Iman Lababedi

Founding Editor of Rock NYC. Iman Lababedi was a freelance rock critic in the 1980s, took a break of 20 years, and has been writing and editing the music blog rocknyc.live since 2009. He considers this to be in many ways a golden age for pop music and hopes you are enjoying it too.

Slideshow

10 Songs, Monday, June 2nd, 2014

. Truck Stop Gospel – Parker Millsap – Steve Crawford fave, raised in the Pentecostal Church till he found god in the open road as an Americana icon, the 20 year old emerging star does both god and Ameriman here: sorta Yankee Jake Buggs – A

Slideshow

Best Songs Through May 31st, 2014

At the top, that Mariah Carey Stevie wonder cop is brilliant and I hope it breaks the way “#beautiful” failed to, and what has already broken pop is two huge songs with Iggy Azalea. Both “Problems” and “Fancy” are summer hits for sure. Anything else? Chloe Howl EP is out but probably won’t make a dent till next month.

Slideshow

Active Viewin': rock nyc Concert Picks Week Of June 2nd, 2014

I am sick of writing about how great the new Old 97’s Most Messed Up is so I’ll tell you how great Lydia Loveless’ Somewhere Else is instead. Between the two, this is probably the greatest double of the year. It is like what we thought Kanye West and Kendrick Lemar were gonna do at MSG when kendrick forgot to show. This is so great it beats out Governors Ball for show of the week. Webster Hall on Tuesday June 3rd. It should be epic.

Slideshow, Sneak Peak

Sneak Peaks: Upcoming Album Releases, June 3rd, 2014

I don’t dislike Fucked Up by any stretch of the lexicon, but I am not the fan everybody else is and I kinda wanted to go with Bob Mould but… I dunno, I don’t love Bob as much as I might either. What else? Ethan Johns is Laura Marling’s buddy so gets a shout out as such. New 50 cent? I wasn’t crazy about the single. Echo? Meh…

Slideshow

10 Songs, Sunday, June 1st, 2014

The Heart That Time Forgot – Kelly Willis – Off an album so great it remains one for my favorite of all time, from a great country singer (though I’m not convinced her newbie cuts it), this will rip your heart out with a powerful lament to the searches in need and ache – A

Slideshow

rock nyc Top 10 Songs Week Of may 26th, 2014

Oh how the circumstances have changed indeed, Conor’s comeback album already forgotten and that album was too long as well. The best lengthed album this week was Haunted Heart –clocking in at a jaunty 30 minutes, you can stick it on repeat and wait for “Something That Feels Bad Is Something That Feels good” to show up againt.

Slideshow

The A+ List 5-31-14

“I’ve lost you, I’ve lost you…” A hard tough break up song true, but it makes me think of their earlier band. “Age Of Consent” was New Order’s second album and their big break through and the album where they, indeed, surpassed Joy division. But this beautiful, lively but deeply depressing song is a Joy Division concept (without the Curtis poetry) added to a dance band concept.

News

The Apple – Beats Deal For Dummies

Apple needed a streaming service but couldn’t start their own Apple Streaming without losing ITunes , so they bought Beats. That’s it folks… everything else is bullshit. Nothing else matters Iovine Schmovine. You think Jimmy is gonna effect Apple? How???

Lists, Slideshow

Titus Andronicus Setlist 2014

TA’s problem is they needed to follow up Local Business in a hurry and they didn’t and that took them from having the best live set in the business to, well, not the best live set in the city. Local Business isn’t a bad album, I called it the second best album of 2012 and while I overestimated for sure, it had moments as great as you will ever hear. Just not enough of them

Slideshow

David Bowie Digital Slide Show by Joe Stevens

If it was in the New York City area I’d certainly be there and if you are somewhere in the Dover area you haven’t lived till you’ve enjoyed the timing of Joe Stevens the storyteller. He once had me rolling on the floor with tears talking about Paul McCartney throwing him off the tour bus for asking about a Beatles reunion in what, 1971? 1972?

Slideshow

10 Songs, May 30th, 2014

When I saw him perform this Phil Ochs song at Carnegie Hall, it was a very moving experience. But this dumb ass concept, recording it in a “Voice-O-Graph” from 1947, you know, like the one Presley recorded his first vinyl on and gave it as a gift to his mama. That one. Anyway, it is OK listening to him so lo-tech but it sounded better at Carnegie Hall – B+

Slideshow, US Top 10 Singles

US Top 10 Singles, June 7th, 2014

Looks like the summer of the Ig to me and franly I am surprised that she is doing this well, though not shocked. Both “Fancy” and “Problems” are as good as modern dance mash Hip Hop gets and look as though they are settling in for a long stay at the top. As long as “Blurred Lines”? Maybe not though…

Slideshow

10 Songs, Thursday, May 29th, 2014

Lou Reed Lou Reed – Luke Haines – This is the guy behind Black Box Recorder and it is sizzled and smart blues smoothie tribute song which seems to really not have that much to do with Lou but who can complain? – B+

Lists, Slideshow

Outkast Setlist 2014 (Annotated And Spotified)

The lack of hits left Outkast to dole out the hits like gruel in a Dickens orphanage. One at the top, one in the middle, one in the end. Which means that the problem isn’t this is a problem for fanatics, it is that they don’t have the catalog to keep the attention of the casual fan. Lucky for me, I’m a fanatic.

