Music Book Reviews

Review: Rem’s Chance by Dave J. Andrae

Rem's Chance by Dave J. Andrae

Capturing the quiet struggle of a resilient generation with scathing wit and emotional depth, Rem’s Chance by Dave J. Andrae is a sardonic portrait of a generation.

A washed-up musician plagued by worst-case-scenario thinking rediscovers an almost forgotten passion when he embarks on a quest to uncover the past. After serendipitously running into an old bandmate in the midst of a tragedy, Remy Bruxvoort is catapulted back into the memories of his rock ‘n’ roll youth with Gene and Dusty, the other members of The Bubbling Samovars.

Setting aside his daunting ambition of writing a novel, and the painful stress […]

Review: The Wandering Pianist by Congyu Wang

The Wandering Pianist by Congyu Wang

Heartwrenching, humanistic, and beautifully told, The Wandering Pianist: From the Street to the Concert Hall by Congyu Wang is a humbly penned memoir that grips the imagination and offers renewed hope to artists and lost souls alike.

Swimming smoothly through time, the narrative weaves tales of Wang’s upbringing and childhood challenges with the humbling successes of his later life and moments of desperation along the way. From the humblest of beginnings to the grandest stages of Europe, Congyu demonstrates a remarkable belief in himself and a relentless determination to persevere. Despite facing doubt and derision from his family, as well […]

2024-02-07T14:18:39+02:00February 6th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |

Review: From Bonham to Buddha and Back Again by Clementine Moss

From Bonham to Buddha and Back Again by Clementine Moss

The rare kind of memoir that makes one forget it’s not a novel, From Bonham to Buddha and Back Again: The Slow Enlightenment of the Hard Rock Drummer by Clementine Moss is an exhilarating and enlightening read.

Slowly revealing the autobiographical puzzle of her own music-infused life, from wild leaps to NYC, meditative mountain retreats, and early romance over drum kits to cross-country tours, sleepless benders, and bittersweet final shows, this book is laced with reckless adventure. Taking readers backstage in every sense of the word, the prose lays everything on the table – beliefs, passions, secrets, dreams, and the […]

Review: A Rakista’s 90s Mixtapes by Danna Rose

A Rakista's 90s Mixtapes by Danna Rose

Author Danna Rose delivers a spot-on dive into the struggle of teenage life in the Philippines with her first novel, A Rakista’s 90s Mixtapes. What begins as a youthful fling of garage band aspirations becomes the real deal, with real consequences, record deals, broken hearts, and a surprising number of dramatic twists.

Evie is like many other protagonists of heartfelt coming-of-age novels, but also incredibly unique, accurately referenced as an “odd boy.” The foundational loss of her father shapes her character in countless ways, most obviously her obsession with all things related to music. How that love and loss are […]

2022-09-14T18:00:38+02:00August 5th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |

The Authors of This Dream by Seth Mullins

The Authors of This Dream by Seth Mullins A radical, character-driven exploration of philosophy, meaning, music, and life itself, The Authors of This Dream by Seth Mullins is a rare piece of heart-baring fiction.

Brandon is the volatile and vulnerable lead singer behind The Edge of the Known; he’s a passionate musician seeking to exorcise his demons, but often inviting more along for the ride. Bursts of violence, drug use, existential crises, and manic episodes initially seem like the price of being a rock star, but it also triggers memories of his traumatic childhood. Suffering spells of nihilism, bursts of creative genius, and a lifetime of seeing – […]

Review: Lost Souls: A Fictional Journey through 50 Years of Pink Floyd by Edwin Ammerlaan

Lost Souls: A Fictional Journey through 50 Years of Pink Floyd by Edwin Ammerlaan

Author and music journalist Edwin Ammerlaan brings readers on the tour of a lifetime with Lost Souls: A Fictional Journey Through 50 Years of Pink Floyd. This magical slice of history collides a fictional protagonist with real-life rock stars and celebrities, painting a visceral and addictive picture of life in Pink Floyd’s inner circle.

Matt is the central figure and narrator of the story, a fictional proxy for the author himself, who has spent decades covering the perpetually evolving music industry, including writing a number of pieces on Pink Floyd. Matt lives the dream of many, slowly integrating himself […]

Review: Raised on Rock by Thomas Drago

Raised on Rock by Thomas Drago

Anyone who has ever set a personal dream aside understands the pain and nagging doubt that can come along with such a decision. Youthful ambition drives us to pursue even our most outlandish hopes, but as the years pass, those old possibilities dwindle and narrow, even if we hate to admit it. In Raised on Rock, a novel by Thomas Drago, this challenging shift in reality is explored in stark detail.

Dante Rose has been enthralled by rock and roll since he was young, and chased that rocker lifestyle for years through small-town North Carolina with his band Thorn[…]

Review: The Gospel of Tommy Visconti (The Edge of the Known – Conclusion) by Seth Mullins

The Gospel of Tommy Visconti

The Gospel of Tommy Visconti by Seth Mullins is the sixth and final volume of The Edge of the Known series, which follows the rise of the band Edge of the Known and the mercurial bandleader Brandon Chane, as he muses about life and the creative process. Here the story is told by his creative partner Tommy Visconti, as we get a view of Brandon from a distance, and potentially a deeper look into the author of this fascinating series.

Tommy Visconti is the lumbering bass player in Edge of the Known – not quite the mastermind, but instrumental in […]

2018-03-23T12:41:18+02:00March 22nd, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |
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