Although San Francisco-based, Jeffrey Halford makes music that is seeped in the South. It's a sound forged from roots rock and country blues, with a hint of gospel and folk. The easy-flowing "Oh, Susanna" begins with a brief guitar nod to the same-named traditional tune and then proceeds to tell a Civil War-set narrative from a Confederate soldier's perspective, which refers to Ambrose Bierce's short story {-Incident at Owl Creek Bridge}. "Memphis," meanwhile, is a rousing tribute t...   [ read more ]

CD $15.18

On their third album, Hunkpapa, Throwing Muses' volatility settled into a jangly, angular style of college rock. Not quite as riveting as Throwing Muses or House Tornado and not quite as accessible as the band's later albums, Hunkpapa finds the Muses in transition; most of the album's songs just aren't as focused or powerful as their other work. The over-produced sound robs promising songs like "Santa Claus," "Fall Down," and "Devil's Roof" of their immediacy, and tracks like ...   [ read more ]

CD $8.51