Ink 19

09/30/2025

"Al had more than enough energy for the band, the stage, and the crowd gathered at Grand Junction’s Las Colonias Amphitheater on a soft Western Colorado summer evening." -- Ian Koss

Photo by Ian Koss

After 25 years of living rent-free in Ian Koss’s head, another “Weird Al” Yankovic concert tries for an encore.

09/29/2025

“The songs on Speed of Light are lovingly constructed pop songs that remind me of later period XTC.” — Bob Pomeroy

The Silver Snails

Speed of Light (Snailform Records). Review by Bob Pomeroy.

09/29/2025

The Silver Snails
Speed of Light (Snailform Records). Review by Bob Pomeroy
https://ink19.com/2025/09/magazine/music-reviews/4m4i9j-silver-snails

09/26/2025

"Divided up into captivating instrumentals and vocalized sermons, WTF?? is a humanistic rally for critical thinking and childlike creativity.." -- Peter Lindblad

WTF?? (swim~). Review by Peter Lindblad.

09/26/2025

"After the Encore offers more than interviews with notorious musicians. Neal also revisits fascinating conversations with such industry insiders as one-time MTV host Riki Rachtman, famed music artist manager Vicky Hamilton, and legendary record producer Tom Werman. Truth be told, it can be argued that those are some of the interviews that packed the greatest payoffs." -- Christopher Long

A collection of engaging interviews culled from the personal archives of Canadian radio host Shane Christopher Neal, the recently released After the Encore: Intimate Conversations with Music Legends is a page-turner for classic rock-crazed enthusiasts.

09/25/2025

"It’s been a long road for Los Straitjackets, and though the masked musicians have recently been enjoying a detour as longtime crooner Nick Lowe’s backing band, on stage and in the studio, Somos Los Straitjackets is a return to cruising speed." -- Julius C. Lacking

Somos Los Straitjackets (Yep Roc). Review by Julius C. Lacking.

09/24/2025

"Residing stylistically somewhere near the intersection of Jagger Avenue and Janis Boulevard, Heartbreak Station oozed true blue rock and roll swagger and dripped with soulful authenticity." -- Christopher Long

In this week’s installment, Christopher Long slices up another excerpt from his latest book, Garage Sale Vinyl, where he revisits his favorite album, Heartbreak Station from his favorite band, Cinderella.

09/24/2025

"So much of the appeal of Hellbender and the family’s other films is in their intimate weirdness. They are quirky and at times self-indulgent, but these are features, not bugs." -- Phil Bailey

Hellbender is an exquisite bit of heavy-metal folk horror set in and around a secluded house in the Catskill Mountains of New York.

09/23/2025

"Nothing in the vibrant tunes here suggests the work of an octogenarian — this isn’t a retrospective peek, but a passionate celebration of Caribbean and Brazilian sounds." -- Bob Pomeroy

My Latin Heart (Patois Records). Review by Bob Pomeroy.

09/22/2025

"Thematically, the piece functions as both a mirror and a lamp. As a mirror, it reflects the painful ruptures many have endured in friendships that once seemed unbreakable. As a lamp, it illuminates a path through grief towards resilience, suggesting that loss, while devastating, can yield the unexpected gift of self-knowledge." -- Danielle Holian

Painted Intentions. Review by Danielle Holian.

09/22/2025

"Listening to the songs as just pure sound is rewarding enough." -- Bob Pomeroy

All About McGuffin (Kakubarhythm). Review by Bob Pomeroy.