From the time of The Pixies’ reunion in 2004, rumors circulated that the band may be working on recording new material. After nearly a decade of off-and-on touring, it seemed as though new Pixies music was not in the cards, particularly when considering the seemingly “business-only” relationship between band members (as awkwardly chronicled in the 2006 documentary loudQUIETloud). What makes the release of “Bagboy” even more surprising is its timing, hitting the Internet just days after Kim Deal formally and […]
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David Lynch, “Star Dream Girl” : The Singles Bar review
“Crank up that radio. Lemme tell y’all a story.” So begins the latest single from David Lynch, and it’s a rather fitting introduction. As the mastermind behind perplexing and entertaining films such as Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive, Wild at Heart, and Eraserhead, Lynch is well versed in storytelling. Music has always been central to his storytelling craft, and with last year’s Crazy Clown Time , Lynch opted to hone his stories to purely aural rather than visual media. The Big Dream is Lynch’s […]
Daft Punk, Random Access Memories: Album Review
From their 1997 debut Homework and even moreso with 2001’s Discovery, Daft Punk arguably became the foremost ambassadors of electronic music, at once pleasing the discerning tastes of college radio and mainstream audiences. They’ve simultaneously managed to maintain a sort of indie credibility while shilling commercial products for The Gap, Sony, Victoria’s Secret, Coca-Cola, and Adidas. Today’s release of Random Access Memories is one of 2013’s most anticipated releases, the culmination of a months-long publicity campaign waged primarily through television […]
RIP Ray Manzarek, 1939-2013
Organist Ray Manzarek has died at the age of 74 following a years-long battle with cancer. Best known for his work with The Doors, Manzarek was a key component in shaping that group’s sound. The Doors are equally embraced and reviled. While certainly overrated in the grand scheme of pop music, they managed to produce a unique aesthetic in their four-year run, which yielded six studio LPs and one live album (supplemented by numerous studio and stage releases following Jim […]
The Popblerd Travel Guide to Pittsburgh
The Steel City. The City of Champions. The Golden Triangle. Sixburgh. The City of Bridges. Pittsburgh goes by many names, but my personal favorite is of course “home.” I was born and raised in the Pittsburgh area, and a five year notwithstanding, have lived here for as long. One of the things that most surprises me about Pittsburgh is its perception in the broader culture. Oftentimes, when people think “Pittsburgh,” they picture something like this: True, for decades, Pittsburgh was […]
The Viewfinder: David Bowie’s “The Next Day”
Bowie has become quite a sneaky one. He announced his latest album The Next Day seemingly out of the blue, and has followed suit with videos for “Where Are We Now” and “The Stars (Are Out Tonight).” He’s done it again, slipping his latest video onto the Web late at night when people who know what’s good for them are sleeping. The video clip for “The Next Day” has it all. Gary Oldman? Check. Marion Cotillard? Check. Bowie as a […]
Iggy and the Stooges, Ready to Die: Album Review
In their initial run, The Stooges crafted an unholy trinity of proto-punk rock. The raw energy of their self-titled debut (1969), Fun House (1970), and Raw Power (1973) are still highly regarded as being among the most influential rock albums of all time. Iggy of course went on to an acclaimed solo career that had its ups and downs throughout the ensuing decades. Following a long string of reunion shows that began in 2003, the original lineup (augmented by Mike […]
Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Love Has Come for You: Album Review
Perusing the concert listings a few months ago, a listing for “Steve Martin & Edie Brickell” jumped out at me. “That Steve Martin? That Edie Brickell?” It all seemed so bizarre. My father later expressed interest in going to the show, as Martin’s newfound musical career apparently gets a great deal of play on XM/Sirius’ bluegrass station. I bought the tickets out of curiosity. Last week, I got a taste of what we might be in for when that performance […]
Major Lazer, Free the Universe: Album Review
Initially a collaboration between producers Diplo (MIA, Santigold, Amanda Blank, Die Antwoord) and Switch (MIA, Santigold, Beyonce, Xtina), Major Lazer’s debut was the summer album of 2009. A dance album that blended reggae, dubstep, reggaton, and dancehall, Guns Don’t Kill People was an eclectic, refreshing, and quite frankly, fun album perfect for block parties, beach bonfires, and sweaty, sweaty clubs. Aside form the occasional remix EP, the duo has been rather silent since. Free the Universe (Secretly Canadian) breaks that […]
The Carlton Shuffle, 4/20/13
We had a Carlton Shuffle in the works as per usual. But sitting here following nearly a full day’s worth of additional terror in the Boston area, it just didn’t feel right to go with our usual playlist. I thought about throwing together something a bit more meaningful, but time, energy, and thought evade me. It’s been a week of such intense emotion, trauma, and testing of our individual and collective spirit. From my vantage point, that spirit remains unbroken. […]
Mayer Hawthorne’s “Designer Drug”: The Singles Bar Review
Following an extensive tour in support of his excellent 2011 LP How Do You Do, Mayer Hawthorne has just unleashed his latest single. Similar to the stylistic leap between his first two albums, “Designer Drug” shows Hawthorne staying within his idiom of blue eyed soul, yet inching into new territory. It’s a solid strategy for maintaining your fanbase while not becoming artistically stagnant. This time around, Hawthorne has taken a left onto the dancefloor, serving up an irresistibly catchy tune […]
David Bowie, The Next Day: The Spin Cycle Review
When David Bowie released his previous album, Reality: Senator John Kerry was challenging incumbent George W. Bush for the presidency; Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube didn’t exist; The war in Iraq was but six months old; Michael Jackson was alive; So were Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein; TV broadcast signals were transmitted through the airwaves; Eminem won an Oscar for 8 Mile. It seems like a long time ago in a pop culture far, far away. And in some senses, […]