I was deeply saddened to learn of Michael Been’s recent death. I’d been a huge fan of his work for years — like a few other people, I imagine, I first heard the band in 1989, when “Let the Day Begin” made a dent at MTV and rock radio. But it was the following year, when Red Moon was released, that I really fell in love with the Call, and spent the next year or so delving into a catalog[...]
Archive for the ‘Music’ Category
Like a lot of people I know, I’m deeply saddened by the news of Alex Chilton’s sudden death…and also like them, I suspect I’ll be spending most of the day listening to Big Star tomorrow. Words may come later. Tonight…music. Keep An Eye On The Sky – Big S…
Temperatures are above 50 degrees here for the first time in months, which means, I guess, that spring is just around the corner — and for some reason, this time of year always makes me think of the spring of 1990. I’m not sure why, really. It wasn’t that great of a time for me; I was just about to turn 16, for one thing, which meant I took unimportant things way too seriously and willfully ignored the stuff I[...]
Girls want to be Zooey Deschanel, and guys want to do her. If there’s another reason for She & Him’s popularity, I haven’t been able to figure it out, and their new album just reinforces that — it’s the kind of record that deserves to be titled Volume Two. About the only thing that stands out is their cover of NRBQ’s “Ridin’ in My Car,” and that’s only because it’s such an inappropriate choice; Deschanel isn’t a bad singer, per[...]
At the beginning of 1996, my life was the kind of half-mess, half-awesome blend that only makes sense when you’re cruising through your early 20s. I was living in my buddy Rahul’s spare bedroom and working a pair of nowhere part-time jobs, but I was also in the studio working on my first album and goofing my way (along with Rahul) through a late-night time slot at a local college radio station. It was a tumultuous period during an unserious[...]
My first experience with the band was reviewing their new kids’ album, Ranky Tanky, due out at the end of the month. They’ve got some pretty righteous roots music for grownups, too: Big Old Life – Rani Arbo & Dai…
Local boy made good tears shit up in tribute to the Big Apple:
January isn’t even a week old, and I’ve already heard my first “Really? Them?” band of the year: Glasvegas. I know it’s the first month of the year, and release schedules are for shit, and writers have to reach to find stuff to write about. But these guys? Why? What am I missing?