rock nyc

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?

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?

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

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.

It is always an honor to watch the man in concert and Saturday night’s show was no exception. His voice was a little scratchy here and there and he has so many great songs a couple of favorites will always be missed.

Colbert Report on Comedy Central will expand from 30 minutes to an for an extended interview and performance by Paul McCartney. The last time this was done, was for Radiohead

Fuse ODG is real good EDM and everything else you should know by now. But I am not tiring of raving about “Get Lucky” and “Blurred Lines”. These two songs alone are gonna make it a great summer of pop!

In the battle for # 1, I’d choose Disclosure’s UK electronic duo over QOTSA myself. This is a strange, not especially thrilling little list, with Vampire Weekend and Laura Marling already out of the picture entirely and only Rod Stewart, somewhat strangely, holding on. PS I don’t think think Daft Punk will have the song of the summer, but the album of the summer? Who knows.

Nearly 20 sets over a long weekend and music is coming out of my ears. I am actually writing this Sunday morning, so I can’t tell you what I expect for Day 3 of nyc’s music fest to wear an old man out. But I do know, it would take a miracle to surpass Saturday’s DeLong, Icona Pop, Fucked Up triumvirate that simply has made the weekend worth while.

“It’s tight,” Bethany told us, “Go enjoy the rest of your day and stay dry and don’t take drugs, or do take drugs if you want. Do anything you want. It’s tight.” So I took her advise and went home.

What’s he been up to beside counting cash and dressing up. Well that crafty guy is soon releasing new material. September 2013 to be exact. Stoked? No, not yet.

Starting with a twelve-bar blues piano progression, Fagen incorporated jazz chords and a swing band style chorus into “Peg.” Chuck Rainey’s melodic bass playing is prominently displayed, while Jay Graydon contributed a Polynesian pedal steel influenced guitar solo

eller tours on occasion and in July is doing a very limited number of tiny venue or ‘intimate’ shows. Really not that intimate if its over 50 people but thats what they like to call it in the trades. Weller is coming to U.S. in July because, ‘I just fancied playing a few American shows.’

The only time I’ve seen Kris Kristofferson on stage before I will be catching him at The Concert Hall on Saturday, was opening for the late legend George Jones at Carnegie Hall. Kris was absolutely brilliant with just an acoustic guitar. I can’t wait to see him with a full band.

The Olms – The Olms – Vic Garbarini dubbed Peter York and J.D. King’s debut album like finding an old Gene Clark demo from the 1960s. It isn’t that good but you get the idea. Country-folk twang and strum. Catchy stuff. ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+

All ten song reflect straight to the weekend of music, Saturday was day two of Gov’s Ball as well, and even more thrillingly Paul McCartney at Barclay’s Center. A room made for rich people, whose acoustics get steadily worse the further up you go. As for the Cure? Dinosaur Jr. covered this song and very well as well.

Robin uses his best Prince sexy soprano and T.I. and the ubiquitous Pharrell ride a very hook filled track, where every second line holds a yelp or a hey hey, and all the syncopated beats are there not to slam it shut by to make it airy and sweet

Four of these are the cream of the crop from this weeks releases, the fifth is another classic from one of our greatest songwriters and the sixth is building its way into the single of the summer. The last four, and I could add at least two to that number, makes Once I Was An Eagle the album to beat in 2013.

                              Nine Inch Nails are back and they came back haunted, at least this is the

Brooklyn former lo-fi, baritone based rock band reach the big time after 14 years of slogging through it but there is a question they need to answer: do they deserve to be there? At Barclay Center on Wednesday night, the National offered a resounding answer: yes they do, loudness does not always signify fury and simply a willingness to bring the screens, keep the lights on, and play for 18,000 fans proves the band are where they should. That they did it well was an added plus.

Most of these reflects live music today: at Gov’s Ball I plan to see most of these bands, though how can you choose between Fucked Up and Dirty Projector (who play at the same time) Then if I leave back after Alt J and should be in plenty of time for McCartney at Barclay’s Center. Last time I saw him, Macca played a killer “1985” and my only hope is he shake it but baby don’t break it one more time!

Pretty Lights and King Leon were not allowed to play because of unsafe conditions (now they figure it out?) Apparently, the Ferry’s are jammed packed and very slow, the cars are stuck in the mud and the police are trying to move them, and I guess the bridge to Manhattan is packed as people walk to 125th street

Despite the quiet stormness of his barimonotone or the bands bland benevolent malignancy, Matt is more credible then Brandon Flowers was at the same venue in May.

That was then and this is now and with the wisdom that only time can provide, let’s take anoher look at the some of this years bigger albums one mo’ gin

Hard to believe these fools have been dormant that long. What scares me is the press junkets they’ll be doing- we’re going to clobber them.

So if I understand this correctly, Blake is threatening Guerra with implied violence because Joey didn’t like Holly? Who does Blake think he is? Lou Reed?

I’ve heard from many people who’ve worked with him that Bono is a really great guy but I don’t care how nice he is, the man is the biggest egomaniac in the world not running North Korea