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Jon M. Young

Jon Young currently contributes to Consequence of Sound and No Depression and has previously been a regular contributor to such publications as Trouser Press, Crawdaddy, Music and Sound Output, Request, Launch, SonicNet, Creem, Harp, Musician, Blender, Spin, Paste and Mother Jones. His preferred listening includes The Byrds, Billy Fury, Wynonie Harris, Billie Holiday, Howlin’ Wolf, The Kinks, Barbara Lynn, METZ, Thelonious Monk, Norma Jean, Charlie Parker, Doug Sahm, Raymond Scott, Del Shannon, Connie Smith, Speedy Ortiz, Dusty Springfield, Toots and the Maytals, Caetano Veloso and Hank Williams, among others. His career highlights include interviewing Del Shannon and meeting Doug and Bob McKenzie.

Jackie DeShannon – Love Forever: Demo Recordings 1966-68 (Real Gone Music)

4 June 2025

Exploring the back pages of a great pop songwriter.

Lael Neale – Altogether Stranger (Sub Pop Records)

7 May 2025

Flaky or crafty? Or both?

Horsegirl – Phonetics On and On (Matador Records)

15 February 2025

Young minimalists avoid the second-album blues.

Elvis Presley – Memphis (RCA Records / Legacy Recordings)

9 August 2024

The King at home, in glory days and after.

Nat King Cole – Live at the Blue Note Chicago (Iconic Artists Group)

4 June 2024

The peerless performer mixes jazz and pop with consummate grace in a small club.

METZ – Up on Gravity Hill (Sub Pop)

12 April 2024

“I’m wound so tight my head could pop,” sings Alex Edkins.

Laetitia Sadier – Rooting for Love (Drag City)

23 February 2024

The elegant Stereolab singer continues her restless quest.

Bob Dylan – The Complete Budokan 1978 (Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings)

20 November 2023

Dylan in Tokyo, reimagining the canon.

The Beatles – 1962-1966/1967-1970 (Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe)

15 November 2023

The Fab Four, reconfigured once again.

IAN SWEET – SUCKER (Polyvinyl Records)

2 November 2023

Jilian Medford plunges headlong into desperate longing and crushing heartache.

Elvis Presley – Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite (RCA Records / Legacy Recordings)

11 August 2023

The King in all his glory, before the fall.

Marshall Crenshaw – Field Day (Yep Roc Records)

16 July 2023

A garage-pop genius steps out of line.

Brigid Mae Power – Dream from the Deep Well (Fire Records)

30 June 2023

Mesmerizing Irish folk music, dressed up for today.

Shana Cleveland – Manzanita (Hardly Art)

10 March 2023

The leader of La Luz pivots from groovy psychedelia to unplugged strangeness.

Elvis Presley – Elvis on Tour (RCA/Legacy Recordings)

18 January 2023

The King struts his stuff on big stages and goes small behind the scenes.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix Experience – Los Angeles Forum: April 26, 1969 (Experience Hendrix/Legacy)

21 November 2022

Jimi on the cusp of change, testing the boundaries of stardom.

Beatles

The Beatles – Revolver Special Edition (Super Deluxe) (Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe)

28 October 2022

A Fab Four masterwork, refurbished and expanded.

Roger Miller

Roger Miller – Roger and Out and 11 Other Albums (Capitol Nashville / UMe)

30 September 2022

An underrated Nashville genius takes the spotlight in a dozen reissues.

Spacemoth

Spacemoth – No Past No Future (Wax Nine / Carpark Records)

29 July 2022

Scruffy synths and existential despair add up to a mesmerizing debut.

JD McPherson

JD McPherson – The Warm Covers EP, Vol. 2 (New West)

6 June 2022

An electrifying performer tackles rock’n’soul classics from Iggy Pop to Irma Thomas.

Weird Nightmare

Weird Nightmare – Weird Nightmare (Sub Pop)

20 May 2022

The fiery METZ frontman edges out of his comfort zone.

Renata Zeiguer

Renata Zeiguer – Picnic in the Dark (Northern Spy)

12 April 2022

Peerless dream pop from a Filipino-Argentinian magician.

Aldous Harding

Aldous Harding – Warm Chris (4AD)

25 March 2022

Sly folk-pop trickster from New Zealand plays intriguing head games.

Left Banke

The Left Banke – Strangers on a Train (Omnivore Recordings)

25 February 2022

Glimmers of baroque pop brilliance, decades after “Walk Away Renee.”

Connie Smith

Connie Smith – The Latest Shade of Blue: The Columbia Recordings 1973-1976 (Bear Family)

20 January 2022

A country legend rolls with changing times and reaffirms her greatness.

