Boz Scaggs- Silk Degrees (1976)
Posted by KB on 2/24/2026 to
"Silk Degrees" was a huge album in 1976 spending 115 weeks on the Billboard 100. It is celebrating it's 50th anniversary so I decided to give it a spin. "Silk Degrees" is slick, almost too slick with the strings and bland backing vocals, which dates the recording. The production quality is exemplary as is the musicianship, and it was what Scaggs needed after having many sub-popular releases. The best songs are the radio staples, which don't have the 70's syrup front and center. Glad I revisited it. Now it can hibernate for awhile.
Favorite Songs: Lido Shuffle, Lowdown, What Can I Say, We're All Alone
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Sugar- Copper Blue (1992)
Posted by KB on 2/18/2026 to
Reviews In Brief
Husker Du's Bob Mould's second band Sugar is an underappreciated national treasure. More melodic, crunchier but accessible it was a logical next step for an indie-punk darling. "Copper Blue" is close to perfect and it has aged extremely well. There are metal elements mixed with pop awareness but not so much to dilute the edginess. Each song is anthemic filling every sound nook and cranny. It doesn't relent and give the listener a rest- which is exactly what one should want from a killer rock album. Close your eyes and let "Copper Blue" wash over you.
Favorite Songs: Virtually every song
Ratboys- Singin' to an Empty Chair (2026)
Posted by KB on 2/9/2026 to
Reviews In Brief
Ratboys is a good band, who drift from indie rock warbling to pop-punk with solid solos. "Singin' To an Empty Chair" didn't resonate with me like Printer's Devil did a few years back. I felt the songs and pacing were more muted and not as lively through the entire the album. That doesn't mean STAEC is a lost cause. The album begins brightly as one would expect, it just doesn't hold onto it especially on the longer tracks (except the solo on Burn It Down rages). Maybe with repeated listens it'll hit me.
Favorite Songs: Open Up, Know You Then, Anywhere, The World So Madly
De La Sol- Cabin in the Sky (2025)
Posted by KB on 2/9/2026 to
Reviews In Brief
De La Sol blazed a new path in rap in 1989 with "3 Feet High and Rising" adding a psychedelic bend and a positive vibe which countered the more gangsta and macho style of the time. "Cabin in the Sky" stays on the up beat, even with the loss of member Trugoy the Dove in 2023. The grooves are there and modernized making it a good listen. The issue I have, and it's my taste, is the snippets and non-rap chatter which, to me, takes away from the flow. Fans of De La Sol will enjoy nonetheless.
Favorite Songs: YUHDONTSTOP, Good Health, Day in the Sun
