// Category Archive for: Music

Music Review: Various Artists, Wake Up You! Volume 1

By Melissa Bratcher

I’d wager that you’ve not heard music quite like Wake Up You! Volume 1. Culled from Nigerian music from a very specific time, with familiar influences filtered through a decidedly African use of rhythms, the result is arresting, funky, and meant to make you move.

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Music Review: Professor Longhair, Live In Chicago

By Melissa Bratcher

Is the best thing in the world a new Professor Longhair live album? I’m going to go with yes. Orleans Records is releasing Professor Longhair Live In Chicago on CD and vinyl on April 12. Recorded at the Chicago Folk Festival by a local radio station in early 1976, Live In Chicago is thrilling.

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Exclusive: Listen To A Stream Of Bloody Knives’ I Will Cut Your Heart Out For This

By Less Lee Moore

I Will Cut Your Heart Out For This, the latest release from Austin, TX’s brilliantly and appropriately named Bloody Knives, will be released on April 15 from Saint Marie Records. But you don’t have to wait until then to hear it, because here at Popshifter, we’ve got an exclusive album stream just for you.

And if that weren’t enough, we’ve also got track-by-track notes on the album from the band.

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In Case You Missed It: April 3 – April 9, 2016–Feminism, Iggy In Furs & Negan

By Less Lee Moore

Photo credit: Loma Vista

Hey, have you seen Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice yet? Did the onslaught of haterade scare you away? Read Tim Murr’s review and reconsider your negativity, man.

Lots of MRA types have been guzzling the haterade after watching the trailer for Star Wars: Rogue One. Here, Film School Rejects praises the oft-misunderstood “Mary Sue” qualities of the trailer, and many other movies. At Rue Morgue, Alex West gives Scream’s Gale Weathers some long overdue credit in “The Final Girl Chronicles.”

Is that too much feminism for you? Too bad. A new infographic proves Hollywood is still a boys’ club. If that didn’t convince you, here are two words: corpse boobs.

There are a lot of blockbusters and superheroes getting (deserved) attention these days, but sometimes you want something with fewer explosions. So if Canadian film Sleeping Giant is playing near you, please go see it. It’s a low-key but emotionally riveting film.

Meanwhile, on TV, Tyler Hodg is reviewing the tenth season of Trailer Park Boys on Netflix. I recapped the shocking season six finale of The Walking Dead, but Laury Scarbro (Yay! Welcome back!) has even more thoughts and feelings about it.

Two killer episodes of Lucha Underground and one (hilarious, natch) episode of Broad City are dissected by Sachin Hingoo and then… we try something completely different. Anime n00b Tyler tackles Brotherhoood Final Fantasy XV, currently watchable on YouTube.

Oh Iggy Pop. Where would my life be without you and your music? I attempt to explain in my concert review from the April 9 show at Toronto’s Sony Centre. Iggy and David Bowie go together like well, peanut butter and chocolate, so here are five times that David Bowie literally helped save the world. (I never get sick of talking about David Bowie.)

MOAR MUSIC! Melissa Bratcher talks about how Janiva Magness’s new album Love Wins Again made her cry and wonders if The Lumineers are doing OK. Brian Baker rides the waves with Shark Toys’ Outsider Sect LP, and Tim Murr goes full metal with Graves At Sea, Tombs, and the folk-metal stylings of Kralthazar.

There’s still so much more going on in music and Unicorn Booty knows you need the info. This week’s “Now Hear This!” dishes on Beyonce, funny feminists, Snoop Dogg and Janet Jackson, and the sad struggles of Ke$sha.

Until next time, Popshifter fans!
 

Concert Review: Iggy Pop in Toronto

By Less Lee Moore

April 9, 2016
Sony Centre for the Performing Arts

Photo credit: Angry Jeff

Last night still doesn’t feel real.

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Music Review: The Lumineers, Cleopatra

By Melissa Bratcher

After the runaway success of their self-titled debut, The Lumineers sound a bit disillusioned. Their newest, Cleopatra, is heavy. There are no radio-friendly, hand-clapping sing-alongs; instead there are thoughtful indie folk with songs of leaving those who tear you down, having dreams crushed and dying. Seriously, it’s heavy.

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Music Review: Kralthazar, Runes

By Tim Murr

Over the course of the last week I’ve probably heard just about every sub-genre of metal there is, but I’ve heard nothing like Kralthazar’s Runes. Solo acoustic crooning metal is not a thing I’ve heard before, but I love it. Now, it’s not much of a culture shock for me; I listen to tons of acoustic music, old folk/mountain music, Delta blues, old country, etc. Throughout those styles of music you’ll find several tracks that would translate easily to punk, metal, or rock. Kralthazar brings the metal sensibility to folk music and it’s really cool!

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Music Review: Janiva Magness, Love Wins Again

By Melissa Bratcher

Dear Janiva Magness, thanks for making me cry.

On her follow-up to 2014s Original, Janiva Magness is letting it all out. She’s happy (her self-penned liner notes are completely delightful), she’s in killer voice, and her continuing collaboration with producer Dave Darling is positively fecund. Love Wins Again is a worthy successor to Original, with heartfelt songs of love and hope, and songs of heartbreak.

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Music Review: Tombs, All Empires Fall

By Tim Murr

While it may be an EP that’s only 24 minutes long, Tombs’ All Empires Fall is still one of the better black metal albums I’ve ever heard.

Black metal is a genre that I’ve rarely been able to connect with, but does include some bands that are truly innovative and exciting. All Empires Fall is the first Tombs recording with new keyboardist Fade Kainer and while I can’t claim any depth of knowledge about earlier recordings from the band, he’s a welcome addition here.

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Music Review: Graves At Sea, The Curse That Is

By Tim Murr

There was a photo that accompanied the press release of Graves At Sea’s debut full-length album, The Curse That Is, and I love it. The picture of the four members (Nathan Misterek on vocals, Nick Phit on guitar, Bryan Sours on drums, and Sketchy Jeff on bass) shows a group of guys who won’t be having any of your shit. Not now, not later. These are some tough-looking, sick-of-it-all dudes and their faces match the music perfectly.

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