Music
Essays, blog posts, playlists, and more focused broadly on music. For more playlists visit my Spotify profile.
- Record Store Day at Third Man Records (Nashville, TN) ()
Photos taken April 16, 2011 at Third Man Records in Nashville, TN. [This post was first published by Culture Bully.]
- Matic Lee “Flyin’ Nimbus” ()
Originally having no prior idea as to what a flyin’ nimbus was (personally), Matic Lee is back with a bit of a lesson in pop culture to accompany one of his latest free-flowing joints. The Dragonball wiki (what, you thought there wasn’t a Dragonball wiki?) explains a flying nimbus as “a yellow magical cloud that […]
- Vast Air “Nomad” Video ()
It feels like a lifetime since Vast Aire’s new release was first announced — it’s been about four months since we first heard his Cappadonna collab and the phenomenal “Sour Diesel” — but despite the LP simmering on the back burner for months, Can Ox 2010: A Street Odyssey has now been given a street […]
- The Kills Perform “Satellite” on Conan ()
The Kills performing “Satellite” on Conan with a trio of backup singers to kick in that extra bit of soul? Where do I sign up? Perhaps the setup leaves too slick a sound for your liking? You’re in luck: in addition to the television performance a second web-exclusive video has been released of the duo […]
- RJD2 “Might As Well Step Forward” ()
Directed by Brad Hasse and featuring the phenomenal B-boy stylings of Quest Crew comes this new video for “Might As Well Step Forward” by RJD2. While the Inversions of the Colossus feature would likely offer itself as a great soundtrack for any visuals to jump off from, the LA dance collective immediately feed off the […]
- Cheap Time “Another Time” Video ()
Ever feel like life puts too many tangents in the way between you and a good time? If you’re in need of some straight ahead, no frills snarling garage punk, Cass Records is here to help with the latest release from Jeffrey Novak and Cheap Time, offering up a money-back “no tangent guarantee.”* “Another Time” […]
- Arctic Monkeys “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair” Video ()
Today the Arctic Monkeys released some psychedelic visuals for the band’s single which premiered this past Monday on Zane Lowe’s BBC Radio 1 show. Like any number of DIY found-footage videos, “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair” reinforces the idea that (for the most part) once you’ve seen one trippy acid-dream video you’ve […]
- Foo Fighters “Wasting Light” Review ()
The release of Wasting Light from the Foo Fighters carries with it an unusual sense of urgency that hasn’t been experienced for quite some time with the band. Perhaps the gravity of the release is due in part to the new documentary tackling the Foo’s history and recent tribulations, a film which has been largely marketed […]
- Adrian Champion “Stars & Stripes” – A White Stripes Remix Album ()
The most immediately attractive aspect of Stars & Stripes is the robust character that resonates throughout the release. White Stripes remixes aren’t exactly a new invention — hell, one of my favorite mashups from 2005 was DJ Riko’s reworking of Ludacris’ “Stand Up” with the duo’s “My Doorbell” — but the album isn’t as simple […]
- Rihanna feat. Britney Spears “S&M (Remix)” ()
Whatever your opinion was of the original version of Rihanna’s “S&M,” chances are you’re going to hold the exact same feeling toward this newly released remix featuring Britney Spears. The original is a bit tacky both lyrically and musically and introducing Britney to amp up the kinky anthem only goes to emphasize that aspect even […]
- Coolio Está Demasiado Caliente ()
A few weeks after “Wonderwall” had captivated listeners in the UK, Coolio returned with a flow back in your ear. One of Coolio’s greatest assets was that you didn’t have to be a rap connoisseur to get down with the man’s music back in the ’90s; much like the Spin Doctors, I think that some […]
- Ryan Adams Ain’t Got Shit on the Pops ()
Q: What did you think about Ryan Adams’ version of “Wonderwall”? A: It’s shit to me, man. I like Ryan Adams and I like some of his songs. But I hated what he did with “Wonderwall.” That quote comes from a recent interview Liam Gallagher did with MTV, largely discussing his new band Beady Eye […]
- The AK “740” ()
Though not as intense as much of the trunk music which flowed with his Kaby’s Day Out mixtape, the AK‘s “740″ is setting a strong trend for what’s to come with another upcoming release, Stigmatic. Not only does the track offer a chill vibe and a few humorous verbal stabs along the way, but it […]
- Black Lips “Modern Art” Video ()
Following “Go Out and Get It!,” the music video for “Modern Art” offers the second taste from the Black Lips’ forthcoming album Arabia Mountain. It’s going to be interesting to see how influential Mark Ronson was in terms of guiding the LP’s production, but the first two tracks seem to suggest that the theme which […]
- Nas & Damian Marley “Land of Promise” Video ()
While Distant Relatives hasn’t exactly achieved the level of critical acclaim (or commercial success) that the combination of Marley and Nas are capable of garnering, it still stands to reason that the album may become more attractive to the masses as it’s given years to breathe. “As We Enter” remains a personal top 10 track […]
- Sun Soakin’ Bulges in the Shade ()
