I didn't expect to see Bob Dylan circa 1965 peeking out at this BBQ place.

Not a hot take. Accurate.

I'm still reeling from and reflecting on the SML performances I saw at Big Ears. This statements from my recap remain true!

Archived for all to enjoy — the freewheelin' 2026 Big Ears Aquarium Drunkard Transmissions Morning Zoo Livestream. Guests + good times galore. doomandgloomfromthetomb.tumblr.com/post/8127948...

This is something tech people don't grasp about nonfiction writing: the process of deep research, of deciding which little details are interesting or which obscure anecdotes have historical value, is all part of the creative work of writing. It's not grunt work. It can't just be automated.

𝐉𝐞𝐟𝐟 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 - 𝐄𝐓𝐀 𝐈𝐕𝐭𝐞𝐭 - 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 An album-length concert film by 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻, capturing the August 2025 𝗟𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺 performance that became 𝗝𝗲𝗳𝗳 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿's new 𝗘𝗧𝗔 𝗜𝗩𝘁𝗲𝘁 album 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲, will be released on May 29, 2026.

Put on your Rust-o-Vision glasses, Neil freaks … we’re going deep into the Shakey-verse one more time. It’s ALL ONE SONG — SEASON TWO!!!?? www.talkhouse.com/all-one-song...

Excellent Big Ears recap from Scott. (One of my Big Ears highlights is getting to hang out with Scott sometimes.)

Can’t believe Andy Williams didn’t make a surprise appearance at Big Ears this year.

Four days of little sleep, forgetting meals, and an abundance of remarkable musical performances, here's my report on taking in as much as I could at the 2026 Big Ears Festival. reclinernotes.com/2026/03/31/2...

Four days of little sleep, forgetting meals, and an abundance of remarkable musical performances, here's my report on taking in as much as I could at the 2026 Big Ears Festival. reclinernotes.com/2026/03/31/2...

glad to see surrender to the air get some attention! both the album & the academy show i caught (30 years ago this week!) had ENORMOUS impacts on me as a listener. it was my trap door into both free jazz & the active nyc improv scene. still love the album.

The final aquarium drunkard big ears transmissions 2026 morning broadcast — Fred Thomas, @reclinernotes.bsky.social, William Tyler, Yasmin Williams. Great fun, though @jasonpwoodbury.bsky.social might be banned from Knoxville for his controversial pizza takes. m.youtube.com/watch?v=xVpU...

I will be appearing on the Big Ears version of Good Morning America which will be streaming on the @aquariumdrunkard.com Instagram live feed. It starts around 9 am and I'll be on at some point. Wake up with some beautiful music nerds!

Four sweetest words in the English language: "Jeff Parker secret show"

Check out my videos from all weekend at Big Ears over at my Instagram, @ reclinernotes

I've never seen David Byrne in action before. That changed at last night's Big Ears! What a team of professionals, pushing themselves to experiment with the song arrangements , blocking, costuming, sound design, and video display. Here's "Slippery People." More to come in my report next week!

For those of you going to Big Ears, here's my preview once again. Come find me! I'm the tall, curly-haired guy trying not to block anyone's sightline and answers to the name of "Scott" (also "Hey, you Recliner Notes"). reclinernotes.com/2026/03/08/2...

Eli Winter's 2025 album A Trick of the Light hit me like a thunderbolt, especially the opening track, a cover of Don Cherry's "Arabian Nightingale." Wanting to learn more about Eli's background and approach, I interviewed him for Recliner Notes. reclinernotes.com/2026/03/22/i...

Eli Winter's 2025 album A Trick of the Light hit me like a thunderbolt, especially the opening track, a cover of Don Cherry's "Arabian Nightingale." Wanting to learn more about Eli's background and approach, I interviewed him for Recliner Notes. reclinernotes.com/2026/03/22/i...

Marc Ribot is a tried and true lefty activist and demonstrated his devotion to the cause last night by dedicating "Down to the River to Pray" to the people of Minneapolis. His re-worked version included specific tributes to Alex Pretti and Renée Good. Somebody needs to get Ribot in the studio.

