Lena Fayre At Summer Scene, Santa Monica Place, Saturday August 9th 2014
The beautiful Santa Monica Place kicked off their Summer Scene series on August 9th in the open-air courtyard of the mall, with three bands playing during the afternoon.
The Ten Commandments Of Concert Going
As the last couple of weeks have proven, there is an epidemic of bad manners at rock concerts that needs to be addressed. People have forgotten how to act in public and the result is a steadily degraded concert going experience. I’ve been blaming the IPhone
Taylor Swift for Worldwide Live Stream, August 18th, From nyc
Anyway, I asked my friend freelance writer Rob o”Connor to get in touch and ask Dave -who is now the head of Yahoo Music (nice work, etc.) to see if he could press list me for the Taylor Swift Live, from New York Streaming Worldcast show.
How Messed Up Is Morrissey: He Is Dropped And Everybody Feels Bad For Columbia
if he had said “I was very very sick and I know I’ve cancelled three times in Atlanta now, and I know I’ve let down my fans and my record company and I am very very sorry. Please forgive me.” I would’ve forgiven. There are other people at the end of those tickets you know, who pay handling fees whether or not “No Show” Moz makes it.
10 Songs: Tuesday, August 12th, 2014
Slap And Tickle – Squeeze – Classic story song as a young couple fail to connect in the verses and in the chorus Difford offers up a Tilbrook aphorism: “never chew a pickle with a little slap and tickle, you have to throw a stone to get the pool to ripple”. Amen – A+
Modest Mouse And Brand New, Forest Hills Stadium, Saturday, August 9th, 2014, Reviewed
Both of these bands reached their height in the 00s, both are quite good, both sets were more than fine. And both are not near the true nostalgia circuit. There is still life in the 20 somethings as they flip to their thirties and now it is time for new material.
The Marshall Tucker Band, Fat Daddy’s, Mansfield, Texas, August 9th, 2014 Reviewed
Gray sang and rambled like an alcoholic with two plugs of Skoal in his cheeks; James Henderson’s flute lead intro on “Heard It in a Love Song” was tentative and halting, percussionist B.B. Borden lacked the finesse for the material, and the group’s attempt at funk were laughably bad
Magnolia Memoir at Summer Scene, Santa Monica Place, Saturday August 9th 2014
I could hear the improbable Adele and Fiona Apple side-by-side comparisons, as her power-house voice had so much range and nuances and translated lots of emotion, while their music was a breezy and catchy blend of pop, R&B, jazz
Alexandra & The Starlight Band At Summer Scene, Santa Monica Place, Saturday August 9th 2014
The second band performing at Summer Scene was Alexandra & The Starlight Band,… without the full band. I had seen them before with several musicians and they had totally rocked the
That Was The Week Of August 4th, 2014, That Was
Consensus opinion is Spoon delivered the goods and for sure this is their best song to date, so good their Summerstage gig on September 10th is looking better and better except, given the type of venue and the type of band, I am not sure I can take the audience again. The new Al Jarreau is terrific.
UK Top 10 Albums 8-16-14
Charlie Simpson used to be lead singer with UK Pop-punk band Busted, but now he is all grown up and sounds like Mumford and Son produced by Ryan Tedder. The album has has been out a coupla weeks now and nothing happening Stateside..
UK Top 10 Singles 8-16-14
A little on the bland side, right? Nothing sticks out and what does is Cheryl Cole and Tine Tempah. Tempah is one of those UK rappers that you expect to crossover, that you expect to be bigger but in the end the only UK guys crossing over hip hop are good looking soul cats.
