More than two years after first trashing the album, I am more than happy to remind you what a morose, spiteful, miserable emotional train wreck 21 is. It seems to stand up for every bad thought you have ever had about women being emotional dysfunctional nutcases. All she does is whine and sob and rage against terrible terrible lyrics. It is horrid.
I have this theory and the theory goes like this, celebrities replicate DNA from one person to another ad infinitum and certain characteristic are metamorphosed through time so one star is really just another star in a different body…. call it cloning.
Two Little Hitlers – Elvis Costello And The Attractions – This is prime Elvis, a heart damaged manifesto of emotional fascism building to a denunciation that questions both his and the woman’s shared humanity. And no, I don’t mean “I wouldn’t cry for lost souls you might drown”but “I thought i’d let you down but you were just deflating” -the sort of pun not only he but me and no one else can write today – Grade: A+
He really wants to be the new MJ, it is MJ like MJ t Motown25 saying “yeah the oldies were good” before launching into “Billie Jean” with an “but the new ones are better”. For Justin, the old ones are bad and the new ones are worse.
Blondie, the B-52s, and the Talking Heads were cross pollinating dance beats/rhythms into a traditional rock context. Pink Floyd built the wall, Cheap Trick brought Budokan to the States, and AC/DC paved the highway to hell. 1979 – the year is gone but it’s not forgotten.
Behind the chorus’ lyrics of “I, am a lonely hunter” is a passionately strained voice that expresses the darker emotive forces of a grunged out song like a Nirvana hit and with every fluctuating, alien-like electro melody one feels transported to a different dimension of flashing lights, lava lamps, glow sticks, and the copious usage of bongs.
Twitter is getting more celebs in trouble than Heidi Fleiss. I don’t think folks realize the range on that that thing. You spew some trash it gets retweeted and blows up the feed. It’s hilarious and we have seen numerous artist who have had to get their accounts deactivated
Miles ‘Baby Boogaloo’ Brown’s little Jackson 5 look and old school break dancing was irresistible and he is once again the center of attraction in this new video, desperately trying to get the attention of adults by his acrobatic dancing and later by getting his own backup dancers.
We used to open for Michelle Branch, and I remember we opened for her at the Roxy and they didn’t even give us a dressing room. I hate the Roxy. I’ll never play there again!
It’s a weird dynamic as it is each year and as of this moment, Rush is leading the race in the public votes. Although ultimately that means nothing. The public are one vote in 600, which is the number on the voting panel who determine the winner.
There is a new single “We No Who U R” dropping December 4th and again, not crazy about the name. Actually, there is something little off “We Real Cool” …. do I see a concept album in our future?
In support of her upcoming album ‘Warrior’ (due out December 4th) she will be everywhere and to help her drum up some hype she has released a picture book right in time for holiday giving. “My Crazy Beautiful Life” is the memoir of the girl who hasn’t been around long enough for us to be curious.
Shorter is playing a concert with the Orpheus Chamber Quartet at Carnegie Hall on February 1st . The man is a musical legend if only for his solo on Steely Dan’s “Aja”. If you are just starting off try the Blue Note The best of, which gives you the cream of his 1960s solo stuff.
The album, Rhtyhms Del Mundo: Africa starts with a misstep, the Coldplay remix of”Viva La Vida” doesn’t work and neither does Beyonce. But it is clear sailing after that, with Plan B a seamless meeting of forms and Mumford and Sons “Timsel” the highlight of the entire enterprise.
I quite like all of the top four albums, like not luuurve but I can live with em being the soundtrack of my Christmas. The next 6 less so…
I’m a pass on around half of this and the reason is because the beats aren’t what they were in 2010, electro began to realize with great many trcks comes great many choices and one way or the other, nobody can resist using them. Unfortunately, once you strip “Diamonds” bare there is noo there there. It is a sorry state for the States when Phillip Phillips has the best song on the top ten.
Long Emotional Ride – Graham Parker – The Rumour give him a harder back bone, but hard than what? Last time I saw him was solo at Joe’s Pub, and he didn’t need much then. So consider this a nostalgia trip mostly in name, and get off on the return of Brinsley Schwartz and the sound of pub rock in transition. Killer emotional wreck rocker, by the way. Grade: A
These are old pros and how you like em will depend on how much you enjoy the power of electric guitars banging out hard riffs and a bass and drums holding em steady as they go. I like it fine, but only if I don’t pay too close attention.
The plan was that the rocker would go to speak about the positive power of partying. Thankfully the Government determined that the money could be better allocated.
I acknowledge the following concerning this list – (a) it is subject to change as I discover other music released this year, (b) it’s only November, and (c) Iman Lababedi listens to more music during one day than I do in six months.
The gospel-choir choral from Texas has released a Holiday album ‘Holidaydream: Sounds of the Holidays Volume One’, back in October, and just posted this charming animated video for a totally updated version of ‘Let it Snow’. If it wasn’t for the lyrics ‘let it snow’ I wouldn’t have figured out it was that winterland song
Say what? 364 other days in the year and this cat wants to be the next Bing Crosby. I figure Buble’ is a lot like Harry Connick Jr, in that they both ripped off the old school swag of the likes of Sinatra and modernized it just a tiny bit.
The thing about Pete is that he is the most human of rock superstars, he is ALL insecurities play out to an audience of millions. He is the Kanye West of the 1960s.
Of course you have to hurry up as the pre-sale starts this Friday, November 30th at 10:00am PST here. The ticket prices range between $38.50 to $58.50 plus fee, and the password is BENEFIT.
I am sure I speak for every red blooded American on the planet when I state that this is the single most damaging information inflicted on the male libido since Rosie O’Donnell claimed she wanted Tom Cruise to mow her lawn.