I love Bill’s music and an excited to dig in!

This is what art writing is for. When I take the time with this album, I will perceive more.

Going into the record store, two guys with grey hair walk out talking about Pink Floyd: ...and that's what caused the split between Waters and Gilmour..."

A perfect culmination to a wonderful interview series. So. Much. Guitar. Nerd. Shit. (Complimentary). toneglow.substack.com/p/tone-glow-...

Oh, this is a delight, filled with those quintessential Hitchockian verbal flourishes, observations, and anecdotes.

Gregory Uhlmann :: Extra Stars aquariumdrunkard.com/2026/03/19/g... The SML guitarist moves away from the instrumental collective’s fragrant, glitched-up grooves on his new solo album, instead charting a path through weirder waters featuring a wealth of pedals, loops, samples and synths...

The perfect last verse of "Cynthia Mask" by @robynhitchcock.bsky.social

"Lately, I’ve been feeling that I need to make something unlistenable (laughter). Like, I need to do something unpleasant—I’m selling out making this pretty, toe-tapping music!" Essential read!

I've probably spent two years of my life listening to some aspect of What It Is! Funky Soul And Rare Grooves 1967-1977. It's a Rosetta Stone of funk.

The urge to write 3,000 words on Bill Orcutt's latest four guitar album is strong. What a wonder! @billorcutt.bsky.social billorcutt.bandcamp.com/album/music-...

Hits close!

Out today — the new @jasonpwoodbury.bsky.social LP is a thing of beauty.

For @pastemagazine.bsky.social, I wrote about the 30th anniversary of @treyanastasio.bsky.social's first solo project, the the free-form, big-band jazz ensemble Surrender to the Air: www.pastemagazine.com/music/phish/...

I was so excited about this album I drove down and back from Hobart (Geneva NY) to NYC to see the 1st night. 100% worth the trip.

This is a must-read! I was very pleased to contribute a few quotes, and also pleased to revisit this album for the first time in many years.

So glad to have been able to contribute a few thoughts here

For @pastemagazine.bsky.social, I wrote about the 30th anniversary of @treyanastasio.bsky.social's first solo project, the the free-form, big-band jazz ensemble Surrender to the Air: www.pastemagazine.com/music/phish/...

As All One Song season two draws ever nearer, let me remind you that this is awesome. chrisforsyth1.bandcamp.com/album/all-on...

Season 2 of The Lowdown can't come soon enough!

I'm sorry to hear about the passing of the great Augie Meyers. I wrote extensively about his playing and sound in my post about Dylan's "Love Sick." As Bob said, "His playing speaks volumes. Speaks in tongue actually." reclinernotes.com/2021/10/20/l...

I have the privilege of once again covering the annual Big Ears Festival in Knoxville. Here's my preview of the 2026 edition, complete with navigation tips for first-time festival goers along with my tentpole acts . Big Ears runneth over! reclinernotes.com/2026/03/08/2...

I have the privilege of once again covering the annual Big Ears Festival in Knoxville. Here's my preview of the 2026 edition, complete with navigation tips for first-time festival goers along with my tentpole acts . Big Ears runneth over! reclinernotes.com/2026/03/08/2...

don’t forget to destroy your clocks tonight, walk away from your mortgage, just start driving, you’re free

High Anxiety

I was honored to review Makaya McCraven's excellent show last week! Alongside Junius Paul and Marquis Hill, McCraven creating a dynamic context for them to excel as individuals and as a unit. We are fortunate to be here for McCraven's prime. ashevillestages.com/music/review...

Got some decent shots of Makaya McCraven and his trio during his recent stop in Asheville. Also, check out Scott's great review of the show. ashevillestages.com/music/review...

Forty years later the klezmer-noir of Leonard Cohen’s ‘I’m Your Man’ LP remains the most radically successful reinvention of any of the major songwriters from the 1960’s. A moral and geopolitical hellscape staged as Vegas review. One part Rat Pack, one part Leviticus. www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZOT...