The glass bottom boat of the cultural press
In the news today: Blur, Spoon, Vinyl, Hopscotch Music Festival, Pavement, Japanese Breakfast, American Football, Siouxsie Sioux, Cruel World 2023, Pavement, American Football, Bridget St John, Yoshiki, Sueños Music Fest, Andy Rourke, The Smiths, Blur, Reunion Tour
It’s been 45 years since Chrissie Hynde initially hit her stride with the Pretenders, and she hasn’t slowed down for anybody since.
Eyes Wide, Tongue Tied. Review by May Terry.
Courtney Barnett might think she’s pedestrian at best, but her popularity racing ahead on overdrive with no signs of slowing down. May Terry was left to sit and think after the CB3’s musical pit-stop at Terminal 5.
What begins as a reunion pub crawl for five friends turns into a night of booze, bodies, and the bizarre, delving deeper into chaos as it leads to redemption, love, loss, and hope at a pub called The Worlds End.
Jen Cray is delighted to report that Green Day has morphed into an unstoppable rock ‘n’ roll band, capable of holding entire arenas of fans in the palm of its collective sweaty hand. Whether you believe it or not is up to you.
Journey to the West (XL Recordings). Review by Carl F Gauze.
Kill Twee Pop! (Slumberland). Review by Aaron Shaul.
Everything. Now! (Twentyseven). Review by Aaron Shaul.
Make History (Frenchkiss). Review by Jen Cray.
Brit-pop smash Starsailor is working on a foothold in America. Chris Catania sat down with James Walsh to find out about breaking in a new country, Bright Eyes and why American crowds giggle during “Alcoholic.”
The Vice and Virtue Ministry (Undeniable). Review by Aaron Shaul.
London’s Bloc Party capture the essence of a rainy summer day at Atlanta’s Music Midtown Festival, winning over a skeptical Jen Cray in the process.
Feed (Burnside). Review by Aaron Shaul.
Think Tank (Virgin). Review by Aaron Shaul.
Life On Other Planets (Island Records). Review by Sean Slone.
Kill The Moonlight (Merge). Review by Kiran Aditham.
Liza Hearon talks to the man with the plan – The Dismemberment Plan, that is – in this provocative conversation with Travis Morrison.
Gorillaz (Virgin). Review by Julio Diaz.
A.J. Croce celebrates the 50th anniversary of his father, Jim Croce’s, three ground breaking albums, with a nationwide tour of Croce Plays Croce.
High Above Harlesden 1978 - 2023 from On-U Sound collects 60 dub and reggae tracks from Creation Rebel, an astounding set of musicians.
Gerta O. Egy’s beautifully drawn fungi almost eclipse their fairyland habitats in her Mushroom Daydream Coloring Book.
One of the last of the classic wuxia swordplay films stands as a fitting coda to the grand period of the genre. Phil Bailey reviews a new Blu-ray release of the 1975 film The Valiant Ones.
The Complete Friends of Old-Time Music Concert (Smithsonian Folkways Records). Review by Bob Pomeroy.
Smash Mouth takes us back to The Brady Bunch circa 1973, with “Sunshine Day,” featuring Barry Williams, the original Greg Brady.
Not everyone can be excited by blocks spinning on a screen, but if you are, Ian Koss recommends you pay attention to Best of Five.
The final two films in the bonkers Hong Kong action comedy series The Inspector Wears Skirts hit Blu-ray from 88 Films.
A pair of early “girls with guns” action films from superstars Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Rothrock have arrived from 88 Films.