By Stuart Myerburg
Endlessly, the follow-up to Duffy’s hugely successful debut Rockferry, finds the Welsh singer in a bit of an identity crisis. Still mining the retro-sixties vibe that made her popular, Duffy this time collaborates with veteran writer and producer Albert Hammond.
(more…)
By Stuart Myerburg
Imagine Philip Glass recording a symphony with Nitzer Ebb, Nine Inch Nails, and Depeche Mode and you have some idea of the singularly daring sound created by These New Puritans on their second album, Hidden.
Frontman and principal songwriter Jack Barnett dubs it a “hybrid,” which is a perfect description of the aggressive, synth-based songs his band couples with classical strings and woodwinds.
(more…)
By Stuart Myerburg
Justice © Stuart Myerburg
The three-day Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, held every April at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, CA, is always an eclectic blend of extremes. Where else can you choose between the hushed sounds of Iceland’s Múm or the aggressive dance beats of Dan Deacon, all while lounging on lush grass in the middle of the desert? You can also do your fair share of celebrity-spotting over the weekend, as the Hollywood elite make a pilgrimage to Coachella to catch the latest buzz bands. This year, there was even a mini-performance from Sean Penn.
(more…)