- joiezabel in Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head it really is brilliant, scott. i hate you.
- hotshotrobot in Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head Goddammit, Borch, now how am i supposed to review this? I can’t top that!
- Borch in The Avett Brothers - House of Blues - May 14th Good Lord, that’s a beautiful song! The Avett Bros. were in Chicago? Why wasn’t I notified?!
I must confess, I hadn’t really heard much from Clogs prior to this album, despite the fact that they’ve had three prior releases. In case you too are unfamiliar with the band, here’s Clogs (for the remainder of the review I can tell I will have to resist the temptation to throw a “The” in front of the name, although I suppose that would give the impression that they were a me-too indie rock band) in a nutshell: they’re a four-piece that makes music best described as freeform classical, like a jam band but with a string section and a few woodwinds here and there. A typical song introduces a loop of melody and explores it for the next few minutes, often coming to a jarring halt at the end (on some songs such as “Canon” and “5/4″, this bothered me; it was like being harshly woken up from a dream I had only recently begun to explore).
The members of the Clogs have quite the pedigree, not the least of which is training at the Yale School of Music, and it shows through and through. Each and every instrument is deftly wielded, and many of the songs, while clearly free-form, are filled with rich textures and hooks that could easily compete with carefully-written songs from other bands. Moods are clearly communicated throughout most of the album, such as the tension-laden “Compass” and the precipitous “5/4″. These songs evoke feelings and even visions in the listener without being pretentious or forceful. Read more »
Showgirl documents an event that was carefully constructed as a sort of a comeback for Kylie Minogue following her year-plus absence from the spotlight due to a battle with breast cancer. The November 2006 show took place in Minogue’s native Australia, in Sydney — which, not-so-coincidentally, had also been the venue for Minogue’s only previous live album, 1998’s Intimate and Live. It was designed to take Minogue’s reputation for full-out stage extravaganzas to its logical extreme, featuring a bewildering variety of costume changes, dancers, and set pieces (the CD is divided into seven “acts,” along with an encore). The set list too, is eminently predictable, featuring all of Kylie’s biggest hits, but with a special emphasis on her last three albums (Light Years, Fever, and Body Language), to remind the listener that, at the time of Kylie’s forced absence, she was essentially at the peak of her popularity.
It’s not really the same show when stripped of the visuals for CD purposes. Nonetheless, it comes across as the work of a consummate professional, someone who’s fully comfortable on stage and in this music. Her ability to work an audience remains excellent, a point that the CD emphasizes by mixing the crowd noise extremely loud. Significantly, Kylie’s in much better voice than she was on Intimate and Live. It’s long been fashionable in certain circles to denigrate Kylie’s vocal ability, but if she’s never going to be mistaken for Gladys Knight, she’s more than the equal of, say, Madonna, and worlds ahead of, oh, Britney Spears. On Showgirl, she sounds energetic, forceful, and fully engaged in the music. Read more »
A real-time, stream-of-consciousness review of a ridiculous space pop show accomplished with the magic that is text messaging:
Oh No! Oh My!’s lead singer is wearing an Outback Steakhouse hat - I bet he loves the bloomin’ onion. 2 of their last 3 songs are “Walk in the Park” and “I Have No Sister.” The hipsters feign interest, light their cigarettes and look tough.
Oh No! Oh My! were good enough and all, but I guess it’s time for them to piss off - the hipsters have spoken and tonight this is the house Mew built. I don’t know much about this band but Joie talks them up and she’s the awesomest girl I know.
Yeah, I’m impressed already. Lead singer’s voice seems to have no limits. He sings much better than I can hear. “Zookeeper’s Boy” is really incredible - it’s amazing how much harder they rock in the live show than on their recordings. The live show is somehow more ethereal and atmospheric than the album too…I feel like it’s almost always the opposite.
Video visuals include a cat with fiddle, moths, human-faced bugs, etc…very effective. The girl in front of me just leaned over and whispered ‘i love you’ to what looks to be her bf. He kind of looks like Tom Chaplin, so what’s not to love. They will proceed to make out during most of the show. Love bites.
