TOONTRACKS EZMIX Studio plug-in with optimized presets FOR: Great mixes in a snap. Toontrack master sound designer Mattias Eklund has partnered with DSP gurus Overloud to come up with a preset-based plug-in that makes dialing up killer treatments a snap. The sortable Name, Type and Instrument columns make finding what you’re looking for easy. The Shape, Blend and Level faders allow you to quickly fine tune presets, which can then be renamed and... 

AVID ELEVEN RACK Pro Tools interface for guitar FOR: Racking up a killer guitar tone. Avid’s Eleven Rack is a 24bit, 96k USB Pro Tools interface that is as comfortable on the concert stage as it is in the studio. The user-friendly interface makes accessing and modifying the healthy sampling of amp, effect, speaker and mic models refreshingly intuitive. Eleven Rack also functions as a mic pre-amp with phantom power for tracking vocals or re-amping.... 

APOGEE GIO Guitar interface for GarageBand, MainStage and Logic FOR: Stomping your Mac. The GiO puts the fun in functionality for guitarists who want to rock out with their Apple computers. First and foremost this unit is a 24-bit USB-driven audio interface for guitar, designed by AD/DA conversion pioneers Apogee. However, the real functionality is in the massive amount of control given to your feet, freeing up your guitar-wielding hands from that... 

REAMP V.2 Easily replace guitar or bass tones after capturing that perfect take. FOR: Producers, engineers and studios. While sound replacement on drums has been standard fare for decades, the Reamp brings that flexibility to recording amplified instruments. Create a safety DI track and Reamp later with your choice of mics, effects and amps. We found blending amps and cabinets to be a snap, and the polarity switch quickly eliminated ground noise.... 

ARACOM PRX150-PRO POWER ATTENUATOR Maximum tone at a minimal volume. FOR: Preserving your neighbors’ sanity. Like a fine sports car, some amps need to be opened up before they hit their stride—but the volume makes this an ongoing challenge for amp lovers and soundmen alike. The PRX took the loudest non-master volume amp we could find down to conversation level with none of the tonal compromises we’ve noticed in the other units. The PRX features... 

TECH 21 SANSAMP CHARACTER SERIES PEDALS Stacks of tone at a fraction of the price. FOR: Pedal pushers everywhere. Tech 21 pioneered direct recording for guitar and bass players with its legendary SansAmp, and with the Character Series the company has extended its footprint beyond the studio door. Each pedal in the series draws its inspiration and namesake from renowned tones that guitarists have been chasing for decades. Although you can run them... 

ORANGE AMPLIFIERS TH30 The latest colorful offering from a noted amp company. FOR: Those who want a modern take on classic British tone. Since the first models hit the stage with Fleetwood Mac in the late 1960s, Orange has been delivering classic UK tones to rock fans the world over. It is the latest in a tradition of amps that sound as cool as they look. The TH30 is outfitted with a pair of EL34 output tubes, twin channels and an effects loop.... 

UAD-2 QUAD DSP ACCELERATOR PACKAGE Universal Audio offers award-winning plug-ins that won’t drain your CPU. FOR: Plug-in fanatics. From its early origins in studio innovation, Universal Audio has continued to develop state-of-the-art tools for recording studios and engineers. The UAD-2 QUAD AC builds upon the success of the UAD-1 to deliver self-powered “analog classic” plug-ins at a fraction of the cost of their vintage counterparts. The QUAD... 

From monster stacks to boutique boxes, here’s everything you need to get loud In a memorable scene from the classic comedy film This Is Spinal Tap, Christopher Guest (playing the titular fictional band’s guitarist Nigel Tufnel) proudly unveils his new amplifier—one whose maximum volume isn’t 10, but 11. “Well, it’s one louder, isn’t it?” he reasons. “It’s not 10.” Poor Nigel may not have understood physics, but on a deeper level... 

Everything you need to know about selecting the right pickup for your guitar When you’re headbanging to a blistering riff by Slayer’s Kerry King or holding your breath as you listen to B.B. King’s soaring lead, you’re hearing more than just great musicians, guitars and amps. Key to any six-stringer’s unique tone is the pickup—the unassuming metal device that sits underneath guitar strings and translates their vibrations into sweet melodies... 

How to drive your tracks to the next level with customized virtual percussion So many of our favorite recordings would collapse without their own flavor of boom boom pow—the powerful percussion elements that propel a song at the drop of a beat. Whether you’re creating hip-hop, rock, jazz or R&B, your music will almost always benefit by integrating some form of percussion. But what if you don’t have access to Neil Peart, Lars Ulrich, Carter... 

