GalleryJohn Palumbo Continues to Pull No Punches With His Latest, Biting Solo Release, Vampire
BY MIKE METTLER i JANUARY 13, 2024
John Palumbo is a no-BS artist. The once and forever Crack The Sky frontman has been on a mission to tell it like it is as a cutting-edge observational songwriter ever since CTS first hit the progressive-leaning rock scene in 1975. But every now and then, JP likes to put his […]
GalleryThe SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2023
BY MIKE METTLER — JANUARY 1, 2024
Whether you choose to consume your music via high-grade180-gram LPs, full-on surround sound and/or Dolby Atmos immersive audio mixes, top-shelf streaming services, hi-res audio downloads, or even standard-issue CDs, this past year delivered yet another wonderfully wide wave of full-length aural wonders. In reverse order, here are The SoundBard’s Top 31 long-players of […]
GalleryWoodstock at 54: Back to the Garden Once Again, for Song and Celebration
BY MIKE METTLER I AUGUST 18, 2023
Fifty-four years ago on August 15, 1969, the Woodstock Music & Art Fair commenced at Max Yasgur’s Farm in Bethel, New York, at exactly 5:07 p.m. — i.e., the very moment rhythmic folk ’n’ soul singer/songwriter Richie Havens took to the stage. It’s quite the understatement to say that the world culture has never […]
GalleryThe SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2022
BY MIKE METTLER — JANUARY 1, 2023
Whether you choose to consume your music via high-grade180-gram LPs, top-shelf streaming services, hi-res audio downloads, standard-issue CDs, and/or full-on 5.1 surround sound and/or Dolby Atmos immersive audio mixes, this past year delivered yet another wonderfully wide wave of full-length aural wonders. In reverse order, here are The SoundBard’s Top 31 long-players of […]
Woodstock at 53: Back to the Garden Once Again, for Song and Celebration
BY MIKE METTLER I AUGUST 18, 2022
Fifty-three years ago on August 15, 1969, the Woodstock Music & Art Fair commenced at Max Yasgur’s Farm in Bethel, New York, at exactly 5:07 p.m. — i.e., the very moment rhythmic folk ’n’ soul singer/songwriter Richie Havens took to the stage. It’s quite the understatement to say that the world culture has never […]
Step Into The Limelight With Rush’s Moving Pictures – 40th Anniversary Expanded Reissues Are Slated To Arrive April 15
BY MIKE METTLER – FEBRUARY 12, 2022
On April 15, 2022, UMe/Mercury and Anthem Records label groups continue the extensive Rush 40th anniversary album series with new, expanded editions of the band’s groundbreaking 1981 release, Moving Pictures, embodying its well-deserved classic album status. Moving Pictures-40th Anniversary will be available to fans in six distinct configurations, including the (1) Super Deluxe Edition, (2) three-CD Deluxe […]
GalleryThe SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2021
BY MIKE METTLER — JANUARY 1, 2022
Tales From the Clean N’ Scrub Union: Many recording artists made great use of our ongoing, off-putting pandemic times to create some of the best work of their respective careers. Some of them are only now just entering the cognizant creative fray to both capture and reflect the zeitgeist for the very first […]
GalleryHitting All the Right Angles
Chicago-Bred Songwriter Ike Reilly Tackles a Different Perspective to Move Because the Angels Beyond the Norm
By BELLA MARIE — DECEMBER 16, 2021
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about art, it’s that it has its own DNA forged from the experiences and feelings of those who create it. “In a way, I wish I could move beyond these things — […]
GalleryWoodstock at 52: Back to the Garden Once Again, for Song and Celebration
BY MIKE METTLER – AUGUST 17, 2021
Fifty-two years ago on August 15, 1969, the Woodstock Music & Art Fair commenced at Max Yasgur’s Farm in Bethel, New York, at exactly 5:07 p.m. — i.e., the very moment rhythmic folk ’n’ soul singer/songwriter Richie Havens took to the stage. It’s quite the understatement to say that the world culture has […]
GalleryKeepin’ It Styxy: My Exclusive Interview With Styx Producer Will Evankovich
BY BRIAN RANDALL — JUNE 18, 2021
Will Evankovich rocks the stage. Photo by Mark Walter.
Throughout their history, Styx’s biggest integral change has been their rotating cast, but with certain key members being steady following their Wooden Nickel years (1972-74), their sound has stayed pretty “Styxy” since conception. Most everyone knows them from such classic radio hits as “Come Sail […]
GalleryAn Awesome Journey: My Exclusive Interview With Styx Producer Will Evankovich
BY MEGHAN SLUSARSKI — JUNE 18, 2021
Will Evankovich in action onstage. Photo by Courtni Meadows.
Will Evankovich has had so many experiences and amazing opportunities in his career as a professional musician. For him, it’s a journey — and, as he told me during a recent, exclusive interview we conducted via Zoom, “The whole journey is awesome!”
