The great thing about having been a drunk is that if you were good when you were a drunk you are gonna be great when you sober up. Isbell, who moved from keyboards to guitar years ago, is now a full blown sober singer songwriter writing self aware self portraits and on this his fourth solo album, to a just about perfect fine point on “Super 8″… and others. ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A
“The bloody trains are bloody late, you bloody wait, you bloody wait…” JCC is always a blast! DBT is an Isbell classic, and 3 – 7 are highlights from new album releases, I got a tix to NIN and the two Kweezy’s aren’t released yet but “Bound 2 ” is as mainstream as anything he has ever written and he could have easily pushed it as a first single.
When I was invited for the Eve to Adam show at the Roxy, I wasn’t even planning to stay for the next band, mornings are so tough after weekday shows, but when Leogun began to play I was immediately captivated, and boy I don’t regret a minute to have stayed to watch the British trio blow up the room with their aggressive bluesy-rock’ n’ roll!
Not just the essence of rock and roll but the essence of rock and roll as an art form, Marianne released herself and us from these earthly bonds as we all became highway stars shining forever.
Smith communes very well with troubled souls; his is the music for the emotionally disenfranchised as surely as Strummer is the music for the politically disenfranchise -tickets go on sale Monday at noon
I do understand why Alyson thought they were British. They have that pasty retro sound that reminds you of narrow streets and grey sky. What? Yeah, like depression. A haunting song with awkward falsetto and sing along bits. Hollow and bleak.
A beacon of energy when on stage, when I was going to talk to him, he was soft spoken and it certainly caught me off guard.
Marla is in the heart of her career right now and I am guessing we will be getting plenty of the excellent Speak, with stuff like the lilting “Annarexia” rubadubdub Bill Laswell remix and songs like the howling quasi art freaked out “Scream
“Honestly, I got a little teary when we finally got it done. It’s just been way too long for them not to finally do this,” he said.”
Despite a top ten hit single with “I Love It”, Icona Pop were just another electronic duo from Stockholm in most of our minds until their Saturday afternoon set at the Governor’s ball spelled out the youth, beauty, smart, mingling of harmonies over beats and inspired reworkings of pop staples like “It’s My Party” , that makes for a thrilling new super super super group.
This is a bit of a mish mash. Deep Purple is an act of mourning for my late friend Marianne O’Hagen: there needs to be a life after death, the Universe isn’t big enoughto absorb this loss. What else? X Ambasadors are well loved by a friend of mine, indie alt rock brooklyn darkness visible stuff.
The five of them rock out the place on Tuesday night with a set of eleven songs, digging in their previous albums, then sampling their new one ‘Locked & Loaded’ featuring song with incendiary titles like ‘Let’s Burn’, and ‘Crime Scene’ or ambitious ones like ‘Immortal’ and ‘Shut Out The World’.
They will be digitally releasing TAYF acoustic. The entire thing will be redone like new, stripped down and raw. They’re releasing it themselves on June 18th. This is one of the best ideas the band has done.
I will wait till it is officially released June 22nd to say much more about the album, except hidden on the double are two songs of the summe
Ever since the advent of vinyl with its ease of distribution, music has been a recorded experience. Look at it this way. How many people have listened to the Beatles? Now how many people have seen them live?
Could be one of the cheesiest titles I have ever created! Barbara Streisand is still alive, still winning shit and still selling out mega halls at bazillion bucks a seat. Why?
When you see d’Angelo around other pop singers, like at the Carnegie Hall gig, it is a little upsetting. He is so much better than everybody it is like a glimpse of greatness behind a firewall of mediocrity
Kanye West may have talked about true love to Iman at the Governor’s ball last weekend, but honestly, this recent interview with the NY Times tells us one thing: there is only one person that Kanye West loves, and this person is Kanye West.
If I was Liam I’d do a Peter Hook on Noel and take it on the road by himself. He was the voice and the attitude of Oasis, he doesn’t need Noel half as much as Noel needs him
This is the faves, 56 years in the making, my fave live shows of all time, in chronological order
Three of these songs are highlights from the weeks release with Tiesto getting pride of place because I am obsessed with Icona Pop still; two D’Angelo because I got tix to see him at Williamsburg Park and five of these songs are a reflection of my fave concerts ever post which started as a fun idea and ended as a monumental time eater
it’s obvious that they have listened to the Smiths a lot, and I am probably establishing some obvious statement there, because I am new to the Drums, and I have just read that they absolutely love Morrissey who totally love them back, and they have even attended each other’s shows.
Isbell doesn’t have the vocal presence of a natural born rocker and doesn’t try to be on this primarily acoustic based record. When wearing his comfort pants, Isbell specializes in a devastatingly forlorn sadness/regret voiced with schmaltz-free honesty
Russell is not a musician he is a stand up comedian. But he has that rock and roll flair that makes it ok for me to list his tour dates here. Am I a fan? Well, sorta kinda. He’s the type of performer who when I’m watching him I really enjoy but when its over I forget it happened
I am absolutely in love with this song. It’s unique and catchy, and the use of the Daft Punk backing beat is fantastic. His voice is almost cute, but the lyrics give it an edge. As for the video, it’s not super elaborate, but it’s certainly not boring.
