“‘Eon’ by Supergrass: The Song’s Meaning at a Dot Com”

I know what the song’s about. What it’s ABOUT… is the wailing, bulbous guitar that chimes in after the song’s lyrics have come to a subsiding. It’s BULBOUS in a certain sense, because even though it’s a bit shrill and grainy, it’s got a mellow, round underbelly, I’m talking about the sound here. The way … Read more“‘Eon’ by Supergrass: The Song’s Meaning at a Dot Com”

“A Dismemberment Plan Last-Three-Album Compendium Culminating in This Year’s Strong Effort Uncanney Valley.”

The Dismemberment Plan always seemed to me like a band that circumvented a lot. Rather than being original, they were almost so daringly and mind-bogglingly unoriginal, or extant, to use a better term, that they endeared instantly through familiarity, across the board, with almost all people who experienced their music. So that if it brings … Read more“A Dismemberment Plan Last-Three-Album Compendium Culminating in This Year’s Strong Effort Uncanney Valley.”

“Twin Shadow’s Confess: Dissecting the Album that Is”

There’s almost nothing tongue-in-cheek about Twin Shadow, just like there was almost nothing tongue-in-cheek about Bob Dylan (Freewheelin‘-era). Emotion still must be the driving force behind music. Certain “artists” who are apparently “hip” and have great “personalities” are fine and dandy, but please listen to them on your headphones, and spare me such repugnant gregariousness. … Read more“Twin Shadow’s Confess: Dissecting the Album that Is”

“Cate Le Bon: A Kind of Stereolab Meets Hot Hot Heat”

Remember the crisp, naive melodies of the poppy and poignant Make up the Breakdown, Hot Hot Heat’s 2002 melee of widespread glee? These are alive and well on Mug Museum, the new LP by L.A.-via-Wales guitarist/songwriter Cate Le Bon. Screw sitting in the cafe, this is music for bounding carelessly past cranky people, listening to … Read more“Cate Le Bon: A Kind of Stereolab Meets Hot Hot Heat”

“DD Review: Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – ‘Lariat'”

Great music reminds us that we’re all ubiquitous and awesome, and like any act, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks are at their best when they cease overly adhering to what they perceive as their own defining characteristics and just do it. “Lariat,” their new single, contains elements of rockabilly, folk, and roots rock and roll, … Read more“DD Review: Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – ‘Lariat’”

“‘Inspiration’ and its Overrated Aspects in Today’s Culture: The GEICO Commercial with ‘Midnight Rider'”

For whatever reason, Eat a Peach is the iconic Allman Brothers studio album, A Decade of Hits 1969-1979 and At Filmore East probably taking more clout than any, but Idlewild South, which predates Peach, certainly boasts a proud palette. “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’” seems like the kind of song that could have only come from … Read more“‘Inspiration’ and its Overrated Aspects in Today’s Culture: The GEICO Commercial with ‘Midnight Rider’”

“A Left Liberal Tendering of Protected Free Speech by Responsible Bureaucracy”

I saw two things last night that chafed my morale to a slight extent. One, a woman in Michigan was fired from her job for wearing her Halloween costume, which was of a Boston Marathon bombing victim. Two, Windows came out with this Windows Phone commercial attempting to imbue that such technology possesses the power … Read more“A Left Liberal Tendering of Protected Free Speech by Responsible Bureaucracy”