10 Songs: Monday, August 11th, 2014
Right As Rain – Adele – Who was it who called Adelle a psychotic moldy old cow? well, yes, I admit it but I was discussing 21 not 19, and I even liked “Someone Like You” and I really love this gorgeously sung MOR soul song, from 19, which I didn’t hate – A
Gwar Tours This Fall
A band with no real purpose in this world but to make 40 year old dads and 11 year old boy fist pump and scream “yeah!’ like primal animals. A band with a gimmick will rarely get any positive response from me mostly because what you sound like is more than what you appear to be
Dickey Betts And Great Southern At The Concert Hall, Friday, August 8th, 2014, Reviewed
Betts was a concentrated powerhouse on his Gibson, using the entire body of the guitar but at his best at the neck, it was the supple sound we’ve come to admire so much. Always, even when the rest of the band are going elsewhere, he sounds more country than blues
Wilco's Mikael Jorgensen At the Getty Center, Friday August 8th 2014
Too bad for those who expected something even remotely close to the Wilco sound, Jorgensen is an electronic guy — he was first Wilco’s tech-savvy and synth-wielding sound engineer and became a permanent member in 2002
The Crawford Family Southwest Vacation Songs
Outside of Amarillo is a weird roadside attraction known as Cadillac Ranch – a line of ten Cadillacs buried nose first into the ground. Visitors are encouraged to spray paint graffiti on the Detroit relics. Noting one of the cars already was tagged with “Steve,” no work was required on my behalf.
12 Months To Summer For 5 Seconds Of Summer, 2015
we already almost nearing the end of NEXT SUMMER… well, I guess you’d consider that smart planning ahead of nothing else. The band and management gains interest on the money for 13 months and the fickle tweens who might easily loose interest in the band have a vested interest in still following them. Sounds like an awful awful good idea to me
Englands "Alt-Fest" Aint Gonna Happen
You have to love the full disclosure approach on this one and it is very interesting. The couple explaining in detail the logistical nightmare of a fest and educating us all on how these things can simply fall apart. Looks like Marilyn Manson, The Cult, Gary Numan and more will need to find another gig.
Paul McCartney Has Scored The Video Game Destiny
‘That was one of the things we were quite worried about: would Paul even be interested in a sci-fi shooting game? But he seemed excited about it. He’s played Halo with his grandkids and was… I can’t speak for Paul, but I think he’s pretty excited’
Sneak Peaks: New Album Releases Week Of August 11th,2014
A toss up between FKA Twigs and Sinead O’Conor and I am gonna go with FKA Twigs because my gut is by the time I get round to reviewing them, Sinead is gonna win. Having said that, the more I listen to FKAT the more mesmerized I am… Steve Aoki? Could be good.. The Gaslight Anthem? Not a chance in hell.
Active Viewin': rock nyc Concert Picks Week of August 11th, 2014
I keep on looking at the date, August 16th, and the time, 7pm, and hoping there is some mistake somewhere because one of the most eagerly anticipated concerts of they year, the 15th anniversary of Okayplayer (you know, Guestloves music website thingy) at Summerstage, is happening at the same time as Eminem and Rihanna at Metlife. So I will be going to Em but my heart will be with Dev Hynes
10 Songs: Sunday, August 10th, 2014
. Take Me To Church – Sinead O’Connor – Another in a long line of pretty good Sinead tracks, though the lyric is a little bit, Church rhymes with hurt (I know but I didn’t write it) which isn’t good at all apparently. I’ll give her this: her voice is in prettty good nick – B
Jagwar Ma And Fascinator at Santa Monica Twilight Concert Series, Thursday August 7th 2014
Everything was very loud, resonating like a sort of thunderous semi-pop-rock, semi-electronic fuzzy mess played by three guys with a guitar, a bass and plenty of electronic equipment… It was first very cacophonic and the sort of loud and overwhelming music that fills up your head
Gary Numan "I Am Dust" Video Review
The video is utter garbage and I hope there wasn’t much coin invested in it. Honestly its the discarded entrails of a Manson vid with just enough generic imagery to be so cliche its ridiculous. Gary you look like hell even in that lighting its simpy the blue black hair it doent work after age 30, set it free my dear
Willie Nelson's Braids Up For Auction
So Willie cut his hair in 1983 to help Waylon who at the time was trying to get sober, and the braids ended up in a lot of 500 personal belongings, which are now listed in auction to help the Phoenix Children’s Hospital.Among other things in this auction, you will find Buddy Holly’s motorcycle, Muhammad Ali’s boxing gloves and robe, Hank Williams’ cowboy boots and a letter to Jennings from John Lennon,
Free This afternoon: Catch Motown Gospel Revue Show At Summerstage for Free
The problem with modern Gospel is not the singers but the songs, the voices are these beautiful instruments raised in worship but the songs let them down over and over again. Well, this should helo to change that and then some. Great modern Gospel singers singing great Motown songs!!!
