rock nyc

What makes this new year event great is that there is some pretty awesome stuff coming out this month. It would be nice if every month had such a plethora of fun but let’s face it that’s not gonna happen.

In other words, less then buying a tix to a movie on line you can see what sounds like a really terrific set with the sublime saxophonist (bound to be bringing out his Soprano Sax) who began his career REHEARSING WITH JOHN COLTRANE!!!

There was no excuse for missing Beth Orton except I had tix for Jerry Seinfeld at the Beacon. He was OK but mean English girl (per Ryan Adams, no less) was promoting a terrific album That Sugaring Season, which I should have given more love to than I did.

Winner – Kanye West – Soon after blowing up 12-12-12 and weirding out Atlantic City, West topped off what at first seemed like a disastrous 2012 by announcing his girlfriend, reality star Kim Kardashian, was pregnant. As an inveterate Mama’s boy, West must be regretting his Mom’s untimely passing while being beyond thrilled at a return to a family life.

.One Mo’ Gin – D’Angelo – I wasn’t always scratching my head over new r&b heroes. In 2000, D’Angelo was systematically blowing me away with his album and his subsequent if you weren’t there for fuck’s sake say you were, Radio City Music Hall 150 minute blow out. I was thisclose to going to Jones Beach last year to see the great man opening for Mary J. but assumed wrongly he would be heading somewhere to town. And the new album is nowhere in sight. This song? Grade: A+

instead of accepting gifts from the company as it is often the case in these situations, the LA band cleverly ‘sneaked a 20-minute collage film of sweatshop workers, Black Friday consumer mayhem and weeping children into their live show’.

Less than 50% of those sold off in 2012 were genuine. That’s astounding considering how much some of these things cost. Number three on the list was Neil Armstrong.

Taylor is not in great voice -she sounded much better a coupla weeks earlier at MSG during her six song Jingle Ball Christmas wonder, but despite a ragged “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and a pretty good (though I still think it is TS in a minor key) “I Knew You Were Trouble”, man does she look good.

You can opt to ‘be more healthy’ or ‘get exercise’ or ‘drink less soda’ but to point blank cut off about 30% of the average mans dietary requirement and expect success is well- brave.

Three top of the charts albums later, he is a huge star in the UK and Right Time Right Place is such a great album, mixing Brit pop dance and sometimes (check out “What A Buzz”) English Dance Hall that for his first US release he won’t have to cull a greatest hits the way Robbie did. The album should be dropping in mid-April and I will review it then.

Death Angel is a Californian band and Carl’s Jr. a west coast chain, so it totally make sense, plus I have always thought that hard rock/metal and spicy fast food are going hand to hand: they look sloppy and mean

Sure, Taylor was helped by the buck 99 Amazon sale (so was Imagine Dragons and Rihanna) but remember, Swift has exactly one song off Red on subscription sights. If you had allowed her record to be streamed, no Billboard record would be safe.

A bit of a snooze but I am really surprised “Trouble” took off, if ever there was a deep album track that was this. Oh, and I am surprised Bruno took off as well. Surely “Gorilla” is the elephant in that room.

Our Song – Taylor Swift – Off the first album, a country romp replete with violins and toe nail painting as TS’ and boy finds their song in the magic of a romantic day. It’s a shame she can’t find this innocence any more and can’t fake it either. Red is a terrific album but the first one was a magical thing – Grade: A

It’s a sad thing when a musician who’s been in the same band for fourteen years, leaves.

Coby Linder, the drummer for Say Anything, has left. I am thoroughly disappointed and upon hearing the news, I was angry. Was it because of a disagreement? Hard feelings?

I can’t see Justin having done anything very naughty at all. God knows, he is no worse (if no better) than the average teenager and the press should quit snipping. Remember the Rolling Stone interview where Bieber is enjoying a golf game till the Papapazzi sweep down and start snapping? You try growing up like that.