Pettibon, who ‘designed this motherfucking thing’, was always a member of the band according to Morris, as he was creating the graphics, flyers and not afraid to do some provocative artwork for Black Flag such as Charles Manson as Jesus Christ nailed to a cross,… so dangerous, heavy, scary. ‘
Maybe I miss her and that’s why I am feeling it so strong, but this is a strong, strong taste of disco with smart techno beats all over the show. I can’t wait for the album now
I promise you I called this one right. I mean it. “Blurred Lines” is the song of the summer because “Get Lucky” hit a little too late and that’s the way it is gonna play itself out for the next three months.
This isn’t the worst album chart we’ve seen this year, only Imagine Dragon are in league with the forces of darkness. The rest of this is somewhere between average and a little above, so lotsa, you know it is a good album, four or five good songs and maybe two real good songs. I guess that’s enough in 2013.
The top two were played on Sinatra In The Park, the following two went not played at the Park in order to make room for a Nat King Cole cover! The isbell is the best song on his new album and the Amanda Shires is Isbell’s wife. Oh, and the words John Legend no longer put me into a deep coma from which I might never awaken
Tuesday’s concert, produced by City Winery, was a fund raiser and the folks sitting in front of me had paid $25,000 in some cases for the privilege of being there, while the less well heeled fans coughed up $100 for the show. All concerned got their monies worth.
As for the bassist, I was blown away. Daniel Shapiro was either classically trained or has the natural talent of a god, because as someone who believes bass and drums make or break a song, I was beyond impressed.
Timberlake’s last album has hovered around the top 75% in my opinion meter, it is very good but is it great? Sometimes I think it is but mostly I think it isn’t
Everybody from Pandora to IHEARTRadio are on high alert and I don’t see why it ight not wipe em both off the map
At this point it is a little difficult to tell the difference so look at it this way: Janoskians are to the wanted what 5 seconds To Summer are to One Direction
Stamps got cooler over the years, fun characters and celebs but really they’re there to have a wavy line stamped on them and bam they’re done. So it surprises me that they even bother to introduce new one. Must cost a pretty penny and well who’s buying?
“The Julie Ruin” named after her first solo album and a new album dropping September 3rd (James Murphy remixes one track so I guess dance is in their future and a new single “Oh Come On” (see below) which I for one really like.
In a sense, his position isn’t dissimilar to when Prince was writing slave on his face: they equate compromise with failure; more important than good and bad was freedom; though the name of the game is popularity, real freedom is the freedom not to care about popularity
The weekend doesn’t end till Tuesday morning where the real work week begins with a handful of new releases most of which are, of course, nothing great. Jason Isbell (he is the Drive By Truckers guy) may be a keeper and JEW -maybe, maybe there is something there. Sean Paul is back and using Auto-Tune and everybody else is various degrees except for Harry who is more like what the hell is this?
They are said to have matured and have controlled their behavior on stage, and they actually showed some good manners most of the time on Friday night, it was first almost disappointing because there was no real madness going on during their shouted multi-voiced disharmonies and their joyous bouncy-surfy garage rock revivalism
Whether shooting up sugar, counting out drug money or wearing his “Funkadelic” t shirt with attitude to spare, Tomas is all menace in this terrific video.
He’s accused of 23 sexual offences including two of raping a one-year-old girl, conspiracy to rape another child, sexual assault, aiding and abetting sexual assault and conspiracy to sexually assault a child.
Since the time I have started covering music festivals, I have realized what a tough job it is: you have to go from one stage to another, try to see as many bands as possible, take pictures, shoot videos, take notes of course, and eventually remember about the sound of this specific band after having seen ten other ones afterward…. It’s very different from covering one show,
He sounds like a chick, this Kellin Quinn, and to be honest there is not one redeeming factor of this band to have me overlook it. Plus, the shitty quality of the production proves that he doesn’t even actually sound like that. AND to make me even more upset, MGK is featured in this song. Joy.
It is magic, not a bad song in the bunch, not a good song. They are all great. And I am glad he plays it so straight, if he sweetened anything it would be too overpowering
“Rockin’ In The Free World” will be covered so I guess all is forgiven with Young, eh?
In the battle of the Gallagher brothers, I’ve sided with the lest gifted one so let’s hope Dave Sitek manages to upgrade the product without going new coke on our asses. Otherwise a slow week, with the return of Sonny And The Sunsets and Jimmy Eat World the not very highlights. Possible June surprise? Alison Moyet
Bracketed by two slices of Kweeze, both of which killed on stage (actually everything killed on stage) is Icona Pop who have become a firm fave overnight even while sampling Tpac, Beirut, the Lumineers who have one good song on them, Kris who is playing on Saturday, Beady Eye who have a new album out tonight, and Robin with the song of the summer. The Beck is new and quite good.
“If you are with with someone you love tonight, hold on to em real tight” Kanye sings, sending us home from three days of music and mud, torrential rains, and overcrowding, with love on our mind.
It is an intense pressure, it simmers deep down in the blues. Guitarist James Dellatacoma adds Hendrix inspired frills all over “Spoonful” and David Barnes harp floats on top and sinks below everything that isn’t moving. This is an inspirational sound, it’s like they are the greatest rock and roll band in the world
