Pomegranates: Heaven
I wish The O.C. was still airing for a myriad of reasons, including Kirsten’s perpetually worried face and Ryan’s short-lived choker. Another is that so the closing track, “Surfing the Human Heart,” from Pomegranates’ Heaven could appear in it. The coming-of-age lyrics (“I have seen a lot of shit in my day / But I’m too young to quit they say / So I carry on,” and “If I had never been wrecked a car before / I’d still wonder what the airbags were for / But I’m older now”) make this heartache cut ideal to swim beneath the current... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsThe Hives: Lex Hives
When you think about it, it’s kind of absurd that The Hives are even still around at this point. The Swedish garage-punk band’s fantastic breakout record, Veni Vidi Vicious, dropped in 2000, after all, and the years have not been kind to that sound since. By and large, it’s gone to smaller-but-no-less talented bands like Atlanta’s Black Lips and Memphis’ late Jay Reatard, finding appreciation in internet message-board circles and eBay bidding wars, not in the relatively posh theaters and festivals the Hives play on the regular.... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsBruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock 'n' Roll by Marc Dolan
Disclaimer: I’m biased on this subject. Bruce Springsteen and I are the same age, and we’ve known each other for a long time. We met in the mid-‘70s at his first West Coast gig. I interviewed him, then watched him and the Davey Sancious-era E Streeters play the holy living snot out of a four-hour set to a packed house in Phoenix—where they had gotten early airplay from the unformatted FM rock radio station I worked for—and then, the next night, play the same insane set to 200 astonished neophytes in a half-full high school gym. I’d been covering music... read more
Found in: Books, ReviewsThe Beach Boys: That's Why God Made the Radio
If there was ever a fitting time for The Beach Boys to throw in the towel, it was 2011—following the release of The SMiLE Sessions, the landmark, oft-bootlegged leftovers from Brian Wilson and company’s unfinished ‘60s masterwork. Instead, they went in the exact opposite direction: The group’s surviving members (Wilson; vocalists Al Jardine, Mike Love, Bruce Johnston; original guitarist David Marks) built on the momentum of that long-awaited release, reuniting for a 50th anniversary tour.... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsLiars: WIXIW
New York’s Liars have the much-coveted ability to hop between genres without sounding overextended or plagiaristic. Since their dance-punk debut They Threw Us All in a Trench and Stuck a Monument on Top in 2001, the trio has spent more than a decade toying with standard song structure, never failing to perplex even their most loyal fans. This is ultimately what’s kept them interesting and relevant for so long in a comically fickle music industry. WIXIW is being called their “electronic” record, and while that’s accurate, it makes it sound more like a deliberate concept rather than what it really... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsThe Killing Review: "Bulldog" (Episode 2.11)
The metaphorical key to unlocking the mystery may not have been the casino key that led to the top for. It was, however, the key to finding another key that all but puts Linden and Holder within reach of the teenager’s killer. read more
Found in: TV, ReviewsRhythm Heaven Fever Review (Wii)
Synthetic electronic sounds / Industrial rhythms all around.... read more
Found in: Games, ReviewsMad Men Review: "Commissions and Fees" (Episode 5.12)
Just last week, while in the office discussing last week's phenomenal episode of Mad Men, one question caught me off-guard: "So who do you think the Falling Man is? Who do you think's gonna jump?" read more
Found in: TV, ReviewsGame of Thrones Review: "Valar Morghulis" (Season 2 Finale)
I thought The Walking Dead wasn’t coming back until October, but the zombies are on the march once again during the season finale of Game of Thrones. read more
Found in: TV, ReviewsRegina Spektor: What We Saw From the Cheap Seats
Regina Spektor songs typically either leave you weeping in the fetal position or running for the door. The Russian-born NYC singer-songwriter just has that effect on people: She’s a skilled pianist with an undeniably beautiful voice, which soars through grand melodic patterns with the ease of an opera singer; her songs are heartfelt and colorful, filled with offbeat and affecting metaphors and quirky sonic detours. At her worst, she’s also pretentious and borderline excruciating, reveling in a particularly over-cute brand of seasick whimsy—one that treats every cracked vocal hiccup and silly accent like a theatrical debut. Her sixth studio album,... read more
Found in: Music, Reviews
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