Selecting the right effects stompbox will keep your sound on sure footing Many legendary rock moments—Jimi Hendrix wailing through an Octavia on “Purple Haze,” or the Edge’s lush delay on U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name,” for example—were crafted using carefully chosen effects pedals. Guitarists of all genres use these small, specialized signal processors to tweak their instruments’ sounds in wildly creative ways. And they’re... 

Everything you need to know about selecting the perfect guitar From Eric Clapton’s soaring blues to Tony Iommi’s pulverizing metal riffs and Jimi Hendrix’s psychedelic jams, no single instrument has defined the sound and spirit of rock ’n’ roll music more than the guitar. If you want to grab an axe and add a few notes to that legacy, you have to start with the right instrument. With endless variations and models to choose from, how do... 

Rock’s top lighting designer helps you turn an ordinary show into a dazzling spectacle Certainly, the first and foremost reason we attend concerts is to hear great music—but skillful stage lighting can transform a relatively simple treat for the ears into an unforgettable multimedia experience. To ensure that what audiences see is as vibrant and explosive as what they hear, many of the world’s biggest touring acts turn to lighting designer Marc... 

Selecting the right microphone for you is crucial to a sound performance When you’re belting out a power ballad in front of thousands of excited fans or laying down a delicate guitar overdub in the studio, having the right microphone can make your music sound its best—and the wrong mic can turn it flat and lifeless. But with so many variations available, how do you choose? And with top-end mics selling for tens of thousands and cheapies going... 

The sounds you get from the bottom end can take you to the top WHETHER IT’S HIP-HOP OR HEAVY metal, jazz or country, the right bass sounds can make your music boom with hip-shaking power—while the wrong choices can make it flop with a thud. How do musicians, engineers and producers steer their sounds into that elusive deep-end comfort zone? Even the simplest of standout bass parts have more going on than meets the ear. To help pull back the curtain,... 

JUNE 2011 COVER STORY: JOURNEY FEATURE: SURROUND SOUND MUSICIAN: BÉLA FLECK, DEF LEPPARD Q&A’s: MY MORNING JACKET, COLBIE CAILLAT, JOSS STONE, MARC BROUSSARD, ADAM ANDERS, MARIANNE FAITHFULL, “WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC SPOTLIGHT: THE GREENCARDS, THE JOLLY BOYS, MATT NATHANSON, CHRISTINA PERRI, GOMEZ, YOUSSOU N’DOUR, BATTLES WHO’S NEXT: KATIE COSTELLO, AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE, XIMENA SARIÑANA INDIE SCENE: GARLAND JEFFREYS BEHIND THE CLASSICS:... 

MAY 2011 COVER STORY: STEVIE NICKS FEATURE: SUMMER FESTIVAL MUSICIAN: BRUCE HORNSBY, HERB ALPERT ENGINEER: MARCELLA ARAICA Q&A’s: KIMBERLY CALDWELL, DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, ARCTIC MONKEYS, RAY DAVIES, SUSAN TEDESCHI AND, DEREK TRUCKS, ROBBIE ROBERTSON SPOTLIGHT: QUEENSRŸCHE, JESSIE J, BOOKER T. JONES, FLOGGING MOLLY, MOBY, AUGUSTANA, HIROMI WHO’S NEXT: LAURA JANSEN, CARTER’S CHORD, GRAHAM STOOKEY INDIE SCENE: JONATHAN EDWARDS BEHIND... 

MARCH/APRIL 2011 COVER STORY: FOO FIGHTERS FEATURES: MATCH GAME MUSICIAN: ALISON KRAUSS, JOE BONAMASSA PRODUCER: James Stroud Q&A’s: R.E.M., LUCINDA WILLIAMS, BOOTSY COLLINS, AVRIL LAVIGNE, NIKKI SIXX, JAMES STROUD, STEVE EARLE SPOTLIGHT: DENGUE FEVER, PANIC! AT THE DISCO, JOHN OATES, BAND OF HEATHENS, WANDA JACKSON, JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 UNIT, THE DUKE SPIRIT WHO’S NEXT: HENRY WOLFE, FRANCESCA BATTISTELLI, KINA GRANNIS INDIE SCENE:... 

JAN/FEB 2011 COVER STORY: STING FEATURES: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, MUSICIAN: GREGG ALLMAN, ERIC JOHNSON, PRODUCER: PETER ASHER Q&A’s: BRIGHT EYES, THE DECEMBERISTS, DURAN DURAN, IRON & WINE, DOOBIE BROTHERS, JAMES BLUNT SPOTLIGHT: SOCIAL DISTORTION, ADELE, BEN E. KING, TIMES OF GRACE, CORINNE BAILEY RAE, OVER THE RHINE, THE DEARS WHO’S NEXT: FUNERAL PARTY, ANNA CALVI, PLAN B, INDIE SCENE: TIERRA NEGRA & MURIEL ANDERSON, BEHIND THE... 

