Music Review: Scared To Get Happy: A Story of Indie-Pop 1980 – 1989

By Stuart Myerburg

Scared To Get Happy takes on the daunting task of documenting the evolution of indie-pop in the 1980s. Given the diversity of styles that can fall under the indie-pop umbrella, a comprehensive study of all facets of the genre would be nearly impossible, especially in the span of five discs. But the compilation makes things more manageable by limiting its scope. Focusing exclusively on British artists and evoking a particular time and place in musical history, it endeavors to tell a story rather than be a definitive guide.

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Duffy, Endlessly

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.
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These New Puritans, Hidden

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.
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I Wanna Take You Higher: Coachella 2008

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.
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