Innumeracyby John Allen Paulos I was never a good student in high school, I just couldn’t pay attention. How would math, or history, or English help me beat the second racing level in Battletoads? I had priorities elsewhere, I guess. Do I feel bad about it? Of course I do. But not as bad as I do for the people I met when I moved to the US. Boy, the very idea of math scares them. I’ve always been a...
Smashing Pumpkins Machina/The Machines of God 25th Anniversary 2XLP Why did we ever hate Billy Corgan? I know he’s eccentric (like wearing that mumu on stage), but he also seems like a good hang. Yes, he has an inflated opinion of himself, but isn’t it kind of merited? He wrote some of the most transcendent music of the Nineties, made us all accept that high-pitched screechy voice, his weird music and even co-wrote other mega hits – like Hole’s Celebrity...
Essays in Humanismby Albert Einsein Am I really going to start a review with an introduction on who Albert Einstein is? He’s the guy who invented the poster of the old man sticking his tongue out, OK? He also wrote that science formula that you see on blackboards of people in movies who are depicted as being smart. As much as he’s known for his scientific accomplishments and ideas, it’s the side of Einstein that dealt with more humanitarian issues...
A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the Porterhouse Records-pressed, 45th Anniversary reissue of the Teen City EP by The Modernettes. Isn’t it funny how, in punk rock, being known for only a couple of songs can still make a band superstars? It’s funny, but it’s true – really, Vancouver’s Modernettes have a catalogue which includes just one full-length album (1981’s Gone… But Not Forgiven) and two EPs (1980’s Teen City and 1982’s View From The Bottom), but the...
People Funny BoyThe Genius of Lee “Scratch” Perryby David Katz I love the Clash, and if your love of the Clash is true, you love reggae as well. And if you love both, you know who Lee “Scratch Perry is. And, if you know who Lee “Scratch” Perry is, you also know his reputation. Super Ape, along with King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown, changed my life and opened a whole new world to me. I just can’t get enough of...
WHO: Steve Gunn WHAT: Daylight Daylight WHY: I try to steer far away from overly-delicate and too-previous-sounding music. Maybe it’s because I wanna rock and I don’t have time for that sad, sappy shit. But Steve Gunn always has a way of making me rethink my choices. Daylight Daylight is such a beautiful, solemn, and rich collection of songs that it gives the genre hope. Why am I listening to, let alone enjoying, a song about a loon so much?...
A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the 45th anniversary, Porterhouse Records reissue of the Perfect Youth LP by Pointed Sticks. It might sound tragic at first, but it is a fact that some bands are completely incapable of fitting in with their peers because the verdict is always out regarding whether they’re ahead of their time or completely anachronistic. Vancouver’s Pointed Sticks exemplified that logistical dilemma perfectly; formed in 1978, the band successfully came in behind the first...
A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the 30th anniversary vinyl pressing of the …Rocks Your Lame Ass LP by Hagfish. It might comes as a surprise, but the greatest problem that a band might face if they happen to release an album during a moment of great interest in a particular music genre isn’t getting caught in the wave, it is appearing after the tide has begun to recede. In 1994, for example, the Offspring, Green Day, NOFX,...
Six Finger Satellite Severe Exposure Deluxe & Expanded Edition Trust no one when it comes to music. Well, trust your sources. I mean, trust sources who’ve been a good guide to you in the past. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is, you CAN trust people when it comes to music. But, be cautious. There’s nothing worse than following the advice of people who know almost nothing about music. Like, you know Geese? That album they put out...
A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the Ponderosa Bunchgrass and the Golden Rule LP by The Oot n’ Oots. I confess that I have sat on this review (or rather, have dragged my feet on writing this review) for an unreasonably long time. A lot of that had to do with the fact that I honestly had no idea how to approach it; The Oot N’ Oots (the band itself) and Ponderosa Bunchgrass and the Golden Rule (the...