I Just Can’t Stop It

This box set compilation of some of the archival albums of live material Todd Rundgren took to releasing in the late '90s contains six CDs and runs more than five and three-quarters hours. Its four shows, Live in N.Y.C. '78, A Cappella Tour, Live in Chicago '91, and Another Side of Roxy, trace Rundgren's concert performances over a period of 13 years…

The sixth full-length effort from the stalwart Florida alt-rockers, The Things We Can't Stop is Cold's first new collection of songs in eight years. Far removed from the harsh Korn- and Tool-influenced sound that earned the group commercial accolades in the early 2000s, the 12-track set hews closer to the dour post-grunge atmospherics of 2011's Superfiction. Commencing with the anti-bullying anthem "Shine," the first of a slew of midtempo rockers that flex both sonic and emotional heft, The Things We Can't Stop paces and frets, but unlike the group's early works, it does its best to bear the weight of the world instead of just raging against it.

Following the untimely death of Michael Jackson in 2009, it seemed inevitable that a whole host of star artists would pay their respects to the King of Pop on record. However, rumors of tribute albums from Ne-Yo and a star-studded compilation featuring Beyoncé and Mariah Carey never came to fruition, while the only notable Jacko dedications have appeared courtesy of the rather lesser-known reggae vocalist Clinark, U.S. pianist Bob Baldwin and London gospel choir Joyous Voices. Joining that surprisingly small list is Dutch jazz-soul singer Trijntje Oosterhuis, who was just out of the blocks, with this 15-track collection, Never Can Say Goodbye, released just six months after that fateful day in late June.

Can't Stop Dreaming has a rather tangled release history. It was originally issued in Japan in 1997 on the BMG International label, and in 2003 it appeared in America but missing two tracks. Anyway, as those who witnessed the resurgence of Hall & Oates will attest, Hall has never sounded better. His vocal range is all that it once was and more…

""I'm old, but I'm hell," quipped Snooky Pryor as he laid down another white-hot track for Can't Stop Blowin'. While the 77-year-old harmonica maestro is advanced in years, he can still deliver his incendiary interpretations of the devil's music with fervid force. Pryor's extensive experience, his impeccable blues credentials and his pioneering contributions to the harmonica bring a profusion of riches to this recording.
All but one of the musicians backing Pryor on these sessions had had the privilege of playing with him before. The inclusion of Texas-guitar ace Mel Brown was a rare treat as his delectable licks added a smooth but pungent zest to the musical milieu. Snooky and Mel hadn't seen each other in years, yet their music dovetailed seamlessly, their chemistry as potent as if they'd just come off a long stretch on the road together.