Slideshow

Slideshow, Track Review

Eddie Vedder Covers "Let It Go"

On the third hand, Olivia Vedder must be, what 8 years old now, so I am show she has been freezing it out like crazy though at eight years old her dad is probably still a god like figure. “Daughter” was never a favorite and I see zero reason to change my mind, so there.

Slideshow, US Top 10 Albums

US Top 10 Albums 7-5-14

I love it when my taste and the zeitgeists taste coincide. It doesn’t happen nearly as much as I wish it did, at least because I am such a pop whote, sales always pricks up my ears. It killed me hating Frozen for months on end. But I love the top two on this list, written about them lots, and seeing them here at the top of the charts is just heaven!

Slideshow

The A+ List – 1977

“Alison,” Elvis Costello. Declan MacManus delivered a debut album that couldn’t be ignored; pairing pub rock licks with punk rock attitude and the wordplay/songwriting skills of a learned veteran, not a rookie that had just quit his day job. On “Alison,” he stumbles across an old flame that is drowning in unsalvageable sorrow

Slideshow

The Specials Aren't Friends

There is a sound that comes from the Specials that no other ‘ska’ band can produce. A more scumbag sound filled with Brit slang and cliche’ that sends out the image of working class drudge. Unlike bands like Madness or Selector who often sound up for fun

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Another Trib, The Beatles on NBC

Its VERY difficult to cast something like this- the faces so completely embedded in peoples minds that to have anyone attempt to resemble always come off campy. Of course some shows go the other way and make no effort- which is just as bad.

Business, Slideshow

Jay Z-Beyonce Tour Breaking Records.

The distribution services are still shaking out and until Apple finds a way to cut the major labels into Beats, it feels like Spotify’s game to lose, but the result is here in a diluted form. Jay Z will not make $2M off Holy Grail but from this tour? Figure once every one is paid, $25M mininum and the same for Bey. It is obvious that the way the Beatles retired from touring to make Sgt Pepper? It could never ever happen now

Slideshow

10 Songs: Wednesday, June 34th, 2014

Gimme A Feelin’ – Ace Frehley – This is so over the top it is funny in a Kiss sort of way, a lambasting rifaramadingdong with a touch of Simpson’s like parody… not intentionally of course, “gimme a feelin’ because you’re on my mind…” I see, I’d love to be in the meeting where they brainstorm the lurics – C-

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Raising Rednecks, Ted Nugent "Kamp For Kids "

There are parents who condone his bullshit and actually wait for months to sign their kids up for his summer camp. Pathetic back woods trailer trash neanderthals who sign there kids up for the ‘great outdoors’ ‘camp’ and allow their spawn learn to shoot and hunt

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Kanye West And Kim Kaddassian Simpsonized

Milan artist AleXsandro Palombois the man befhind the illustrations and personally? I love. Oh, by the way, I blew off Dave Chappelle Sunday night but if I had gone on Friday night, I’d have seen Kanye West perform “New Slaves,” “Jesus Walks” and “Gold Digger

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Alice Cooper Launching New Comic Book Series

Consider this, Alice Cooper is 66 years old. He has been squeezing into the leather to chop off heads and sing creepy songs for so many decades its unreal. He is actually about to tour on the Motley Crue farewell tour- only he isnt even going to say farewell- the dude is unstoppable

Slideshow, That Was The Week That Was

That Was The Week Of June 16th, 2014 That Was

A 14 year old boy killed the boy who had bullied him for months while New York fiddled mindlessly. This is such a horrible story it is hard to find the good guys. But the murderers Mom who threw away the cellphone because she sells drugs and thought the cell might have a GPS tracking device is a damn good place to start. Or the Principal who wouldn’t do anything. Or the Police who refused to intervene. You know, there’s enough blame to go round.

Slideshow

10 Songs: Tuesday, June 24th, 2014

I Could Easily (Fall In Love With You) – Cliff Richard And The Shadows – On Saturday, Cliff mentioned recording in Nashville and you might wonder how he would do with country, this is a modified country (not even rockabilly lick) drenched in melodic goodness – A

Album Reviews, Slideshow

Lana Del Rey's "Ultraviolence" Reviewed

Caryn Ganz’s (for editor at Spin) excellent Rolling Stone review of Lana Del Rey’s sophomore effort Ultraviolence does exactly that. “the epic schmaltz of Ennio Morricone, reflected through the haze of a thousand dramatic selfies” is a pretty damn good description of the album. It isn’t a put down, Lana is what she is and what she is is the teenage girl locked in her bedroom, imagining her mom and dad crying at her grave with a sort of grim satisfaction.

