The Sharp Notes

07/08/2025

The Mekons have got a new album out and they’re going on tour to a town near you this summer. Before they do all that - however - they stop by The Sharp Notes for a chat. Join Evan Toth and Jon Langford to dive into the reasons why the Mekons do what the Mekons do!

The Band's US Tour Begins on July 9th: Dates BelowThe Mekons have always operated on the fringes—of genre, tradition, and industry expectations. Formed in the late 1970s in Leeds during the first wave of British punk, the group has evolved into something far more expansive: a long-running collecti...

07/06/2025

Bonnie Raitt - Nick of Time (Capitol Records – C1-91268, 1989 🇺🇸) Bonnie Raitt’s rebirth in the late 80s was a win for all music fans. Those who had followed her career since the 70s could witness a talented musician enjoy a second chance and those of us - who had no idea who she was - just accepted her at face value. Her presence was confident and cool, but that visage came from years of struggle. The album title was apt: Bonnie Raitt took one of her last shots and made it stick.

07/04/2025

It's hard to believe that it’s been 11 years since I first met French singer-songwriter Gaëlle Buswel on a hot July day in the WFDU studios. The visit left a lasting impression—and today, I’m thrilled to share a few thoughts on her latest single, “That’s Alright,” which might be her finest work yet.

From that first radio performance to opening for Ringo and ZZ Top, she’s put in the miles and the music shows it. Give the new track a listen (great for your 4th of July playlist, too 🇫🇷🇺🇸), and check out my reflection on our shared moment in time and how far she’s come.

“L’amitié, comme le vin, se bonifie avec le temps.” 🍷

That’s AlrightA decade goes by quickly and it’s funny how certain moments remain vivid. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 11 years since I first met Gaelle Buswell (in fact, it was the only time I met her in person, though we’ve kept in touch periodically as her music career expanded).At...

06/26/2025

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1983 album, this edition of Sports is pressed on exclusive olive‑green colored vinyl. The iconic album, featuring four Top‑10 hits and certified 7× platinum, sounds and looks better than ever. Click on the "Store" tab on our website.

06/26/2025

A psych-funk classic returns to vinyl! Org Music and Westbound Records are reissuing Funkadelic’s 1970 debut—remastered from the original tapes and pressed at Furnace Record Pressing. Available August 29 in multiple formats, this 45 rpm edition kicks off a series celebrating Westbound’s catalog.

Org Music and Westbound Records are reissuing Funkadelic’s 1970 self-titled debut on August 29, offering the most faithful vinyl pressing to date. Remastered directly from the original tapes, the release kicks off a series of deluxe reissues from the Westbound catalog. With its raw fusion of rock,...

06/26/2025

Craft Recordings just announced the next wave of Original Jazz Classics reissues featuring recordings from Kenny Burrell, Kenny Drew, Frank Wess with John Coltrane, and Sonny Criss. Each album is cut from the original tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl, and packaged in faithfully restored artwork. Releases begin August 22 with more on September 26.

Craft Recordings expands its Original Jazz Classics series with four standout reissues from Kenny Burrell, Kenny Drew, Frank Wess (with John Coltrane), and Sonny Criss. Each album is remastered from the original tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl, and packaged with faithfully reproduced artwork. Highl...

06/25/2025

Toto – Toto IV (Columbia – FC 37728, 1982)

Sure, Jude Warne was on recently to talk about her new book all about Boz Scaggs—but of course, we got into the undeniable fact that if it weren’t for Boz assembling such a crack team of musicians for his solo albums, there might not have been a Toto at all.

It’s still hot here on the East Coast, and I risked life and limb to bring you this red-hot cover in the middle of the heat and humidity we’re facing today. Don’t worry—the album jacket was only exposed to the elements for a mere 30 seconds.

Listen to some Toto today, and consider checking out my full interview with Jude about all things Boz.

06/25/2025

Cody Hanson of Hinder pulls back the curtain on the grind behind the glam and discusses the band's newest album "Back to Life" (Evil Teen Records). It's a Sharp Notes interview with Evan Toth.

Cody Hanson of Hinder reveals the reality behind rock and roll: it’s not just passion, but persistence. In this conversation, he discusses scrapping an entire album, rediscovering the band’s spark with Bring Me Back to Life, and wearing every hat from drummer to producer to designer. From buildi...

06/24/2025

Warren Zevon – Stand In The Fire (Recorded Live At The Roxy)

It’s scorchin’ here on the East Coast—locked under what they’re calling a “heat dome.” I’ve gone my whole life never hearing that term, but here we are, baking in it. 🔥 And back in 1980, the crowd at the Roxy was sweating too, though not from the weather. They were catching a blistering set from Warren Zevon, who was standing right directly in the fire, arguably at the peak of his powers.

If you haven’t heard this raucous, unhinged live run through Warren’s catalog, do yourself a favor and dig it out of a used bin. Just maybe wait until the heat breaks: this album could cause perspiration in Alaska.

Stay cool out there. We miss you, Warren. 💔☀️🎶

06/24/2025

Grateful Dead – Grateful Dead 💀🌹 (Warner Bros. Records – 2WS 1935, 1971 🇺🇸)

The year was 1971 and the Dead were already on their second live album release. I pulled this one off of the shelf because of my recent interview with author and historian Dennis McNally, who has recently written a new book on the influences that still remain from American counterculture of the 1960s.

Wanna keep on truckin’ through the story? 🚐💨
Hit the site, brothers and sisters. 🌈🎶

06/24/2025

Supply...demand...that's economics, or something. Right?

The cost of vinyl records is rising as they continue to be the most popular medium of physical music in the country

06/24/2025

Tracing the Roots of Rebellion: Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia biographer and expert Dennis McNally weighs in on the legacy of the ’60s counterculture in his new book, "The Last Great Dream" | The Sharp Notes Interview w/ Evan Toth.

Dennis McNally’s The Last Great Dream explores how artists, poets, and activists laid the cultural groundwork for the 1960s counterculture. From the San Francisco Renaissance to the Monterey Pop Festival, McNally connects the dots between beat rebellion and hippie idealism, arguing that many of th...