It’s true, I’m a prog rock fan. I love the sound of a mellotron in the morning and love to hear talk of synthesizer filters and 12 string guitars. I’m bound to listen to anything combining the words rock, jazz, fusion, symphonic, epic, concept or progressive in any combination or order. That being said I know that I’m an odd fan of the genre. Most followers can’t get enough of Yes and Rush. They form the base of everything progressive […]
Posts tagged "Album Reviews"
Spin Cycle: Matt Nathanson’s “Modern Love”
You’ve got to give John Mayer props if for nothing else than re-opening the door for sensitive yet somewhat witty dudes with guitars who play appealing/hooky pop/rock. One guy who’s benefited from the Guitar Dude Renaissance (which has actually been happening for a decade now…geez, time flies) is singer/songwriter Matt Nathanson. Having recorded since the mid Nineties, Nathanson got his break big with the song “Come On Get Higher”, featured on his 2007 album Some Mad Hope. A few key […]
Spin Cycle Plus: Beyonce’s “4”
Beyonce’s 4 has been quite the subject of discussion over at Popblerd HQ. With so many opinions about the pop star’s work and the controversy surrounding the album (after several songs from the album underperformed and the entire set leaked about a month before release, it was rumored that Beyonce’s record company asked her to go back into the studio and retool the album. These rumors have been categorically denied all around), it was only right that we gave you […]
Spin Cycle: Jordan Knight’s “Unfinished”
I desperately want to be a champion for Jordan Knight. A lot of folks think “Hangin’ Tough” at the mention of his name and conjure up memories of the era when you couldn’t escape Jordan’s metal-filled mug on coffee cups, posters, notebooks, etc. But the fact remains that the guy has talent. Hell, YOU try to sing “I’ll Be Lovin’ You (Forever)”. The guy’s got vocal skills and good taste in influences- The Stylistics’ Russell Thompkins Jr. and Luther Vandross […]
“NKOTBSB”: We’ll Be Loving Them (Forever)
Here’s a bit of frightening pop-culture math for you: the first record by the New Kids on the Block came out 25 years ago. The first LP by the Backstreet Boys bowed 15 years ago. Alright, quit screaming in agony. That may not be a terribly long time in human years, but in pop-cultural terms it’s an eternity. And how are those milestones being celebrated? How else? Both boy-turned-men bands are hitting the road this summer, playing surprisingly large venues […]
Spin Cycle: Raphael Saadiq’s “Stone Rollin'”
Following up on the retro sounds of his last album, The Way I See It, singer/producer/multi-instrumentalist (and former member of Tony Toni Tone and Lucy Pearl) Raphael Saadiq has decided on a similar format for his fourth solo album, Stone Rollin‘. Variously described as a ’70s tribute album/sequel to The Way I See It (which had a more ’60s vibe) or a “rock” album, Stone Rollin‘ is neither, really. While it’s instantly recognizable as a successor to The Way I […]
Spin Cycle: Lupe Fiasco “Lasers”
I’ve mentioned it several times before…when an album has drama surrounding it, a lot of times it’s hard to separate the drama from the music being created. That phenomenon reared it’s ugly head yet again with the release of Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco’s third album, Lasers. The album’s been on various release schedules for almost a year, and has had several teaser singles surface over that time. The word on the street is that Lupe and his label, Atlantic, were […]
Spin Cycle: James Blake “James Blake”
In recent years, hype has often led to fantastic letdown. Most notably in the digital age, where no hope still exists for a proper release, artists have had to combat the wave of early releases mixed with harsh criticism before the work gets a proper release. Arcade Fire, whose 2004 album Funeral brought with it a trove of heartache and hope that has defined our zeitgeist, bled into 2006’s Neon Bible, an album so canonized, its release almost seemed dwarfed by its grand hype. Fast […]
Spin Cycle: Marsha Ambrosius’ “Late Nights & Early Mornings”
Marsha Ambrosius’ solo debut has been a long time coming, considering she’s been in the music biz for almost a decade. As one half of the innovative R&B duo Floetry, her creamy vocals seemed a bit constrained by the occasionally clumsy raps of her partner Natalie Stewart. Although their two studio albums were successful, Marsha really earned her stripes as a songwriter, arranger and guest vocalist for artists ranging from Michael Jackson (“Butterflies”), Justin Timberlake (“Cry Me a River”) and […]
Spin Cycle: Michael Jackson’s “Michael”
Album Reviews / Michael Jackson / music / New Releases / news / pop culture / Pop Music / soul music
“Michael” is the first release of unreleased material from Michael Jackson since his passing. It turns out to be a halfway decent compilation.
Spin Cycle: Rihanna’s “Loud”
When Rihanna jumped onto the scene with “Pon De Replay” five years ago, I thought she would be jumping off the scene just as quickly (that song still gives me the bad shivers). Thank God I’m not an A&R guy, I guess. Flash forward five years and Rihanna is one of the biggest pop stars in the world-and she (or the people around her) has managed to figure out how to make good records, too! Although her albums are more […]