Music
Essays, blog posts, playlists, and more focused broadly on music. For more playlists visit my Spotify profile.
- Elektrisk Gønner “Panoramic Targets” (Influenza) ()
Approach Influenza as a series which serves to offer insight into the birth of a song; these are the thoughts, influences and the inspirations directly from the mind of the artists. Roughly translated from the French site Student After All, “Panoramic Targets” is described as a “small ball of platinum electro-rock remix with two more […]
- Iron Maiden “The Final Frontier” Review ()
The Final Frontier is Iron Maiden‘s 15th album, and one that initially brought with it rumblings that it would be the legendary band’s swan song. After all, it is called The Final Frontier and founding member and bassist Steve Harris has put 15 albums on the board as the predetermined lifespan of the group. In […]
- Robyn “Body Talk Pt. 2″ Review ()
The first episode of the Body Talk trilogy did well in bringing a bit more recognition for Robyn stateside—the singer just recently concluded the North American stint of her 2010 tour and locked down the #3 position on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Albums chart. But Body Talk Pt. 1, itself, did a bit to shake up the […]
- “Entourage,” Altered Zones & “Straight Talk” ()
[Ed. Note: In June I was invited to contribute some words to Hypebot in response to Mark Morgenstein’s CNN article titled “Before I get old: Success for late-blooming bands.” An idea was suggested in the comments section of the article, and I was subsequently asked to respond. I thought about it, and came up with a version […]
- Remember when Zack de la Rocha was relevant? ()
With memories of Rage Against the Machine’s brilliance in mind, few names were as irritatingly elusive throughout the Aughts as Zack de la Rocha’s. For years on end, word of any new material from the Rage Against the Machine vocalist didn’t simply raise brows, but set off fireworks amongst the media and fans alike. As […]
- Avenged Sevenfold “Nightmare” Review ()
To say that a lot has happened since the release of Avenged Sevenfold‘s self-titled 2007 album would be doing the band a great disservice. On the shoulders of the album’s five singles, Avenged Sevenfold went gold and was later honored as the “Album of the Year” by Kerrang! magazine. In 2008 the band hit the […]
- Remember Ween’s failed Pizza Hut jingle, “Where’d The Cheese Go?” ()
Escape with me to a simpler time: a time when Rolling Stone offered readers such amusing features as “Modern Trivia” (ex: Michael Jackson claims he wrote many of his hits in a tree), and restaurants were reinventing the way people thought about eating pizza by rolling out such innovative dishes as the “Insider” (a pizza […]
- Rick Ross “Teflon Don” Review ()
Ultimately Teflon Don is about two things: Rick Ross flossin’ his wealth and Rick Ross flaunting his friendships. For those of you with no interest in listening to someone take the better part of an hour to reaffirm their self-worth by showcasing how hard they’re shining: Teflon Don is going to be lost on you. […]
- Sheryl Crow “100 Miles To Memphis” Review ()
While Sheryl Crow‘s multi-platinum Tuesday Night Music Club was still pumping out a mammoth wave of singles, a beginner’s guide to soul & southern-flavored rhythm and blues was released in the form of the 1994 Rhythm, Country and Blues compilation. The record attempted to glorify the depth of influence that the “Memphis Sound” continues to […]
- Prince “20Ten” Review ()
What followed the unexpected announcement of Prince’s new album in June was something that had to surprise even his most die-hard fans. (Then again, it is pretty much par for the course in terms of Prince’s career… the last decade even more so.) With less than a month’s notice, it was not only announced that […]
- Golden Triangle at the Royal Canadian Legion (Calgary, CA) ()
Photos of Golden Triangle taken July 1, 2010 at the Royal Canadian Legion as part of the Sled Island festival in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. [This post was first published by Culture Bully.]
