J Laser, Tien, Mypet And Kan Wakan At The Echoplex, Monday February 10th 2014
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rock nyc
Arctic Monkeys – "All My Loving" Live At MSG, Reviewed
Its always sad to watch a band you love decline but that’s what fame will do. They were homogenized and pulverized, wined dined and blow dried until they became nothing more than just another British band. RIP Arctic Monkeys.
Nicki Minaj And Malcolm X: Consider The Possibilities
Nicki Minaj causing controversy? No not from her music, which is, well, pretty much past that coupla weeks of prime we’ve heard of already, but something to do with Malcolm X and it begs an answer to the musical question: who can we not offend it 2014?
True Groove All Stars To The Cutting Room, March 11th, 2014: Be There
The “True Groove All Stars” concert at the Cutting Room on March 11 th will be a terrific chance to reacquaint yourself with the wonderfulness that is Sir Tomas, or the opportunity to catch up with his truly all stars, bassist Kevin Jenkins and spoken word maverick Marla Mase (whose new album is gonna blow you away) at the top of the list
Must See All Starr This June 2014
Well, I’ve seen em three times and plan to see them this, the (gulp) twelfth version of his All Starrs and here is the line up and besides Rundgren we all know what to expect from this, right? t Steve Lukather, singer Richard Page, keyboardist Gregg Rolie, multi-instrumentalist Todd Rundgren, and drummer Gregg Bissonette. Toto? That’s all starr? Come home, Sheila E all is forgiven.
The A+ List 2-14-14
Starting with a spitted out “That’s why I fucked your bitch, you fat mother fucker”, 2Pac takes the Bad Boy crew and blows em away and never better: this time he wipes the smirk off Biggie’s face with a violent, threatening, deadly earnest “Back the fuck up or you’ll get smacked the fuck up.” Result: the murder of two of the biggest pop stars of all time.
Valentine's Day Goes To A Building On Fire
I like my emotions, and my favorite type of music, to be very very intense and with that in mind I am including two Valentine’s Day songs in celebration of VD in 2014. Do I have a Valentine? Yes, I do
Update: Tickets On Sale Friday, Morrissey and Sir Cliff…and Tom Jones?
I may die. I may not. Moz may fall ill,… I shouldn’t even joke about that. Suddenly we get this cryptic poster on Morrisseys ghost website true-to-you.net. And the entire world halts waiting for more details.
A Map Made Of Song Titles?
It’s certainly very convenient, plus it obviously comes with the playlist on Spotify which will make the Map alive and provide 23 hours worth of music. That’s fantastic, and beside the fact that a few tracks are absent from the Spotify list, it includes artists of all horizons, mainstream and indie ones or legends.
US Top 10 Singles 2-22-14
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.
US Top 10 Albums 2-22-14
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.
The Moms, "Blow Me" New EP
We here at rocknyc love The Moms and are forever grateful for drummer Donny Saraceno’s road report on their last tour. There was a great sense of ‘being there’ as we heard of odd sleeping conditions and how much cheese one can buy at a Walmart to feed an entire band
Old Gray "Wolves" Live Acoustic Reviewed
Compared to the original, I prefer this version. It’s so much more raw and pure, and though you could say that about any of the band’s music, this version is just so much more beautiful to me. It’s lovely.
Not With The Band: What Can We Learn About Music From Blind Mice?
They didn’t play music to the animals but sounds of different frequencies and intensities and the results showed that neurons of the mice kept in the dark could ‘hear much softer sounds’ than the other animals. ‘They also have much finer discrimination ability as far as identifying pitch goes,’
Active Viewin': Concert Picks For Week Of February 10th, 2014 (except we're late)
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.
Be Here Now: Snapshot Reviews Of New ALbum Releases 2-11-14
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+
Steve Fromholz Remembered
Fromholz, described by one long time friend as a “traveling party” and a “cornucopia of fun,” developed sincere connections with intimate audiences and he will not be soon forgotten by serious Texas music fans. Give “The Texas Trilogy” if you haven’t heard it.
Listen To ‘Walking Light’, Beck's New Single Off 'Morning Phase’
‘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
UK Top 10 Singles, 2-15-14
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.
UK Top 10 Albums 2-15-14
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.
rock nyc Crashes And Burns And Is Now Back!
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.
Out Of The Blue, Axl Rose Weighs On The Red Hot Chili Peppers' Super Bowl Performance
what does Axl Rose have to do with all this? He just put his two cents in the middle of this non-controversy, and wrote this long and semi-hilarious post on the Hollywood Reporter, entitled ‘In the Name of Science’
US Top 10 Singles 2-15-14
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”.