Dubbed the Korean Taylor Swift for her soft sweet songs of romantic malaise, her My First June EP is just about flawless chick pop, all melody all the time. “Ready Go!” is already a pop song to beat in 2012
The real problem is the single is actually really good. Yup- better than The Black Keys so here’s another lesson- don’t let legends get a hold of you material, you’’ just end up looking weak.
Though there does appear ti be a lull between “I’m Going Down” and “Doom And Gloom”, they right the ship with “It’s Only Rock And Roll” and from “Miss You to “Jumping Jack Flash” reel off hit after hit. Seven in a row. Can’t wait for the Barclay Center gig on December 8th!
Nobody here I don’t want to see but… Jimmie Vaugh and Gary Clark Jr… BB King might shake off the years. And congratulations to Brad Pitt who is an excellent guitarist and must be thrilled as hell by Clapton’s seal of approval.
Paul McCartney is hosting their December 22nd Christmas edition (Martin Short is hosting… Martin Short? Was everybody in the Universe taking an early vacation??). Only two years ago, everybody at rock nyc were fighting over Macca’s lousy performance on SNL, and already we have to go through it again.
Some Things Never Seem To Fucking Work – Solange – This is modern indie R8B with a better singer than we are used and as a big time Knowles fan, I admire it from a distance. But like so much of modern r&b, whiile the synth is subdued, and the licks are tasty enough, the song isn’t strong enough – Grade: B
I will write more about this when I get a second, the headline is presale tix to 12-12-12 go on sale via Chase on Monday at 9am and on line sale is Monday december 3rd at 12p… Ticketmaster, radio city.com and robinhood.com
Cathy Dupuis’ big sister travels to London from Macclesfield England for Opening night of the five date Stones tour and likes it, likes it, yes she does
Move over Gwen, this teen girl was a ball of fire! She was a lioness shaking her long mane and roaring in the mic over the band’s energetic electro-pop songs, she was jumping, shaking her body as if she had been possessed by the ghost of rock’ n’ roll, dancing, bouncing and doing even more dangerous acrobatics from one corner of the stage to the other.
But we are not here to pay tribute either, these are fine, more than fine versions, by a rejuvenated Armstrong and not a swansong, or a last gasp. The man was incomparable.
Twenty seven songs in all are nominated for the Grammy Museum including ‘The Times They Are A Changi’n,” 1964’s Dylan classic, along side Whitney Houston and AC/DC?
There is a reason why Lennon is bigger than the Beatles, bigger than anybody, why he is still adored and the compassion of songs like “Instant Karma”, “Give Peace A Chance” and the Universal good will of the statement. The great secret of live is either everything has a soul and is therefore good enough or nothing has a soul and is therefore good enough.
Its fantastic how a good DJ can turn an old pop tune into a sick dance tune. I’m not even a dance fan and I find this absolutely perfect. There is something about the swell of techno pitch that can really rip a song wide open. I can see this making a huge splash in white boy night clubs.
Aren’t we really tired of this biopics about drugged out musicians? Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles, Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash, yes I know this new one logically will not have a happy ending, but this is always the same damn old story.
We went where no person has gone before, on to the Facebook page “Awkward Bands And Musicians” Pageso as you don’t have to. But if you choose to, just friend the good fellows on the hysterical Page. It is what Facebook, if not indeed rock nyc, was born for…
the song was a maudlin piece of schmaltz to begin with and the snippit I’ve heard, it is released in the UK December 17th, is unfit for human consumption. Which makes it perfect for the season and assures it a # 1 hit this Christmas
The 2007 book by Motley Crue’s bassist Nikki Sixx ‘The Heroin Diaries’ will soon join the ranks of ‘Shrek The Musical’ and even ‘West Side Story’. Why? What makes this worthy of the Great White Way?
Hey hey it’s the post Davy Jones Monkees, and what are we gonna get on Sunday at the Beacon? Not enough Davy Jones songs, for one thing, but more than enough from prodigal son Mike Nesmith who ridiculously waited till Davy died before coming to terms with his history.
But they kinda sucked right through this century and then the big bruising egos got in the way (I kinda think it is Noel -older brother stuff, the way I think the Kinks is Ray), and whatever happens, even if only Noel has lost the gift, they will never be as good solo.
Timshel (Africa Mix) – Mumford And Sons – This works so much better than it has any right to, Mumford is almost chanting and the backing track is a xylophone playing an African melody, like the time Vampire Weekend dream of writing – Grade: A
This is music of Dement’s geographic and spiritual roots, songs inspired by the Arkansas Delta based upon church piano and organ instrumentation. If you can make peace with DeMent’s voice, which often savors every syllable on the slower songs, you may fall in love with this album.
A brutal and mad scene acted by psychiatric ward escapees or just kids who wanted to have fun? There was a boy who was wearing a hamburger hat and a few others dressed in full banana suits
Nate Ruess makes me a-ring-ting-tingle.fun. covered “Sleigh Bells” and it’s so good I could cry. I hit ‘play’ and was just blown away. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but whatever expectations I had, they exceeded. Ruess can literally sing anything and fun. makes this song not a lame Christmas tune, but a legit great dance song
I know people who find him endearing and I respect them so every now and then I give the guy a shot. Why? Why not just rest calmly in the idea that if I ever encountered him I would douse myself in Purell and walk away before I said anything. I suppose because a small part of me is waiting for the light bulb moment when I actually ‘get it’.
It is like having an existential crises about risking nothing. I don’t know why Chuck is taking this nonsense seriously. I’d have told James to have a shave, lose a coupla pounds and stop fucking whining.
