WHO: Radioactivity WHAT: Time Won’t Bring Me Down WHY: Because, it’s Jeff Burke and the name Burke is synonymous with quality. Time Won’t Bring Me Down is a sentimental pop punk album, in spite of its name. If you’re a fan of the Marked Men, then you already know about this band, and if you don’t, now’s your chance to get on the bandwagon. This album shows that pop punk  can still feel relevant, edgy and beautiful, and the trio...

I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alanby Steve Coogan, Rob Gibbons, Neil Gibbons I never thought I’d go down the Alan Partridge rabbit hole to this degree. Years ago, I watched the This is Alan Partridge show, liked it, then forgot about it. But then, the Steve Coogan/Rob Brydon “The Trip” series started popping up on my radar, and after watching all of them (in series form, not movies – I’m a cultured man), I then started mining the...

Young WidowsPower Sucker Sorry to get heavy on everyone but I want to start this review with a question: “Why do we listen to music?” Deep, huh? The answer, of course, varies from person to person. Some listen to music to fill the silence, some for convenience, some unintentionally. My father even said once that he doesn’t like music. “Too noisy,” he quipped. He nailed it! I listen to music as a way to connect. These sounds – these organized...

A Christmas Caroland Other Christmas Writingsby Charles DickensIntroduction and notes by Katherine Kroeber Wiley It’s a tale as old as time… if we started counting about 175 years ago. Seriously, I couldn’t believe it when I looked it up. A Christmas Carol was published in 1843. Isn’t that nuts? Even I thought it was around the late 1800s, like around the Jack the Ripper times. It’s a great story, anyway. One that’s withstood the test of… time? Everyone has their...

The Dark Knight Strikes Againby Frank Miller Isn’t this what everyone wanted? We all loved The Dark Knight Returns. I think at the time we saw it as an edgy dark take on a beloved superhero. A recent reread kind of puts the story, and Frank Miller, more in perspective. It’s super simplistically libertarian, man. Just, WOW. I don’t know if Miller is capable of being self-aware. One thing for sure is, he definitely doesn’t think it’s fascism if the...

Photo: Kay Davila You know, sometimes life gets the best of us. Like being overworked, or started a new job (work!) or just family obligations. My “distraction” was vacation. I went to Aruba. Sue me, OK? But, I deserve it. Also, I loved it. But I mention this because right before I left, I had the great pleasure of seeing Jon Spencer’s band live. I’m talking the DAY before. And since I left, I can’t stop thinking about this show....

Photos by Kay...

Every year we “joke” about having the best “Best of the Year List” list. We half-kid, since there some truly smart and well-seasoned music lovers out there, but I think this year we mean it. Every publication has had a best-of list more laughable than the next. Yes, everyone is talking about Geese, but can’t we go with less obvious picks? Tell you what, any Best-of list that doesn’t have Lambrini Girls is not worth the trouble. At least you...

WHO: Sharp Pins WHAT: Radio DDR WHY: It’s hard to describe this one. Radio DDR is sugary sweet and tender at times and bubble gum pop otherwise. It’s lo-fi like a 60s record with some very heavy guitars. I keep trying to convince myself I don’t like it, but I can’t. I’m a sucker for pop songs and these are some of the best I’ve heard this year. It’s undeniable. Where did this band even come from and how DARE...

Riddim and Ting by Teenage Engineering Welcome to a brand-new column here on Ground Control! One where we review cool products in a one-off: stuff that was so cool that we couldn’t wait for our Back to School Guide. We are calling it Lost in the Supermarket, and what better way to kick off the column with, arguably, the greatest band of all time: The Clash. The Clash are an essential band for any music lover. Unlike the Beatles who...