A remarkable outing from Patrick Ball, who here places the accent firmly on his storyteller's talents as he reads excerpts from James Joyce's complex and controversial Finnegans Wake. The excerpts are framed and supported by Ball's Celtic harp playing, which provides a seductive transition. The reading is splendid, drawing out the poetic and musical elements of Joyce's text and providing the reader with new insights into ways of approaching the novel (which works best, it seems, when read al...   [ read more ]

CD $28.48

Marcia Ball explored R&B and honky tonk country on this album, keeping her blues chops in order while expanding her repertoire. She included a pair of tunes by country vocalist Lee Roy Parnell, "What's a Girl to Do" and "Red Hot," doing both in a feisty, attacking fashion. She was also challenging and upbeat on Dr. John's "How You Carry On" and "Find Another Fool." Her third Rounder album, Gatorhythms was one of her most entertaining and dynamic, as Ball became ...   [ read more ]

CD $17.08

After releasing countless singles (with an ever-changing lineup), Me First and the Gimme Gimmes continue with a flood of covers done the in the usual Fat Wreck Chords fashion. Contemporary hits such as "Rocket Man," "Mandy," and "Uptown Girl" are sung along with galloping pop-punk harmonies and verse-chorus-verse structures. Not the most groundbreaking or original musical outfit, but they sure are a lot of fun. Besides, their versions of John Denver's "Leaving on a Jet Plane" and {$Pau...   [ read more ]

CD $9.48