Oh and some girl just passed the fuck out. I’d give her about a 60% chance of surviving. Wait, this is the Double Door…make it 25%.
Dare I say on Superstarcastic that I like Coldplay at times? You just can’t be this ‘atmospheric’ without garnering some unwanted (?) comparisons to them. (Whew, Sam agrees with me.)
Jonas Bjerre looks like a muppet or or a character from Dark Crystal and is maybe even channeling a little Sanjaya, except for the complete doucheyness and awful voice (I’ve never watched American Idol so that’s just a guess). The lead guitarist has a porn star mustache that may or may not have begun falling off during one solo. For the rest of the show I will mentally refer to him as ‘Buck Naked.’ And the bassist loves to make hand motions to the music…he must be of Italian blood.
Mew is what the Secret Machines should be.
Buck Naked leads off the final cut, which builds and builds until they’re rocking the place so hard my adam’s apple shakes loose and I’m forced to swallow it.
THE END
In his debut album, Outlast The Day, David McMillin displays impressive tonal diversity in his southern rock/folk infused sound, with the help of his trusty guitar and his two comrades playing percussion and tickling the ivories behind him. He shows the ability to blend his own unique voice with harmonies on “Annabelle” and “Long Time Leaving,” forming a marriage of sounds that is pleasing to the ear, a relationship we can only hope will grow stronger with time. Check out David’s Myspace page to get a taste of his style with those tracks and two others that seamlessly assert a feeling that you are listening to an acoustic set with Chris Robinson, who rocked the mic for the Black Crowes.
I personally have seen David take the stage a few times and, despite his tracks seeming to be a bit slow moving for the live music lover, I can guarantee you that you will find it difficult not to be the guy bopping along to the music unknowingly. In fact, I dare you not to be. You will have the chance to prove me wrong if you happen to be in Chicago next Wednesday, April 4th, to check out David McMillin as he performs at Schuba’s.
1. When historians listen to your most recent CD 1000 years from now, what
will they say?
They will say, ‘Man, who was this Annabelle girl?’
2. If you could play a show w/ any band/musician living or dead, whom would
you pick and why?
John Lennon. No one channeled creativity like Lennon. From the groundbreaking pop styles of the Beatles to the activist side that emerged in the late 60s and throughout the 70s, John’s songwriting and commitment to becoming a better musician shined.
3. What is the strangest band-related dream you have had?
I woke in the middle of the night in a motel room in a panic, worried that I had to drive to El Paso, Texas for a show the next day. I was in Boston. That drive is not possible in a day. I got out of bed, put on my pants and realized that the drive to El Paso could wait. So I took my pants off and went back to sleep in Boston.
4. What do your fans look like?
Insanely beautiful.
5. What bullshit do you run into at most every show that makes you think, ‘Man, this Bullshit again?’
When we unpack our gear and I realize that I left another guitar stand in the previous city, I begin to question why I even bother buying guitar stands. I have left one in each major city in the eastern half of the country.
Bonus Question: Why won’t you forget to tip your bartender?
Because bartenders are the wisest people in the world. I’ve learned more on a barstool than I ever learned in a classroom.
On Monday we reported about the mallpunk singer who got a little stabby. Today, thanks to a tipoff from SSC reader M’ris, we are pointed to news of his release.
From the Chicago Tribune:
The former lead singer for the punk rock band Mest will not be charged in the fatal stabbing of a 26-year-old man during a weekend argument in Studio City, the L.A. County district attorney’s office announced today.
The D.A.’s office said there wasn’t enough evidence to prove the killing was not self-defense.
Anthony Lovato, 26, and Wayne Hughes, 26, were arguing about a woman in the parking structure of an apartment building when the victim allegedly punched Lovato, police said.Authorities said Lovato pulled out a pocket knife and stabbed Hughes numerous times.
