// Category Archive for: Music

HTRK, Marry Me Tonight: In Memory Of Sean Stewart

By Julie Finley

At the end of 2009, I stumbled upon an Australian band known as HTRK (pronounced “Hate Rock”). Their name was linked to the late great Rowland S. Howard, and I had to figure out what the connection was (this was before Rowland had passed. . . R.I.P. RSH!)

HTRK were linked to a few musical icons other than Rowland, all part of a corps of musicians hailing from Melbourne, Australia. The most direct link is to The Devastations. HTRK Singer Jonnine Standish is married to The Devastations’ Conrad Standish, and the matrimony doesn’t end there; the other members of HTRK (Nigel Yang and Sean Stewart) were involved with the Devastations musically as well.
(more…)

Suburbia Collector’s Edition

By Less Lee Moore

One weekend in 1986, a friend of mine invited me and a bunch of other freak friends over to watch Suburbia, Penelope Spheeris’ quasi-documentary look at the early ’80s punk scene. My memory is fuzzy on the details of the plot; I mostly remember being disturbed by the other movie we watched, Faces of Death. I do remember that everyone else in the group, some of whom looked somewhat similar to the punk teens examined in Suburbia, were merciless in mocking it; to this day, I still recall the particular scorn they heaped upon the T.R. “gang” depicted in the film, T.R. standing, of course, for “The Rejected.”

I had not seen Suburbia again until this latest Collector’s Edition DVD, so like with Rock ‘n’ Roll High School‘s reissue, I was curious to see if the movie was actually good (or what actually took place in the movie). I think it’s actually worse than I remembered.
(more…)

I Need That Record! The Death (Or Possible Survival) Of The Independent Record Store

By Less Lee Moore

I Need That Record! purports to be a “documentary feature examining why over 3,000 independent record stores have closed across the US in the past decade.” But it’s much more than that. In truth, the film does a splendid job of not only showing the causal links that led to this somewhat alarming situation, but also asking, answering, and ultimately, allowing its viewers to weigh in on what this really means.
(more…)

Images Of Peter: Finding Peter Godwin, Part Two

Interview by Emily Carney

In this continuation of Popshifter’s interview with singer/musician Peter Godwin from our January/February 2010 issue, Peter discusses his memorable music videos, musical production, his new album with his project Nuevo, and plans for future projects.
(more…)

Rock ‘n’ Roll High School 30th Anniversary Special Edition

By Less Lee Moore

Although for many, The Ramones represent the birth of the US punk scene in the ’70s, I was only about three years old when the band first formed in 1974. For me, The Ramones were the four weird-looking, tall dudes who kept popping up in promos for MTV in 1981. Most of the videos in the early days of MTV were fairly bizarre; at that point the channel would show any videos they could and the shift to glamorous, new wave pretty boys had not yet occurred. However, even amongst Loverboy, Meatloaf, Split Enz, and The Tubes, The Ramones looked pretty damn strange.

I didn’t see Rock ‘n’ Roll High School until a few years later, when I’d officially hit my own teenage years. I remember feeling confused and vaguely uncomfortable, not totally grasping why it was supposed to be so great. The news of the upcoming release of a 30th Anniversary Special Edition made me curious to see how the film as aged. Would it be funny? Would it be relevant?

Thankfully, the answer to both questions is, “YES.”
(more…)

Download The New Single From UK Band Peggy Sue: “Watchman”

By J Howell

Here’s something that might appeal to fans of artists like Eleni Mandell or even Tom Waits. Smart, stinging lyrics delivered in harrowing harmonies backed by clanging percussion, Peggy Sue‘s “Watchman” has left me eager to hear more.

This Brighton, UK band—comprised of Katy Young, Rosa Slade, and Olly Joyce—is now on the fine Yep Roc label stateside, and on tour in the US through June. The video for “Watchman” is interesting too, featuring animation by Betsy Dadd. Easily one of the most impressive tracks to cross my path recently, “Watchman” has put Peggy Sue on my short list of bands to keep an eye on. Brilliant.

Watch the video for “Watchmen” here.

Peggy Sue’s album, Fossils And Other Phantoms, comes out June 1 on Yep Roc. Be sure to catch the band on tour.

June 9: Johnny Brenda’s in Philadelphia, PA
June 10: Piano’s in NYC
June 11: Paradise in Boston, MA
June 12: Le Divan Orange in Montreal
June 13: Sneaky Dees in Toronto
June 14: Schuba’s in Chicago IL
June 20: Mississippi Studios in Portland, OR
June 21: Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco CA
June 22: Spaceland in Los Angeles CA

New Music + Video From Thomas Dolby: “Love Is A Loaded Pistol”

By Jemiah Jefferson

“Love Is a Loaded Pistol,” the first new track from Thomas Dolby since approximately 2007, might come as a surprise to listeners who never knew anything more than “She Blinded Me With Science,” but the steampunk maestro has left his electronic roots well behind, interested now in a quieter, more personal, but no less intense approach to writing and performance.

“Loaded Pistol” soars on a combination of thoughtful strings and supper-club piano, with Dolby’s voice traversing from a husky near-whisper to a passionate, braying bell and a dozen emotional points between. Between the noir-styled story-song lyrics and the piano, you’d think he’d been possessed by the Blue Valentine-era Tom Waits, but the reality is a lot more clear and delicate.
(more…)

Stephan Crump with Rosetta Trio, Reclamation

By J Howell

It’s not often these days you hear a record or band led by a bassist, but with Reclamation, Stephan Crump shines.

Astute jazz fans may be familiar with Crump’s lengthy association with Vijay Iyer, or for holding down the low end in Jim Campilongo’s Electric Trio—in fact, Crump is responsible for the jarring screech that kicks off Campilongo’s most recent, barn-burning Orange.
(more…)

IAMX, Dogmatic Infidel Comedown OK

By Hanna

In general, remixes seem redundant to me because they never live up to what they purport to be: a completely new or different piece of music. Mostly I tell people that remixes sound like someone in the band can’t keep the time and is missing the beat over and over and over. But of course, like all generalizations, this is both too simple and too stupid a description of remixes to be completely true.

Remixes of the hilarious parody type can be surprisingly good, if they manage to combine two ideas. And then there are remixes that really do become a whole new piece of music. Dogmatic Infidel Comedown OK features remixes of IAMX’s Kingdom Of Welcome Addiction album and is remarkable in that it manages to do just that.
(more…)

New Single from Reflection Eternal

By Less Lee Moore

From Sneak Attack Media:

It might not be news to you that Reflection Eternal (rapper Talib Kweli + producer Hi-Tek) are about to release a new album—Revolutions Per Minute—their follow-up to Train of Thought, out in 2000. Revolutions per Minute comes out May 18 via Blacksmith/Warner Bros, and the duo is also on tour through the spring. . . remaining dates are below.

Here’s a track off the album for you, featuring Estelle, called “Midnight Hour.”
(more…)