Feb 01 2012
Music and Politics
Newt Gingrich – he may be the underdog, but he damn sure isn’t Rocky Balboa. For that reason, Frankie Sullivan, guitarist of Survivor — a band that broke onto the scene and disappeared simultaneously with Rocky III — is suing Newt Gingrich for using their song, “Eye of the Tiger.” He claims there’s no political motive, only an artist’s attempt to protect copyright…or get people interested in a non-Probst related… continue reading
Dec 06 2011
“Sunny Came Home” – The Ultimate Pandora Station
I’m not the biggest fan of Pandora. Usually, I like to have more control over what comes out of my speakers than Pandora can give me. I’ll start listening to Death Cab For Cutie Radio and a song by Pearl Jam will come on; it just kind of throws off my flow. However, I found one Pandora station that almost never disappoints. “Sunny Came Home” was a one-hit wonder, in… continue reading
Nov 30 2011
Parlez-vous français?
I just learned a very exciting word. The word isn’t particularly exciting in and of itself, but the fact it exists is. The word is “frisson,” and in French it means “a sudden passing sensation of excitement; a shudder of emotion.” It’s basically the inexplicable feeling you get while listening to a particularly moving piece of music- you know, when you just feel like crying because all of the sudden you… continue reading
Nov 13 2011
Preview: Pretty & Nice @ Great Scott 11.19.11
On November 19, a sampling of some of Boston’s best rock talent will be descending upon Great Scott for a spirited night of infectious grooves, lo-fi gems and pop pleasure. Boston-based The Clippers will be opening the night with their patented blink-and-you’ll-miss-it take on pop rock. This duo brings angular guitar stabs punctuated by unexpected time signature change ups and a killer set of pipes that alternate between sullen and soaring. … continue reading
Nov 11 2011
Preview: Phantogram @ Royale 11.19.11
In art, a phantogram is an optical illusion. The same could arguably be said for Phantogram the band. A huge — yet ethereal and dreamy — sound booms from just two people, the duo of Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter. You can hear this for yourself when Phantogram performs at Royale on November 19th. Phantogram is an electronic, rock band that uses as many beeps and boops as they do… continue reading
Nov 07 2011
The Inevitable Approaches
If you’ve lived in New England for anywhere close to a year, you know that after a solid four months of summer follows eight months of winter. Eight long months of darkness, black ice and endless snow. For me, this is around the time of year that my playlists start to shift away from the jams and toward the slower songs. I know some people may prefer to listen to… continue reading
Nov 02 2011
Music News Wrap-Up
Let’s take some time to reflect on a few music industry developments that have been announced in the news. First, what’s up with the recent FBI report that claims a correlation among gang recruitment, unlawful activity and rap groups? According to allhiphop.com, the report states that, “gangster rap gangs, often comprised of juveniles, are forming and are being used to launder drug money through seemingly legitimate businesses.” What I want to know is how… continue reading
Oct 25 2011
New York Songstress Lana Del Rey Releases New E.P.
With the leak of Lana Del Rey’s single “Video Games”, along with others this past August, the 4 song EP released on October 16th seems like somewhat of a let down. The EP features two remixes of the single along with another single, “Blue Jeans” . Disappointed with the lack of new, “un-leaked” material on the EP, I along with other fans are anxious to see what’s coming in the future… continue reading
Oct 19 2011
Creativity Now, Insanity Later
Why doesn’t anyone care about originality anymore? Last weekend, as I left Killjoy Festival’s final event at Pandemonium Books and Games, I passed a packed bar on Mass Ave. The name of the bar isn’t important. What matters is what I heard spilling out on to the streets: some generic cover band playing a generic cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction.” That moment made me extremely sad. Killjoy Festival featured… continue reading
Oct 17 2011
The Weeknd Kicks Off
At first, the only traces of The Weeknd on the Internet were three songs found on youtube. The tracks created a small buzz, but when a nine-track mixtape entitled House of Balloons surfaced on March 21, 2011, word of mouth began to spread. Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd saw a whirlwind response to his music. The artist was co-signed to Drake’s label, OVO XO, soon after the release of House of… continue reading
Oct 17 2011
Preview: Thrice, Moving Mountains, La Dispute, O’Brother @ Royale 10.18.11
Thrice, Moving Mountains, La Dispute, and O’Brother all under the roof of the beautiful Royale. Pinch me. This Tuesday, October 18th, ladies and gents, will be a night for the ages. With a line-up this solid, all the pushing, shoving, sweating, yelling, and awkward body rubbing suddenly seem surprisingly alright. My ears (and hopefully yours, too) certainly won’t mind, for they will be way too busy getting serenaded by Moving… continue reading