John 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 […]

By |January 13th, 2024|The Soundtrack of Our Lives|Comments Off on John Palumbo Continues to Pull No Punches With His Latest, Biting Solo Release, Vampire|

The 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 […]

By |January 1st, 2024|The SoundBard Recommends, The Soundtrack of Our Lives|Comments Off on The SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2023|

Woodstock 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 […]

By |August 18th, 2023|The SoundBard Interview|Comments Off on Woodstock at 54: Back to the Garden Once Again, for Song and Celebration|

The 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 […]

By |January 1st, 2023|The Soundtrack of Our Lives|Comments Off on The SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2022|

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 […]

By |August 18th, 2022|The SoundBard Interview|Comments Off on Woodstock at 53: Back to the Garden Once Again, for Song and Celebration|

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 […]

By |February 12th, 2022|High Resolution Reviews|Comments Off on Step Into The Limelight With Rush’s Moving Pictures – 40th Anniversary Expanded Reissues Are Slated To Arrive April 15|

The 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 […]

By |January 1st, 2022|High Resolution Reviews|Comments Off on The SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2021|

Hitting 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 […]

By |December 16th, 2021|The SoundBard Interview|Comments Off on Hitting All the Right Angles|

Woodstock 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., […]

Keepin’ 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 […]

An 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 […]

The 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 […]

By |May 20th, 2021|The Soundtrack of Our Lives|Comments Off on The Tragically Hip Will Release Surprise New Album Saskadelphia on May 21|

The 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 […]

By |January 15th, 2021|High Resolution Reviews|Comments Off on The SoundBard’s Top 31 Songs of 2020|

The 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 […]

By |January 1st, 2021|High Resolution Reviews|Comments Off on The SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2020|

Patrick 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 […]

By |December 31st, 2020|The SoundBard Interview|Comments Off on Patrick Downie and Josh Finlayson Spill the Fully Complete Story Behind the Creation of Gord Downie’s Final Studio Album, Away Is Mine|

Solid 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 […]

By |August 3rd, 2020|Love It Live|Comments Off on Solid Rock: 35 Years Ago Today, Dire Straits Took Me on a Magically Live Walk of Life|

The 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 […]

By |January 6th, 2020|High Resolution Reviews|Comments Off on The SoundBard’s Top 31 Songs of 2019|

The 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 […]

By |January 1st, 2020|High Resolution Reviews|Comments Off on The SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2019|

Impulse 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 […]

By |November 26th, 2019|TV Eye & Ear|Comments Off on Impulse Teleports With Full Force Into Season 2 on YouTube Originals; Creator and Key Castmembers Tell Us How They Got There (and Back Again)|

Bob 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 […]

By |October 25th, 2019|Odds & Sods|Comments Off on Bob Ludwig Receives Inaugural dCS Legends Award|

FX 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) […]

By |October 7th, 2019|TV Eye & Ear|Comments Off on FX Debuts Teaser and Exclusive Images For New Limited Series Devs|

Massive 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, […]

By |August 30th, 2019|Odds & Sods|Comments Off on Massive Pink Floyd: The Later Years: 1987-2019 16-Disc Box Set Is Ready for Release on December 13|

 

John 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 […]

By |January 13th, 2024|Categories: The Soundtrack of Our Lives|Tags: |Comments Off on John Palumbo Continues to Pull No Punches With His Latest, Biting Solo Release, Vampire|

The 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 […]

By |January 1st, 2024|Categories: The SoundBard Recommends, The Soundtrack of Our Lives|Tags: |Comments Off on The SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2023|

Woodstock 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 […]

By |August 18th, 2023|Categories: The SoundBard Interview|Tags: |Comments Off on Woodstock at 54: Back to the Garden Once Again, for Song and Celebration|

The 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 […]

By |January 1st, 2023|Categories: The Soundtrack of Our Lives|Tags: |Comments Off on The SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2022|

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 […]

By |August 18th, 2022|Categories: The SoundBard Interview|Tags: |Comments Off on Woodstock at 53: Back to the Garden Once Again, for Song and Celebration|

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 […]

By |February 12th, 2022|Categories: High Resolution Reviews|Tags: |Comments Off on Step Into The Limelight With Rush’s Moving Pictures – 40th Anniversary Expanded Reissues Are Slated To Arrive April 15|

The 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 […]

By |January 1st, 2022|Categories: High Resolution Reviews|Tags: |Comments Off on The SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2021|

Hitting 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 […]

By |December 16th, 2021|Categories: The SoundBard Interview|Tags: |Comments Off on Hitting All the Right Angles|

Woodstock 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., […]

By |August 17th, 2021|Categories: The SoundBard Interview|Tags: |3 Comments|

Keepin’ 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 […]

By |June 18th, 2021|Categories: The SoundBard Interview|Tags: |3 Comments|

An 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 […]

By |June 18th, 2021|Categories: The SoundBard Interview|Tags: |6 Comments|

The 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 […]

By |May 20th, 2021|Categories: The Soundtrack of Our Lives|Tags: |Comments Off on The Tragically Hip Will Release Surprise New Album Saskadelphia on May 21|

The 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 […]

By |January 15th, 2021|Categories: High Resolution Reviews|Tags: |Comments Off on The SoundBard’s Top 31 Songs of 2020|

The 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 […]

By |January 1st, 2021|Categories: High Resolution Reviews|Tags: |Comments Off on The SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2020|

Patrick 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 […]

By |December 31st, 2020|Categories: The SoundBard Interview|Tags: |Comments Off on Patrick Downie and Josh Finlayson Spill the Fully Complete Story Behind the Creation of Gord Downie’s Final Studio Album, Away Is Mine|

Solid 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 […]

By |August 3rd, 2020|Categories: Love It Live|Tags: |Comments Off on Solid Rock: 35 Years Ago Today, Dire Straits Took Me on a Magically Live Walk of Life|

The 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 […]

By |January 6th, 2020|Categories: High Resolution Reviews|Tags: |Comments Off on The SoundBard’s Top 31 Songs of 2019|

The 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 […]

By |January 1st, 2020|Categories: High Resolution Reviews|Tags: |Comments Off on The SoundBard’s Top 31 Albums of 2019|

Impulse 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 […]

By |November 26th, 2019|Categories: TV Eye & Ear|Tags: |Comments Off on Impulse Teleports With Full Force Into Season 2 on YouTube Originals; Creator and Key Castmembers Tell Us How They Got There (and Back Again)|

Bob 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 […]

By |October 25th, 2019|Categories: Odds & Sods|Tags: |Comments Off on Bob Ludwig Receives Inaugural dCS Legends Award|

FX 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) […]

By |October 7th, 2019|Categories: TV Eye & Ear|Tags: |Comments Off on FX Debuts Teaser and Exclusive Images For New Limited Series Devs|

Massive 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, […]

By |August 30th, 2019|Categories: Odds & Sods|Tags: |Comments Off on Massive Pink Floyd: The Later Years: 1987-2019 16-Disc Box Set Is Ready for Release on December 13|