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.

US Top 10 Singles

US Top 10 Singles, May 3rd, 2014

That run from DJ Snake to the end is the best I’ve seen in months and months and months, all of it is good and Timberlake’s “Not A Bad Thing” is one of his greatest moments ever. As pure and as perfect a pop song as you will ever hear plus? It isn’t connected at the hips with a dog as it is on the album

Slideshow, US Top 10 Albums

US Top 10 Albums May 3rd, 2014

I am enough of a pop fan to give big props to DeRulo and Pharrell, two of the best albums of the years may only have girls on the mind but who doesn’t only have girls on the mind and if all you want is to give props to the playas, do it this well and you’ll get no kick from me.

Slideshow

10 songs, Thursday, April 24th, 2014

Almost Was Good Enough – Bro.Stephens And Jim James – This is one of the best songs of the year, a melodic piece of deep depression dressed up like a dirge with an astounding guitar reslessling its way through it till it feed backs out and enters the solo – A

Slideshow

The Orwells Bite The Arctic Monkeys That Feeds Em

“You can reach that level without turning into that. Like Nirvana played bigger shit than that and it’s probably a different show every night. You don’t have to take that route, you can get that level of success with those size venues, that sort of thing, but still treat is as a spontaneous show at a small club.”

Opinion, Slideshow

How To Write For A Music Blog

If you write all day every day you are a writer and if you are anything like me there is no greater reward in life. I write more than I do anything else, I write significantly more than I read or speak, anything except listen to music.

Slideshow

The A+ List 4-24-14

The Love Bug – George Jones – Wayne Kemp, country journeyman, wrote it and George Jones got it right; a smashing, lighthearted romp with love is a disease undertones riddling into the perfect lick. Jones vocal is a masterclass in Williams generation country singing.

Be Here Now, Slideshow

Be Here Now – Snap Shot Reviews Of New Album Releases 4-22-14

Jason Molina, the late singer songwriter, completely passed me by at the time, but he was something special if this sprawling somewhat epic album. A benefit covers album by alt and indie bands headed by Jim James, whose two tracks are outstanding. The title track and the other, with Bro. Stephen, the breathtaking “Almost Was Good Enough”. But there is a lot more as well, not least the other members of his band, Memorial Electric Co. ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-

Movies, Slideshow

"A Haunted House 2" Reviewed

Wayans and girlfriend Megan (Jaime Pressly) plus her two children (Ashley Rickards, Steele Stebbins) move to a haunted house with a creepy doll a la Twilight Zone has a sexual relationship with Damon (no really, very yucky)

Slideshow

10 Songs, Tuesday, April 22nd, 2014

Story Of The Rockers – Gene Vincent – Lennon called the Beatles four Gene Vincents and here is one reason why, an ode to the progenitors of rock and roll and Gene snarls and roughens up all the way from Bill Hailey to the Beach Boys and ending with… Otis Redding! – B

Lists, Slideshow

Thursdays Rainforest Fund Benefit Had Some Set List

It almost seemed as if the organizers were engaged in some kind of contest to see how many genres they could jam into one night. The songs bounced from opera (Ms. Fleming on “O Mio Babbino Caro” and “La Ci Darem La Mano,” aided by Sting) to jazz (Chris Botti on Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain”) to township jive (Paul Simon on “Graceland”).

Slideshow, Track Review

Prince's "The Breakdown" Reviewed

Prince doesn’t use his falsetto but he does manage to go higher and lower and the same time (up for “Keep breaking me” and down for “down”), the band sound fabulous and sure it is better than the execrable Zooey duet. But I hope to never hear it again.

Slideshow

10 Songs, Saturday, April 19th, 2014

Play “God Only Knows” At My Funeral – Fireworks – It doesn’t live up to its title, but, honestly what song could. Isn’t the name alone good enough. It is a beautiful smart pop punk masterpieces and one of the songs of the year – A

Slideshow

Spider Bags Sign To Merge records

If all this does is further Spider bags reach well good for them, and since everybody knows each other, Finn used to work for Merge, I am sure this is considered tidings of great joy cum what took them so damn long (Spider Bags formed in 2006).

Movies, Slideshow

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" Reviewed

Madcap and frantic constantly, a movie without a breather or a moment of realness, it is wearying without being very much fun and while certainly talented enough, it is a lot of effort for not too many rewards. Spend your summer vacation at the Overlook instead.

Slideshow, US Top 10 Singles

US Top 10 Singles 4-26-14

Not one new entry in the top ten and the top seven are THE SAME AS LAST WEEK and except for Lil Jon and Onerepublica trading places, this is the exact same as last week!!!! BUT coming up soon, as I predicted the minute it was released, Ed Sheeran’s “Sing” will be rocking the charts all summer. Be afraid.

Slideshow, US Top 10 Albums

US Top 10 Albums 4-26-14

Yeah, no one is shocked that Pharrell is back at # 2 but what is shocking is how much it has sold: 29,000 copies. If all you are selling here is 29K maybe it isn’t really anything very much. Record sales appear to be coming to an end while the new musical equations are more like a polularity than a sales contest.

Slideshow

10 Songs, Thursday, April 17th, 2014

No Diggity – Chet Faker – Let’s make one thing very very clear. I saw Blackstreet opening for new Edition back in the day (I sat behind Whitney Houston) and I am here to tell you this is a stupendous cover. true to the jumped up spirit of the original but totally of itself – A

Album Reviews, Slideshow

Robert Cray Band's "In My Soul" Reviewed

Cray sounds soulful but distracted on “Fine yesterday” and neutrally intense on the more bluesy Isaac Hayes “Your Good Thing Is Going To End”. The beat drags a little. The Booker T tribute “Hip Tight Onions” pumps that organ real well and holds a groove for every single minute but it is the exception not the ru

Slideshow

Lily Allen Dedicates SheezusTo Amy Winehouse

One of the most difficult things to grasp about drug addiction is that it actually is a real disease and while it feels like a disease you have control over , that control is like cancer remission. Addicts go into remission. And sometimes they never get sick again and sometimes they do and sometimes they die.

Be Here Now, Slideshow

Be Here Now; New Album Releases Snapshot Reviews 4-15-14

Built On Glass – Chet Faker – Aussie trip hop mood guy and very very good as well. This album works as sonic sound ambient deep beats thing and works as song, song after song. I bet it sounds awesome with beats: it’s like the percussion reverberates in the back of your head while the songs settle in the front – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+

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