Tom Moon
Tom Moon has been writing about pop, rock, jazz, blues, hip-hop and the music of the world since 1983.
He is the author of the New York Times bestseller 1000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die (Workman Publishing), and a contributor to other books including The Final Four of Everything.
A saxophonist whose professional credits include stints on cruise ships and several tours with the Maynard Ferguson orchestra, Moon served as music critic at the Philadelphia Inquirer from 1988 until 2004. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GQ, Blender, Spin, Vibe, Harp and other publications, and has won several awards, including two ASCAP-Deems Taylor Music Journalism awards. He has contributed to NPR's All Things Considered since 1996.
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After the acrimonious departure of guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher, the former members of Oasis have regrouped with a different name and a brash new sound. -
Singer-songwriter Tristen Gaspadarek has spent the past few years studying the DNA of the pop hook. The fruit of that labor is audible on her debut release, Charlatans at the Garden Gate.
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Anointed the next bright hope of jazz, last year's breakout pianist took only two days to record his first solo album of originals and covers. Does it live up to high expectations? NPR's Tom Moon reviews the album here.
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The latest recording from Jason Moran and his trio is called Ten, and this year marks the group's 10-year anniversary. The trio has expanded jazz with elements of hip-hop and electronic music, a mix that critics have hailed as visionary.
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In a way, she's similar to iconic figures such as Janis Joplin or Billie Holiday — singers whose recordings define not just a style, but a way of being.
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The four members of the South African rock band BLK JKS (pronounced "Black Jacks") grew up in different parts of the country, speaking different tribal languages. And they listened to a great range of music — everything from local rhythms to Sonic Youth to Duke Ellington. Those influences converge in a totally original sound on the group's full-length debut, After Robots.
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When a successful band returns after a long break, it's bound to worry about expectations. That's what's striking about new albums by Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains: Pearl Jam is the only one that sounds desperate to give fans exactly what they've come to expect. Alice in Chains sounds considerably more liberated.
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At a time when soul music is heavily tricked-out, singer Maxwell likes to pare things down, inviting listeners in with his smooth, fluttery singing and raw emotion. In 2001, Maxwell scored a top-selling album, then disappeared. He's back with a new album, BLACKsummers' Night. -
Critic Tom Moon assembles a playlist for summertime driving that makes the miles whiz by, with some intense songs for staying alert during the day and chill-out tunes to renew the spirit in the evening, when you still have hours more to go.
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Diana Krall's latest album is dominating the market for sultry Brazilian tunes. But reviewer Tom Moon recommends an alternative: the U.S. debut album of Magos Herrera, a Mexican-born jazz vocalist with a gift for understatement.
