In 2015, they are a hard rock machine, which, even with half of the band MIA – Malcolm retired and Rudd in a mountains of trouble, this band is sine quo non metal band and terrific live. With last year’s Rock Or Bust, to sell AC/DC will be filling up Metlife on Wednesday, catch the dirty deeders done cheap!
Al’s music draws you in because you are often hearing some of the most recognizable hooks and riffs in pop music. His band has the talent to move from hard rock, modern pop, and rap seamlessly and Al never breaks character during the show. There’s no moralizing or social commentary in his material. Silliness reigns supreme.
Ariel is a goofy individual who makes magic, his songs are musical collages with abrupt accelerations or changes of rhythms, washed out pop harmonies with a myriad of voices going in all directions, weird noises, freak-out moments and monster-like vocals.
That’s the thing about this brave new pop moment, if I don’t l like “High On The Beach”. all I have to do is wait a minute and here Lana Del Rey comes around again with a song to take the nasty taste out of my mouth.
During the week, I texted Iman, informing him I was emotionally drained and couldn’t bring myself to write anything. In fact, I started two other TBH articles and couldn’t finish them due to an absence of creativity and inspiration. I don’t want to go into my life right now, but I have had a terrible time of things in this past year. I believe this is what happened with Syd, too.
Ride (Feat Icona Pop) – Lowell – This is catchy EDM as bubblegum move helped a lot by the always pleasant Icona Pop who give the song a terrific anthem lift off and while the whole fire in your heart is a little moldy they sell it well. Completely catchy, I hope it breaks pop big time – A-
This boils down to a toss up between The Weeknd and Foals, and I am going with Foals because every song I’ve heard off their new album has been aces in my book and I am still waiting for “I Can’t Feel My Face” to click (though not “The Hills”)
“If you are here without our permission, and we have given you two months to leave, and you’re still here, and we find that you’re still here after we we’ve given you the deadline to leave, then you become property of the State of Iowa,”
A Beautiful Woman – Deradoorian – The Dirty Projector band members first track of her first album owes something to the former band, an off key strangely instrumentation but essentially pop song – B+
This event contains adult themes, distressing imagery, extended use of strobe lighting, smoke effects and swearing. The following items are strictly prohibited: knives, spraycans, illegal drugs, and lawyers from the Walt Disney corporation,
Easy Love – Sigala -Sure, anybody can fashion a hit out of the Jackson 5’s “ABC” but not just anybody can fashion a masterful pop moment like this one, an addictive run round the giant pop song, with the hook on repeat. The vocal is speeded it and Michael sounds like a god in chipmunk clothing – B+
Three out of five late night shows are in repeats, the fourth hasn’t premiered yet and the fifth is on TBS. So in theory, we’d have to go with the fifth but in practice I am sodded if I am gonna give the nod to Ashley Monroe on Conan or anywhere else so, instead, here is present to Best Coast because I still love California Nights.
Tay, Ed, Sam and may Florence, 40% of the charts, is stuck like glue and meanwhile everything else cuts and runs every two weeks. Fortunately both Sam and Tay are great great albums and everything else here is not. By the way, sorry about Cilla, who I loved, but listening to that greatest hits, well, it could have a lot more hits to be honest.
The Jess Glynne single is really good, her best since “Hold My Hand”, and this one is nearly as good that one. I thought Jess was gonna get the song of the summer over here and it was no go, this one should absolutely do the trick
We have a homeless problem because we live in a free society where we can’t simply shovel off people’s rights because they have no money. For all the ways the homeless problem is a major pain on the neck. there is one way it isn’t: it keeps us honest by forcing us to see what happens at the lowest rungs of society. Who has moved these people? Who has the right to?
I have seen Ariel Pink a few times but his concert on the Santa Monica pier this Thursday was probably his best ever, and his most triumphant one as the pier was packed to the beach… He didn’t look too weird for once, his outfit was not too eccentric despite the black girlie corsage, but I have seen him wearing a turquoise dress with purple spiky high heels, so this one was quite conservative for Pink. He even had his natural blonde hair and he was good and weird all-set long, screaming, meowing and crooning, making everyone dance and sing.
The Awakening – P.O.D. – P. O.D. – are the “Youth Of The Nation” Christiancore standard bearers, well and above the best of the lot, this isn’t for everyone, but if you want well thought out story albums here it is. Not a dud in the lot, you might not agree with its faith but even if you don’t this is very strong, melodic and intelligent stuff. Try “This Goes Out To You”: in a week with so much dreadful CCM, God save P.O.D. – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+
‘FYF Fest’s 12th year kicks off this Saturday at the L.A. Memorial Sports Arena & Exposition Park. Kanye West will now headline Saturday night’s Main Stage. Frank Ocean has decided on his own terms to cancel his appearance.’
