-
Archives
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- October 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
-
Meta
Category Archives: Reviews
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: The Brutalist Bricks
Ted Leo’s greatest asset is his voice. When he gets really angry, his voice rises around everything that’s going on around him. He often sounds as if he is teetering close to the edge. If you focus on it, you … Continue reading
Frightened Rabbit: The Winter of Mixed Drinks
A new Frightened Rabbit record is the stuff that rock critic dreams are made of. Their 2008 record, Midnight Organ Fight was universally beloved by pretty much every major tastemaker. There were gushing reviews on top of gushing reviews, which … Continue reading
Peter Gabriel: Scratch My Back
“Heroes” is one of David Bowie’s most beloved tunes. There is something about that slinky guitar that worms its way into the hearts of musicians. Most covers leave it as is. Why mess with perfection? I was a little disappointed … Continue reading
Posted in Music, Reviews
Tagged Apres Moi, Boy in the Bubble, Genesis, Heroes, In Your Eyes, Lou Reed, Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, Radiohead, Regina Spektor, Scratch My Back, Shock the Monkey, Sledgehammer, So, Street Spirit
Leave a comment
Joanna Newsom: Have One On Me
Classification is a key part of rock criticism. When I listen to a record for the first time, the first thing I do is label it. This is not meant to put an artist in a box, but to give … Continue reading
Posted in Music, Reviews
Tagged 81, Andy Samberg, Baby Birch, Easy, freak folk, Go Long, harp, Have One on Me, Jackrabbits, Joanna Newsom, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young
Leave a comment
Jetboy: Off Your Rocker
California experienced a rock n’ roll gold rush in the mid to late 1980s. Thousands of hopeful kids packed up their guitars and swarmed on the Sunset Stip. Although pop metal was the dominant genre, some bands didn’t quite fit … Continue reading
Alkaline Trio: This Addiction
After a brief stopover in Major Label Land, Alkaline Trio has returned to the indies. This Addiction is their first album for Epitaph, and it retains the polish of their last album. Alkaline Trio haven’t been a straight-up punk outfit … Continue reading
Posted in Music, Reviews
Tagged Alkaline Trio, Dine, Dine My Darling, Draculina, Eating Me Alive, Epic, Epitaph, LabelLand, Matt Skiba, The American Scream, The Misfits, This Addiction
Leave a comment
Butch Walker: I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart
Change is a recurring motif of Butch Walker’s career. He began his career as a southern fried headbanger, morphed into a power pop prodigy, a stark singer/songwriter and a decadent glitter rock god. His last solo album, 2008’s Sycamore Meadows, … Continue reading
The Flaming Lips: Dark Side of the Moon
For the first time in his illustrious career, Wayne Coyne has made a miscalculation. Perhaps that’s too polite. The Flaming Lips have royally screwed up. To be fair, there was no possible way they could win. How the bloody hell … Continue reading
Rob Zombie: Hellbilly Deluxe 2
Rob Zombie succeeds where so many other artists of his genre have failed. Marilyn Manson goes out of his way to scare his audience, long after the shocks of horror and surprise have faded. Zombie is much smarter than that. … Continue reading