Slideshow, Upcoming Releases

CSNY 74 On Its Way

This July 8th, the Graham Nash compiled masterwork for CSNY nutcases will see the light of day. CSNY 74. Sure, you already have the 71 Four Way Street, but this is more like 40 Way Street, a real slog through the heart of the legend that was CSNY just passed their prime when the drugs were kicking in hard harder ha

Opinion, Slideshow

Did Arcade Fire Do The Wrong Thing?

The entire concept of acting is empathy and portrayal and to discriminate on who performs what role due to sexual orientation is a dastardly concept. There are many more heterosexual roles (and many more heterosexuals) than transgender youth, so if you are gonna sexually segregate performers, the minority is gonna get it in the ear.

Slideshow

10 Songs, Wednesday, May 28th, 2014

Let Me Down Gently – La Roux – We haven’t heard from the neo-new romantic 80s inspired disco duo since 2009 but this lovely dance ballad is a haunting beauty and harbors very well for their return; hang out for the tempo change in the middle – A-

Be Here Now, Slideshow

Be Here Now: Snap Shot Reviews Of New Album Releases, May 27th, 2014

At over an hour, this is too long, and it pays the price by wearing out its welcome long before you reach the finishing end. But that not withstanding, what works, and most of it does, is world class Mariah Carey from the stunning “Cry.” -a full own ballad, that opens the set, through Nas, Wale, Miguel, Mary J Blige, and R. Kelly duets, it is a tour de force of Mariah type songs

Opinion, Slideshow

The N Word

Jim Crow was hurting the black population and racism was making the States look bad, so the Government gave the blacks some rights, stuck them in ghettos, cut off jobs, threw in hard drugs, cut off the supply of hard drugs, made the punishment for drugs worse than the punishment for murder, and mixed. Damn right I’d tell the Government to call me a nigger.

Slideshow, Upcoming Concerts

Must See: Cam'Ron AT Terminal 5

With a quiet week ahead before the Governors Ball onslaught, and having passed on Barry Gibb and Lael Summer last week, I kept on looking at A-Trak, his Ducksauce album is the EDM highlight of the year so far, and considering it though I don’t dance or take drugs so… but then I noticed Cam’Ron was opening and what can I say? This is a double header legends are made of.

Slideshow, Sneak Peak

Sneak Peaks: Upcoming Releases 5-27-14

This is Sam Smith’s week, we only live in it. Undoubtedly, In The Lonely Hour is the album to beat. If only for the first single, “Stay With Me”, this is a major (first!) release by a great singer. Othersie, I am listening to the new Sharon Von Etten as we speak and like it don’t love it, really liked the Robyn EP, and am looking forward to Christian rocker Crowder, anti-Christs EYEHATEGOOD and Mariah Carey who lives somewhere between the two.

Slideshow, UK Top 10 Albums

UK Top 10 Albums, May 31st, 2014

Screw Coldplay and Michael Jackson, the thrill here is the return of Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, otherwise known as the Beautiful South. I saw the Beautiful South in the 1990s at the tiny Supper Club and they were terrific. My fave band at the time (I never remember them when I am considering greatest bands of the 1990s) I am very very excited to hear there is a new album though I have only heard one song off it, “DIY”. I sure wish they’d release it here and then tour. So good to have these guys back. very very thrilling.

Slideshow, UK Top 10 Singles

UK Top 10 Singles, May 31st, 2014

Two new songs here, yet to be released in the US, promise mountains for the modern soul sounds of the UK. “Stay With Me” is as great as the beautiful voiced soul singer Sam Smith gets and this is not simply quite possibly his best song yet, it is also his potential big time US breakthrough. “Extraordinary” is no “Rather Be” but it is still damn good.

Slideshow

10 Songs, Monday, May 26th, 2014

ATLiens – Outkast – The title track of their first album and it still sounds other worldly. Nearly 20 years ago and it is the template for Atlanta rap and neo soul, with two great rappers and a doomy bass. Really like another planet – A

Movies, Slideshow

"X-Men: Days Of Future Passed" Reviewed

The personal story is a triangle, the young Dr. X (James McAlvoy) and the young Magneto (Michael Fassbender) fight for Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence). If X wins her over the Mutants are saved, if Magneto wins her over all is lost. Wolverine plays the gay best friend.

Slideshow

Stubhub Are Right: Full Disclosure Pricing Hurts Them…

If I missed it and nearly bought more expensive tickets, what would the average consumer do? Well, Stub Hub know what the average consumer would do. They’d buy off Vivid Seats and pay huge fees. I nearly bought a ticket to Elbow from Vivid Seats. At first glance it was 15% less than Stub Hub. After more study it was 20% more.

rock nyc top 10 songs, Slideshow

rock nyc Top 10 Songs Week Of May 19th, 2014

Can the Hank Williams album be considered new? If it can it would knock off every single thing on this list but a sixty year old recording… Kenny is the clear winner but Conor, I am wondering if I underestimate him because well because I am a little bored of his schtick by now. Certainly, except for the bridge, “Zig Zag” is a good as it gets.

Album Reviews, Slideshow

The Black Key's "Turn Blue" Reviewed

After listening to this damn thing more times than I wanted to in my worst nightmare, I guess it isn’t… no, it is terrible. I guess I like Dan’s falsetto here and there and Patrick is a good drummer but it is a bad album which just plain doesn’t add up and any particular time. Well played and deeply felt, it is over arranged and enervating.

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