Americana

Jeff Tweedy’s take on Black Eyed Peas trips up Wilco album

Entertainment / Music Lark of covering pop hits taking attention from diverse new tunes from Wilco, coming to Massey Hall for two nights.       Nick Krewen Special to the Star Published on Wed Sep 14 2011 A few days after becoming a YouTube viral sensation with his surprising acoustic guitar recitatives of the Black Eyed Peas hits “I Gotta Feeling,” “Rock That Body” and “My Humps,” Wilco principal Jeff Tweedy…


Gillian Welch’s album, eight years in the making

Entertainment / Music Musician rewards patient fans with intimate collection of dark-edged folk tunes. HANDOUT PHOTO David Rawlings and Gillian Welch play Toronto’s Phoenix on Monday.  Nick Krewen  Special To The Star,  Published on Sun Jul 24 2011 The drought is over. The prayers of Gillian Welch disciples who have been pining for a new album since 2003’s Soul Journey were answered a few weeks back with the release of the New York City…


The persistence of Indie Lindi Ortega

Entertainment / Music Her old label decided she’s no Lady Gaga, as one listen to Ortega’s lonely, affecting tunes should have told them.    Singer/songwriter Lindi Ortega Nick Krewen Special to the Star Published on Mon Nov 29 2010 When The Killers’ Brandon Flowers visits The Sound Academy Saturday to support his new album Flamingo, he’ll have a local hired hand singing backup that everyone should keep an eye on. Though raven-haired and…


Remembering Shel

  Nick Krewen GRAMMY.com Nov/Dec 2005 Legacy Recordings’ reputation for mining its vaults and producing superb compilations received another boost this past summer with the release of such acclaimed packages as Johnny Cash‘s 4-CD box set The Legend, Miles Davis‘ quintuple-disc The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions and Bob Dylan‘s Martin Scorsese-driven No Direction Home. One watershed anthology, however, got lost in the shuffle: the best of Shel Silverstein – his…


Stacey Earle is the Gearle

 Nick Krewen For the KW Record November 4, 1999   Stacey Earle is making up for lost time. The younger sister of country renegade Steve waited until she was 38 to release this year’s Simple Gearle  album, a stunning collection of roots-driven folk, blues and alternative country. “I always tinkered around with music and played it, by ear, around the house when we were younger,” Earle said from her Nashville…