rock nyc

rock nyc

Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master (almost) reviewed

he is like a hurting wild animal nobody can control,… until he meets the Master, Lancaster Dodd, played by charismatic and debonnaire Philip Seymour Hoffman, the cult leader, who introduces himself with the humble and Hubbard-esque declaration ‘I am a writer, a doctor, a nuclear physicist, a theoretical philosopher, but above all I am a man, a hopelessly inquisitive man, just like you.’

rock nyc

We Came As Romans Joshua Moore, Another View of Kickstarter

Kickstarter is an online services that allows bands (or anyone) to fundraise for themselves to support a project. Highly successful with Amanda Palmer netting over a million and setting the bar pretty high with B level hardcore bands demanding nearly $350k to record. Someone needs a new car on that one.

rock nyc

Not With The Band: Music To Give You Goose Bumps

Have you noticed that these goose bumps appear when the music is moving, melancholic, nostalgic, it is not really happening when you listen to happy music, which still trigger an emotion, a happy one. Goose bumps mostly occur when we have sad emotions, however, some people may prove this wrong

rock nyc

The Joy Formidable "Cholla" Video Reviewed

This video takes on that vibe brilliantly, in the beginning. Then something goes horribly wrong. That wasn’t good enough. We had amp up the hip factor by turning it in to a giant instagram video. Like a million others. As the video gains color the lines blur and we are smack dab in the center of hipster village and Joy Formidable is the mayor.

rock nyc

All Time Low's "Somewhere In Neverland", Reviewed

This is a great song in theory. The problem is the topic has grown up but the music has not. This is generic ‘pop punk’ and unfortunately not even evolved from early ATL offerings. If anything they sound a bit more boring and a bit less creative. How did this happen?

rock nyc

Must See: Green Day In Brooklyn 2012

It has been a coupla of lifetimes since Nookie, and being a grown up doesn’t wear itself on Green Day. Like Blink 182, they don’t do adulthood well. Maybe they are too mewlingly adolescent for the roll of grown up.

rock nyc

American Idols Judges Announced

I don’t appreciate talent competitions and the auditions are horrific. I despise the sob stories of broken homes and homeless song birds. Shut the hell up- sing and move on. Yet someone is watching- and someone is letting this show earn a time slot and a salary.

rock nyc

Sneak Peaks Week Of September 17th, 2012

This is like a list of must hears here. First and foremost Good Music, since “Clique” was so much better than anything Kanye has released all year. But really everything looks good here, the new Aimee Mann, Grizzly Bear… Richie Sambora?? And Kreay with a lot to prove. Color me impressed

rock nyc

Listen Up: 9-18-12

Default – Atoms For Peace – This has been getting mixed reviews but I like it a lot more than Radio: it is a percolated ping pong beat with Thom’s discombobulated vocal and not much more. And that is plenty – Grade: B+

rock nyc

Sutekh Hexen At Vacation Vinyl, Saturday September 15th 2012

The totally indecipherable and buried-in-noise vocals were adding to the ambient nightmare, as the blasting sound was reaching saturation. On the subject of imagination, anything could have gone through my head while listening to the eviscerating metal-noise, like for example imaginary screaming damned voices falling into the entrails of hell!

rock nyc

Nicki Minaj ft. Beenie Man “Gun Shot” Reviewed

While “Gun Shot”, off of Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded”, isn’t really designed to get everyone going nuts on the dance floor, Nicki and Beenie Man’s sound in this song is something really fantastic. With a chill vibe and lyrics almost entirely in Patois, you don’t get caught up in the stupidity that Nicki Minaj songs tend to be

rock nyc

The Rocket Summer's "200,000" Reviewed

He’s on a crazy journey climbing through the woods, stealing a moped, and nearly getting knocked out. The reason? He’s on his way to his wife, Tara. She’s waiting for him in the sunset and he comes to play her the song

rock nyc

Winner And Loser Week Of September 17th, 2012: Bruce Springsteen Fans And Amanda Palmer

Oh to be a Springsteen fan on the second leg of his US Tour. Finally, he has stopped flogging that dead horse known as Wrecking Ball (really,he dumps the newbie at this point of the tour every couple of years), gone from 40% of the set to 20% of the set and now, on any given night, he will delve deep into the vaults and pull out anything he wants to from any period of his career.

rock nyc

HENRY ROLLINS: Third Leg Of The Long March

He is not a comedian but he is uproariously funny. He is not a motivational speaker, but he gets you off your ass. He is not a politician or a shaman but he makes you think he gets you armed with information and he send you on your way. I admire his intelligence.

