Anne Husick's "The Other" Side Reviewed
“The Other Side” has a horn solo to die for and keyboards in the center and a strong gravitational pull of a beat meanwhile Anne’s vocal is a real beauty
Sneak Peaks: New Album Releases week of November 24th, 2014
I saw her live many years ago, like that, and she has pipes on her like nobodies business though always hurt by weak material. This could be the one though the first single “I Deserve It” while good -yes, that is Missy elliott could be bette
Medium Cool: The Week In Talk Show Guests 11-24-14
Ah, yes, Thanksgivings week, where all the turkeys take the week off and we end with a whole lotta leftovers so what do we want for the guest of the week? I am going with the “drug addict pimps” One Direction who have one very good new album to their name released last week
Let's Active: rock nyc Concert Picks week of November 24th, 2014
The setlist concentrates on the past 15 years to the exclusion of the golden age. Also interestingly enough, I couldn’t care less. In my opinion, Dylan has never had a fallow period but even so, this has been an incredible late period for the poet laureate on the 20th and 21st century.
10 Songs: Sunday, November 23rd, 2014
“Staten Island vigilante inspired by a quest for personal retribution and bent on saving his community from the grips of crooked authority and urban decay,”, that’s the upcoming yet another concept album, here the hook is the song, a great soulful one by Tre Williams – B
David Bronson At Rockwood Stage 2, Thursday, November 21st, 2014, Reviewed
David takes to the audience like he takes to people in the real world, he makes you at ease, ready to be part of his family and then he levels you with the intensity of his playing. It is as though he sees no reason why artistry must be self-important. At Rockwood he shared his stage so generously while remaining the focal point.
Emel Malthouthi's At Live@365, Thursday, November 20th, 2014 Reviewed
At Live@365, she took the band out for a spin and found them capable of sounding like everything from traditional Arabic music, to trip hop, to lo fi electronica, all held together by Ethel’s superb voice, a great instrument which sounds Arabic in Arabic and European in English and French
Hear, My Friends: Nikki Vee's Five Songs
When I asked my Facebook friends, and my friends at 45 Revolutions Per Minute, to offer up their five favorite songs I figure I’ll get through em all eventually and first things first, here is Nikki Vee of Rhode Island’s song list. Not faves, not best, just what she is listening…
Pricing Kills Buying Music, Not Streaming
The battle over streaming is a battle over prices not distribution. I don’t care what anybody says, the average person does not want to spend $10 a month on a streaming service, it is too expensive, but if songs and albums were cheap enough they would get back in the habit of buying them.
Must See? Bob Seger At MSG December 19th, 2014
I’ve never seen Seger live and the only way for me to be sure is to take a look at him in concert. I would hope that if you read rock nyc it is for an informed opinion and the only way to have an informed opinion is to do the work, even if it is painful. So, yeah, I am gonna check him
10 Songs: Saturday, November 22nd, 2014
It is one thing to sing “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” as though it was “Send In The Clowns” and another thing entirely to sing “Send In The Clowns” as though it is “Your Painted Face”, the former is the mainstreaming of Dylan, the latter the devaluing of Sondheim. Amazingly enough it doesn’t suck… but that doesn’t add up to an endorsement – B
"The Art Of McCartney" Reviewed Track By Track
Battles have ensued between those who claim the only song worth listening to is Dylan’s, those who think it is fun and shouldn’t be taken that seriously, those who consider it borderline Karaoke and Def Leppard are guilty if only by association and those who are going back to their GNR roots. Me? I say all of the above…
“Pulp: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets" Reviewed
It closes with 20 minutes from the ashtrays of the final show. In between, Jarvis and the rest of the band discuss their career while fans sing their songs, remember the band before they got famous,
Manu Koch And Filtron M's "Mandatory Underground" Reviewed
The trick here is don’t concentrate on Manu, he’ll come for you when he wants you, concentrate on the beats which are consistently hooky, they are like little tommy guns on all four tracks and they will keep your ears centered while you ride away on keyboards that kind sound Enoish and Ornette Colemanish within a coupla bars of each other.
rock nyc Top 10 Songs Week Of November 17th, 2014
A nice week of music, especially surprisingly enough Nickelback who I have never come close to liking and is now in my good books because they found the perfect foil for their MOR rock with a perfect pop rapper. DP are a seriously good band.
Foo Fighters Want You To Wait In Line For Concert tickets
I wouldn’t stand in line for… anyone. No, wait, maybe 20 years ago I stood in line for three hours to get Brian Wilson to sign a CD for me… but otherwise. Still, aging rockers of all stripes might indeed fight the boys…
10 Songs: Friday, November 21st, 2014
Take Me To The Water – Fred Hammond – That’s water not river and this is a terrific soul funk spiritual workout making a mockery of my recent claim that his new album is a little laid back, he is a riveting shout out to the soul and a US wonder of Gospel – A
TONIGHT!!! Tunisian Protest Singer Emel Mathlouthi LIVE@365
I am, obviously, quite familiar with Arabic pop and Emel sounds less like Trip Hop goes to Palestine, and more like The Weeknd or maybe I mean Lorde with all the electronica going on, meets Fairuz and it is very very good.