I haven’t seen the Weeknd since… well actually since July when he performed a song at Taylor Swift’s Metlife gig. But I haven’t seen him perform a set since he opened for Justin Timberlake in 2013 and while truth be told, there is no way I am going to Jones Beach this weekend for a half hour set, these concert at MSG and Barclay Center?
I wrote this in 2009 and Allan Pepper wrote me a very nice email thanking me and telling me that Allan and business partner Stanley Snadowsky planned to reopen it. Sadly, Stanley died in 2013
Jabberywocky – Panda Bear – Since I am such a huge fan of the Animal Collective alumni I was expecting big things from this new EP and I got it, this is a salt shaker of a song, a lovely strange half beat with semi-soaring vocals -I mean they sound like they should soar and decide not to – A-
The one song we’ve heard off the What The World Needs Now… is pretty solid stuff so news Johnny is touring behind it is not such bad news after all. indeed if he is half as good as he was last time, it should make for an interesting evening.
Now we have found Nemo we are off to find the giddy and wonderful Dory. “As USA Today described, one scene showed Marlin (Nemo’s dad) telling Dory he knows a guy who can help her find her parents; in another scene, Dory interacts with Hank, who tries to convince her to give him the tag that’s on her fin.”. It will be released June 16, 2016 and I wish they’d hurry up.
Then I started thinking about the phrase ‘Star Wars’ recontextualized against that painting — it was beautiful and jarring. The album has nothing to do with Star Wars. It just makes me feel good. It makes me feel limitless and like there’s still possibilities and still surprise in the world, you know?
Once again, Mac Demarco is playing at the FYF Fest this year,…I have seen him a few times and his popularity has never ceased to grow. Young girls and boys love him ,smoking through his set or crowd surfing in the middle of a song, there is something a bit iconic about his carefree, super laid-back attitude, something that reflects youth with a bit of that fuck you attitude, wrapped into a very easy going ambiance. Here are a few reviews I wrote when I saw DeMarco at FYF 2013, Burgerama 2014 and FYF 2014.. I can’t believe how many times I actually saw that guy:
One is a serious man disguised as a Frat Boy and the other is a serious man disguised as a workingclass hero. Isbell is great but not great enough, Luke just moved 390,000 Album Equivalent Units, as if he had learnt something from Jason Aldean failed to about where pop meets hip hop meets country
‘His mansion in Beckenham has been demolished, for instance, and I’m unlikely to have a fling with Mick Jagger,’ he admitted. ‘However, it is possible to engage with and get a feel for his experiences without immersing oneself to a dangerous extent.’
Die Young – Chinz – Murdered in a drive by shooting last May, here is the fine rapper on the last song of his first album, with mentor French Montana, on a haunting track and a sad farewell: the life, you know “I pray I’ll be okay when I grow up a little bigger, if I don’t tell my babies their daddy was a real nigga” – B+
Nicki Minaj: Fans (???!!!!) are taking pictures of themselves doing dirty things with her waxwork. Angel Haze said this: “Wow, they finally give nicki minaj a wax figure and it’s a statue of her bent over on all fours…… White people yo….” Word.
J Geils Band are one of the great still standing live bands around and any chance to see them is a chance worth taking. Playing the theatre size Beacon, er, Theatre, you can get pretty close here and that’s for sure, and in a rare, really rare, first in 30 years rare headlining gig in New York City and if I didn’t already have plans to go to see AC/DC I would be soooo there.
I’ve been waiting to se Vince Gill for years now, I’ve already seen his wife Amy Grant and was pleasantly surprised. But the Carnegie Hall gig October 24th is a late nighter so, meh, right? And this one is like the country songwriters round robin and I figure very expensive so I probably can’t afford it.
With Taylor Swift on my mind this morning, I’ve been listening to her 1989 live boot and I hadn’t realized at the time but the woman has gotten to the point where she simply talks too much. Being taught life lessons by Taylor Swift is the moral equivalent of learning about humility from Donald Trump. Having said that, it is Wednesday and I am ready for another set of new recordings.
House Party – Sam Hunt – Was it me who spent years dissing new country? Actually,yes it is. I don’t like the manufactured pop sound in country. I don’t like it here too much either. But if I am gonna be dragged this is the way to drag me down, catchy dribble – B
‘There’s something about wandering the world over,’ said Laura in an interview, ‘that makes you realize how similar we all are – everyone searching for something, so often the same thing: love. It may sound trite, but it’s true. Love – or the lack of it – is the thing we all have in common. It can destroy us. It can break us open and let the light in. And it’s also the thing that can make us sing.’
The Valley – Miguel – I could have sworn this song was going to blow up big, I don’t see why in a market with The Weeknd all over the charts, Miguel isn’t there as well. This sex song is a classic, it is as good as Justin Timberlake at his best – A
So imagine how thrilled I was to hear that Jack was indeed back, and presumably close to releasing a new album since Caleb is with him. I received an email from Jack yesterday:
Why has Miguel not hit pop yet? I like the Weeknd fine, and I’ve seen both Miguel and the Weeknd live on stage and the Weeknd was much better. However, Wild Heart is a great album and I really surprised it had no traction. I’ll take “The valley” over “The Hills” and I actually really like “The Hills”.