Members of rock band Canned Heat shared a house on Lookout Mountain Avenue in the Laurel Canyon area of Los Angeles, right next door to Joni Mitchell’s place—until it burned down in 1969. Later that year the charred structure served as the setting for the cover of Steppenwolf’s At Your Birthday Party, shot by photographer Henry Diltz and designed by art director Gary Burden. “We just walked in there with a birthday cake, sat down and took... 

PHOTOGRAPHER HENRY DILTZ, ALBUM-COVER DESIGNER Gary Burden and the four members of a new band called the Eagles set out from Los Angeles at 2 a.m. on March 20, 1972, arriving three hours later at the area that is now Joshua Tree National Park. The whole crew climbed up what Diltz calls a “secret magic mountain,” reaching the top at daybreak. As the sun rose, they began snapping photos for the group’s upcoming self-titled debut album. “You... 

PHOTOGRAPHER HENRY DILTZ SNAPPED THE COVER shot of Dan Fogelberg’s 1974 album Souvenirs in the living room of art designer Gary Burden’s Topanga Canyon, Calif., home. “Gary collected Indian artifacts, and among them was that eagle feather,” recalls Diltz. “Dan picked it up, and that looked so great it became the album cover. There was such an intensity to the way he was looking at the camera. It had an ancient quality to it.” The sepia... 

HENRY DILTZ, THE OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER FOR THE 1969 WOODSTOCK MUSIC & Art Fair, was sleeping behind the stage in his station wagon on the morning of Aug. 18 when he heard the music crank up. He roused himself and hustled to the stage to capture on film the festival’s final performer. By the time Jimi Hendrix went on, at 9 a.m., the once half-million-strong audience had dwindled to about 25,000. “There were these huge speakers,” Diltz says.... 

WHEN VETERAN ROCK PHOTOGRAPHER HENRY DILTZ TOOK HIS TEENAGE daughter to Nirvana’s concert at the Los Angeles Forum in December 1993, he hadn’t intended to shoot any pictures—but he secured a photo pass and took his cameras, just in case. “The first number, I see a bunch of my fellow photographers down at the front of the stage shooting like crazy,” he recalls. “I thought, ‘I’m an idiot. I’ve got my cameras, I ought to be down there... 

IN 1971, PHOTOGRAPHER HENRY DILTZ AND ART director Gary Burden were invited to the home of an unknown singer and songwriter named Jackson Browne to dream up the cover of his first album. “We went into his house, he gave us each a beer and started playing the piano,” Diltz recalls. “He started singing ‘Rock Me on the Water’ full voice, and I got the shivers. It was just awesome.” Diltz instinctively grabbed his camera and began snapping... 

PHOTOGRAPHER HENRY DILTZ WAS ASKED TO TAKE black-and-white publicity shots of singer-songwriter James Taylor. After first setting up in Taylor’s living room, Diltz suggested they head to a farm near the Cahuenga Pass in Hollywood owned by his friends Cyrus and Renee Faryar. Once there, Diltz recalls, “James leaned on a big post, and it looked so good. But I knew it would look really good in color.” Diltz asked Taylor to stay where he was while... 

Photographer Henry Diltz and designer Gary Burden enjoyed a long and fruitful working relationship with the folk-rock group America, a collaboration that produced the covers for several of their early-1970s albums. Diltz, Burden and America’s Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek spent the day of Dec. 29, 1974, roaming around San Francisco shooting photos for the cover of the following year’s Hearts album. (They had jettisoned the idea of... 

The Doors had neither a title nor a cover concept for their upcoming fifth album when they met with photographer Henry Diltz and graphic designer Gary Burden in December 1969. Keyboardist Ray Manzarek mentioned that he and his wife had seen a skid-row establishment in downtown Los Angeles called the Morrison Hotel—which they found amusing, as the group’s singer happened to be named Jim Morrison. Diltz, Burden and the band traveled to the location... 

Photographer Henry Diltz and the members of Crosby, Stills & Nash were driving around West Los Angeles looking for an interesting shoot locale when Graham Nash remembered recently noticing a funky old building on Palm Avenue. After finding the location—and no one around to ask for permission—the trio sat on a couch on the porch, singing, talking and laughing as Diltz snapped away. Two days later the group decided that a straight-faced shot... 

