AltWeeklies Wire
Navigating the Host of Holiday Music Releasesnew
From New Kids on the Block to Jim Jones & Skull Gang, we break down some notable holiday releases.
Tags: holiday music, holiday albums
Why I Still Make Tapesnew
I still make tapes because I have always made tapes, and I tend to continue to do things that I have always done.
North Bay Bohemian |
Gabe Meline |
12-19-2008 |
Music
Expressing Oneself Through Music Torture Programmingnew
Music as torture makes intuitive sense to us. In milder incarnations, we've been subjected to it, and practicing it, for years. In the context of genuine warfare, however, what role should music and other forms of pop culture play?
Las Vegas Weekly |
Greg Beato |
12-19-2008 |
Music
Grammy Got Run Over ...
Oh my gawd, did you guys see the Grammy nominations show last Wednesday? What a spectacle! So many stars, and so much great music! I'm so excited for the Grammys now! The music industry is saved, I tell ya! But seriously, yuck. What a mess.
Tags: Kanye West, awards, CBS, Lil Wayne, Al Green, Coldplay, Grammys, Mariah Carey, Foo Fighters, Recording Academy, Robert Plant
Doomtree, Solid Gold, and Vampire Hands Deftly Dot the Twin Cities' 2008 Music Timelinenew
Crack open our Twin Cities Local Music Yearbook and reminisce on an effed-up year.
City Pages (Twin Cities) |
Andrea Swensson |
12-17-2008 |
Music
Who Is Jonathan Richman?new
Richman's wisdom is that he knows it can be very difficult to restore the original visceral reaction we had to a piece of music after we've unceremoniously critiqued and torn it apart. It's a philosophy that seems right for a man who's dedicated to living in the moment, to having experiences rather than discussing them.
Seattle Weekly |
Sara Brickner |
12-15-2008 |
Music
Razor-Pop Beckons a Minimalist Eranew
What makes razor-pop production so perfect is the illusion of humanity it presents -- the sensation that the artist is singing on a street corner, standing around a burning trash can, with friends as accompanists.
North Bay Bohemian |
Gabe Meline |
12-12-2008 |
Music
CDs for Christmas -- One Last Timenew
The major record labels are pulling out all the stops to release a plethora of new and reissue albums in the hopes that they can pump some blood back into what is increasingly looking like a moribund business model.
Boston Phoenix |
Daniel Brockman |
12-12-2008 |
Music
Gift Guide: Box Sets for Music Loversnew
One can't help but direct a hearty "bah humbug" at cynical record companies which are trying to sell us music we already have, albeit in deluxe repackaged formats, with all sorts of bells and whistles such as retrospective booklets full of essays and photos, and nifty fetish-quality boxes. But some of these boxed sets also happen to be really cool.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
12-11-2008 |
Music
Tags: box sets, gift guides
Whither the Album?new
Chuck Klosterman says Chinese Democracy is the format's last hurrah. Kanye proves him wrong.
Chicago Reader |
Miles Raymer |
12-08-2008 |
Music
The Titles that Axl Rose Didn't Use for GnR's Long-Delayed Albumnew
It turns out that during Rose's 17-year effort to record the album, he weighed several other different potential titles. The first batch comprised more variations on the Oriental theme, but we're guessing China wouldn't have liked them any better.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian Miller |
12-08-2008 |
Music
Wanna Be MySpace Music's CEO?new
Rupert Murdoch's toy is trying to go legit; mayhem may ensue, and success may not.
Dallas Observer |
Karla Starr |
12-08-2008 |
Music
Holiday Tunes: You Should Hear What I Hearnew
One contemporary holiday music trend that I just can't get into is the Trans-Siberian Orchestra/Mannheim Steamroller thing. I know those are two separate groups, but the sound is the same: disaster and despair. Who knew Christmas could sound so miserable?
Jackson Free Press |
Andi Agnew |
12-04-2008 |
Music
Exit the 36 Chambers: Choose Your Own Wu-Tang Clan Adventurenew
Something happened on the way to becoming untouchable hip-hop legends. At best, they've reached an artistic cul de sac with their last album, 2007's 8 Diagrams. At worst, they're irrelevant. To find out why, you'll have to choose your own adventure.
San Diego CityBeat |
Nathan Dinsdale |
12-03-2008 |
Music
Avoiding Wal-Mart for Your AC/DC Fixnew
Independent retailers have found ways to get around big-box exclusives.
Seattle Weekly |
Sara Brickner |
12-02-2008 |
Music