US Top 10 Albums 2-15-14
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.
My 1982 Creem Cover Story! When Joan Jett Was A Very Nice Girl
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…”
‘Matilda the Musical’ at Shubert Theater, Reviewed
There were definitely problems with the production, however. As gamely as the kids try, they are young children and the incredibly fast-paced, at times intricate lyrics (sung with fake British accents) proved too great a challenge. At many points I had no idea what they were singing
Ian Anderson and His Imaginary Boy Collaborate On "Homo Erraticus"
We all need a muse and even if it’s your own imagination it can be quite effective. So here comes word that the man and his mind-muse are back at it with a new release.
SpinMedia Reorganized… It Shouldn't be Long Now
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.
Be Here Now: Snapshot Reviews Of New Album Releases February 4th, 2014
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+
Not With The Band: On The Difficulty To Judge The Artists We Admire
Are we ever able to objectively judge the artists we like and love? I guess not, being bias is part of the game of being a fan, that’s why anyone famous can easily get away with murder.
Ringo Starr Announces All Starr Band Tour
Would it be safe to say he is the least favored Beatle? I think so, drummers rarely get their props. His All Starr band has been a staple of music, nothing that dynamic nothing that bad just there, almost like a hobby to a formal mega act.
Donna McElroy And Jason Isbell And Dignity
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.
UK Top 10 Singles 2-8-14
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
UK Top 10 Albums 2-8-14
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.
Bruno Mar's Superbowl Half Time Show, Sunday February 2nd, 2014, Reviewed
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.
Conor Oberst Announces A New Country-Flavored Album And His Hatred For The Internet
” ‘I don’t know if it makes me an asshole to not want to talk to my fans. But I’m not going to sit on a fucking computer and try to talk to some fucking 16-year-old in wherever-the-fuck. I try to remind myself to be grateful. I’m not a fucking superstar.”
Mike Doughty Responds To The Outrage Following The Release Of His EDM Tracks Sampling Elliott Smith
All this focus on the respect of the music has always made me laugh a bit when so little respect is accorded to Elliott the person… Aren’t there other people using Elliott persona to sell books and movies, molding him according to their preconceived ideas of the Elliott Smith myth?
Sneak Peaks: New Album release Week of February 3rd, 2014
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…
Tiny Venue Tour: Taking Back Sunday and The Used
TBS and The Used is a pop punk kids dream and they’re playing a venue here in Hartford so small I cant imagine who chose it. Does that provide a more intimate experience? Depends what you consider intimate
Pete Seeger, Commie
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.
Carry On Broadway: Jim Dales One Man Show Arrives In March, 2014
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
Barry Gibb To Jones Beach? Helen Bach Having Flown
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?”
10 Songs, February 1st, 2014
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+
Elvis and Elmo "Monsters Went And Ate My Red Two"
The tune tells the story of how Cookie Monster eats Costello’s red 2, thus making it impossible for him to count to ten. Set to the tune of “(The Angels Want To Wear My) Red Shoes”, its a perfect pairing for an adorable video.
Must See: Rosanne Cash, March 2014 At the Town Hall
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…
The Allman Brothers Break Up!
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.”
Barry Gibb ‘Mythology’ Tour 6 Date Run
The last of the Brothers Gibb or BeeGee’s as they were called is brushing his locks and hitting the road along with his son and niece, daughter of Maurice Gibb. I don’t know about this, first off it is rather funny to have a girl along but at least she can hit the high notes.
Best Concerts Through January 31st, 2014
Neil Young – Carnegie Hall – January 6th, 2014 – Once in a lifetime concert, as Neil Young fuses his greatest moment in the sun with a set of of his folk rock masterpieces from the early 1970s. It was one of those shows where anybody who was there will never forget it and anybody who waa there should be grateful.
Best Songs Through January 31, 2014
Nothing so far has rung the clarion call for a new year. Still, new Warner Bros find TheChain Gang Of 1974 might be making some new friends for the third place WB. Persnally, I’m hoping Angel Haze has legs…
Best Albums Through January 31st, 2014
Adventures In Bluesland – Phil Gammage – A New Wave stalwart continues his career trajectory through Americana to an East Coasts rock and blues sound uniquely his own. Add to that one of the best rock and roll singing voices you’ll hear and a mean harp, Gammage’s album stands as an organic response to synthetic emotions.