A list of great musicians coming out of Woonsocket must include Jean (McKenna) O’Donnell. As the sister to the late fabulous internationally acclaimed pianist Dave McKenna, who had captured the jazz world and more, she had graciously accepted being a few paces in back of her gifted brother without any fanfare. Their mother was a […]
Grassroots activism can be a prime tool to help us rebuild our society the way it was meant to be: just, equitable, and inclusive. But if you’ve ever taken part in a rally — or any in-person action — you know the energy of the crowd can be sharp, and the mood can get pretty […]
Misster Dylan – DARK SIDE OF THE FORCE Just in time for perhaps the darkest time in recent memory, Misster Dylan, moniker of local songwriter Dylan Harley, is out with his debut record DARK SIDE OF THE FORCE. DSOTF is a sonically diverse, thematically ambitious record that wades straight into muck that seemingly no one […]
Okee dokee folks… I remember seeing a political cartoon from the 1860s showing Abraham Lincoln patching up the United States with Union Glue — a perfect visual analogy for what the country needed at the time. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have their own brand of Union Glue and are currently the ONLY hope for […]
Turn Up The Mains Let’s start this off with addressing the undecided voters in one of most divisive presidential elections ever. Four years of Trump, an epically mismanaged pandemic, and a knife stuck in the long festering wound of racial inequality and yet you are still undecided. Congratulations, you are the unicorn nobody thought could exist! Most […]
The first time I listened to Jelly Side Down’s debut, Had to Be There, my jaw dropped, and I distinctly remember pausing the song “Polaroids” to share it with my mom. The production quality and the layered harmonizing guitars in the mastered mix were immaculate (but I’ll talk more about that later). I’m convinced that […]
I am not easily swayed from my intentions or plans, but on a rare occasion even this bloody-minded writer can be put off course by something truly remarkable. Driving through East Greenwich on a bright fall afternoon, a live singing voice floated through the open car window that caused me to cancel my plans, park […]
In a furious attempt to see some live music before winter hibernation sets in, I attended shows at both Askew and Nick-A-Nees last weekend. I’m happy to report that it was a good time, and both places did a great job with masks and social distancing. But fears about the future remain. A recent Vice […]
Okee dokee folks… Back in 10th grade I spent a good deal of my school time sitting on the floor in the hallway playing guitar. I would skip class or forge a pass to get out of study hall just to play, and I wasn’t alone. A few others also would do this, and we […]
As soon as I heard about the podcast “It’s Only Rock and Roll,” I knew there would be some great stories hiding just under the sound waves behind the scenes waiting for me to discover. I reached out to the host of the show, Don DiMuccio, to talk about what he’s learned on the show, […]