Music
Essays, blog posts, playlists, and more focused broadly on music. For more playlists visit my Spotify profile.
- Justice “Phantom Part 1.5 (live)” ()
In one of Nate Patrin’s many great lines from his Pitchfork review of Justice’s A Cross The Universe, he points out, “What’s there to do now that they’re already pushing a live album right after their debut?” I think that’s the point of the album, to keep the fire burning somewhat until they try to […]
- Culture Bully’s Best of 2008 Guest Posts ()
To close the year out, Culture Bully solicited contributions from artists sharing their year-end lists, reflecting on their favorite things of 2008. Top Five Things I Could Not Criticize Any Longer in 2008 by Ali Elabbady aka Egypto Knuckles of the Background Noise Crew #1) Auto-TuneNumerous folks in 2008 decided to use the auto-tune pitch […]
- Culture Bully Presents: 2008 Mashed ()
Culture Bully proudly presents this retrospective mix, combining elements of the year that was, represented by the collected efforts of a hodgepodge of producers from around the world. 2008 Mashed is an album that utilizes the popular, the outrageous, the kitschy and the under-appreciated. So as history welcomes the pop music of 2008 and accepts […]
- Culture Bully’s Best Mashups of 2008 Guest Posts ()
In addition to Culture Bully’s annual list of the year’s best mashups, we’ve asked a few friends to join us this year by sharing their lists as well. Thank you for reading Culture Bully, and I hope you enjoy these lists. The Top Mashups of 2008 by The Abrahammer #1) Immuzikation “One More Time To […]
- Best Mashups of 2008 ()
#15) DJ Geometrix “What You Know About a White Wedding?” [MP3](T.I. “What You Know” vs. Billy Idol “White Wedding”) Northern Virginia’s DJ Geometrix makes his first appearance on Culture Bully’s annual lists with this, his Billy Idol/T.I. mashup entitled “What You Know About a White Wedding.” While “White Wedding” mashups are fairly ubiquitous (example: this […]
- Military Special Critics’ Pick ()
St. Paul’s Eclipse Records is hosting a ridiculously talent-laden show Saturday night, combining the efforts of some of the Twin Cities’ brightest electronic acts in an all-ages local showcase. Military Special will headline the night, capping off a bill that also includes Unicorn Basement, Total Babe, and DiscoTech’s DJ Gigamesh. An unusual deviation from the […]
- Bill Mike Band “Courageous” (Influenza) ()
Approach Influenza as a series which serves to help give insight as to where music is born; these are the thoughts, influences and the inspirations directly from the mind of the artists. Here, Bill Mike, Chris Morrissey and Steve Goold of the Bill Mike Band detail a track from the band’s latest release, Truce. On […]
- Deerhunter “Microcastle” Review ()
Opening with the comparatively quiet “Cover Me (Slowly),” Deerhunter’s Microcastle quickly evolves into something less abstract and inherently more familiar than the band’s previous offerings. While 2007’s breakthrough Cryptograms was applauded for its abrasive intangibles, Microcastle sounds harnessed and reflective of, rather than in conflict with, the band’s inspirations. But rather than just sounding like […]
- The Most Overrated Moments of 2008 ()
#1) MGMT’s live show I enjoyed the album well-enough, but the band’s show at The Entry back in February was horrible. Making matters worse, it was contrasted against the best Yeasayer set I’ve seen to date. #2) Chump-ass feuds Katy Perry feuding with Lily Allen, 50 Cent feuding with The Game, Amy Winehouse may or […]
- Best Twin Cities Albums of 2008 ()
#1) Gay Witch Abortion Maverick The best heavy band in the Twin Cities – period. #2) A Night in the Box Write A Letter A fantastic album with a cohesiveness that suggests A Night in the Box will be giving us great music for many years to come. #3) The Battle Royale Wake Up! Thunderbabe […]
- Best Songs of 2008 ()
#1) Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds “Albert Goes West” Just as fiery as 2004’s “Nature Boy” – another one of my favorite Bad Seeds songs. #2) M83 “Kim & Jessie” This is the best proper single of the year; despite it sounding so familiar I’ve never heard anything like it before. #3) Drive-By Truckers […]
- Best Albums of 2008 ()
#1) TV on the Radio Dear, Science If Desperate Youth was good, and Return To Cookie Mountain, better – Dear Science is most definitely best. #2) Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Dig, Lazurus, Dig!!! Last year’s Grinderman album and this year’s Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! prove that Nick Cave shows no signs of slowing down… […]
- Best Music Videos of 2008 ()
#10) Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s “As Tall As Cliffs” My friends, January 20 will be a good day. #9) Feist “I Feel It All” Fireworks + Feist = every dream Stephen Colbert has had this past year. #8) Sigur Rós “Gobbledigook” Though not as amusing as BPA’s “ToeJam,” the volume of artistic […]
- Sam Keenan Critics’ Pick ()
Following a late-November date in Dubuque, Iowa, Minneapolis’s Sam Keenan is returning home to play the 331 Club Wednesday night. Since releasing All the Dark Colored Markers Went Dry (Draw Fire) this spring, Keenan has played a diverse selection of shows in support of the album, including this Summer’s Stone Arch Festival, Draw Fire Records’ CMJ showcase in New York, […]
- Dallas Orbiter Critics’ Pick ()
Local reviewers have described Dallas Orbiter as a psychedelic, spaced-out group of retrogazers. And while there is certainly some degree of substance to those labels, the quintet can’t be defined by hippie banter alone. There’s a wealth of tracks from this year’s Motorcycle Diagrams that condense those comparative labels and overshadow them with ingenuity. Throughout the band’s album is […]
- Ed Ackerson Critics’ Pick ()