Charlie Parker

Charlie Parker – Bird in LA (Verve)

14 December 2021

Have alto sax, will amaze: genius at work.

Elvis Back in Nashville

Elvis Presley – Elvis: Back in Nashville (RCA/Legacy Recordings)

15 November 2021

The King circa ‘71, still in fine voice, at a creative crossroads.

Nathaniel Rateliff

Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats – The Future (Stax)

8 November 2021

A big voice infuses old soul sounds with modern urgency.

La Luz

La Luz – La Luz (Hardly Art)

25 October 2021

A pastel psychedelic haze, seasoned with notes of modern angst.

Beatles

The Beatles – Let It Be Special Edition (Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe)

18 October 2021

The long and winding road of the Fab Four’s most troubled album.

R&B in D.C.

Various Artists – R&B in D.C. (1940-1960) (Bear Family)

23 September 2021

Soulful stars and wannabes, from Lloyd Price and The Clovers to Baby Dee and TNT Tribble.

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan – Springtime In New York: The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 (1980-1985) (Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings)

21 September 2021

Dylan chases inspiration every which way, never pausing to rest.

Booker T.

Booker T. & the MG’s – The Complete Stax Singles Vol. 2 (1968-1974) (Real Gone Music)

3 September 2021

Elegant instrumental gems from the impeccably funky Memphis quartet.

Country Funk

Various Artists – Country Funk Volume III (1975-1982) (Light in the Attic Records)

9 August 2021

Country cousins take a snort of disco and funk. Get out on the floor!

Los Lobos

Los Lobos – Native Sons (New West Records)

30 July 2021

A Los Angeles institution crafts affectionate covers of hometown faves.

Lucy Dacus

Lucy Dacus – Home Video (Matador)

2 July 2021

A journey through the past stirs up heavy memories.

Juana Molina

Juana Molina – Segundo (Crammed Discs)

11 June 2021

A 2000 psychedelic gem from Argentina resurfaces in the material world.

Bachelor

Bachelor – Doomin’ Sun (Polyvinyl Record Co.)

28 May 2021

Jay Som + Palehound = a gentle, idiosyncratic gem.

Tony Joe White

Tony Joe White – Smoke from the Chimney (Easy Eye Sound)

11 May 2021

The Swamp Fox receives a thoughtful assist from Dan Auerbach.

Tune-Yards

Tune-Yards – sketchy. (4AD)

31 March 2021

Merrill Garbus mixes itchy music and restless social commentary to spark a revolution of the mind.

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan – 1970 (Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings)

10 March 2021

Copyright protection produces more enticing revelations from Bob’s endless back pages.

Lael Neale

Lael Neale – Acquainted with Night (Sub Pop)

23 February 2021

Stark, confessional tunes plus Omnichord equal unsettling intimacy.

Dusty Springfield

Dusty Springfield – The Complete Atlantic Singles 1968-1971 (Real Gone Music)

16 February 2021

A British pop great teams up with American producers to make timeless music.

Richard Hell

Richard Hell and the Voidoids – Destiny Street Complete (Omnivore)

3 February 2021

An underrated album from a Big Apple provocateur gets refurbished.

Iggy Pop

Iggy and the Stooges – From KO to Chaos (Skydog)

20 January 2021

James Osterberg through the years, profound and profane.

Staple Singers

The Staple Singers – Come Go with Me: The Stax Collection (Craft Recordings)

31 December 2020

Gospel titans rock the house with spirit and soul, and everyone’s invited.

Charlie Parker

Charlie Parker – The Savoy 10-Inch LP Collection (Craft)

11 December 2020

Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and friends make beautiful, exotic noise.

Elvis Presley Nashville

Elvis Presley – From Elvis in Nashville (RCA/Legacy Recordings)

3 December 2020

The King meets the Nashville Cats in Music City. Fine country-pop ensues.

Little Richard

Little Richard – Lifetime Friend (Omnivore)

25 November 2020

Richard Penniman goes to church, ‘80s style.

Juana Molina – ANRMAL (Crammed Discs)

14 November 2020

A freaky Argentine spellcaster conducts a dizzying head trip.

Bobby Bare Shel Silverstein

Bobby Bare – Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus (Bear Family)

10 November 2020

Two rascals conspire to create funny, touching character studies.

Metz Atlas Vending

METZ – Atlas Vending (Sub Pop)

2 November 2020

A roaring Toronto trio turns raw noise into severe, thrilling beauty.

Optic Sink

Optic Sink – Optic Sink (Goner)

26 October 2020

The best in Memphis synth-punk, direct from a crumbling future.

mxmtoon dusk

mxmtoon – Dusk (self-released)

20 October 2020

An introspective bedroom-pop star grows up gracefully.

