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Reviews

Review of What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow

What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow

Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson

Top of the World

Nonesuch Records

Rating: ★★★★

Wielding only the bare necessities – banjo, fiddle and bones – Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson, founding members (along with...

Reviewed in issue June/2025

Review of L’Nu’k Mawiejik

L’Nu’k Mawiejik

Sacred Wolf Singers x Simon Walls

Atty Records

Rating: ★★★

This collaboration between Tee Cloud, founder of the Indigenous Sacred Wolf Singers, and the Canadian singer-songwriter and producer Simon Walls...

Reviewed in issue June/2025

Review of Salsa de la Bahia: A Collection of SF Bay Area Salsa and Latin Jazz

Salsa de la Bahia: A Collection of SF Bay Area Salsa and Latin Jazz

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Patois Records

Rating: ★★★★

In this double-disc third volume of the Salsa de la Bahia series, documentary-maker and timbales-player Rita Hargreaves highlights the contributions...

Reviewed in issue June/2025

Review of El Errante

El Errante

El Balcón

elbalcón

Rating: ★★★★

On their latest album, Montréal’s El Balcón have delivered a dynamite collection of self-written songs seamlessly blending lead singer Valeria’s...

Reviewed in issue June/2025

Review of Tremendo Caché

Tremendo Caché

Celia Cruz & Johnny Pacheco

Craft Recordings

Rating: ★★★★

Re-released and remastered on vinyl for its 50th anniversary, Tremendo Caché marked the second of a string of collaborations between...

Reviewed in issue June/2025

Review of Dicen que la Muerte murió

Dicen que la Muerte murió

Sonoras Mil

Felipe Gómez Ossa

Rating: ★★★★

With so many musical influences from all over the world, it’s hard to know where to start with this four-piece...

Reviewed in issue June/2025

Review of A Fiestar

A Fiestar

Andy Gola & Colé Colé Orquesta

Tumi Music

Rating: ★★★

With a horn section like Earth Wind & Fire on amphetamines, furious percussion, a wailing guitar and potent vocals, the...

Reviewed in issue June/2025

Review of XOLO

XOLO

XIXA

Jullian Records

Rating: ★★★

Hailing from Tucson, Arizona, Brian López and Gabriel Sullivan make up XIXA, a band which sounds like a rocked-up version...

Reviewed in issue May/2025

Review of Remains to Be Scene

Remains to Be Scene

The Seldom Scene

Smithsonian Folkways

Rating: ★★★

Not every bluegrass album starts with a cover of Ray Davies’ ‘Last of the Steam-Powered Trains’. But that’s part of...

Reviewed in issue May/2025

Review of Son Con Guaguancó

Son Con Guaguancó

Celia Cruz

Craft Recordings

Rating: ★★★★★

To mark the centennial of Cuban legend Celia Cruz’ birth, Craft Latino is reissuing a series of classic recordings. Opening...

Reviewed in issue May/2025

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