Yesterday’s glance back at “Big Me” from the Foo Fighters triggered a thought about another music video that was released right around the same time as it; that being the clip for “Peaches” by the Presidents of the United States of America. Actually, after scouring the the web for some information I was able to […]
- The Fresh Fighter ()
With the new Foo Fighters album becoming available online during the past 24 hours it felt appropriate to continue this journey back into the ’90s with a look at the group’s first crossover hit: “Big Me.” With other standouts from the Foo’s debut album including such hard-hitting tracks as “I’ll Stick Around” and “This is […]
- Openmic “Can You Blame Him?” ()
Following a drop of “The Code” last week with a listening party over the weekend, Nashville’s Openmic is slowly revealing his forthcoming For The Rebels mixtape as something that demands a bit of attention. In “Can You Blame Him?” his continuous flow offers countless lyrical subtleties that are easy to overlook — “Dreamin’ like I […]
- Danger Mouse, Daniele Luppi & Jack White “Two Against One” ()
New music was unveiled today from Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi’s Rome project, which will see its official release May 16 in the UK and May 17 stateside. It was announced earlier this week that the duo’s “Two Against One” collaboration with Jack White and “Black” with Norah Jones will both be featured on an […]
- Fleet Foxes “Helplessness Blues” Review ()
“I have such a weird relationship with this record,” confessed Fleet Foxes‘ Robin Pecknold in an interview with Stereogum this past February. “The process of making it really took over my life and started affecting my relationships, which in turn affected the record.” Yet while the band’s new album Helplessness Blues is recognizable as a […]
- Phonte and Nicolay at The Listening Room (Nashville, TN) ()
Sitting in as guests of the Red Bull Music Academy, Phonte (Little Brother) and Nicolay—collectively known as the Foreign Exchange—participated in a Q&A session at Nashville’s Listening Room Saturday afternoon. Discussing a variety of subjects with host Sean Maloney of the Nashville Scene, the floor was eventually opened up to the audience for questions. Alternating […]
- Wiz Khalifa “Rolling Papers” Review ()
Weed enthusiasts are a unique breed. I don’t mean potheads, but people who plan their entire lives around pot; those who roll out of bed, spin Black Sunday for their wake-n-bake session, and make it a point to spark praise for the plant on no less than half a dozen times throughout the day. Those […]
- Seeking “Spiritual Pollution” ()
To this day it still might be widely perceived that grunge’s northern reach ended at the 49th parallel in the early ’90s. That simply wasn’t the case though. Signed to Reprise/Warner in 1991 based a single demo tape, Vancouver’s Pure achieved the bulk of their success based on their 1992 full-length debut, Pureafunalia. Produced by […]
- Spin Doctors “Pocket Full of Kryptonite” ()
All that jive about first impressions being the most important moment in a relationship and you’re kicking things off with the Spin Doctors? Really? Yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyup. For a brief period of time the Spin Doctors were, as the kids say (actually, I can’t vouch for the kids, but I say this quite frequently; kids around the […]
- The Kills “Blood Pressures” Review ()
Relationships have a tendency of continually changing; a difference which is only made that much more apparent given significant spans of time. It’s been three years since Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart released their last album together, 2008′s Midnight Bloom, and during the years that followed Mosshart focused much of her creativity on her work […]
- Thurston Moore “Benediction” ()
At this point in his life Thurston Moore could get away with committing murder if he wanted; musically speaking, of course. Not to overlook the handful of solo albums he’s logged over the past two decades, but this year marks Sonic Youth’s 30th anniversary as a band. Without delving into Steve Albini-type babble about what […]
- Britney Spears “Femme Fetale” Review ()
Femme Fatale isn’t Britney Spears‘ “comeback” album, it’s not likely to stand as her best album and it’s not a “game-changing” collection of tracks, set to once again reshape her image to better blend in with the shifting pop cultural tide. That being the case, Femme Fetale is exactly what it needs to be. Like […]
- The Non-Commissioned Officers “Fire Standing Still” (Influenza) ()
Simply put, had it not been for a bit of chance the Non-Commissioned Officers would not exist. A phone call from an old friend about an indie film that was set to be produced in Nashville—which would become Make-Out with Violence—drew brothers Eric and Jordan Lehning together from opposite sides of the country, and out […]
- William Tyler Interview ()
Last year’s release from Nashville’s William Tyler, Behold the Spirit, conjures immediate feelings of warmth. Without a rough edge in sight, the recording serves as one massive gallery, each track standing as a unique showcase for a thought, style, or emotion. Much of the power of the album comes as a result of the years […]
- MYTY KONKEROR “Cell Division” (Influenza) ()
I Miss the Future, the full-length debut from New Haven’s MYTY KONKEROR, offers an interesting blend of sounds that loosely fall under the wide-reaching blanket of guitar-based rock. The group’s been called “a thoroughly dirty rock band” (Redefine Mag) that creates “a psychedelic slab of droney, hypnotic rock” (Magnet), but Sonic Masala‘s conclusion might best categorize […]