Alien – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 2XLP By Jerry Goldsmith There are many scary movies out there, but few captivate their audience to a degree that they become their own franchise. That’s because few movies are as iconic as Alien. I can’t remember ever seeing the entire first movie until 6 years ago, but I already knew most of its iconic scenes. That chestburster scene must have been spoofed to death by now (get it?), and it even pops up...
White Stripes Elephant Photo: turntablelab.com The White Stripes’ elephant is an important album both for me personally and in the wider scope of musical history as it gives good perspective on what was going on with music at the time. For me personally it conjures up memories of driving through the redwoods for the first time, wondering how exactly Meg White manages to hit her drums so hard. It was also the first song we learnt as a band...
Katy Perry Witness It’s truly interesting to watch what has been happening to Katy Perry this year. Sure, she never appealed to everyone, but the woman has solidified herself as a pop music heavy hitter ever since she broke on the scene in 2008. And no, her Kate Hudson Christian rock phase does not count. For some reason, it seemed like Katy Perry was taking a different approach to pop music. While most artists seem to unabashedly embrace...
A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the Full Circle split LP by Round Eye and Libyan Hit Squad. After I discovered Round Eye with the help of the band’s self-titled LP a couple of years ago, I was hooked. Like a fan of any band, I began singing the group’s praises to anyone who would listen; I talked about the band, I wrote about them and I listened to that first album constantly. I loved it – I...
A deeper look at the grooves pressed into This Means War’s self-titled 10” EP. The catch, when it comes to trying to be in a good melodic hardcore band, is that trying to navigate the waters of punk rock is fraught with risk because the region is so over-populated. Unfortunately, there are lots of “melodic hardcore” bands which aren’t particularly melodic (read: the singer can’t carry a tune on his back) and aren’t exactly poster boys for hardcore either, for...
The Dopamines Tales of Interest My history with the Dopamines goes way back. I remember driving on the highway in Aruba years ago rocking them in my headphones, soaking in the sounds. It was one of those situations where the music permanently became embedded in the setting for me. The Dopamines are a part of that Midwestern pop punk sound that graces bands like the Copyrights (who I used to think were the same band), Teenage Bottlerocket, and Banner Pilot....
A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the Mid-Century Sounds – Deep Cuts From The Desert 2LP compilation. It might not be the first location which comes to mind when one thinks of “music hot spots” (and there is some irony in saying that – believe me), but those in the know are well aware of just how rich and the artistic soil is in the state of Arizona. Arizona was, of course, the birthplace of such grand musical...
A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the Kids In The Street LP by Justin Townes Earle. After being toasted first and then either critically maligned or flat out ignored for a little while thereafter, Justin Townes Earle has made a sound on his seventh album (first for New West Records) that any critic worth his sand simply cannot ignore. After all the hard luck, Earle had some addiction issues and he has walked on the wrong side of...
A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the Visions LP by Able Baker Fox. The first thing that Visions, Able Baker Fox’s first album in ten years, proves is that even if a type of music has fallen from popular fashion in recent years, it can still re-emerge sounding both fantastic and timely if there’s passion powering it. Right off, as soon as “Purple Mountains”kicks the doors open on the A-side of Visions, listeners who once felt a genuine...
A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the Everything All At Once LP by Birds. It might sound contrived to someone who has yet to experience it themselves, but the idea that great music is capable of moving a listener spiritually and emotionally is a very real thing. On the right day, the first listen to a record can excite a listener, amaze them, inspire them, hook them and drag them to places that it’s possible they didn’t realize...