Hailing from Popblerd’s homebase of Boston, MA, Bad Rabbits have been crafting their blend of r&b, funk, and rock (sprinkled with elements of hardcore) for six years. Building a reputation for their energetic live shows and gaining national recognition for their recorded output, 2013 marks a milestone for the band: the release of their first full-length LP, American Love (2013, Bad Records). What’s more, they’ve got another completed full-length LP in the can. We caught up with Bad Rabbits just before their […]
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Lady Gaga, “Applause” – The Singles Bar review
What, Lady Gaga getting naked in a promotional video for some new agey mind and body exercise wasn’t enough for you? FINE. Here’s here new single, rushed to radio following a rash of leaks over the weekend. “Applause” is the first single from Gaga’s forthcoming ARTPOP album, due November 11th. “Applause” is unfortunately more of the same from Gaga, and could just as easily be a leftover from 2011’s enjoyable but tepid Born This Way. Like that LP, “Applause” is a competent but fairly by-the-numbers dance […]
A First Peek at Muppets Most Wanted
Following the Muppets’ return to the big screen in 2011, the gang is setting out for another cinematic adventure. This one appears to have some international intrigue, and features headliners Tina Fey, Ricky Gervais, and Ty Burrell. 2011’s The Muppets brought the ragtag puppet troupe to a new generation; will Muppets Most Wanted maintain that momentum? Disney released a teaser today – let us know what you think! Muppets Most Wanted will be in theaters March 21, 2014. Muppets Most Wanted Teaser Trailer on Disney Video
Songs in the Key of Life: “Accentuate the Positive”
I’m going to take a bit of liberty with my first contribution to this column. Rather than a life event, this post is more about the effect that music can have on our personal outlook, worldview, etc. I’m a pretty easy going guy. At least that’s what I like to think. Turns out, in some ways I’m wound up pretty tight. This is probably most true in my work life. Although it wasn’t my initial plan, at this point I […]
The Carlton Stroke, 7/27/13
Our very own Dennis (@IrishJava) began an email thread this week discussing James Taylor’s “Rosie” and rock’s many odes to onanism. Being a saucy bunch, we very rapidly came up with a full playlist of songs about playing with the naughty bits for this week’s shuffle. So draw the blind, close the door to keep out mom, and…enjoy.
Fiona Apple, “Hot Knife”: The Viewfinder
Video for Fiona Apple’s “Hot Knife,” directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
David Lynch, The Big Dream: Album Review
Best known for his dark and often perplexing films, multimedia artist David Lynch is back with his second LP of non-film music, The Big Dream. The follow up to 2011’s Crazy Clown Time, The Big Dream very much continues in the same vein as its predecessor. Lynch has recently characterized his musical style as “modernized blues,” and while the song structures tend to follow a blues-based progression, it is once again the electronic elements and overall darkness of Lynch’s music […]
Mazzy Star, “California”: The Singles Bar review
It’s been 17 years since Mazzy Star’s last full length LP, 1996’s Among My Swan. 2011 gave us the first new tracks from Hope Sandaval and the gang via the “Common Burn” / “Lay Myself Down” single, with news of an LP to be released in 2012. The promise of a new Mazzy Star LP was enticing given the length of the group’s absence, and doubly so based on the strength of “Common Burn” / “Lay Myself Down.” But the […]
Mayer Hawthorne, Where Does this Door Go?: album review
Mayer Hawthorne both expands and contracts with his latest album, “Where Does This Door Go?”
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, That’s It!: album review
Somewhere recently (I believe it was a radio interview with Louis Armstrong archivist Ricky Riccardi), I heard someone make the claim that no other American city is as musical as New Orleans. Sure, there are numerous cities that have been integral to the evolution of American music: Detroit, Nashville, New York, Chicago, Memphis, San Francisco, on down the line. But in accordance with the aforementioned claim, I’m hard pressed to think of another city where music is so much a […]
The Halftime Report: Gonzo’s picks for 2013 (so far)
The last two years have been fairly ho-hum for me in terms of music. I was concerned that 2013 would follow that pattern. Although 2013 still doesn’t look to be a banner year for my tastes in the way that 2010 was, there have been a number of noteworthy releases, particularly from the second quarter onward. Here are a few of my picks for 2013 to date (in no order). Jamie Lidell-Jamie Lidell (Warp) I fell hard for Jamie Lidell […]
Jamie Lidell and the Q-Kidz find “Big Love”
In my initial review of Jamie Lidell’s latest record, I mentioned “Big Love” by name as a standout. Highly danceable, funky, unapologetically lifts its main beat from “The Pleasure Principle,” the song is an absolute standout on an already solid record. It’s an obvious choice for a single, but Lidell’s videos are never obvious visual counterparts (though they’re generally entertaining). “Big Love” focuses on neighborhood kids (actually the Q-Kidz dance team) flocking to the local rec center, which eventually turns into a near-disco-experience. […]