- Deerhoof at Central United Church (Calgary, AB) ()
Prior to the show, I overheard someone in the church pew behind me ask “Those don’t look like standard Deerhoof guitars, do they?” While I’m not sure exactly what standard Deerhoof guitars are supposed to look like I doubt that they were disappointed as guitarists Ed Rodriguez and John Dieterich took to the stage, progressively […]
- Kylie Minogue “Aphrodite” Review ()
Sexuality in the realm of female-fronted pop music, or music in general, is nothing new. But in the past couple of decades what has evolved has shifted closer to a sort of “forced sexuality”: overt eroticism with little regard to context or artist. Sure, each situation is as unique as the individual in question, but […]
- The Roots “How I Got Over” Review ()
When we last heard from the Roots, the group had released what was then-deemed their last album, Rising Down. The themes on the record often pointed to dark clouds — examining the bleakness of the times — and leading the way was the album’s first single “75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction).” If you’re looking for angry, […]
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers “Mojo” Review ()
It was once said that “the longer you live, the better you get.” In recording Mojo, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers took to the studio in a way they hadn’t done before (at least to such an extent); not only did the group go into recording the album with an entirely blank canvas—the decision was […]
- The Chemical Brothers “Further” Review ()
While it continued the Chemical Brothers‘ trend of chart topping releases—2007’s We Are The Night was the duo’s fifth consecutive album to go #1 in the UK—the album awkwardly relied on a bevy of unusual collaborations (though, in reality, no more so than 2005’s Push The Button) which left it bearing little consistency. With Further […]
- Culture Bully Review of the RHCP/Mashuptown Challenge ()
The Red Hot Chili Peppers Challenge proved a solid pool of entries from bootleggers ranging from fresh faces to Mashuptown regulars. The better mashes created a rich palette for which the tracks involved were heard on an entirely new level. While a number of tracks attempted to utilize “Dani California” it was some of the tracks that […]
- Eminem “Recovery” Review ()
With “Not Afraid,” the confessional single which drives Eminem’s new album Recovery, the MC alludes to a change which has steered him in a new direction. Not only does he call himself out, admitting that last year’s Relapse was mediocre (“And to the fans, I’ll never let you down again, I’m back/I promise to never […]
- Sled Island ()
First and foremost: it was a pleasure participating in Sled Island. My sincere thanks go out to Zak, Drew, and everyone else who went out of their way on multiple occasions to help my friends and I. I’m glad to have had the opportunity to attend and I wouldn’t trade spending Canada Day in some […]
- Hank Williams III at The Whiskey (Calgary, AB) ()
The I last time I saw Hank Williams was a little under three years ago and the show drew what I still remember to be one of the wildest crowds I’ve ever been a part of. While I can’t say the same for this show (which probably had as much to do with the ticket […]
- Drake “Thank Me Later” Review ()
Drake has nearly 650,000 followers on Twitter, 225,000 fans on Facebook and 31 million page views on MySpace. But for every fan the young vocalist has garnered, he’s also found a hater. And understandably so as the 23-year-old actor-turned-MC has never shied away from displaying his affluence, his privileged upbringing, or flaunting and flossing every […]
- The Hypnotic Allure of Braids ()
Hype can be a funny thing sometimes, especially in terms of music. It can lead to exaggerated slants on bands that might not be entirely grounded in reality, but it can also help shed light on artists who might otherwise not have been given the time of day. “Braids are by no means a sure […]
- Christina Aguilera “Bionic” Review ()
While recently discussing Bionic with Out Magazine, Christina Aguilera explained her musical evolution, noting that “every album has been a 180 from the past.” Similar to the focus throughout her entire career, Bionic isn’t meant to be so much of a personal reinvention as another step forward in the singer’s ever-evolving style. While her statement […]
- Abstract Minimalism: Beneath These Idle Tides ()
Sounds like: Aphex Twin’s Selected Ambient Works, Vol. II & Stars of the Lid’s Stars of the Lid and Their Refinement of the Decline. Upon initial inspection of Beneath These Idle Tides’ MySpace page one might be underwhelmed, if only by the lack of a “pimped skin;” background information is non-existent, there are only two streaming […]
- Stone Temple Pilots “Stone Temple Pilots” Review ()
It has been nine years since the Stone Temple Pilots released Shangri-La Dee Da, the band’s fifth album which received a lukewarm reception and was quickly dismissed after its second single, “Hollywood Bitch,” failed to propel itself into “hit” territory. After talk of returning to the studio following the band’s 2002 tour flared up, tensions […]
- De La Soul at Olympic Plaza (Calgary, AB) ()
Video of De La Soul performing “Getting’ Down at the Amphitheatre,” “Stakes is High,” “Pass the Plugs,” “Ego Trippin’ (Part 2),” “A Roller Skating Jam Named ‘Saturdays,’” “Me Myself and I,” and “Oooh” May 1, 2010 at the Olympic Plaza in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. [This post was first published by Culture Bully.]
- Hank Williams III “Rebel Within” Review ()
“I honestly don’t think it tops Straight To Hell,” explained Hank Williams III when he discussed his new album Rebel Within last fall in an interview with Outlaw Radio Chicago. “It’s got the slow ones, it’s got the fast ones, and a little attitude. But I still don’t think it tops… I still got another […]
- Type O Negative frontman Peter Steele passes away ()
Blabbermouth is reporting that Fallout, Carnivore, and longtime Type O Negative frontman Peter Steele passed away Wednesday from what is believed to be heart failure. Born Petrus T. Ratajczyk, the singer was beloved for his abnormally deep tone and dark lyrics; he was also easily identifiable due his remarkable height (6′7″). Unconfirmed reports suggest that […]
- LCD Soundsystem “This Is Happening” Review ()
In 2007 James Murphy followed up his widely praised 2005 debut and the 2006 maxi-track 45:33 with Sound of Silver. Utterly demolishing expectation—which isn’t to say that anticipation for the record hadn’t gathered considerable momentum—the album was immediately met with a glowing response; many eventually acknowledging it as being one of the best of the […]
- Mike Patton “Mondo Cane” Review ()
In a recent interview with AOL’s Noisecreep, Mike Patton attempted to sum up who Mondo Cane is for, “If you like orchestral music and have a heart in your fucking chest, you will like this record.” In keeping with Patton’s seemingly life-long preoccupation with non-linear career-jumps, Mondo Cane does exactly what many of the vocalist’s […]