Label: Geffen Records Released: November 20, 2007 I have long felt that Nirvana is grossly overrated. Bleach was a good grunge album and Nevermind managed to both transcend the genre and be in the right place at the right time, exploding into the faltering world of commercial rock. Even so, it’s more commercially important than musically. In Utero, however, is… Read more »
Label: Universal Music Released: February 5, 2008 The fact that this DVD flat out rules is no surprise. Iron Maiden is one of metal’s most technical and most literate bands and, as if that’s not enough, they’re a blast live. Other than a few foggy Spinal Tap-esque moments during the epic “Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” Maiden never comes across… Read more »
To celebrate the release of Ride Your Bike’s Bad News from the Bar, Deep Elm has this awesome contest:
Label: Yep Roc Records Released: January 8, 2008 I usually listen to music on the cheap stereo in my little Toyota. But as I’ve listened to Angels of Destruction! over the past few months, I’ve encountered a problem that I’ve never, ever had before. The sound is just too big. In my book, big sound is a good thing. I… Read more »
Label: MVD Entertainment Group Released: February 19, 2008 After a brief introductory piece, this live recording from the 1989 ABWH tour moves into solo medleys by Anderson, Howe and Wakeman. While these clearly demonstrate things we already know (Wakeman and Howe are top notch technicians and Anderson is likely the not-so-distant descendant of an elf), there is little of real… Read more »
Label: Released: January 29, 2008 It’s not often that I find a record that offers as much musically as it does lyrically (unless, of course, it’s bad at both). On Highway Prayer, it’s hard to decide which Twilight Hotel does better. The songs fill the whole spectrum from the fun, upbeat opener, “Viva La Vinyl,” a song about record collecting,… Read more »
Lately, I’ve really struggled with the numeric rating in my reviews. Because one album may be great based on technical prowess and another based on innovation and another based on soul, it’s hard to determine how to put all of these together into one rating. So, I’m going to try something new. I will now give ratings in four categories… Read more »
February 12, 2008, Rams Head Live, Baltimore, Maryland I wasn’t sure what to expect of the audience at a New York Dolls show in 2008. Would it be mostly an older crowd who’d known the Dolls from their earliest days? A group of thirty-somethings who know the them as the influence on bands they liked say twenty years ago? How… Read more »
The following dates are with Xiu Xiu. Check out my review of Thao’s latest album We Brave Bee Stings and All here. Mar 07 Portland, OR – Someday Lounge Mar 08 Seattle, WA – Chop Suey Mar 10 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge Mar 11 Denver, CO – Hi Dive Mar 13 Ames, IA – Maintenance Shop Mar… Read more »
Label: Deep Elm Records Released: February 18, 2008 At this point, emo is pretty played out, so even the genre’s best bands struggle to be interesting. Desoto Jones is certainly among emo’s best, but the real question is, do they transcend its confines. Oddly enough, emo has become a genre more concerned with technical skill than emotional release and Aurora… Read more »