This Friday night the Varsity Theater will host a CD-release party for Ed Ackerson’s new record, Ackerson2 (Susstones). The album is the multitalented musician’s third release within the past year and was written, recorded, and produced exclusively by Ackerson at his Flowers Studio. Marc Perlman of the Jayhawks, Janey Winterbauer of Astronaut Wife, and Farewell Continental are all set to make guest […]
- Kanye West “808s & Heartbreak” Review ()
In three months Kanye West has stirred up a ridiculous level of hysteria surrounding 808s & Heartbreak, putting the album’s hype on par with any other release this year (almost). That being said, the album is just as much an experimental artistic venture as it is an experimental study in digital market and consumer behavior. […]
- Atlatl “My Devil’s Evangelical” (Influenza) ()
Approach Influenza as a series which serves to help give insight as to where music is born; these are the thoughts, influences and the inspirations directly from the mind of the artists. Here, D. Kent Watson of Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s Atlatl describes the band’s single “My Devil’s Evangelical.” I didn’t know how to word this for […]
- Britney Spears “Circus” Review ()
On pop-merit alone, “Womanizer” is enough of an earworm to draw interest to Britney Spears’ new album from even the most hesitant of listeners. The single, which is her first chart-topper since 1999’s “…Baby One More Time,” continues Spears’ trend of having about as much lyrical zest as Metallica’s James Hetfield. That being said, it […]
- Guns N’ Roses “Chinese Democracy” Review ()
“Chinese Democracy” opens with a shrieking Axl Rose whose voice overwhelms a surprisingly sharp rhythm section. The song ignites the near-mythological album, also tossing aside any preconceived notion of what Chinese Democracy should sound like. But at this point in time, any interested listener has had access to various bits and pieces of the album […]
- Nine Inch Nails Critics’ Pick ()
Doctor’s orders prevented Trent Reznor from taking the stage to play in Minneapolis this past summer, but Nine Inch Nails will attempt to make good as they return to the Target Center, playing a rescheduled show with Japanese drone-rockers Boris. It’s increasingly difficult to know what to expect from Reznor and crew, but recent reviews suggest that concertgoers are in […]
- Golden Bloom “Doomsday Devices” (Influenza) ()
Approach Influenza as a series which serves to help give insight as to where music is born; these are the thoughts, influences and the inspirations directly from the mind of the artists. In this edition, Golden Bloom’s Shawn Fogel describes the myriad of influences that inspired both the song and the music video for the […]
- Jesse Elliott (of These United States) Interview ()
Prior the the band’s show at the Turf Club last weekend, playing with Bitzen Trapper and Horse Feathers, Jesse Elliott of These United States took some time to discuss a few questions with Culture Bully’s Chris DeLine. After discussing the band’s ties to Kentucky, the two continued by touching on the band’s ongoing outreach to […]
- Pale Young Gentlemen “The Crook of Good My Arm” (Influenza) ()
Approach Influenza as a series which serves to help give insight as to where music is born; these are the thoughts, influences and the inspirations directly from the mind of the artists. For this edition Mike Reisenauer breaks down the titled track from the Pale Young Gentlemen’s latest release, Black Forest (tra la la). On […]
- Japanese Motors “Japanese Motors” Review ()
Singer Alex Knost’s slow, purposeful drawl follows an echoing introduction on “Single Fins & Safety Pins,” the lead track from Japanese Motors. Considering the generally laid back feel of the Orange Country quartet’s entire album, the track is a fitting opener – wading in a cool tide of sound with no real rush to go […]
- Bottle Up & Go “Wayward Son” (Influenza) ()
Approach Influenza as a series which serves to help give insight as to where music is born; these are the thoughts, influences and the inspirations directly from the mind of the artists. Here, Bottle Up & Go’s Keenan Mitchell reminisces about days-gone-by, connecting them with “Wayward Son,” a song written in repentance of drunken tomfoolery. […]
- The Upsidedown “Human Destination” Review ()
After releasing its retro-sounding debut, Trust Electricity, in 2004, the Portland, Oregon-based Upsidedown was written off by many as having no new ideas. But follow-up Human Destination shows the band moving away from distorted shoegaze, instead emphasizing the musicians understated dexterity. The Upsidedown haven’t completely released themselves into the wild unknown of experimentation. But a transformation is evident in […]
- Japanese Motors “Brand New Everything” ()
You’re hearing it here first: a b-side from the latest self-titled release from Orange County’s Japanese Motors. “Brand New Everything (version 2)” is two minutes and 24 seconds of fury – the song rips into your soul, grabs a beer, and shotguns it before you can say “hey, don’t rip into my soul.” Check out […]
- Q-Tip “The Renaissance” Review ()
I like Q-Tip. Even at what many considered his worst (his “Vivrant Thing“-era), I liked him. So it’s without shock that I think The Renaissance is fantastic. Prior to the album’s release, with the videos for “Gettin’ Up” and “Move,” it was easy to hear that Tip was falling back on what made him relevant […]
- Eagles of Death Metal “Heart On” Review ()
In a promotional video released weeks before Eagles of Death Metal‘s new record, singer Jesse Hughes exuded joy as he described the current state of his hometown: “Hollywood feels like this opening sequence to Saturday Night Fever. Everyone seems like they’re ready for action—and the action is go.” If only that sort of abundant energy […]