Will grew up […]
GalleryThe Tragically Hip Will Release Surprise New Album Saskadelphia on May 21
My Skeleton Crew: The Tragically Hip in B&W repose, in 1991. Photo by Jim Herrington.
BY MIKE METTLER — MAY 20, 2021
All roads lead to Saskadelphia, according to Canadian music icons The Tragically Hip. What does that mean, you ask? I’m more than happy to tell you.
Coming out on vinyl, CD, and all major digital platforms on May 21 via […]
GalleryThe SoundBard’s Top 31 Songs of 2020
“Buy the box set and the kind of stuff / You’ve bought before a million times…”
BY MIKE METTLER – JANUARY 15, 2021
Back on January 1, I shared my list for The SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2020. Now, it’s only fitting to follow-up said list with the year’s Top 31 Songs. Whether you choose to digest your […]
GalleryThe SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2020
BY MIKE METTLER — JANUARY 1, 2021
Letter From Isolation Row: How did I spend my quarantine year? I doubled down on my audio consumption by tapping into a rich vein of fresh analog and digital delights worth multiple repeat spins and streams. Interestingly enough, pretty much every album title on this list could also serve as a succinct statement […]
GalleryPatrick Downie and Josh Finlayson Spill the Fully Complete Story Behind the Creation of Gord Downie’s Final Studio Album, Away Is Mine
BY MIKE METTLER — DECEMBER 31, 2020
The late, fully completely great singer/songwriter/poetic auteur Gord Downie made so much beautiful, heartfelt music over his tragically cut-short career — music that continues to personally impact my daily listening life in so many cherished and deeply soul-rooted ways. So, in the midst of navigating the most challenging and unsettling year of 2020, […]
GallerySolid Rock: 35 Years Ago Today, Dire Straits Took Me on a Magically Live Walk of Life
BY MIKE METTLER — AUGUST 3, 2020
35 years ago today, I saw Dire Straits live for the first time on August 3, 1985, at Poplar Creek in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The ticket cost a whopping $15 — 15 bucks! $14 plus a $1 service fee (those were the days!) — and we got the tix by waiting in line […]
GalleryThe SoundBard’s Top 31 Songs of 2019
BY MIKE METTLER — JANUARY 6, 2020
Last week, I shared my list of The SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2019. Now, it’s only fitting to follow-up said list with the year’s Top 31 Songs. Whether you choose to digest your own favorite songs via hi-res audio downloads, hi-res streaming services, and/or 7-, 10-, or 12-inch 45s, this […]
GalleryThe SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2019
BY MIKE METTLER — JANUARY 1, 2020
Whether you choose to consume your music via hi-res audio downloads, high-grade 180-gram LPs, top-shelf streaming services, standard-issue CDs, and/or full-on 5.1 surround sound mixes, this past year delivered a wonderfully wide wave of full-length aural wonders. In reverse order, here are The SoundBard’s Top 31 long-players of 2019.
31. Tom Keifer […]
GalleryImpulse Teleports With Full Force Into Season 2 on YouTube Originals; Creator and Key Castmembers Tell Us How They Got There (and Back Again)
Meet Henry Coles (Maddie Hasson), teleporter-in-training.
BY MIKE METTLER – NOVEMBER 26, 2019
“Some heroes wear beanies and headphones.” So goes one of the more intriguing taglines for the online series Impulse, now currently streaming its riveting second season via YouTube Originals (new episodes arrive every Wednesday). Said hero in question is Henrietta “Henry” Coles (Maddie Hasson), a young woman […]
GalleryBob Ludwig Receives Inaugural dCS Legends Award
BY MIKE METTLER – OCTOBER 25, 2019
What becomes a legend most? At a special reception held in New York City in conjunction with the 147th Audio Engineering Society (AES) Convention, dCS (Data Conversion Systems Ltd.) unveiled their new dCS Legends Award program on October 16, 2019. The inaugural recipient was none other than Bob Ludwig (third from left in […]
GalleryFX Debuts Teaser and Exclusive Images For New Limited Series Devs
BY MIKE METTLER – OCTOBER 7, 2019
Visionary director Alex Garland’s highly anticipated television debut, FX’s upcoming limited series Devs, premiered its first teaser during a panel discussion on October 5, 2019 at New York Comic Con (NYCC) featuring Garland (Ex Machina), executive producer Allon Reich, and cast members Sonoya Mizuno (“Lily”), Jin Ha (“Jamie”), Zach Grenier (“Kenton”), Stephen McKinley Henderson (“Stewart”), Cailee […]
GalleryMassive Pink Floyd: The Later Years: 1987-2019 16-Disc Box Set Is Ready for Release on December 13
BY MIKE METTLER – AUGUST 30, 2019
Pink Floyd Records will release Pink Floyd: The Later Years: 1987-2019, a deluxe multimedia 16-disc box set covering the material created by guitarist/vocalist David Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason, and keyboardist/vocalist Richard Wright from 1987 to the present, on December 13, 2019. This extensive collection serves as a companion piece to The Early Years: […]