Raymond Scott Big Band

The Raymond Scott Big Band – Hemidemisemiquaver: Buried Treasures of The Raymond Scott Big Band (Real Gone Music)

12 October 2020

An innovative maverick fires up his exhilarating 1940s big band.

Sad13 Sadie Dupuis

Sad13 – Haunted Painting (Wax Nine)

2 October 2020

The Speedy Ortiz leader uncorks a bracing solo effort.

Gillian Welch Lost Songs

Gillian Welch – Boots No. 2: The Lost Songs, Vol. 2 (Acony Records)

25 September 2020

An Americana heroine serves up prime leftovers.

Monk Palo Alto

Thelonious Monk – Palo Alto (Impulse! Records/Legacy Recordings)

18 September 2020

The piano genius in fine form, direct from a high-school auditorium.

Whole New Mess

Angel Olsen – Whole New Mess (Jagjaguwar)

3 September 2020

An unsparing singer-songwriter gets back to basics, brilliantly.

Johnny Cash Mercury

Johnny Cash – The Complete Mercury Recordings 1986-1991 (Mercury/UMe)

29 July 2020

The Man in Black, looking back and still memorable.

Brian Wilson Van Dyke Parks

Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks – Orange Crate Art (Omnivore)

13 July 2020

Two old masters take a leisurely stroll through an imaginary past.

Staples Family Tree

The Staple Singers/The Staples – Let’s Do It Again, Pass It On, Family Tree, Unlock Your Mind (Omnivore)

6 July 2020

The first family of gospel rolls with the times on four secular ‘70s albums.

Brigid Mae Power

Brigid Mae Power – Head Above the Water (Fire)

8 June 2020

A transfixing Irish singer crafts modern folk tales of vulnerability and strength.

Erroll Garner – Magician (Octave/Mack Avenue)

27 May 2020

Attention: Keyboard genius at work.

Joe Ely Pandemic

Joe Ely – Love in the Midst of Mayhem (Rack’em Records)

29 April 2020

A well-traveled Texas troubadour offers reassurance in tough times.

Locate S,1

Locate S,1 – Personalia (Captured Tracks)

17 April 2020

Christina Schneider takes a journey to the center of the mind.

Claudettes

The Claudettes – High Times in the Dark (Forty Below)

13 April 2020

A brash Chicago quartet turns modern anxiety into snappy entertainment.

Waxahatchee

Waxahatchee – St. Cloud (Merge)

1 April 2020

Katie Crutchfield delivers emotional shock therapy with devastating efficiency.

Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald – The Complete Piano Duets (Verve Records/UMe)

16 March 2020

Angelic singing plus timeless songs spells heavenly grace.

Unraveling

Drive-By Truckers – The Unraveling (ATO)

2 March 2020

Patterson Hood and company wrestle with despair over the state of the world today.

A Girl Called Eddy

A Girl Called Eddy – Been Around (Elefant)

26 January 2020

Missing-in-action pop royalty resurfaces with a sophomore masterpiece.

Los Lobos – Llegó Navidad (Rhino)

16 December 2019

Just Another Band from East L.A. unwraps a new holiday classic.

Live at Home

James Brown – Live at Home with His Bad Self (Republic/UMe)

25 November 2019

The Godfather of Soul sets the stage on fire. Funky nirvana ensues.

booker t

Booker T. & the MG’s – The Complete Stax Singles Volume 1 (1962-1967) (Real Gone Music)

12 November 2019

Sublime soul instrumentals, from “Green Onions” to “Hip Hug-Her.”

The Kinks, Arthur

The Kinks – Arthur or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire (BMG/ABKCO)

6 November 2019

Ray Davies’ greatest concept album gets supersized.

Bakersfield

Various Artists – The Bakersfield Sound 1940-1974 (Bear Family)

21 October 2019

California’s honky-tonk hotbed gets a fascinating, sprawling survey.

Beatles

The Beatles – Abbey Road (Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe)

8 October 2019

The Fab Four’s final studio work gets a fancy makeover.

Corb Lund

Corb Lund – Cover Your Tracks (New West Records)

2 October 2019

AC/DC covers: The next big country trend?

Masquerade

mxmtoon – The Masquerade (House Arrest)

26 September 2019

Mxmtoon mixes crippling self-doubt and lilting melodies to endearing effect on her debut.

Jay Som – Anak Ko (Polyvinyl)

4 September 2019

Melina Duterte frets over friends and lovers on a bedroom-pop masterpiece.

Oh, Rose – While My Father Sleeps (Park the Van Records)

Oh, Rose – While My Father Sleeps (Park the Van Records)

31 August 2019

Olivia Rose taps into dark places of the soul with well-tuned empathy.