jon spencer

It feels good being back at live shows after so long. My 4 month hiatus, instigated by a new baby, finally came to an end with my of my favorite artists playing one of my favorite venues. The Middle East has had a rough go of it these past few years, and even though this show got moved from the downstairs room, I think it can easily be argued that the upstairs, cozier room is one of the best places...

Bam! We’re doing it again, dear readers. Things got off to a scary start this year, because honestly, the good albums weren’t coming. But what a cruel trick this year played on us, as all the good stuff was back-ended in 2022. Too many good albums to absorb too late in the year (I’m looking at YOU, White Lung!). But as always, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better year-end review. All the best albums, movies, and TV shows are...

Jon Spencer should be worshipped. There, I said it. But I think he should be worshipped in 30 years, because right now the man is too busy being an underappreciated living legend. How great is he? Well, when Marc Maron interviewed Steve Albini he specifically singled out Jon Spencer as a man who’s work ethic he admires. He knows exactly what he wants and knows how to get it. Another reason is that Jon Spencer is purely a music man....

What a year 2018 was! Were there great releases? Heavens yes – there were enough great albums released this year that bands normally regarded as mainstays on my best-of lists of ANY year (like the Eels, for example) didn’t just get knocked down the numbers, they got knocked clean out of my ten best. Regarding metal albums specifically, Cancer Bats’ sixth album arrived and proved once more that, sometimes, a band’s sixth album can stand as proof that a good...

What a year it’s been, and especially for music. The bounty has been so good that, even though we’re giving you our top 20 choices for music this year, our list could have easily extended into the top 30. But we don’t have the stamina for that. Also, these albums are all winners and even though they’re in order, this could have easily been different depending on our mood. Regardless, these are our recommendations for best music (and some movies...

Originally appeared April 2015 I’m sitting on a couch backstage at the Brighton Music Hall in Boston on a rainy spring day with Jon Spencer next to me while he looks at my record collection. They happen to be Blues Explosion records and now that I’ve finished interviewing him and I asked him to sign a couple records (What can I say? That side comes out of me sometimes). He’s taking his time looking at them. Almost as if he’s...