The glass bottom boat of the cultural press
In the news today: The Nearly Deads, The Northern Light, Eitan Noyze, Hornography, Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense, MXPX, From a Second Story Window, Jason Isbell, Fast Car, Tracy Chapman, Luke Combs, Best covers, Nick Cave, Tupac Shakur, Michael McDonald, DJ Seinfeld & Confidence Man, Ben Lee, Georgia Man, The Replacements, Cyndi Lauper, Knife Bride, Yungblud, Lil Uzi Vert
Let’s leave 2020 in our rearview, shall we?
Not unlike fine Swiss clockwork, the duo that calls themselves Yello have been ticking for four decades without missing a beat.
See You in Miami (Y&T). Review by Bob Pomeroy.
Memphis Rent Party (Fat Possum Records). Review by James Mann.
Punk heroes unite to give a rowdy look at the classic L.A.M.F. album 40 years down the road.
Lydia Loveless bares her soul in this riveting film.
Friday Night Is Killing Me (Omnivore Recordings). Review by James Mann.
Dirty Pictures Pt. 1 (Contender Records). Review by Bob Pomeroy.
Blues & Ballads: A Folksinger’s Songbook: Volumes I & II (New West Records). Review by James Mann.
The Phage EP (Burger Records). Review by Jen Cray.
Water Walker (Rock Ridge Music). Review by James Mann.
Guns N’ Roses… well, sort of… arrive “fashionably” late to their first US show in over five years. Jen Cray is still trying to decide if Axl Rose can shoulder the legendary metal band on his own.
Divine Providence (Partisan Records). Review by James Mann.
Rock & Roll Submarine (UO Records). Review by Sean Slone.
The Black Dirt Sessions (Partisan Records). Review by Carl F Gauze.
The lineup isn’t as important as the experience when it comes to the Van’s Warped Tour. Jen Cray smeared on some sunblock and took in the annual summertime tradition when the traveling circus hit Orlando.
In The Dark (ATO). Review by Joe Frietze.
Alex Chilton died March 17 in New Orleans. James Mann remembers the man who gave so much to so many.
#1 Record/Radio City (Concord Records). Review by Carl F Gauze.
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.