The Eminem And Rihanna Setlist 2014 Monster Tour Spotified
There are other differences, though the sheer weight of hits isn’t one, there aren’t as many for Ree and Em to collaborate on and that is clear by the plethora of Rihanna tracks followed by Eminem tracks: it is clear this is two separate sets which segue at the start and end.
Television Lite; August 11th – August 15th, 2014
Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift. There you have it- the stand outs of the week and perhaps I should spell that weak. There are some other cool bits though. Mikhail Baryshnikov (who my mom had a massive crush on) is on Tavis (say who?) and Jimmy Kimmel sits his ass on Kelly and Michael. What a drag that is. Meh, carry on.
Smokey Robinson And Cee Lo Green "The Way You Do The Things You Do" Reviewed
“The Way You Do The Things You Do” was the Temptations first hit and you can hear why: this is the immaculate Motown house band and a great singer and harmonies just at the exact moment they became great. How could this version be anything at all? It isn’t anything at all. It has no choice but to be product.
Slade-r Than You Think
Slade were like the working class manifestation of all those 70s glam bands, T Rex, Suzi Quattro, Gary Glitter: they would evolve sideays into the New Romantics, straight ahead into post punk and 90s rock and roll UK style and to this day in their native land remain completely beloved. Beloved by me as well
Lorde Unmasked On 2012 First Band Album
S she is really all over the eleven song album she is mostly singing back up and only gets Lorde-y on “Piece Of Mind” which, considering she didn’t wrote it, has the sort of shaking bigness we associate with her nowawdays
10 Songs: Saturday, August 9th, 2014
Six Degrees – Ghostface Killah And badbadnotgood – Featuring a verse by one Danny Brown whose voice flows well within a Ghostface track, better than you’d thing, and the Canadian jazz outfit have a clicky Oriental beat which works like magic on this terrific track – A
Spoon At Amoeba, Wednesday August 6th 2014, Review
I didn’t hear any earworm among the new ones but it was my first listening… and even though there would be no big hit – Spoon never really got one anyway – they have already sold out the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on August 8th and have filled up the large Amoeba store on Wednesday night like true rock stars.
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and Alan Freeds Ashes
First and foremost who is Alan Freed? He is was a DJ, not a Skrillex type dj but a disc jockey who played vinyl albums at a radio station. Its an odd concept in a digital world but thats his schtick. The unique part of Freed is he is credited with creating the world ‘rock and roll’ as music catagory
Michael Jackson's Estate Is Facing New Child Molestation Claims
The rapport is full of graphic allegations such as ‘putting his hand over Robson’s clothed penis’, ‘putting his hand inside Wade Robson’s underpants,” and even ‘penetration of Wade Robson’s anus with [Jackson’s] penis. Of course Jackson invited the family to stay at the ranch and according to Robson, ’employed an audible alarm system for his bedroom [and] hung ‘do not disturb’ signs on his bedroom door.’
Alesana Bail Out Of Eastern European Tour, Natives Rejoice
Anyway Alesana aren’t going to Eastern Europe cuz they’re scared they’ll disappear and I’m thinking if they did- they’d be better off cuz then they would get the fame they deserved years ago when they let it all slip away.
The A+ List 8-8-14
Based on the simplest of romantic declarations, him to her about her, “Never change”, him to her about him, “I can change” and a falsetto which caresses the music just out of reach, the song has a simple romatic yearn and a deep seated loss.it is like James is stretching his hand to her, and also, like it is too late. The longing can’t save it, the pleas feel as though they are falling on deaf ears.
