Robin Myrick

Afghan Whigs 1965 (Columbia Records) On the Afghan Whigs' sixth album, singer Greg Dulli showcases his fascination with hip-hop and R&B by quoting Puff Daddy, Mase, Nas, the Temptations, and Marvin Gaye. It's not that Dulli isn't capable of coming up with his own words -- his twisted-love narratives are...

Randy Newman Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman (Rhino) Has there ever been an artist as politically incorrect as Randy Newman? Has there ever been a songwriter who risked so much of his reputation by singing in the voice of the unreliable narrator? Ever since 1968, when Reprise records issued...

Lyle Lovett Step Inside This House (Curb) Texas singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett has indulged himself in musical styles as diverse as gospel-soul and brass-driven pop, but he leaves no doubt where his heart lies on Step Inside This House. The 21-song, two-CD set is rich with the rugged, lyrical storytelling that...

Kiss Psycho Circus (Mercury) From 1974 to the present, Kisstory is a winding parable of greed, folly, and ego, but the basic facts are simple to comprehend: In the beginning, there were Paul, Gene, Peter, and Ace. First they rocked. Then they sucked. Then they fought, and two of them...

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Left of Cool (Warner Bros.) Outside the bluegrass world and the few bluegrass-inspired, traditional country recording sessions that must still be booked occasionally somewhere, banjo players are pretty rare birds. Consequently, even if he were only a mediocre instrumentalist, Bela Fleck would stand out in...