DEC 2010 COVER STORY: KEITH URBAN FEATURES: THE INDIE SURVIVAL GUIDE MUSICIAN: KEVIN EUBANKS, STEVE LUKATHER PRODUCER: DANIEL LANOIS Q&A’s: MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, ANNIE LENNOX, REGINA SPEKTOR, BRYAN ADAMS, AMOS LEE SPOTLIGHT: YOKO ONO, THE DAMNED THINGS, RHONDA VINCENT, TAPES ‘N TAPES, INXS, CASSANDRA WILSON, CAKE WHO’S NEXT: HOPE, THE MEMORIALS, STEEL MAGNOLIA INDIE SCENE: CASEY DESMOND BEHIND THE CLASSICS: “Hard Knock Life... 

NOV 2010 COVER STORY: JOHN LEGEND & THE ROOTS FEATURES: MILES TO GO, WHOLE NEW WORLD MUSICIAN: JOE SATRIANI, RICHARD THOMPSON PRODUCER: DAVE STEWART Q&A’s: LINKIN PARK, LIZ PHAIR, NATASHA BEDINGFIELD, HUEY LEWIS, JASON BONHAM SPOTLIGHT: PHIL COLLINS, SUGARLAND, TRICKY, SHAWN MULLINS, BAD BOOKS, DAR WILLIAMS, AARON NEVILLE WHO’S NEXT: MATT WHITE, SECRET SISTERS, LAUREN PRITCHARD INDIE SCENE: PETER HIMMELMAN BEHIND THE CLASSICS:... 

SEPT/OCT 2010 COVER STORY: TOM PETTY FEATURES: MUSIC-BASED VIDEO GAMES, STAGE TO SCREEN MUSICIAN: CARLOS SANTANA, DEREK TRUCKS PRODUCER: LARRY KLEIN Q&A’s: JEFF BECK, SARA BAREILLES, MAVIS STAPLES, ROBERT PLANT, HEART, NICK CAVE SPOTLIGHT: LITTLE BIG TOWN, JENNY & JOHNNY, RAUL MALO, MAROON 5, NELLIE MCKAY, OF MONTREAL, JAMEY JOHNSON WHO’S NEXT: ESPERANZA SPALDING, JASON REEVES, BRENDAN JAMES INDIE SCENE: SARA HICKMAN BEHIND THE... 

ADAM SULLIVAN The Room Is Spinning Faster adamsullivan.com Once the initial eagerness of piano pop wunderkind Adam Sullivan’s “Nothing Like Being Alone” is overtaken by the thoughtful musings of softer songs like “Please Don’t Fall in Love With Me,” the influence of Elton John gives way to that of Nick Drake. Suitably then, Room is a haunting collection.  Read More →

TOM PRINCIPATO A Part of Me tomprincipato.com Aided by all-star sidemen like Chuck Leavell, Brian Auger, Willie Weeks and Sonny Landreth, guitarist Tom Principato offers wailing blues, gritty funk and swampy Southern rock in an incendiary brew. Principato’s gruff vocals have presence, but it’s instrumentals like “Back Again & Gone” and “Down the Road” that downright dazzle.  Read More →

NEW MYSTERY GIRL Twist City myspace.com/newmysterygirl Chrissy Flatt, a.k.a. New Mystery Girl, is a feisty chanteuse who brings a saucy attitude and a sassy spin to her music. Flatt’s assertive presence places her at the head of the roots-rock pack with a striking set of country crooners and rockabilly-tinged uptempo numbers.  Read More →

LORENZA PONCE Soul Shifter lorenzaponce.com Lorenza Ponce combines breezy melodies with a bluesy hue and enough rock and roots influences to moot any attempt at typecasting. Possessing a sultry, hypnotic voice—and impressive instrumental prowess extending to violin, viola and mandolin—Ponce ensures that Shifter is her most soulful effort yet.  Read More →

GURF MORLIX Blaze Foley’s 113th Wet Dream gurfmorlix.com Known for his guitar work behind acts like Lucinda Williams and Mary Gauthier, Gurf Morlix turns in a passionate tribute to an earlier employer, the late country singer and songwriter Blaze Foley. Judging from these heartfelt covers, Foley’s legacy is in good hands.  Read More →

SUSAN WERNER Kicking the Beehive susanwerner.com Inspired by her pilgrimage down the Mississippi River, Kicking the Beehive captures Werner’s desire to retrace her roots. Infused with R&B, Americana and sultry torch songs, these tracks exude the handworn feel of heartland hymns. Werner’s no stranger to this area, as three previous albums—Classics, The Gospel Truth and I Can’t Be New— found her channeling vintage styles through her own... 

