The Wailing Wall: Hospital Blossoms

Any fan of introspective music on the alternative end of things must check out The Wailing Wall's debut album, Hospital Blossoms. The brainchild of NYC-based musician Jesse Rifkin, The Wailing Wall brings together an immensely talented group of musicians to tell a story of sadness, acceptance and catharsis. Rifkin relates the concept behind the album to a phoenix rising from the ashes; it's about embracing …

CRC Jianian: The Chinese Music Connection

by Tisha Leung When 38 year-old Toby Record revealed that as the Executive Director of CRC Jianian Inc., he had access to the Chinese government’s largest body of recorded historical and contemporary music, I was impressed—to say the least. Then he told me that rap producer Oh No laid some beats over a Chinese Peking Opera tune for the video game, Grand Theft Auto. So, …

Kinny Stereo Acoustic Guitars

Add new dimensions to guitar recording with Paul Kinny's Stereo Acoustic guitars, which use two sound holes to create a richer, more dynamic sound. The mammoth design, both intriguing and off-putting, is reminiscent of harp-guitars employed by innovative musicians Andy McKee and Michael Hedges. The two holes, oddly positioned toward the musician in lieu of his audience, separate the resonant bass tones from the twangy …