The problem is I have seen everyone from the Faux Beatles to Marshall Crenshaw perform terrific versions of Beatles songs and really, these versions, certainly anything anyone but Stevie Wonder or half the Beatles, the “les” if you will, were somewhat on the useless side.
The album is an exercise in old forms that stand up well today, two voices together and apart fretting over a relationship ending, apparently because of his infidelity. Given Babyface’s adeptness at everything from funk (Bootsy Collins gave him the nickname) to New Jack, even at its liveliest this is a mid-tempo affair
Not much going on for another week, though I note we haven’t seen a thing for Gaga in awhile and meanwhile Katy Perry is in at # 1!! Lorde has her second hit and I suggest they do the right thing and release “Swingin’ Party” and make Paul some more bucks.
The charts, which, of course, have never been a beacon of good taste aren’t even an icon of success. I think we use it because, you know, otherwise we’d have no idea who’s is winning. Now we can only take a guess at best.
Sour Times – The Civil Wars – Are we sure these guys weren’t married? I really think they may have been. This outtake from the dear departed last album has something of the Kills about it but more acoustic. Fabulous, of course – A
Headlining Laura Stevenson, who I missed, the line up included power poppers the Warriors, the modern world jam of Nude Beach, super-groupish Upset and a band that personifies so many things so significant to Don Giovanni…
Former Pussy Riot-er Nadezhda Tolokonnikova had this to say at Barclay Center , “We have to remember that freedom is not a given.” And after five hours at this godawful show I know exactly what she means.
Websites that have nervous breakdowns for four days don’t post concert picks for the week. Write them? Sure we write them. But post em? That ain’t happening. So this Wednesday I’m gonna save you the usual song and dance and boil the week down to three sets. Two of which occur at the same time.
The Haden Triplets harmony self named debut album, produced by no less a figure than Ry Cooder wins pride of place while Toni Braxton comes in second. The sisters sound lovely and Babyface still has the chops to write good slow jamz for Toni just like back in the day
The top four are all singles which is something a little different for me. Not sure if it is a reflection of the overall weakness of album releases or just a simple chance happening. That Lana cover gives darkness whole new levels of meaning.
Shot Me Down with Skylar Grey – David Guetta – One of the most thoroughly irrelevant dance tracks Guetta has put his name on since 2010, “Bang Bng” is given a stop start tempo. Skylar’s well sub Nancy Sinatra vocal interrupted by lashings of bass and drums. Mildly irritating – B
Love Death Immortality – The Glitch Mob – Or Justin Boreta, Ed Ma, and Josh Mayer, three LA DJs with a great tweak and bass sound for the ages. This is the Glitch Mob’s sophomore effort and it is even harder than the first. An unwavering mesh of synth sounds, doctored drums and bass bass bass and bigger then life. Giving the EDM audience what they want – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+
‘I tried to make this record a few times. I went to Nashville a few years ago and I was gonna make a Nashville record. I did a lot of recording there, and it was one of those things where it didn’t quite come together. That’s really the beginning of the record, is going to Nashville. But there was something about bringing it back here
I wonder why the UK single charts is so much more interesting than the US? Not just the superb “Rather Be” which should break big over here at some point, but the extremely soulful Gorgon which hits me as though while the US is having an emo revival, the UK is back with Northern soul.
Can’t say I am too thrilled by this: both You Me At Six and Bombay Bicycle Club are songs for people who have a headache and think a placebo will save them and London Grammar? I keep on thinking I underestimate them till I actually listen to them though Disclsure are certainly raising the bar for breaking bands.
From our own Mary Magpie’s Ghosts Of The Haunted, an ambient distorted track, like in the old days when you leave the TV on overnight and the station goes off the air, is matched with a single note by single note piabo composition and Mary’s disengaged voice – A-
Basically, we posted so much stuff we exploded rock nyc and had so many plugs they were interfering with each other and… well, it was a mess let’s put it like that. Working closely with a pro to set it back up and worked on it nonstop for days and days.