US Top 10 Albums 11-29-14
Now, Tay has reached 2 Million units moved she can await the topple next week when One Direction will take over the top place. In my 1D review earlier this week I claimed 300,000 units would be a hit for the band, it looks like it will be 400K. Plus, Harry is the subject matter of a certain song called “Styles”.
US Top 10 Singles 11-29-14
It is topped off by Taulor Swift’s masterpiece, quite possibly the song of the. Incidentally, for the first time ever a woman has replaced her # 1 with another # 1.
10 Songs: Thursday, november 20th, 2014
Social Deathplay – XTRMST – If you never much cared for AFI, don’t let that put you off this loud and rowdy metalcore band, I mean who doesn’t want to scream “antisocial” in the world’s face and be paid for it – B+
Misty Huerta, rock nyc Writer Edward's Wife, Passes On
It was with great sorrow that rock nyc learnt of Misty Huerta’s passing on Tuesday, November 18th, 2014, at the age of 40. The love of our writer, not to mention artist and Rockwood drummer, Edward Huerta’s life, she had been ill for six months and finally succumbed
Lucinda Williams At Beacon Theatre, Monday, November 17th, 2014, Reviewed
Williams might not be the frontperson to pull out a set by pure willpower, but she has been doing it long enough to know how to construct a set and she constructed this one so cleverly it freed her all the way. At the Beacon Theatre Williams performed a very good two hours of Americana
Bruce Springsteen Sells Live CDs (MP4s Now) Effective December 1st, 2014
Just to test run it, and because I wanted to have his cover of “Royals”, I bought the March 1st, 2014 gig in Auckland, New Zealand, and it is exactly as advertised, three hours plus of live Bruce for a tenner, so not bad. The price of lunch!
Must See: Bette Midler, June 2015
Bette is a gay icon. The homosexual culture discovered, nurtured and then set her free. The costumes, the wigs, the uber feminine loudness, are part of a gay culture, and she has been grown it and maintained it.Midler puts on a show.
Singles Going Steady: New Single Releases week Of November 17th, 2014
Third Day Of A Seven Day Binge – Marilyn Manson – Gosh, have I grown accustomed to his voice? This is a terrific brood metal track with a funny smart lyric and groaning moaning no atoning words. What’s not to like? B+
10 Songs: Wednesday, November 19th, 2014
TVOR are back and aiming for the charts and might very well make it with this excellent pop soul track, as catchy as humanly possible. There most crossover song since “Golden Age”. The horn break is one of the best things you’ll hear this year – A-
Be Here Now: First Review Of New Album Releases November 18th, 2014
Lorde performs on, and curates this album, and her four songs here, a great all star parade at the top, an original that also gets a Kanye West remake in the middle, and a Bright Eyes cover at the end, lifts the dystopian YA soundtrack to places it never usually reaches. Chvches, Tove Lo, Grace Jones (!) are no slouches either – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A
One Direction's "Four" Reviewed
The real question is, will it sell? Will it continue the world domination? It sure should, and if it hits 300K units in the States, consider it a hit. But if it doesn’t, I don’t know how One Direction can improve upon it or turn left or sideways or anything but force Styles to get a haircut.
Must See: Meghan Trainor At Irving Plaza, March 2015
With a whole lotta great songs a 20 minute set won’t cut it. Irving Plaza on Friday , March 13th, yep that’s where we should go! I am expecting it to be a melodic blast and the continuation of the phenom who is Meghan Trainor The absolute real deal.
"Do They Know It's Christmas 30" Reviewed
I appreciate Geldof’s good intention (though isn’t Ebola over with now? What? Are we giving $50K a victim?) but not at this price. This is purely brutal. Feed the rich, torture the poor… 30 years later
Must See: "Not The Messiah" At Carnegie Hall Next Month
This December 15th and 16th, “Not The Messiah (He’s A very Naughty Boy”)” -a spoof of Handel, will be performed at Carrnegie Hall, and if you have to be Christian this is the way to do it. Idle has claimed ” “If our [Life of] Brian was by Matthew then this is by John (but more John Lennon and John Du Prez).
