Album Review: Keyshia Cole- Point of No Return

I like it when Keyshia Cole gets angry.  She's furious on Point of No Return, a dark song cycle in the tradition of Marvin Gaye's Here, My Dear.  I admire the album so much that I've even talked myself into liking features by three of 2014's most annoying rappers.  Future's profane rap on the despairing "Love Letter" provides context.  Cole punks an unwitting 2 Chainz on "N.L.U.".  Juicy J helps Cole pull of the ridiculous "Rick James".  I won't argue if There Stands the Glass readers suggest that Point of No Return is a second-rate imitation of Beyoncé's self-titled 2013 release.  It's still my jam.


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I reviewed a concert by Black Veil Brides, Falling in Reverse, Set It Off and Drama Club.

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I reviewed a concert by Hunter Hayes.

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I contributed a Local Listen segment on Gene Clark to KCUR.

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The Architects are "Out of the Woods".

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Molly McGuire has released a new album.

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Kyle James made a video for "This Is Love".

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A recent performance of "Heliophonie," a new composition by Dwight Frizzell & Thomas Aber, was documented for posterity.

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Big Bank Hank of the Sugarhill Gang has died.

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I'm mildly disappointed by Dave Hollister's Chicago Winds… The Saga Continues.  RIYL: R. Kelly, grown-and-sexy music, Johnny Gill.  Here's "Spend the Night".

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Jeff Coffin & the Mu'tet's Side Up is RIYL: Lenny Pickett, jazz with humor, Steve Turre.

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St. Vincent gets Sound Advice.

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Frank Catalano's Love Supreme Collective is RIYL: John Coltrane, the right kind of tribute album, Pharaoh Sanders.

(Original image of D.I.A. by There Stands the Glass.)

Cretin Hop

Punk may have won several battles during the past few decades, but it's clearly lost the war against mainstream rock. 

I visited a friend who runs the vinyl department at 7th Heaven on my way to Starlight Theatre for last night's concert by Boston and Kansas.  He told me that young vinyl enthusiasts are purchasing scads of Boston records. 

Sure enough, I spotted several groups of teens among the audience that almost filled the venue. 

Boston and The Ramones were both released in 1976.  Thirty-eight years later, Tom Scholz faithfully recreates "Peace of Mind" for thousands of admirers while every original member of the Ramones is dead.  A new album by the post-Boston metal band Godsmack topped Billboard's album charts this week. 

Punk's defeat doesn't bother me much.  While I prefer "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" to "Peace of Mind," I've always liked "More Than a Feeling" more than "Smells Like Teen Spirit."


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I reviewed a concert by Chrisette Michele and Raheem DeVaughn.

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I reviewed Joan Sebastian's first and final appearance in Kansas.

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Ziggy Marley performed at Crossroads KC this week.  Here's my review.

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Here's my review of Boston and Kansas.

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I contributed Local Listen segments to KCUR's "Up To Date" featuring The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra and Nuthatch-47.

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Dwight Frizzell's "Slippages" is very nice.

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Kasai Allstars' Beware the Fetish may be my favorite groove-based album of the year.

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Falty DL's In the Wild is as fresh as everyone says.  RIYL: Pole, vertigo, Flying Lotus.

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A lot of people enjoy making fun of Godsmack.  I'm not among them. The new album 1000hp is RIYL: Disturbed, life outside an ivory tower, Shinedown.  Here's the title track.

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Baxter Dury looks and sounds uncannily like his pop in the video for "Pleasure".

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Captain Black Big Band's Mother's Touch is RIYL: Orrin Evans, relevant swing, Charles Mingus.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Where the Bands Are

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry after I witnessed a professional music presenter lament the diminishing "culture of supporting live music" earlier this week.  My friend was addressing an audience of less than two dozen people as he introduced a five-piece band.  An hour later I began jockeying for position at several crowded nightclubs in Westport.  Elsewhere in Kansas City that evening, Icelandic band Sigur Rós performed to a reported 4,500 fans at Starlight Theatre while the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, an ensemble that regular attracts 1,000 people at its concerts, appeared at Helzberg Hall.  I need to invite my myopic pal out for a night on the town.


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Here's my coverage of day one and day two of the Middle of the Map festival.  My five favorite performances so far?  The Appleseed Cast, Dutch Newman, Grizzly Bear, Owen Pallett and the Last Bison.

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Hugh McCracken has died.

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A television station documents a performance by Diane "Mama" Ray.

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Here's a fundraising video for Kansas City's Fado Novato.

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Dwight Frizzell made a promotional video for his chamber opera Darwin.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)