I imagine that relatively few people decide to go to a rock concert twenty minutes before it starts. But, see, my wife and I were spending the week in Boston, and we had a Friday night with nothing on the docket. There was talk of a movie; there was talk of dinner, but ultimately, we wanted to do something unique, something singular. Take in a play, or some jazz, or climb a mountain (which, to be fair, is kind of […]
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Spin Cycle: Blue October’s “Any Man in America”
The average listener can’t, I have to imagine, want to be recommended a Blue October album on purpose. After all: no one but a connoisseur of angst (and, maybe, guyliner) is scouring the ‘net for Blue October reviews. But stranger things have happened than Blue October turning into a sorta-artistically viable band, right? Right? Regardless, Blue October’s new record, Any Man in America, is a late-career upswing in quality for this band. For once, lead singer Justin Furstenfeld sings and writes […]
Today in “For Real?”: The West Memphis 3 Are Free
One of popular culture’s most celebrated causes finally achieved some (sorta, kinda) closure yesterday when it was announced that Jason Baldwin, Jesse Misskelley, and Damien Echols – otherwise known as the West Memphis 3 – would be freed after 18 years of incarceration. The trio, convicted of a grisly triple murder in 1993, were set free after entering an Alford plea, an obscure plea that essentially admits guilt on paper, but allows the convicted to maintain innocence publicly. The “guilty” […]
The Jukebox From Hell 02: “Before He Cheats”
The relationship of our society to discrimination and oppression is, indeed, one of our nation’s most shameful characteristics; the rich white straight male archetype has kept a firm boot on the chest of every race, sex, and creed known to man ever since our inception. Clearly, this doesn’t work – not just because it’s morally reprehensible, but because it can, in some particularly severe instances, lead to awful songs. Let’s backpedal. No one’s disputing that men constantly demeaning women in […]
Spin Cycle: America’s “Back Pages”
Really, the concept of an artist, established or otherwise, churning out a covers record pretty much amounts to: “because I can, that’s why.” America is no exception – fourteen albums in, Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley clearly have acoustic-flecked, reedy-voiced, lite-rock MOR compositions to spare. Still, Back Pages pays tribute to songwriters both old and young – it’s twelve cover songs, essentially, and if the concept of twelve cover songs by America either excites or repulses you, well, there’s your review […]
Last Night a KJ Saved My Life: Part 1: A Personal History.
Hi, my name is Drew. You know me as the writer of awesome articles and reviews. What you may not know is this: despite my six-figure Popblerd salary (???!?!?-ed.), I do feel the need to keep myself busy in the working world. Some are accountants; some are truck drivers. I, dear readers… I am a karaoke host. That’s right. Ever walked by a bar, only to be seduced by the dulcet tones of a sleeveless drunk mangling Bob Seger’s “Turn […]
Spin Cycle: Joss Stone’s “LP1”
Two albums ago, in 2007, Joss Stone titled an album Introducing Joss Stone. It was her third record. Two albums later, it’s LP1, another album title (this time her fifth) that implies reinvention. A shame, then, that neither that album or this one actually follow through on their promise of revitalization. Miss Stone famously dumped her raspy, ferociously soulful vocals on the listening public in 2003 by way of her exemplary Soul Sessions record, a debut of surprisingly from-the-vault soul songs, […]
Spin Cycle: Rahsaan Patterson’s “Bleuphoria”
With each subsequent release, the liquid-voiced Rahsaan Patterson edges closer to the outskirts of r&b. Originally lumped in with that group of singers that formed the “neo-soul” movement in the late ’90s and early ’00s, Patterson cut his teeth on accessible (albeit very accomplished) soul throwbacks; his output this millennium isn’t overly abstract or gratingly experimental – far from it – but his willingness to expand outward and expound on his unique sensibilities have granted him immeasurable artistic success. Wines […]
The Blerd Interview: Andy Grammer
As it turns out, Andy Grammer speaks exactly like you would expect him to. This isn’t a bad thing – anyone who’s heard his earworm hit single “Keep Your Head Up” is very aware of the positive vibes that are the 27-year-old singer’s stock and trade. Andy’s self-titled debut album hit shelves earlier this summer, and he’s already managed to cultivate a growing fanbase that revels in his sunny brand of optimistic pop-rock head-nodders. Andy greets me on our phone […]
Spin Cycle: Incubus’ “If Not Now, When?” // Sublime With Rome’s “Yours Truly”
Here’s a pop music truism we’ve all, at some point, fallen prey to: When the band we love ceases to sound like what we’ve perceived as “themselves”, music fans tend to bail, to dismiss out of hand an artist’s efforts. It’s a basic, human reaction: among other things, we’re threatened by change, and emotionally react to shifts in the fundamentals of what we hold dear. Don’t worry, music fan: it’s a perfectly natural reaction. The tenacity of the hardcore fan […]
Spin Cycle: Blondie’s “Panic of Girls”
As a culture, we tend to dismiss the aging rocker, and often unfairly: it seems like we dismiss bands that have been around for twenty, even thirty years or more as passe. Somewhere along the line, a few musicians in the twilight of their career started seriously phoning it in, and as a result, once a band reaches its sell-by date, we tune out. Sometimes we’re right – you could argue that the Stones’ last acceptable album dropped in ’97, […]