Last Call: Final Songs On New Album Releases Week Of November 10th, 2014
I Am A River – Foo Fighters – Look, Grohl is rich and famous and well loved, nice family, sweet natured, best drummer of his generation, pals around with rock greats… but he can’t write rock songs and that’s that – D
10 Songs: Tuesday, November 18th, 2014
Hungover – Brandy Clark – Robert Christgau rates her very high indeed and while I don’t, it might be worth noting that the first time I heard of Miranda Lambert was in an XGau column (the first time I heard of Bright Eyes, Old 87’s and Jenny Lewis among any others), so I went back and listened again. Not bad – B+
Mike Hudson And the Pagans "Hollywood High" Reviewed
It sounds like nothing else out there, neither of the time nor apart of it, it is a major rocker’s statement about redemption but Hudson is too hard headed to just say it: it weaves horror to extentuate the joy, it juxtaposes the terror of life so you can embrace the dream true love
Ten Modern Country Songs
Yeah Kelly is from the 80s (91 so not exactly…), and I wanted to put Dolly’s “In The Meantime” but he is already a Dolly fan, plus no Miranda (except with Pistol Annies) because I already recommended Platinum. Lyn Bowtell is a family member so i didn’t include her… (ps: if I felt like it I could just make em all Dement)
That Was The Week That Was: November 10th, 2014
Tickets went on sale for Governors Ball 2015, $615 for three days VIP pass from June 5th to June 8th and worth every penny. I spent the last half of 2014 using the festival as a reference for band after band after band I wrote about since June.
UK Top 10 Albums 11-22-14
No center of gravity here, Pink Floyds outtakes album at the top, George Ezra’s singer songwriter at the bottom, Tay in the middle. Yeah and Foo at # 2 setting up next weeks Taylor dethroning from the top spot on the US charts.
UK Top 10 SIngles 11-22-14
“When we started singing, getting a number number one seemed an impossible dream, so to see this group of unlikely choristers at the top of the charts today is amazing. I’m so grateful to the British public for getting behind it. “
10 Songs: Monday, November 17th, 2014
Nothing Left To Do (Let’s Make This Christmas Blue) – The Both – Aimee Mann takes the lead, ted Leo adds hushed background vocals, the organ owns the track, the melody is lovely and the song is almost perfect Mann 101 – A-
Is Bob Lefsetz Incorruptible?
I firmly believe that anybody willing to call the head of the record label he is consulting for a fucking idiot is not corrupted by Spotify.
Sneak Peaks: New Releases Week Of November 17th, 2014
Hmmm, the new new McCartney tribute album looks major to my untrained ears, Savages are back and with a japanese acid punk band from the UK (giving the word “pardon” whole new vistas of meaning, a new Ariel Pink, a new Bryan Ferry which I’ve heard and I like, and Ariel Pink who has never done it for me but there is a first time for every thing, all possibilities. But I expect the new One Direction to be masterful, the songs I’ve heard have been great and anticipation is sky high
Medium Cool: The Week In Talk Show Guests 11-17-14
U2 are gonna spend the week on Jimmy Fallon, pushing the product no doubt. An album Songs Of Innocence, that is probably the best of the century and still not that great. In Rolling Stone, U2 make the case that they work and rework songs (deep into the ground) because they care so much. Unfortunately, any spontaneity whatsoever is completely destroyed by the years and years of work. Still, five days on Fallon, some of it should be worth the while.
Let's Active: rock nyc ConCert Picks Week of November 17th, 2014
The question is what is is David Bronson’s upcoming release Questions. Now, the answer is the one concert this week you just don’t dare miss, And the question is what is Bronson at Rockwood on Friday. With guest stars including the great guitarist Carlos Alomar and his full band behind, it will be powerful stuff no doubt. I just hope Bronson doesn’t short change Questions just because it isn’t released yet!
10 Songs: Sunday, November 16th, 2014
Numb – Nick Jonas and Angel Haze – At the start of the year, Angel Haze released a terrific album and the good will does her well on this state of the art dance track by the former teen idol, trying to revive his career with this tight beats heavy dance track – B
The A+ List: 11-15-14
As Costello notes on one of these songs, poverty is a different sort of enlistment but anyhow, three songs about war and all A Plusses
Fortunate Son? Not So Fast
None of that excuses the brutal stupidity of Bruce springsteen, Dave Grohl (who doesn’t have a brain, Bruce lends him one) and Zac Brown covering “Fortunate Son”. The more I think about fortunate son, the more crappy it hits me as
Must See? The Thompson Family At City Winery, January 2015
So, yes, I’m going, no I’m not sure but I do know this: you can’t really scalp tickets to City Winery. I tried to for David Crosby and missed, so I am better off buying the ticket and worrying about it later
Laura Marling Added To Conor Oberst And Friends At The Beacon Early December
At least we will get her for one day this winter and in a nice room, the Beacon is glorious. My hope is Laura will take one look at the Rockefeller center christmas tree and start singing “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here” and move.
Bob Dylan's "The Complete Basement Tapes" Reviewed CD 6
If the sound wasn’t so crappy, this might have been my favorite on the entire enterprise. The first 12 tracks are real good with some much closer to being completed tracks. “Jelly Bean”, “Any Time” and “Down By The Station” may not be the major major “sign On The Cross” or “I’m Not There”… still, I don’t know em so it is more exciting.