Mixing hip-hop, rock, and punk, Coolzey’s 2014 album Hit Factory has the catchiness of a great summer record, lyrical smarts, and a sense of humor. Having seen him live, his recorded self captures the energy of his performances, while still allowing for additional production.
After writing about Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie songs, I couldn’t very well leave out Lindsey Buckingham’s contributions to Fleetwood Mac. So let’s get to five of my favorite songs from the man himself.
Beautifully sparse and melancholic, Nebraska is one of my favorite Bruce Springsteen albums. Between my original collection and my inherited records, I’ve ended up with two copies, and part of my fondness for the man’s music likely has to do with growing up hearing it. It was the same for my husband.
I love stumbling upon freebies from local bands while in record stores. During a recent stop at Rudy’s II in Missoula, Montana, I picked up this split single from Magpies and VTO.
In honor of Christine McVie returning to Fleetwood Mac and the start of the band’s extensive touring schedule, let’s talk about some of my favorite songs from the British singer.
“Me and Bobby McGee” may be the more well-known song in the Janis Joplin oeuvre, but my Pearl favorite is the short, (nearly) a capella tune that follows.
My first thought when playing this 1968 single is that the A-side and the B-side almost sound like two different bands. The Zombies’ “Time of the Season” is a well-known, somewhat moody song, and the flip, “Friends of Mine,” could be mistaken for a twee modern band.
For how much I enjoy and respect Patti Smith, I own far too little of her music. On CD, I have 1996’s Gone Again and 2000’s Gung Ho, and that’s it. I don’t even have Horses yet, which I realize is a major gap, particularly since the time leading into that album is so lovingly […]
Amazon’s mistake was my gain because I pre-ordered the CD version of Jimi Goodwin’s Odludek, and on the day of its release, I received the vinyl+download edition. I can always burn a CD for the car (for I am one of the last dinosaurs who still plays music such a manner), and now this column […]
Bluesy, triumphant and full on — I dig Small Faces. On a recent trip to Rudy’s II, the vinyl shop in Missoula, MT, I bought up all of their available Small Faces albums, and among them is this later offering, 78 in The Shade.
Acclimating myself to Leonard Cohen’s unusual singing voice took until adulthood. Low and creaky, Cohen sounds as though he’s easing his words through a crack in the wall. He sneaks up on you, and his literary style of songwriting appeals to me.
When I won a giveaway from Mom+Pop Records, I’d never heard of Sleigh Bells. Mainly, I’d entered because I wanted to win the “Varsity” 7-inch by Smith Westerns, whom I’d recently stumbled upon. Other goodies from Metric and Neon Indian were also included in the package, and I will get to talking about those records […]
The Rolling Stones’ 1971 album Sticky Fingers not only features some of their very best songs, it is also the album that features concept artwork by Andy Warhol. The original vinyl sleeve features a real working zipper, and friends, that’s just what we have here today.
2004! The year of my daughter’s birth, and also the year in which I felt like the decade really started to come into its own, musically. My personal favorites from this time skew a bit indie, yet I still include some popular tunes that I really dig. Let’s wander back, shall we?
1. Pop Pick: Allison Weiss Weiss got her start where new acts do these days, on the YouTubes. I fell in love with her adorably earnest cover of Bright Eyes’ “First Day of My Life.” It was a love deep enough to prompt me to try some of her original stuff. For your starter pack, […]