All Female Hasidic Band Bulletproof Stockings Women Only Arlene's Grocery Gig
I have no particular kick one one or the other? Stupid? Absolutely bit hardly my problem. Though it is worth mentioning that the duo Dalia Shusterman and Perl Wolfe are pretty good if their 2012 EP Down To The Top is anything to go by. I’d give em the first two songs but the other two kinda suck. “Frigid City” is country indie rock and “Easy Pray” is the equivalent of Jewish Gospel.
"Guardians Of The Galaxy" Reviewed
This is Marvel but it is more like Marvel when Spidey used to be a bemused, amused superhero, and the heavy weight Thor and Iron Man of latter years. And it is alright, though it isn’t anything compared to Star wars -not even the bad Star wars. Star wars had a Joseph Campbell type proto-myth stuff going on, there is nothing much underneath this story.
rock nyc Top 10 Songs Week Of August 4th, 2014
I know, I know, I’m late to Hurray For The Riff Raff but I am making up ground! Superb at Summerstage on Sunday, I went back to the album Small Town Heroes and I could actually hear it! Otherwise, note the two mainstream pop songs in the middle there. Yeah, I know, I know but “Bang Bang” caught my ear.
10 Songs: Friday, August 8th, 2014
Invitation to The Blues – Emmylou Harris And Rodney Crowell – It is hard to go wrong with this Roger Miller song, it is part of the pantheon and every one from Ray Price to Reba McIntyre have covered it, indeed this isn’t even Emmylou’s first trip to the rodeo. S stellar band really sells it – B+
Emmylou Harris And Rodney Crowell At Damrosch Park, Wednesday, August 6th, 2014 Reviewed
Crowell’s lead on Roger Miller’s “Invitation To The Blues” is heartbreaking and swinging, any night you get to hear Emmylou singing “Red Dirt Girl” is going to be one of the best nights of the year by definition.
Shooter Jennings At Amoeba, Tuesday August 5th 2014, Reviewed
He was quite talkative between the songs explaining that the project started in 2012 as someone representing himself as the producer of George’s upcoming record, asked him if I had any songs to submit. He wrote two songs and it turned out that this guy wasn’t really a producer, but when Jones died, the songs were still there, waiting… and he got the idea of this new tribute.
West Side Tennis Stadium Ready To Rock Again
Last summer, 2013, Mumford & Sons played after 20 years of silence. Renovations had been done, but the logistics of entertaining 17,000 fans in a usually quiet neighborhood in Forest Hills Queens was still unclear. That show was first come first serve, so people were showing up at six in the morning running amuck until the show started that night.
"God Bless Social Media" Morrissey Speaks (but not to us)
Well he aint dead. Taking to True-To-You.Net Morrissey goes on a little rant about politics with a dash of animal rights and a smear of ‘woe is me’. Its an odd entry on his borrowed blog. Scattered thoughts from a man who generally has meticulous flow.
The Bill for HateSpeechin' Comes Due
Ted Nugent is a great example of American exceptionalism. He’s exceptional in that he’s our most famous rock and roll racist, regularly on right wing talk radio, in the news and on television, always generating what the Southern Poverty Law Center, now tracking him, calls hate speech
Smoke Season At The Echoplex, Monday, August 4th, 2014, Review
The very moody music seemed to explode in many directions, and was totally uncategorizable, leaning toward a reworked Americana fueled by stomping and violent rhythms and polyphonic vocals during a song like ‘Badlands’, then morphing into ethereal dream pop with expansive development
Jon Bon Jovi Bids on Buffalo Bills Then Calms Fans Nerves
“To make the Bills successful in Buffalo. There has been a lot of conjecture, so we think it’s important to clarify our intentions to the fans of the team and people of Buffalo. I know how much the Bills mean to the people of this region. So I want you to hear this from me: I’m not risking it all to let you down”
US Top 10 Singles 8-16-14
OK, it is all true. I am being heartlessly manipulated by the powers that be into embracing something as pure product as the Jessie J’s All Stars but the reason for something like this is simple enough: to sell, and if it does sell, it is a successful product and while I didn’t much care for “Bang Bang” I love it now it is a hit.