Latest Posts
Black Swan Lane – The Messenger
There’s a certain mood that Black Swan Lane have made entirely their own over the years — that windswept space where melody and melancholy meet and decide to stay awhile. With The Messenger, the band lean confidently back into their post-punk foundations while...
Distance From Zero – Flow State
In late 2020 I had a family member going through a major surgery in New York City. At that time, I was unable to be upstairs in the hospital as there was only one family member allowed in the room, due to COVID. I remember sitting in the foyer of the hospital,...
More…
A Secret History
Archive Index
Death Threat Cassette – Infinite Trick Pony
I’ve been following England’s Death Threat Cassette for about a decade now. Death Threat Cassette rose from the ashes of Jack Endino produced grunge influenced band Solanoid – singer Lee Pecqueur gone solo. A one-man band, this is truly bedroom rock. And yet – the...
Friends of Our Youth – That Was Then
The most exciting new indie bands conjure up visions of acoustic guitar, singing with friends around a fire, and an authentic approach to the music and lyrics. We are living in the golden age of up-and-coming bands that need to have their music heard. In my opinion,...
John Mellencamp – Strictly A One-Eyed Jack
The genesis of John Mellencamp’s career is one of the more unique stories in rock n roll history. Forced to change his name to John Cougar in the 70’s before eventually moving back to his given name (with a middle phase as John Cougar Mellencamp), he’s long since...
Oh Man Wow – s/t
Some of my favorite bands are the ones that avoid easy characterization. Indie band Oh Man Wow have just released their debut album, and this fits that description perfectly. The band is made up of Bryan Ray on vocals / guitar, Joy Maydak on bass / guitars /...
Andrew Steck – Theater
Andrew Steck is a composer based out of Athens, GA – yes, the home of R.E.M. His instrumental work is classical inspired infused with a modern pop sensibility. He’s been putting out albums at an aggressive rate, each with numerous highlights. Like so many others, my...
Empiires – Stronger
Empiires are a metal band based out of Dallas, TX. A few singles under their belt thus far, Stronger is the latest tune from the band. Featuring a classic metal sound but imbued with the aggression of Texas metal, this is a band that has a bright future ahead of it....
Black Swan Lane – Hide in View
We last heard from Black Swan Lane during the last half of 2019 when they released the stellar LP Vita Eterna. The LP stood out as a highlight in the band’s oeuvre and featured guitar wizard Dave Fielding from the criminally underappreciated bands The Chameleons and...
Kings of Convenience – Peace Or Love
Kings of Convenience came out of the heralded and forgotten “New Acoustic Movement” of the early 00’s. From the start, I followed each and every move by the duo. I thought of them as Norway’s own Simon & Garfunkel. Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe were special...
David Olney & Anana Kaye – Whispers and Sighs
I remember the 1st time I heard about David Olney. It was a blurb on a music website in January of 2020, saying that he had passed away while playing a concert. He looked out at the audience, said “I’m sorry” and closed his eyes. It seemed like a fitting way for an...
Weezer – Van Weezer
The 2nd Weezer album of 2021 was recorded before the 1st (the stellar OK Human) but is stylistically different in every way. That’s not to say it isn’t without charm. The backstory for Van Weezer is that Weezer finally lets their (heavy metal) hair down. It’s a...
Lana Del Rey – Chemtrails Over The Country Club
For the last decade, Lana Del Rey has consistently put out stunning albums. Very few missteps, each album seemed to be an improvement over the previous. Her aesthetic was – and is – unwavering. Dedicated to a timeless cool imbued with fashion and nostalgia, she was...
Death Threat Cassette – Use Your Delusion
A few years ago, I got it into my head that wearing a John Mellencamp shirt to punk rock shows would be the most punk rock thing ever. Of course, it is kind of silly coming from me – an unabashed John Mellencamp fan and settling (mostly) comfortably into my 40’s. But...
Weezer – OK Human
Not too long ago, there was a Saturday Night Live skit that had Matt Damon playing the world’s biggest Weezer fan, much to the chagrin of Leslie Jones – who was adamant that Weezer made two great albums – 1994’s Blue Album and 1996’s Pinkerton – before losing their...
Sunstack Jones – Golden Repair
Kicking off reviews for 2021 in February, bypassing January completely, in the midst of a snowstorm the likes of which has not been seen in these parts in ages. Fitting, really. What better company than that of an old friend? I am speaking of the new record by...
Conduit of Humanity – Equality
The Conduit of Humanity project released a promising debut album The Zen Cage late last year. An album featuring many musicians and collaborations, it made an impact on me. To this day, it warrants repeated listens. Fred Jeske & his collaborators were inspired by...
Words & Music
Music Speaks
About Us
Pacific Northwest inspired, Philadelphia based music reviews, interviews, and articles.
Review Submission FAQ
Email submissions to jason@jasons-jukebox.com. Tell me about your project - biographical details, random facts, and musical influences.