With the sad news that rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young is battling dementia and will never play again, the future of AC/DC lingered in doubt. But, on Rock Or Bust, Angus Young and his mates brought aboard nephew Stevie, an Aussie who does a perfect job keeping (more…)
The guitar universe has been inundated with all things “retro” for the past decade, but the all-instrumental trio Big Lazy gives it a fresh spin. Old-school twang meets gritty Hollywood-soundtrack music here, with guitarist Stephen Ulrich offering a slow, drawling style and fat vintage tones. A (more…)
TTS Music BMT Overdrive Price: $175 Info: www.ttspickups.com. No, the “BMT” in the name of TTS Music’s overdrive pedal does not stand for a “bacon, mayo, and tomato.” The initials simply indicate Bass, Middle, and Treble, which are all this pedal needs (more…)
Hailing from Indonesia, SimakDialog is one of the best jazz-rock bands on the planet and this two-CD live set proves it. This performance features virtuosic playing from lead guitarist Tohpati and electric-piano master Riza Arshad, along with bass and three percussionists playing traditional instruments. If you didn’t know better, you might think this is a […]
Bergen Guitars ST and TL Price: $3,999 Info: www.gj2guitars.com. Grover Jackson is a name forever associated with classic metal and custom “superstrats,” thanks to Randy Rhoads and iconic bands like Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Def Leppard, and Anthrax. Grover has moved on from the original Jackson (more…)
Walrus Audio Deep Six and Mayflower; Celestial Effects’ Cancer Wah the Fuzz? Price: $199 (Deep Six); $179 (Mayflower); $469 (Wah the Fuzz?) Info: www.walrusaudio.com. Stompboxes range from organic, transparent circuits that let a guitar’s natural tone shine through, to effects that intentionally color the signal (more…)
It’s not easy being a Floyd fan in 2015. The band’s best work lies 40 years in the past, yet there are still choices to be made. First up is their latest – and likely final – studio album, The Endless River, a mostly instrumental affair (more…)
After 15 years and four albums with Connecticut trio Mambo Sons, Tom Guerra just released his first solo album, All of the Above. The CD is a collection of hook-laden rock and roll originals that pay homage to the Beatles, the Byrds, Led Zeppelin, Rick Derringer, Mott the Hoople, and many other guitar-driven acts. It’s […]
Oddfellow Caveman Drive Price: $174.99 (list) Info: www.oddfellowfx.com. Handmade in California, the Oddfellow Caveman Drive is a boutique pedal whose simple layout belies its tonal complexities. But even before hooking this stompbox into your signal chain, right off the bat, you have to (more…)
Electro-Harmonix 45000 Multi-Track Recorder Price: $476.21 (street); $119.25 (foot controller) Info: www.ehx.com. Looping has a rich history, with roots tracing to modern classical composers like Phillip Glass, Steve Reich, and John Adams, as well as rock musicians like Brian Eno, Robert Fripp, Peter Gabriel, David (more…)
