22 Minutes of New Christmas Music: Steve Carlson’s “Christmas Wish”

22 Minutes of New Christmas Music: Steve Carlson’s “Christmas Wish”

When Steve Carlson dropped his latest album, Christmas Wish, I didn’t want to review it. I just wanted to snuggle on my couch in front of the faux fireplace and let the new tunes keep me warm. Even the brief snippet I wrote for The Riff felt like too much work. I did it anyway…

Radio Company’s “Keep On Ramblin'” – A Purposeful Departure

Radio Company’s “Keep On Ramblin'” – A Purposeful Departure

A purposeful departure from previous work, the core of Radio Company emerges intact. Intro It’s important to understand my physical and mental state as I was composing this review. Many folks have experienced illness that results in voice changes. Saint Ignatius knows, I sound like I’ve gargled glass over the past several weeks and my voice…

Reminiscences and Renegade Hair: A Sunday Session with Steve Carlson

Reminiscences and Renegade Hair: A Sunday Session with Steve Carlson

You can’t fall in love with someone’s music unless you know about it. On Sunday, January 8th, I attended a StageIt performance by Steve Carlson. These are fairly regularly scheduled events lasting about 30 minutes and at a cost of “pay-what-you-can.” Steve, as you might recall from my last review, is Jensen Ackles’ musical partner in…

A Long Time Comin’: Radio Company Live

A Long Time Comin’: Radio Company Live

Exceptional music comes to those who wait and wait and wait By Christine T. Carmichael, unapologetic Radio Company evangelist and academic librarian ? Music is well said to be the speech of angels. — Thomas Carlyle Interior: Analog-at-the-Hutton, 8PM CST Fans of Radio Company have been waiting years for the group to perform live. Tonight,…

Picking Supernatural’s 75 Essential Episodes – Season 2

Picking Supernatural’s 75 Essential Episodes – Season 2

As I was looking for a way to pass the quarantine summer doldrums, I saw Entertainment Weekly’s list of what it considered to be the 75 most ‘essential’ episodes of Supernatural, leading up to Season 15. Since any excuse for a rewatch is a good excuse, I figured I’d not only invite my Supernatural “Team Free Will…

“Carry On” Sing-Along With Kansas, Jensen, Jared and Misha

“Carry On” Sing-Along With Kansas, Jensen, Jared and Misha

Supernatural and Kansas fans were in for a real treat this week thanks to Misha Collins and GISH!  A highlight of GISH virtual summer camp activities was an online campfire sing-along of Supernatural‘s adopted theme song “Carry On Wayward Son” with the band Kansas! A special Zoom get together with the band members, Jensen Ackles,…

Musical Anatomy of a Superhero: Interview with Hollywood’s Renowned Genre Composers

Musical Anatomy of a Superhero: Interview with Hollywood’s Renowned Genre Composers

One of the amazing dynamics of San Diego Comic-Con is the access that fans have to the superstars of the entertainment industry. Panels offer fans a chance to ask questions of the otherwise inaccessible lead actors and behind-the-camera creative teams of the most popular movies and television shows. Through press rooms, private media outlets can…

Supernatural’s Top Ten Musical Moments – Emberlast’s Choices

Choosing your top songs from Supernatural is a challenging idea simply because there have been so many through the years.  In her recent article, Karen said she picked the first ten musical moments that came to her, so I pretty much tried to do the same:  which songs and which scenes came to my mind…