Slideshow

Lamb Of Gods Randy Blythe and his Burning Penis

Look every now and then its a good idea to throw out a post title that will stop you in your tracks. The word penis is funny enough, ‘burning penis’ conjures up the image of odd bacterias and clinic trips. Blythe, the man who just beat the insane Manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic proves he is not only in good spirits but a pretty open guy

Slideshow, Sneak Peak

Sneak Peaks: Week Of June 23rd, 2014

I am most excited for Marsha Ambrosius because I loved her last one so much (and she was fabulous live) so that’s my top pick, though A Sunny Day In Glasgow, Ed Sheeran, Move To Pain (just because Telefon Tel Aviv are such a great band), Phish because they record in the studio so rarely (though I bet it’s not on Spotify) and, ahem, Ed Sheeran.

Slideshow, UK Top 10 Albums

UK Top 10 Albums 6-29-14

I guess the return of Ed has a lot to do with the upcoming sophomore effort which just might do the difficult: be the same and different at the same time. Lana at # 1, though the real question is what will the US make of it? My gut is it will break pop but if West Coast couldn’t make it on the Singles chart what can here? Well, at least should insure a career touring if she has finally learnt how to play live.

Slideshow, UK Top 10 Singles

UK Top 10 Singles 6-29-14

The question is, are 5 Seconds Of Summer the next One Direction or the next the Wanted. The Australian boy band was not the world beater we expected, the EP didn’t stiff but you don’t hear much about it either and while a # 1 song in Ground Zero for 1D matters, 5SOS are not getting where they want to go.

Slideshow

10 Songs: Monday, June 23rd, 2014

A&E – Clean Bandit – After the success of “Rather Be”, I figured this classical plus EDM band were gonna be great but the New Eyes was a disappointed except the more you listen the less it is and the violins on this song are so great the track grows into a monster – A

Slideshow

Morrissey Mystery… Where Is He?

We know that band mates Jessie Tobias and Boz Borer have piped in their words on the whole scandal.. but “OI! Wheres Morrissey?” Not a peep. Not a soy sausage, and if you’re like me you’re worried.

Slideshow

10 Essential Songs From the Pen of Gerry Goffin

He is most famously known for his songwriting partnership with Carole King (the couple were married from 1959 to 1968). As a lyricist, Goffin was known for his acute writing from a female perspective and as King has noted, his ability to put “big ideas into simple words.”

Slideshow, Upcoming Concerts

MMJ Holiday In 2015

Far be it for me to mock the afflicted, but this line up is painful just to read , let alone see. My Morning Jacket peaked in 2008 and Dawes, War On Drugs, and, oh god no, Dr. Dog, might peak one of these days, we don’t really know. The only name that excites me here is Biz Markie, and really I think I’ve heard “Just A Friend” live once or twice before.

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Active Viewin': rock nyc Concert Picks week Of June 23rd, 2014

I can’t predict this one though Elvis Costello, one man show, Carnegie Hall, you have to assume he is gonna bring out the heavy arsenal, though when I saw him a coupla years ago doing a coupla songs solo I thought he wasn’t happening. And that entire the Roots deal was a major bummer. So I dunno, Helen bach liked him so… I guess we will see Wednesday!

Slideshow

10 Songs: Sunday, June 22nd, 2014

Tokyo Storm Warning – Elvis Costello And The Attractions – An astounding achievement, the words pull on and out and on and on till he has a dream of that revolver in her pure and but what dow e care of the world is just a joke? Now they’re hanging protest singers – A+

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Listen To The Hydrothermal Vents' Intriguing Album 'Secrets of the Deep!'

I knew a bit about hydrothermal vents, these weird deep-sea openings which allow chemically rich hot water to erupt to be the beginning of the food chain for mysterious life. Contrarily to any other place on earth, the energy sustaining the biological communities which live there does not come from the sun but from dissolved materials coming from hydrothermal vents.

Movies, Slideshow

Clint Eastwood's "Jersey Boys" Reviewed

This is an Eastwood problem, “Bird” was a miserable movie and this movie is just terrible with Francine Valli, the unfortunately daughter. Why is there no breakthrough here, why is there no revelation? Valli is a drag who doesn’t learn his lesson. In one scene, Eastwood goes from the other three members of the band at a Christmas part-orgy and Valli with his family and Grandparents. Valli looks completely miserable. Was that the intention?

Slideshow

Lou Reed For Sale

Tacky? Hell yes it is mostly because they “need to be sold”. The good news is it isn’t his teeth or other absurd artifacts as we have seen with other artists- this is guitars, racks and assorted stage gear.

Slideshow

Miley Cyrus: Kids Need Time To Grow Up

“’I think people should have time to grow up and figure out who they are. I think people need to sit and think of the times in their lives they were not proud of who they were. Imagine if that was completely exploited and everyone had their opinions.”

Slideshow

Village Voice Music Section Is The Worst

The problem with VV is it is such a pale facsimile of what it once was, it just… it is like when somebody has been really sick and while they are better they haven’t bounced back. The Village Voice haunts itself; it looks at itself in the mirror and it is gaunt and tired and shaky and a terrible read

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