AltWeeklies Wire » Music » Reviews

Pearl Jam Steps Back, Goes Pop -- and Makes One of the Best Albums of its Career

By John Brodeur

Metroland | October 26, 2009

With Backspacer, the "grunge" godfathers seem intent on rewriting their story. It's their best record since 1998's Yield, thanks to the presence of producer Brendan O'Brien, who was allowed by the band to have a hand in picking apart the songs. The result is an economical and wholly replayable Pearl Jam album.

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Tags: Backspacer, Brendan O'Brien, Pearl Jam

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Metroland was founded in 1978 as a monthly entertainment guide; a year and a half later it went weekly, continuing to focus primarily on arts, entertainment and lifestyles. In September 1986, Metroland reinvented itself as a full-fledged alternative newsweekly, offering...

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Ultra-Low-Budget Horror Flick 'Paranormal Activity' Hits the Marknew

How does a film from a first-time director, with a budget that matches what some studios would spend on a single ad in a trade magazine, manage to connect with so many people? Simple: It's scary.

Metroland | John Brodeur | 10-26-2009 | Reviews

Tags: Oren Peli, Paranormal Activity, horror movies

Post-Punk Pioneers Mission of Burma Still Have Fuel to Burnnew

They've been together now longer than they were the first time around and they're back to making music that's equal parts forceful and fun -- they sound like no other band but themselves.

Metroland | John Brodeur | 10-26-2009 | Reviews

Tags: The Sound The Speed The Light, Mission of Burma, post-punk

San Fran Bedroom-Pop Brats Girls Deliver a Killer Debut Discnew

Indie pop is the new indie rock, as evidenced by the recent popularity of bands like the Postelles and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Add to that list the San Francisco band Girls, who wrap their bedroom pop in many-colored paper without obscuring the classic sunny-day melodies underneath.

Metroland | John Brodeur | 10-26-2009 | Reviews

Tags: Girls, indie pop, Album

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Post-Punk Pioneers Mission of Burma Still Have Fuel to Burnnew

They've been together now longer than they were the first time around and they're back to making music that's equal parts forceful and fun -- they sound like no other band but themselves.

Metroland | John Brodeur | 10-26-2009 | Reviews

Tags: The Sound The Speed The Light, Mission of Burma, post-punk

San Fran Bedroom-Pop Brats Girls Deliver a Killer Debut Discnew

Indie pop is the new indie rock, as evidenced by the recent popularity of bands like the Postelles and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Add to that list the San Francisco band Girls, who wrap their bedroom pop in many-colored paper without obscuring the classic sunny-day melodies underneath.

Metroland | John Brodeur | 10-26-2009 | Reviews

Tags: Girls, indie pop, Album

The Flaming Lips Return with a Dazzling Double Albumnew

The Oklahoma psych-rock vets have finally made their Dark Side of the Moon, and yet there are no obvious singles among the 18 tracks. In other words, Embryonic is a true Album, in that no one track can easily be taken out of context.

Metroland | John Brodeur | 10-26-2009 | Reviews

Tags: The Flaming Lips, Embryonic, psychedelic rock

New Big Star Box Set is a Supermarket of Popnew

Keep An Eye On The Sky brings new insight and appreciation to the Memphis power-pop band's catalog.

Metroland | John Brodeur | 09-16-2009 | Reviews

Tags: Alex Chilton, Badfinger, Keep An Eye On The Sky, power pop, Chris Bell, Big Star

The Beatles: I'm Looking Through Themnew

Rediscovering something that wasn't lost: A few words on the Beatles remasters.

Metroland | John Brodeur | 09-02-2009 | Reviews

Tags: a hard day's night, abbey road, george harrison, george martin, remasters, ringo starr, Mono Box Set, Stereo Box Set, john lennon, 1960s, The Beatles, Paul McCartney, beatles

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