SQUINT Goodnight, Bad Intentions squint.com A feisty, hard-rocking outfit that defies expectations for a band from southern Texas, Squint veers closer to Rush than rockabilly. “I’m looking for a new frustration,” they assert on opening track “We All Break the Same.” Later when they wail, “I’m really looking forward to depression” (on “Elisabeth”), it becomes increasingly evident that this is indeed a band that makes the most of... 

SICK OF SARAH 2205 sickofsarah.com Given that its branding and brooding attitude—as captured on the cover—create a punk-rock first impression, Sick of Sarah is something of a surprise. The music is brash and edgy but their delivery is measured—and despite the attitude, it’s a carefully constructed sound that doesn’t stint on hooks, melody and relentless refrains. Like obvious influence Joan Jett, these five young ladies make a statement... 

CHAS SANDFORD Wag More Bark Less chassandford.com With a lengthy production and songwriting career spent mostly in the shadows, Chas Sandford has rarely afforded himself the opportunity for his own voice to be heard. With Wag More Bark Less, he sounds as if he’s been ready for this moment for some time. Specializing in smooth but seductive midtempo melodies with radio-ready appeal, Sandford complements his guitar finesse with husky yet engaging... 

THE MOONDOGGIES Tidelands moondoggiesmusic.com The sophomore effort by Seattle’s Moondoggies marks a noticeable shift from their debut, 2008’s Don’t Be a Stranger, taking their freewheeling delivery into more atmospheric realms. Nevertheless, the group maintains their breezy, accessible sound on songs like “What Took So Long” and “Uncertain” by balancing eerier moments with a strong, solid undertow. They frequently drift to opposing... 

JOEY PERO Resonance joeypero.com It’s one thing to be an acclaimed jazz virtuoso, a graduate of Julliard and a trumpeter able to wail repeated 16th-notes with dazzling speed and proficiency. It’s another to transcend stylistic boundaries and operate effectively in the classical world. So credit Joey Pero for overachieving his first time out, courtesy of a 12-song set that ranks as a most impressive instrumental debut. Pero enlists a number of... 

LORI MCKENNA Lorraine lorimckenna.com A product of New England’s fertile folk scene, Lori McKenna offers intimate glances at ordinary individuals navigating the complexities of everyday existence. McKenna’s austere observations and atmospheric arrangements show clarity and conviction. Lorraine, her first independent effort following a flirtation with Warner Bros., finds her exploring a sound that’s both plaintive and personal. “You Get a Love... 

TIM MAHONEY Live From the Sky timmahoney.com Tim Mahoney is a tireless journeyman troubadour, the kind you’d be pleased to find dropping in at your local neighborhood bar. For the past 20 years or so he’s maintained a solid output with an unpretentious everyman attitude. Live From the Sky sums up his progress so far, a double disc of unplugged performances shared with eager audiences. While emphasizing his fan-favorite standards, including the... 

SUSAN JAMES Highways, Ghosts, Hearts & Home susanjamesmusic.com On three previous albums, Susan James filtered her Southern California sound through a prism of vague psychedelia. That was especially evident on her critically acclaimed double disc Fantastic Voyage, which found her wide-eyed narratives accompanying a set of adventurous instrumentals. James’ latest offers her an opportunity to further test the standard singer-songwriter template... 

DEEP RIVER Ten Mornings deeprivermusic.com As a member of the Brindley Brothers and as a solo artist, Luke Brindley has built a respectable reputation as a singer and songwriter with an intuitive pop know-how and a keen melodic sensibility. Here he reinvents himself by opting to play a supporting role in a trio more concerned with conjuring Jayhawks-esque folky pop. The songs are mostly of the singalong variety, with harmonies consistently in full... 

BROOKLYN RUNDFUNK ORKESTRATA The Hills Are Alive: Songs from Rogers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music brooklyn-ro.com The year is young, but Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata may have already clinched the prize for most creative concept of 2011. Initially the idea of fusing sounds minted in rock, jazz, R&B and hip-hop with a dozen of Rogers and Hammerstein’s classic Broadway compositions seems unwieldy. Purists will scoff—yet somehow it works,... 

JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR Diamonds in the Dirt rufrecords.de Joanne Shaw Taylor has been hailed as one the best blues breakout artists of the last few years. The native Brit now residing in Detroit is a double threat on guitar and vocals, and her 2009 opus White Sugar netted a host of critical kudos. Her follow-up Diamonds in the Dirt builds on the momentum generated by its predecessor, presenting 10 scorching selections that find Taylor demonstrating her...