music essentials Archives

Essentials: Jimi Hendrix ‘Electric Ladyland’ Album Review

So soulful and revelatory was Jimi’s playing that his catalogue inspires players and composers across every genre.

Almost 40 years on, this album still sounds fresh and filled with new ideas. It’s an Essential work from one of Canada’s greatest songwriters.

Talking Heads’ 1980 masterwork “Once In A Lifetime” was selected by NPR as one of the top 100 musical works of the 20th century.

The legacy that Muddy Waters left behind is the stuff of legend, making timeless music, universal in its power to touch and move us deeply.

Skip James’ fierce playing, his haunting falsetto and his flair for composition are second to none in Delta Blues.

The great jazz and soul singer Nina Simone sang the song Jalacy Hawkins wrote, not the one that Screaming Jay murdered.

Elvis Presley was the greatest cultural force of the 20th century. Here is a brilliant example of his early work.

The music of Johnny Cash is as about as powerful a country music experience as you could wish for.

‘Crossroads’ is a blistering bravado live performance from the power trio Cream.

Excellent suggestion for a post on Tangerine Dream! Thank you, David - look for it in the coming weeks.

I love the feelings and textures that come from listening to the release. I think Jarre along with Tangerine Dream,…

I have an original album from 1968... it's well recorded and still sounds excellent in 2025.

Okay, this article makes me want to immediately crank up Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower" and air guitar like nobody's…

Superb songs, but the album (like Burton's recent remasters of some of his solo records) is brickwalled. The LOUDNESS WARS.…

Yes, a really wonderful song and you are quite right to flag it up. Apparently it was composed by Buddy…

Lorrie Morgan ; I Walk Alone 2008 is a masterpiece but you have to get it from her fan club…