John L. Murphy (Fionnchu)'s Profile in Music Matters

posted "Very strong second CD from this droning, powerful band" about H-p1. June 22, 2011

Very strong second CD from this droning, …
Combining stoner steadiness with spacious soaring, this compresses vocals to a growl. This enigmatic trio expands guitar effects and percussive clatte …

posted "Contemplative & literate, reflective & restless" about False Beats & True Hearts. May 20, 2011

Contemplative & literate, reflective & r …
After Galaxie 500, guitarist Dean Wareham led Luna towards increasingly lower volume, channeling the Velvet Underground's tension into lounge-ting …

posted "New York: 10 years after--or 30?" about Wilderness. May 11, 2011

New York: 10 years after--or 30?
If you want to revive the sounds of that city's new-wave clubbers of the late 70s and early 80s, follow these five Swedes. On their third release, …

posted ""Rip It Up"'s raw material: I craved more!" about Totally Wired: Postpunk Interviews and Overviews. April 27, 2011

"Rip It Up"'s raw material: I craved mor …
For American consumers of his "Rip It Up and Start Again" post-punk history, this raw material and added fiber's nourishing. A chapter w …

posted "Great follow-through to "Rip" but I wanted even more" about Totally Wired: Postpunk Interviews and Overviews. April 26, 2011

Great follow-through to "Rip" but I want …
For American consumers of his "Rip It Up and Start Again" post-punk history, this raw material and added fiber's nourishing. A chapter w …

posted "Postpunk meets powerpop, literate and lingering" about Led Zeppelin Five. April 25, 2011

Postpunk meets powerpop, literate and li …
On many small labels, since 1987, John Andrew Fredrick and his band craft gritty power-pop. On their eleventh full-length album, The Black Watch featu …

posted "Mechanical clatter, dark shadows, restless heart" about Something Dirty. April 21, 2011

Mechanical clatter, dark shadows, restle …
If Pete Frame drew a family tree of this experimental band, founded in 1971 in Germany, he'd face a challenge. The newest release comes with a res …

posted "Return to form, modest yet mature: pastoral grooves" about Here Before. April 21, 2011

Return to form, modest yet mature: pasto …
Great textures, not a weak track, excellent production by Bill Million & Glenn Mercer. This will grow on me. I tend to be cautious about reunions …

posted "Wide-ranging if tilted towards the early recordings" about Mark E. Smith and The Fall: Art, Music and Politics (Ashgate Popular and Folk Music Series). February 20, 2011

Wide-ranging if tilted towards the early …
"Always different, always the same," so the late John Peel commented on his favorite band. With ninety-six songs in twenty-four Peel session …

posted "Wide-ranging if tilted towards the early recordings" about Mark E. Smith and The Fall: Art, Music and Politics (Ashgate Popular and Folk Music Series). February 20, 2011

Wide-ranging if tilted towards the early …
"Always different, always the same," so the late John Peel commented on his favorite band. With ninety-six songs in twenty-four Peel session …

posted "Various Northwest artists prove songs don't remain the same" about From the Land of Ice & Snow. February 20, 2011

Various Northwest artists prove songs do …
Originality improves these thirty-three tracks on this double-album, with seventeen bonus digital tracks, from Jealous Butcher Records. As with many t …

posted "FM. No static at all." about Citizen Steely Dan: 1972-1980. September 25, 2010

FM. No static at all.
This replaced the earlier, crummier sounding (a common flaw for many first-generation CD from LP versions) CD releases in my collection, and these in …

commented on TheJohn's review of Citizen Steely Dan: 1972-1980, "A Real Hit and a Big Miss". September 25, 2010

commented on drifter51's QuickTip of For Your Love, "A great record from 1965! The Yardbirds broke up way to soon after making some fabulous music.". September 16, 2010

posted "Their most varied, 60s-inspired, record yet" about Phosphene Dream. September 16, 2010

Their most varied, 60s-inspired, record …
Compared to "Directions to See a Ghost," which for me fulfilled the promise of "Passover," this third album's less consistent …

posted "Haunted while the minutes (don't) drag?" about Elf Power. September 15, 2010

Haunted while the minutes (don't) drag?
This grows on you. Insects, dirt, bones, ghosts haunt this disc, dedicated to the late Vic Chestnutt. Elf Power, by self-titling their tenth (!) album …

commented on AlainB's review of Lift Audio Icon Series 6 mm Premium Earphones (Black), "Comfortable with great sound". September 10, 2010

commented on duffbert's review of Lift Audio Icon Series 6 mm Premium Earphones (Black), "These covered all my needs very well...". September 10, 2010

posted a comment on rwellsrwells' list, "Dylan's Apocalypse 1". September 04, 2010

posted "Back to the country" about Alive As You Are. September 02, 2010

Back to the country
As with the psychedelic movement's drift away from density among many of its original hitmakers, so with its followers. The back-to-the-country ap …

posted a comment on QUEENBFLIX's list, "My Favorite Bands". August 29, 2010

posted a comment on RobertYokoyama's list, "My favorite bands of all time". August 29, 2010

posted a comment on devora's list, "Favorite Cure Singles". August 29, 2010

posted a comment on RobertYokoyama's list, "My Favorite Beatle Songs". August 29, 2010

posted a comment on MichaelN's list, "Favorite All-Time Beatles Songs". August 29, 2010

posted a comment on MeowMeowMeow's list, "MY Top 5 Albums of the Decade". August 19, 2010