It is a gloriously beautiful piece of music that elevates us as high as we can possibly go and is so inclusive the only reason not to embrace it is misanthropy. Why only Tomas Doncker is heralding this album is beyond me. A magnificent piece of music that should be heard and heard again.
I’ve seen Red Hot Chili Peppers perform live any number of times and my feeling has remained constant: now here is a band that would be so much better if they’d just unplug their instruments. In a career spanning over 30 years, they’ve released two really good albums and everything in between has been a miracle of meh
Isn’t it strange how the Grammys effected 7 out of 10 album positions and none at all –well, maybe one (Bey and Jee) in the Hot 100. The reason is that a hit single already can sell 100,000s and so I gues everybody already owns, Say “Get Lucky”.
Ah yes, the Grammy effective. Six of the ten artists were on the Grammy, plus there is that one at # 2. Also, two of these artists returned to the top 10 after a couple of months absence and except for Bey, who went down a slot, all the rest got a boost upwards.
The solos that intro and outro the 20s masterpiece written by the great man himself are there for dancing but once the vocal kicks in the song changes tempo and Louis growls an entreaty and a promise “If you just listen to me honey, I’ll tell you something you don’t know…” – A+
It’s like all of a sudden — nobody would look at the Runaways, they’d laugh. Everybody really slagged us, everybody: no radio play, all bad press. Then the Runaways break up and you try this and you leave and you come back and finally. FINALLY…”
J just another reworking of “Iron Man” with a bass taking overfor the guitar riff, and a full on hard funking all girl band behind it, plus a wicked guitar solo. But it is derivative and pointless, it also a lameneness to its core being; halfway through you are wondering how we reached this place, why is Prince and a back up band copping a feel off Ozzy? And will Ozzy sue?
There is no there there, the needle isn’t being moved. Selling advertising on websites is almost a ponzi scheme. “In all, $125 million in equity, including stakes held by venture capital firms, went to zero.” Meanwhile. CEO Dale Strang said that SpinMedia Group would be profitable in 2014.
Everything Is Awesome – Tegan And Sara, The Lonely Island – The theme song to the hotter than July “The Lego Man” is Wiggle simple but without an ounce of condescending , this crossover nursery rhyme is really as awesome as you wish it was – A
The Haden Triplets – The Haden Triplets – Expert back up singers for decades, Jack White got them in the studio for this album of Americana folk songs in very close harmony. The great Ry Cooder produced and this is an album of extreme beauty echoing roots early country – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+
Drowners are the one thing they absolute can not be. They are boring. Not terrible boring, I like the album well enough, maybe four really good songs out of 13, tight as fuck. But I don’t fet all the self effacement and I don’t see why it isn’t louder, harder and faster.
The thing is, Croz works much better as background music, certainly every time you hear a lyric you will wonder why you’re bothering to listen unless you’re in the market for stuff like “Fear is the antithesis of peace.” It doesn’t pay to think too hard on the mutton headed quasi-hippie weirdness and melancholia.
hy teenage girls, why not middle aged men? Why pinpoint your dislike at the heart of the very people who love you most. His writing is getting worse, the last two times I saw him live he wasn’t very good, and he has a nasty fucking attitude. Conor wants to be alone and if he continues like this he will certainly get his wish.
With my friend Jahn Xavier, I went to the Allen Room at Lincoln Center and was floored by Jason Isbel’s “American Songbook” set. You can see it for yourself as part of the PBS “Live From Lincoln Center” program when it airs later this year, till then take my word, it was a career defining masterpiece.
12:51 – The Strokes – “Talk to me I’m older” Casablancas requests and it opens the door on what would have their eagerly awaited sophomore album which unlike this textured guitar fuzzy tuneful masterstroke, didn’t live up to exceptions – A
What Donna instinctively knew and what Isbell couldn’t even guess is that you die for other people, you die well to give them hope when there is no hope and the hope you give them is that in the leaving of life you can be as decent and brave, even braver, than in the living of it. Isbell is wrong, you can die with dignity.