Later that evening, Galactic tore Brooklyn Bowl down to the studs and built it back-up with their Master Class of New Orleans Funk and Soul. Look, it’s about the beat, stupid. If people are moving in the crowd, if you’re tapping your foot, it’s about the beat. Enter the best of modern day New Orleans. Second Line Drumming, Stanton Moore. With two hands, two feet and two drum sticks, he can make a dead man move
They have been declared emerging band of the week by Obey Clothing Propaganda, ‘Cry For Me’, a song they have posted on Soundcloud (produced by Doug Boehm who worked with Girls, Tokyo Police Club, Christopher Owens) got more than 800,000 listenings, they got some local support from KROQ’s Locals Only Show, they had an LA residency at the Bootleg last June, and have booked a national tour with The Neighbourhood in the fall… So there’s no doubt they are a hot new band of the moment while they formed only a year ago.
The first thing that jumps out here is the complete lack influence his teenage daughters have over Barack Obama.on this playlist. one of whom is pictured above in a “Pro Era” tee shirt -the rap collective which includes Joey Bada$$ and Dirty Sanchez. Perhaps we don’t expect the POTUS to be namechecking them, but this is the man who quoted Jay Z’s “Dirt Off Your Shoulders” on the Presidential trail and pals about with Queen Bey, so he must have a feel for pop but pop is resolutely invisible. .
Let’s hear it for Florida, who recently tried a 16 year old as an adult for murdering his mother and gave him 28 years in prison. OK, but how comes this sixteen year old is an adult when he is a murderer and a child when he is 17 years old and having sex with Jennifer Fichter (22 years in prison folks), oh, and a dead hoodlum in a hoodie when he meets the dangerously deranged George Zimmerman. George, the only one of the three who should absolutely be in prison, just painted a Confederate Flag in support of a Gun Shop which won’t serve Muslims. Wait a second, Zimmerman can still legally buy guns? Forget it, it’s Florida.
so I climbed on the stage, and found a good spot just behind the musicians, observing the incessant crowd surfing, thrilled by the experience and their dark-wave punk sound. It was the perfect ending for this Echo Park Rising, which was attended by 10,000 people according to the news, a really impressive number for a neighborhood festival, free for all, with no big stars or big names, just local bands, but a ton of them celebrating the rich diversity of Echo Park.
A purely excellent two and a half hour set. I always write exactly what I believe and I have ragged on Costello for a couple of years now, but credit where it is due. He reformed the Attractions (c’mon, that’s what he REALLY did) and played an Attractions set. Just like that. And he was so good he made iffy songs sound like masterpieces.
Why Do Fools Fall In Love – Frankie Lymon And The teenagers – I consider myself a serious music fan, not stuck in any particular decade, way on top of modern pop but I am damned if I can find anything on the charts as great as the terrific teen wonder – A+
Sure it has been the dog days of summer, and news has been kinda slow, so here comes Donald Trump (who I have met on three occasions socially and who I consider quite as slimy as Rupert Murdoch) to kill some time and space. Fine. But when the leading candidate for the GOP is seriously discussing deporting 11.3 Million people PLUS legal and documented people, well, that joke ain’t funny anymore. This guy is beyond the pale and silly season needs to come to an end now. He is dangerous
I promise you that given the choice between embracing Luke and loathing him, I’d much prefer to love the wee tyke, if only out of respect for the zeitgeist but it can’t be done. If the Spring Break stuff was Jimmy Buffet for 30 something college kids, the new one is moribund drag country for bores hitting 40 and their first divorce. It is awful and one OK song, “Strip It Down” doesn’t come close to saving it.
This is an intense and thrilling ride into the charts, with police trying to close down their shows, Suge trying to kill anybody who crosses him, and the three friends falling apart till the end, when Dre leaves Death Row to form his own label (and discover Eminem) and Eazy E calling the band members with Dre and Ice Cube agreeing to reunite the group, before E falling sick with AIDs and dying six months later
If naming a song “Live To Tell” is cheeky but good natured, naming another song on the same EP
Things got weird with Man or Astro-Man?, tender with Dengue Fever and wilder with Hanni El Khatib. Birth Defects put the stage on fire, Three Common invited everyone to join them on stage, and Corners’ set was a crowd surfing party… I wanted the festival to last at least a week, I was just getting in the rhythm after these three days! See you next year…
The Romanovs, with their own brand of “pre-classic rock, ‘re-imagined” made for some stand out gems last night. ‘Be Mir Bist Du Schon’ and ‘Honey Don’t’ had the audience on their feet and dancing up a storm. Los Angeles scenester John Mendelssohn’s brilliantly arranged music with the combined talents of guitarist Pete Castle (aka The Ledge) and bassist Kirk Henry brought the house down.