When police arrived at the scene in the 10900 block of Bluffside Drive, they found the victim lying wounded on the ground. He died a short time later at a hospital.
Lovato was detained Sunday and later released after posting bail.
And, as you would expect from a network with their news credentials, MTV has more:
Sandi Gibbons, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office, said the matter was a clear case of self-defense. “We determined that the suspect and victim had dated the same girl back-and-forth for over a year,” Gibbons said. “There had been threats, and the victim sent several threatening messages to the suspect. Apparently, there was some mutual combat and Lovato attempted to separate himself from the victim when the victim challenged him to a fight. The victim followed Lovato to an isolated spot in the underground garage and tried to fight him. Lovato defended himself, and there was insufficient evidence to show that it was not a justifiable use of reasonable force in self-defense.”
With the specter of a trial now gone, the question still remains of what exactly happened Sunday morning that resulted in Hughes’ death. According to police, Hughes and Lovato got into an argument in the parking garage of a Studio City, California, apartment complex. After Lovato was punched by Hughes, Lovato reportedly took out a knife and stabbed Hughes multiple times, after which either he or the woman called 911 to report the crime.
Hughes must have been damned punchy to warrant death by stabbing as an act of self-defence. Well, hey, i wasn’t there (Wtf, was the guy a professional boxer or something?).
Looks like all those kids making the “Free Tony” graphics for their MySpace pages have seen justice done:
“Behide?”
Back in ‘99 I had the pleasure of hanging out in the backyard of the Playboy Mansion during the filming of the truly horrible film, Toxic Avenger 4: Citizen Toxie. While there, I met some guys from a band called The Locust, who were pretending to play their instruments… surely to be overdubbed by their actual songs in post production. They were nice enough guys - they even threw me a CD to review, which I never did. I feel like kind of a bastard for it… which is probably a fair estimation.
So here it is, that review: Each song is a minute and 30 seconds of complete fucking insanity that melt your brain. Read that 20 times and you have the review. So if you like your music like you like your sex (quick, angry, lots of incoherent screaming) you’ll dig the Locust. And from the looks of it they’ll be in your town in support of their latest release “New Erections”.
Check them out on the web:
http://www.thelocust.com/
http://www.myspace.com/thelocust
28 Mar 2007 Knitting Factory Hollywood, California
29 Mar 2007 Slim’s San Francisco, California
30 Mar 2007 Gilman Street Berkeley, California
31 Mar 2007 Hawthorne Thearte Portland, Oregon
1 Apr 2007 Neumo’s Seattle, Washington
3 Apr 2007 Club Sound Salt Lake City, Utah
4 Apr 2007 The Marquis Theatre Denver, Colorado
5 Apr 2007 The Rock Omaha, Nebraska
6 Apr 2007 Tripple Rock Social Club Minneapolis, Minnesota
7 Apr 2007 Logan Square Auditorium Chicago, Illinois
8 Apr 2007 Magic Stick Detroit, Michigan
9 Apr 2007 Grog Shop Cleveland Heights, Ohio
10 Apr 2007 Club Stratus Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
12 Apr 2007 Roxy Underground Boston, Massachusetts
13 Apr 2007 Rebel New York, New York
14 Apr 2007 Europa Brooklyn, New York
15 Apr 2007 First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
16 Apr 2007 Black Cat Washington DC, Washington DC
18 Apr 2007 New Brookland Tavern Columbia, South Carolina
19 Apr 2007 The Masquerade Atlanta, Georgia
20 Apr 2007 StateTheatre St. Petersburg, Florida
21 Apr 2007 Respectable Street West Palm Beach, Florida
22 Apr 2007 The Social Orlando, Florida
24 Apr 2007 The High Ground Metarie, Louisiana
25 Apr 2007 The White Rabbit San Antonio, Texas
26 Apr 2007 Emo’s Austin, Texas
27 Apr 2007 House Of Rock And Roll El Paso, Texas
28 Apr 2007 The Sets Tempe, Arizona
