rock nyc

Whatever problems you might have with the Who as music, the Who as philanthropists appears to be beyond reproach. Along with some four local gigs since December, the Who performed the 12-12-12 benefit for Hurricane Sandy victims which was sweet albeit longwinded. But better? On February 28th they will be joined by Elvis Costello for a different benefit, this time to aid cancer victims and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

How many 50 year olds are camping out at the wonderfully named Temple Island Meadows, Henley On The Thames. Still, they do things differently in England. I wonder if rock nyc’s uber-B-52s fan Michael Malone is going!

The truth is that she didn’t sing at the President inauguration and after a long silence from her camp following the scandalous revelation, she obviously wanted to prove something.

Beautiful – Teena Marie – Ivory snow r&b old school. A magnificent album filled with strong songs, great vocals and, well, naff lyric kinda comes with the territory but a fine farewell from the great dance diva.

I haven’t had a good idea all year, which makes me the opposite of Visual designer and artis Alfra Martini who thought up the concept of the year. Substituting rock stars with kittens on famous album covers and then posting them on her Tumbler account!

This year I plan to do a better job of figuring out what I love most by doing less of a job on what I like best. The top ten songs are in order of preference, the rest of the songs are order in which I added (more or less!)

Hey ho, ho hum. Gary Allan isn’t BAAAAAD, or even bad, he is just the latest in a growing list of country boys with biceps and a soft side. You can’t throw a brick without hitting one and while with the exception of an Eric Church here and there I am not a fan though I don’t want them burnt at the stake either. On any given album there is a song or two that will break pop and a lot of country by the numbers.

I really can’t hear why “Thrift Shop” hit so big, it isn’t really all that hot as even novelty. Except for that kid, who sounds weirdly like Ke$ha saying “I like your beard”. This is such a boring top ten, wake me up next week…

I Believe Love’s A Prima Donna – Steve Harley And Cockney Rebel – Ah yes, whenever men are intuiting by the sigh in a woman’s eye, you know it’s gonna be a bumpy ride. And, this, a 1976 single that should have been huge in the UK but peaked at # 28 because man is it over blown. But ina greatw ay, with a stand out instrumental break and a gorgeous melody… Steve wasn’t done… yet – Grade: A

First, ‘Full Of Fire’ may sound like a techno party hosted into a torture chamber, these drums are damn sinister, and I got a little scared of Karen Dreijer-Anderson’s freaky-witchy vocals ready to jump at your throat at any moment…

Millions – Pusha T – Getting his Weezy in with more than a passing nod to “A Milli, still Pusha T is in better voice than I’ve heard him in years and if it is all obvious “half a millin in the ceilin” is a great rhyme! – Grade: A-

So the news that their 2013 release will be about the early 1960s Greenwich Village folk scene, the same one that brought us the young Bon Dylan among others, and starring Justin Timberlake, is really and at least interesting.

The guy has a right to his opinion and a even call himself a name that is a picture- this is America, let the man be. So with Maroon 5 I found it surprising that Prince would actually bother to comment

they would be a bigger add to the Gov’s Ball than they would to Coachella and would be icing on the cake. It might be the Stone Roses, and I would be fine with either band. I would really love to see the Stone Roses , who I’ve never seen live.

Watch at your own risk, the video is all about pulsating vocals over freak-out electronics, hypnotic swirls of synth, video-game sonic chaos over some bubbly cartoonish visuals… it could be the equivalent of a journey beyond-the-speed-of-light through a black hole

I gotta warn you- Graham is looking sort of gnome but the good news is he sounds fantastic. The band, same thing worn trousers but still a great sound that makes me really want to cheer them on.

This is about the songs on the soundtrack. I guess a generation lost in space could do worse than trance rock, prog rock, twee melodies that hold from time to time and a whole lotta shoegazing

Yellow Raincoat – Justin Bieber – Yeah kid, growing up is tough, you’re right. And I am glad you feel like writing an earnest acoustic blues song. I just wish it was a lot better than this one, I mean really? Does bieber think apeing Ben Harper any good at all? – Grade: C

The Draconian excess isn’t that at all, it’s just dayglo sticks. Essentially, Donner places the generation gap as just business as usual for Jamie. The revolution was in fashion and style but the essential Englishness didn’t change.

Does anyone remember Joyce suing the band in the 90’s for more share of profit after break up? I have a funny feeling he may be one of the reasons a reunion would never happen. Ya sue someone and ask for a reunion- dude be real.

The death of free will, certainly announced by all the neurobiologists I have heard of, should be all over the place, should be shaking things up everywhere, and made a splash in our conception of reality. Instead it is ignored and we continue to live in our delusion we are in control of our destiny.

Alvarez Kings, Chiodos, Young London, We Came As Romans, Reel Big Fish, and Beebs And Her Money Makers. Personally I can’t wait to see the show Reel Big Fish will put on, and my excitement at seeing Beebs and Her Money Makers is as boundless as the sea.

Actually, the new Kristofferson album was released last week. I didn’t have the slightest idea because in this high speed wired up world there is no way to know anything at all. I knew the new Adam Ant was being released last week but with zero advertising it got completely lost in the shuffle. Otherwise, 2013 seems to be taking its time, doesn’t it?

Robocop – Kanye West – Perhaps West is at his very best when he is at his most sensitive. That would be the case here where the strings herald the end of the track and West just a mess as he pretends to believe the girl who is leaving him his making a joke – Grade: A