// Category Archive for: Music Reviews

Them Crooked Vultures, S/T

By Adam McIntyre

Come over to my recording studio and let’s listen to something very loud.

Here’s why I have a major hard-on for Them Crooked Vultures: it’s tailored for me. I mean, I am its target audience. I have intense respect for each of the four musicians involved, certainly bordering on talent-based mancrushes. I mean. . .
(more…)

The Living Sisters, Love To Live

By Chelsea Spear

Listening to Love To Live on an iPod feels wrong. The maiden voyage by The Living Sisters requires the listener to lower a needle onto a fat slab of vinyl and listen to a brief overture of static before their music begins.
(more…)

Irish Folk With A Twist: Frank Tovey and The Pyros, Grand Union

By Emily Carney

Starting in the late 1980s, Frank Tovey (also known as Fad Gadget, whose music and general adventures were chronicled in a past Popshifter article) departed from avant-garde synth-pop, and started making Irish folk records.

(more…)

Nine, A Soundtrack Review

By Danny R. Phillips

I’m not much for musicals. People walking down the street, spontaneously breaking into song. . . it’s all very hokey and unrealistic to me. Generally, I think it’s a stupid genre. . . wait, does Walk The Line count as a musical? If so, I liked that one. Anyway, soundtrack albums to musicals are often more painful than the actual film, but there is something about the soundtrack of Nine that makes me let my guard down and dial down the hate just a bit.
(more…)

Gavin Friday: Thief of My Heart

By Julie Finley

I remember it like it was yesterday. It had to have been the end of 1991 as I was still in tenth grade, and I remember there being snow on the ground. It was probably shortly after Christmas, because I can’t recall having enough money to buy more than one album at a time; even if they were used & in the bargain bin, I still rarely had over $10 on me at any given time. I usually starved myself in high school by not spending at least some of my lunch money just so I could buy whatever music I could, because I had priorities.

(more…)

White Lies, To Lose My Life. . .

By Jim R. Clark

I saw this band for the first time on the Ohio PBS music variety television program called Strictly Global and I was hooked by the dark and foggy video for a song called “To Lose My Life.” These three young guys from Ealing, West London have a wonderful new and old sound.
(more…)

Spoon, Transference

By Adam McIntyre

Definitive proof that there is a Spoon.

I wanted a little something different from Spoon this time, and instead of floundering, the Austin, Texas indie rock idols trimmed away some of their own clichés for some spare, sleek grooves.

I have to admire their confidence; surer footsteps were never danced. I mean that—about the dancing. The listening experience is evocative of being in near-darkness watching someone beautiful dancing, both uninhibited enough to be sexy and yet gracefully measured enough to be demure.

Transference sounds incredible, almost Peter Gabriel-like in the pristine production’s service to the almighty beat, with comforting, vibey moments of mono lo-fi recordings cut in for emphasis. The first two-thirds of the album are nearly infallible as individual packages, with the last bit of the record comprised of songs that would be considered pleasant even by harsher critics.

Give this record a listen any time you want the following: something sparse and yet interesting; something achingly lonely and yet danceably groovy; and something understated, yet beautiful.

Transference was released on January 19. Spoon are currently touring the UK and the US. To find out more, visit Spoon’s Official Website or MySpace page.

Wolfmother, Cosmic Egg

By Adam McIntyre

Egg Sandwich

Cosmic Egg contains more high-energy, unapologetic Guitar Hero heavy rock from Wolfmother. The lyrical content is about the same as before (moon, sky, woman, mythical stuff), but the band are tighter from relentless touring and ultimately the record sounds awesome. You need to take this stuff about as seriously as you need to take KISS. Just enjoy it; it’s arena rock for your backyard party. Some of it might even be great for driving fast.

Ultimately, after a couple listens, I think this has been as digested as it’s going to get. If you’re okay with that, grab yourself some Wolfmother. My favorite track so far is “In The Castle.”

Cosmic Egg was released October 23 of 2009. Wolfmother are currently touring the UK, Europe, and Australia. For more, check out the band’s Official Site or MySpace page.

Rowland S. Howard, Pop Crimes

By Ann Clarke

It’s not often that this happens, but. . . occasionally I find myself waiting for about ten years for an album to come out. Most people would give up hope by then, but if you like an artist enough, you always hold out for whatever they do. This would be the case with Rowland S. Howard. He’s one of those musicians I’ve pretty much had a hard-on on for since I first stumbled upon him.
(more…)

Bebel Gilberto, All In One

By Ann Clarke

I am fully aware of Bebel Gilberto’s namesake, and the fact that she’s been around for awhile. . . but I can honestly say, I’d never heard anything by her. I knew she was a Brazilian musician and her parents were famous musicians (João Gilberto and Miúcha), but that’s about it. So in essence, I can’t compare Bebel’s new album, All In One, to any of her previous works, since I don’t know them. I can say this: I was interested in reviewing this album, because I am willing to listen to foreign vocals without hesitation.
(more…)