rock nyc

UK Top 10 Singles, September 21st 2012

17 year old X-Factor UK style (where they are actually paying attention) Amelia shows what a a pair of teeth and a dye job can get you, a number two hit on a nothing great electro dance track. Is that a new Flo Rida track I see? Is “Whistle” finally suffering from dry mouth???

rock nyc

UK Top 10 Albums, September 21st 2012

One song does not an album make, but if one song did make an album, that song would be the XX’s “Angels”. The Script beat, one of the worst bands on the planet beat out Dylan and PSB (which doesn’t) and Ora is the sole hip hop rep if you don’t include the Will I AM collab with the Script -and I don’t.

rock nyc

Listen Up: 9-17-12

Pon T Loca – Damn Yankee – In the Reggaeton genre, I always went with Don Omar, the better vocalist. But DY’s current album hands him the crown, as he raps well but builds beats a whole lot better – Grade: A-

rock nyc

Iman and Hel Do SNL: Frank Ocean

I had to mute the VMA’s when he performed and tonight I stay up to sit through yet another lame sketch comedy to be annoyed again. The difference, I get to be annoyed with my right hand man Iman Lababedi. Mr L will listen to anything, literally loves every genre and has more music knowledge then Wikipedia.

rock nyc

David Byrne Talks About His Book, 'How Music Works'

I like the way he makes the distinction between emotion and feeling, because this is exactly the same distinction used by neurobiologists: an emotion is an experience of the moment, an immediate reaction to what you are listening to, whereas a feeling is the memory of this moment left in your brain and that you are dying to re-experience…

rock nyc

"Don't Stop The Party" – Pitbull ft. TJR, Reviewed

Now if a pathetic old punk could booty pop or werrrrrrrk I’d do it to this tune but instead, I will just blast it really loud and try to sing the Spanish parts,though I don’t speak Spanish. I don’t know who TJR is but he should be pretty psyched to sing with Mr 305

rock nyc

The Who All Star Tribute

They’re now receiving tribute and my love of ‘cover’ tunes causes my interest to perk up at the word of tribute. There is something about hearing another bands interpretation of a classic that just makes it allot he more casual and light hearted.

rock nyc

Listen Up: 9-16-12

Isolation – Harry Nilsson – I saw Ian Hunter perform a lovely version of this song a couple of days ago, and Nilsson uses his mid-range effect and then plays up and down his range. The result is devastating – Grade: A

rock nyc

Bananarama 30th Anniversary Tour

“Everyone knows someone whose life has been affected by breast cancer,” Bananarama’s Sara Dallin said. “So when Hard Rock offered us the opportunity to take part in Pinktober and support a great cause in a fun way, we jumped at the chance.”

rock nyc

Sonic Youth "Smart Bar: Chicago 1985 on November 14"

Youth were for the college kids with big lawns who wanted to rebel while shopping at Benneton. Such a stereotype. Its funny I missed out on allot of really cool music because of the images bands had. Husker Du, Sonic Youth, even The Replacements were all bands we ‘real’ punks would rather have died than listen too.

rock nyc

The 50 Richest Musicians In the World

Anyway, with $600 million, Bono could really put an end to AIDS, if he invested in research and not in Facebook, right? But is this really big money? I would say it becomes all relative when compared to Walmart heiress, Ann Walton Kroenke’s $3.9 billion

rock nyc

Punk Goes Pop 5, My Guilty Pleasure Keeps Going

It’s just plain fun and Fearless puts together some amazing covers. In our time doing interviews we discovered most bands have at least one pop tune on their iPod and aren’t afraid to belt it out at whim. Pop songs are pop cuz they’re popular and sometime for the sheer cheesiness of the tune.

rock nyc

Listen Up: 9-15-12

The Once And Future Carpenter – The Avett Brothers – I bet they suck live, but on record, well, the newbie crosses over to indie land, a sweetly undisturbed folkie indie harmony country type indie – Grade: B+

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Bob Dylan Slams Critics For accusing Him Of Plagiarism

‘I’m working within my art form. It’s that simple. I work within the rules and limitations of it. There are authoritarian figures that can explain that kind of art form better to you than I can. It’s called songwriting. It has to do with melody and rhythm, and then after that, anything goes. You make everything yours. We all do it.’

rock nyc

Perma releases "Knockout", Reviewed

Max’s guitar playing is phenomenal. It isn’t overbearing on their voices, and it’s a great background tune. The way it isn’t stereotypical and Bemis puts his own spin on it is what makes this song so great.

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