As a Rocks Backpages reader you’re clearly a fan of the way music journalism used to be; in-depth, well informed and lengthy. You’re probably not a fan of what passes for music journalism now; constant lists that try to pass … Continue reading
STAY SHARP – FOLLOW OUR DAILY MUSIC QUIZ ON TWITTER To get your very own daily music trivia quiz (with links to the answers) simply go to https://twitter.com/#!/rocksourcetweet . Questions are based on the world’s biggest chronological music facts database, … Continue reading
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BILLBOARD TOURING CONFERENCE, NYC NOV. 3-4, 2010 2010 WTF? The Agent Perspective: According to booking agents on this roundtable, none of their artists lost money, and none of their tours were cancelled or curtailed. Obviously the … Continue reading
The last time New York went through an “economic downturn”, Bronx-native Sal Abbatiello started using his father’s South Bronx bar to showcase local hip-hop deejays and rappers, while Michael Brody and Larry Levan threw contruction parties for the soon to become legendary Paradise Garage! Continue reading
Uncut , March issue Lo-fi tinkerer completes his transfiguration into major artist. When Matt Ward released his first solo album, Duet For Guitars #2 , in 1999, he appeared to be yet another hermit in his bedroom with a 4-track recorder, inhabiting his private universe at the margins of the bustling indie scene. But through the course of the ’00s, the Portland, Oregon, native has progressively shown himself to be a multitalented art monster, popping up all over the map and establishing himself as a go-to guy musician. Continue reading
ALBUMS Pictures and Sound, Pictures and Sound (Vanguard) Randy Newman, Harps and Angels (Nonesuch) TV on the Radio, Dear Science (Interscope) Kings of Leon, Only by the Night (RCA) Mudcrutch, Mudcrutch (Reprise) My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges (ATO) Beck, Modern Guilt (DGC) Teddy Thompson, A Piece of What You Need (Decca) Explorers Club, Freedom Wind (Dead Oceans) Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes ( Sub Pop) Lindsey Buckingham, Gift of Screws (Reprise) Ray LaMontagne, Gossip in the Grain (RCA) Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend (XL) Elbow, The Seldom Seen Kid (Fiction/Geffen) Matthew Sweet, Sunshine Lies (Shout! Factory) Death Cab for Cutie, Narrow Stairs (Atlantic) The Raconteurs, Consolers of the Lonely (Third Man/Warner Bros.) Robin Danar, Altered States (Shanachie) Boz Scaggs, Speak Low (Decca) Lucinda Williams, Little Honey (Lost Highway) Coldplay, Viva La Vida… (Capitol) Brian Wilson, That Lucky Old Sun (Capitol) John Mellencamp, Life Death Love and Freedom (Hear Music) Willie Nelson/Wynton Marsalis, Two Men With the Blues (Blue Note) Shelby Lynne, Just a Little Lovin’ (Lost Highway) THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar) ESSENTIAL ARCHIVAL RELEASES Neil Young, Sugar Mountain – Live at Canterbury House 1968 (Reprise) Bob Dylan, Tell Tale Signs: Bootleg Series Vol. 8 (Columbia Legacy) Nick Lowe, Jesus of Cool (Yep Roc) Dennis Wilson, Pacific Ocean Blue (Caribou/Epic Legacy) Blue Ash, No More, No Less (Collectors Choice/UMe) CONCERTS Radiohead (@ Hollywood Bowl) gets the godhead award. Kings of Leon (@ Nokia Theatre) is rapidly growing into the best rock & roll band on the planet, period. Continue reading
