-original song, a spare rendering of Mark Knopfler’s classic anti-war anthem, informed by the Falklands War “Brothers in Arms” likely with Jan 6 and possibly Ukraine in mind- “That we’re fools to make war on our brothers in arms.” He continues in a pensive state with the co-write with co-producer Danny Goddard, “This Is the Good News,” explaining that we must stay vigilant and on-guard because – “Anything is possible, nothing is for sure, anyone can do these things, things never done before. This is the good news, this is the bad news.”  With the Pete Seeger-like banjo (Scott Anderson) and fiddle (Christian Ward) driven “Revolutionary Reel” the style and tempo go upbeat. These various changes trace to the album being recorded in ten different studios and a couple of dozen musicians and engineers over a two-year span (yes, the pandemic). “Revolutionary Reel!” was written shortly after the death of George Floyd and calls us to action with these words – “Though I’m not here to say I know what a dead man feels/ Might be time to abandon caution, a little action instead of talking/Play a little revolutionary reel. Peeples sound as if he’s fronting the rebel Irish band The Wolfe Tones or the Pogues on his tongue in cheek but still searing “Insurrection Song (January 6).” He cleverly repurposes one of Kristofferson’s indelible lines - It was an insurrection, so patriots must stand/And heed the call for justice and let leniency be damned/Cause freedom’s just another word for all we have to lose/Let the sonsabitches rot in jail for what they tried to do.” Some of these, however, are not flat-out protest songs. “Dear Sadie” is a lullaby of sorts written for his grandniece, reflecting on ancestry, and the choices one must make for a better future. Peeples considers it one of the best he has ever written. ”Elisabeth” speaks to comforting a close friend. Another standout is the autobiographical and identifiable “The Restless Ones,” where Peeples expresses his solidarity with like-minded rebellious types. The first verse is read by Scottish poet Lorna Simes, which complements the feel and raw emotion of the song. Landon Gay’s pedal steel gives the requisite gravitas to these lyrics - Artists; rebels who will pick a fight/I keep’ um close, don’t let ‘um slip away/Cause they got ‘it’ and it’s the only thing/The only thing I ever count on, cause…/I’ve always run with the restless ones. Peeples angst comes to the fore on his 2007 reworked “Liberal With a Gun” where he makes it clear it’s not just the liberals who hold the guns. We are living in a frightful culture of gun violence that has only worsened 15 years later. He closes, using his humor, wit, and sarcasm with jaunty, vaudeville-like music to share the ominous message “Let’s Start Killing Each Other” – “Got your leftwing, rightwing, your black and white/Conservatives and Liberals just itching for a fight/When you know they’re wrong and they swear they’re right/You can bet there’s gonna be trouble/So, just whip out a switchblade, pull out a gun/Pistol whip some sumbitch just for fun/And don’t stop dealing till the dealing’s done./Till we start killing each other.” Peeples is not shy about speaking his mind and has commendably put his thoughts across with an enjoyable, varied musical palette. His rather plain singing voice is emblematic of who he is – an honest, no-holds barred, rebel folk singer. He’s here to remind us that his kind is still offering vital messages.       Jim Hynes is an independent contributor on music for several magazines, including Elmore and Country Standard Time. He has also written for Variety. He was a listener-supported public station(s) radio host for 25 years in CT, MI, NJ and PA. He is also a Live music host/Emcee at several national and regional venues. To Read All of Jim's Reviews, Click Here        

26 February 2023    If you feel, like this writer has in recent years, that the outspoken folk singer has disappeared, then you’d best listen to the latest, A Murder of Songs, from Grant Peeples. His is a brutal commentary on our country’s divisive, troubled state. If only Peeples had recorded this album after learning that the Fox News hosts knew they were lying about the 2020 election, and that Speaker McCarthy turned over 40,000 hours of Jan 6 footage to Tucker Carlson, of all people, it would be even a stronger gut punch. Nonetheless, Peeples shines a light on the absurdity of our current situation. Welcome back to protest music that we’ve dearly missed. But Peeples is the exception. He’s been writing substantive songs for over two decades now through eleven albums, three books of poetry, live albums, and multi-media videos made during the pandemic called Clay Tablets. He opens in soft, acoustic style with the only non-original song, a spare rendering of Mark Knopfler’s classic anti-war anthem, informed by the Falklands War “Brothers in Arms” likely with Jan 6 and possibly Ukraine in mind- “That we’re fools to make war on our brothers in arms.” He continues in a pensive state with the co-write with co-producer Danny Goddard, “This Is the Good News,” explaining that we must stay vigilant and on-guard because – “Anything is possible, nothing is for sure, anyone can do these things, things never done before. This is the good news, this is the bad news.”  With the Pete Seeger-like banjo (Scott Anderson) and fiddle (Christian Ward) driven “Revolutionary Reel” the style and tempo go upbeat. These various changes trace to the album being recorded in ten different studios and a couple of dozen musicians and engineers over a two-year span (yes, the pandemic). “Revolutionary Reel!” was written shortly after the death of George Floyd and calls us to action with these words – “Though I’m not here to say I know what a dead man feels/ Might be time to abandon caution, a little action instead of talking/Play a little revolutionary reel. Peeples sound as if he’s fronting the rebel Irish band The Wolfe Tones or the Pogues on his tongue in cheek but still searing “Insurrection Song (January 6).” He cleverly repurposes one of Kristofferson’s indelible lines - It was an insurrection, so patriots must stand/And heed the call for justice and let leniency be damned/Cause freedom’s just another word for all we have to lose/Let the sonsabitches rot in jail for what they tried to do.” Some of these, however, are not flat-out protest songs. “Dear Sadie” is a lullaby of sorts written for his grandniece, reflecting on ancestry, and the choices one must make for a better future. Peeples considers it one of the best he has ever written. ”Elisabeth” speaks to comforting a close friend. Another standout is the autobiographical and identifiable “The Restless Ones,” where Peeples expresses his solidarity with like-minded rebellious types. The first verse is read by Scottish poet Lorna Simes, which complements the feel and raw emotion of the song. Landon Gay’s pedal steel gives the requisite gravitas to these lyrics - Artists; rebels who will pick a fight/I keep’ um close, don’t let ‘um slip away/Cause they got ‘it’ and it’s the only thing/The only thing I ever count on, cause…/I’ve always run with the restless ones. Peeples angst comes to the fore on his 2007 reworked “Liberal With a Gun” where he makes it clear it’s not just the liberals who hold the guns. We are living in a frightful culture of gun violence that has only worsened 15 years later. He closes, using his humor, wit, and sarcasm with jaunty, vaudeville-like music to share the ominous message “Let’s Start Killing Each Other” – “Got your leftwing, rightwing, your black and white/Conservatives and Liberals just itching for a fight/When you know they’re wrong and they swear they’re right/You can bet there’s gonna be trouble/So, just whip out a switchblade, pull out a gun/Pistol whip some sumbitch just for fun/And don’t stop dealing till the dealing’s done./Till we start killing each other.” Peeples is not shy about speaking his mind and has commendably put his thoughts across with an enjoyable, varied musical palette. His rather plain singing voice is emblematic of who he is – an honest, no-holds barred, rebel folk singer. He’s here to remind us that his kind is still offering vital messages.       Jim Hynes is an independent contributor on music for several magazines, including Elmore and Country Standard Time. He has also written for Variety. He was a listener-supported public station(s) radio host for 25 years in CT, MI, NJ and PA. He is also a Live music host/Emcee at several national and regional venues. To Read All of Jim's Reviews, Click Here