Woooooah! This is a great chart. From Clean Bandit to Jason De Rulo all you have to do is skip Vamps and Avicii and you can listen to the lot with immense pleasures. Even the Will I Am which kinda past me by last year (blame Hardeep Phul’s slam effecting my decision making abilities) sounds great on the char
Man, You Me At Six are terrible. I am surprised this moldy unpleasant rock hasn’t broken huge overhere, it is the sort of terribly bad rock songs that middle Americas youth seem to clamor after. Of Mice And Men, who aren’t all that either, are ten times better.
Terrific olde English minstrel song about the cowardly Sir Robin, Knight of the round table. After fighting for seconds and seconds, Eric Idle scarpers, his retreat immortalized in song: “When trouble reared its ugly head, he bravely turned its tale and fled” – B+
You got what he has been selling for the past year and that’s it. The sense of moment, of importance, of whatever it means, just the honor of playing the Half Time Show was completely beyond him. We get “Locked Out Of Heaven”, we get “Treasure” but we always get them. Even the stage wasn’t all that, nothing much going on at all. It was as boring as the blow out we were watching.
Personally, I’m shocked. A good U2 song. Wow. If the rest is this good it will be their best album since All That You Can’t Leave Behind. Maybe Rolling Stone can give it 6 stars out of 5. Damn, there goes the obituary till another day.
So right now it should be available. I will of course review it and I hope it is very good, really I do. Plus I support” “Red” and if a million people download it,. that’s some nice moolah. Of course, the assumption is that it will suck big time.
I kinda missed the bus on 2011’s On A Mission by Katy B but listening to it now, it is a terrific terrific terrific dance album and I can’t wait for the newbie which is getting raves and may well end up being one of the best of the year. Xiu Xiu are always good, Bombay Bicycle Club have their moments, Little Mix are ready for their close up and Broken Bells…
I love Maria Taylor any way but add one of the best albums of 2013 and her shouting me out as a “real sweet guy” at one of her concerts and I am, needless to say, am putty in her hands. This show at the Knitting Factory on Thursday, with a full band should be excellent as this review off “Lazy-I” would appears to prove
Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly) – Burl Ives – Not only was Ives an exquisite singer but this English folk song, dating from the 1700s, is completely timeless; it shoots through over 300 years of nursery rhymes and travelling minstrels completely in tact. Perfection – A+
a simple but good man does not do what Seeger did and the claiming of his uniform decency when we know what the truth was, he was a complicated guy who was willing to accept sacrifices for the rise of communism and supported the USSR period end of sentence, is yet another lie in the Bruce Springsteenization of a folk icon.
In mid-March Jim will be performing a one man show at the Roundabout theater and I absolutely recommend it; I have nothing but admiration for this man’s smile and smirk, for his easy going very English middle class charmingness and, well read the press release for yourself
I countered with the Beethoven Defense. If Beethoven was playing, what would you say? “Man, that ‘Ninth Symphony’ was a coupla hundred years ago and he is old now, who wants to see him?”
On second thoughts, maybe the David Crosby album is really pretty good. It always takes forever for Crosby songs to click into your earwaves but when they do they are sometimes worth the wait. Another album I may very well have underestimated? Drowners. I just wish the rhythm section was better.
How Deep Is Your Love – Bee Gees – Exquisitely perfect disco ballad that changed the Gibbs brothers once and for all and the best line? “And you may not think I care for you when you know down inside that I really do” – A+
The set is one of the most perfect things you will ever see. It starts strong and ends stronger. The word is sublime. All the playing, the entire band, is money. But Chad Gamble is remarkable; the tempo is always a touch slow, it always seems to be dragging itself but he holds it down but with power and not with speed, it is like he is playing martial beats on country songs but he isn’t doing that at all.
You named one of your albums INTERIORS for god’s sake. You’re a typical misery guts s-s, like Steve Earle you didn’t just burn the bridge, you set fire to the town while you were at it. And the result is years of second rate sob stories and I gotta say here, I have never felt so much trepidation over a show in my enite life. I just know I’m gonna regret it… I just know it is…
Yeah, so after everything from hepatitis to rehab, the band is finally running full steam and the two guitarists so I guess that’s why Gregg decided to retire the name. “This is it – this is the end of it. 45 years is enough and I want to do something else, anyway.”