So now, without further ado, the show must go on… We can’t wait to get on the road and live out loud! Our passion has only grown stronger… Happy new year… We love you all… Rage and love XX BILLY JOE”

Already, the Kardashian sisters were excited with Kourtney tweeting ‘Been wanting to shout from the rooftops with joy and now I can! Another angel to welcome to our family. Overwhelmed with excitement!’ and Kloe declaring ‘I’m excited for Kanye and my sister! There’s nothing like bringing life into this world! Let’s keep Gods blessings coming!

But it IS Adam Ant and he IS legend to me and there is a bit of good that comes of all this. So, hang tight while I get the bad stuff out of the way.

She left the business with new husband in tow and traveled the US adding children to her family before settling back in the East Coast where she recently replied to my request on Facebook for a list of her favorite music, which I am pleased to dismantle for you

Rayos Del Sol – Jose De Rico – A huge hit in 2012, this slice of dance features a hot glowing beat and a horn punctuating the proceedings. Hand claps and two singers making cheerful odes to the summer in Spanish bring it home. A little beat lite by French House standards, the rhtythm is snappy enough a hook to take it over the top – Grade: B+

Over in the US X Factor, Simon Cowell is trying to spin additional magic. Uniting five solo girl singers for an all girl vocal group called Fifth Harmony. And, despite the dresses, this cover of Ellie Goulding’s excellent “Anything Could Happen” is pretty good.

One of the strengths of the collection is the diversity of visual styles, including work by graphic designer Paul Sahre, and animation specialists including Laika House, Hine Mizushima, Divya Srinivasan, and the brilliant Brothers Chap of Homestar Runner

The release party is at Best Buy on Friday January 15th, a huge upgrade from Best Buy. Black Veil Bride must be ready for this big time and it could be, finally, their time to conquer the world of metal and beyond. Look at the pix above, they are cute enough to attract tweens with a death wish

PETA UK has named May their person of the year for his tireless effort in the protection of the badger. His organization ‘Save Me” was created to combat the plan to slaughter badgers- what the hell do badgers do

Sure, agreed, a holding action plus The -Dream and James Arthur, who is both alright and quite annoying at the same time.

BornBrave Bus Is a place where mental health + depression are taken seriously w/ no judgment, FREE real help available to all. I feel like most kids don’t look for help because they feel embarrassed

Closer – Tegan And Sara – Lost this one in the shuffle in 2013, and also because these sisters are so irritating, but this is catchy AOR sexiness, “All I’m dreaming lately is how to get you underneath me” the girls heavy breathe, giving lesbian a good name – Grade: A-

The new British 10 pound note may have the rockers face on it. Well Mick or The Beatles. How come we Americans have to have dead presidents? Although, the change from Darwin to Lennon seems odd its possible

I am going to write about only a few bands I have seen live in 2012, which may blow very big next year, at the national or even international level? And at the end of next year, everyone will be able to tell me if I was right or wrong

330 tracks defined my 2012, all of these, every single one, is worth listening to but not many of them are off good albums, and that seems to be the story of 2012: a year with no sustained vision. As for K-Pop? 2013 should tell the tale. And as for New R&B? Glum bastards…

For a nearly three hour epic nothing all that epic happens, the movie never comes close to transcending itself. “Pulp Fiction” was about SAVIORS as much as it was about anything, Django Unchained is about ultra violence while preaching to the converted.

I truly love this song and expect it to be in my Top Ten Tracks when I get around to writing it up. Congrats to Pop Dust’s discerning readers! Once PSYs novelty value has worn off, if K-Pop is to break big in the States G-Dragon will lead the way without a doubt.

‘I hate the word ‘experimenting’, but we are definitely experimenting ”In five words, it’s ‘majestic’, ‘imperial’, ‘out there’ and, er, what was the other one? Oh yeah, ‘heavy’. ‘It’s different to the first. It’s been heads down, none of that nonsense from the Nineties.

From where this video was shot, he looked like a 17th-century white marquis, a phantom of the opera going all auto-tune – I definitiely can’t stand this auto-tune business – or may be he was the beast without his beauty?

100 Black Coffins – Rick Ross – I’ve resisted this joker for years now but there is no doubting this nasty ass mofo from Tarantino’s new album, a thriller of a mash up of Ennio Morricone and Ross with a cool as hell track for a few dollars more whistling track – Grade: A