This Ain’t Twitter

I heard a radio piece today about a music reviewer who tweets his reviews. Yes, he compresses his musings into haiku-like dispatches of 140 characters. It’s intriguing, though not enough to make me want to join yet another social networking site. Still, there’s something to the short-form review, particularly when one’s desk (I didn’t say my desk, I said one’s desk - stop pointing fingers) is weighed down by a multitude of new releases clamoring for attention. So herewith, the first (only

New Found Glory’s Don’t You (Forget About Me) Cover - A Music Review
New Found Glory’s cover album From the Screen to Your Stereo Part II included a version of the 1980’s hit song Don’t You (Forget About Me). The song, which was made theme of the movie The Breakfast Club, was originally recorded by the new wave band Simple Minds.

Video of the Day: God Help the Girl, “Funny Little Frog”
This Belle and Sebastian song from The Life Pursuit gets a Dusty in Memphis treatment in this great remake from Stuart Murdoch’s latest project. Related posts:Video of the Day: God Help the Girl, “Come Monday Night”Music Review: Shelby Lynne, “Just a Little Lovin’” (Lost Highway)DVD Review: “Funny Games” Related posts: Video of the Day: God Help the Girl, “Come Monday Night” Music Review: Shelby Lynne, “Just a Little Lovin’” (Lost Highway) DVD Review: “Funny Games”

TMR Music Review: Dave Mathews Band - Big Whiskey & The GrooGrux King
The GrooGrux King is a paradox. It is the return to some of classic song writing ala “Under the Table and Dreaming” or “Beyond These Crowded Streets”. The other side of the coin has some of the most angst filled emotional music ever recorded by the band. “Time Bomb” is a heavy stand out. Dave’s screaming over an electric guitar and Hammond organ is fantastic. The deep dark lyrics of the song adds to the theme. “Squirm” is another harder departure from typical DMB. I can hear a bit of old Aeros

The Strange Boys
The Echo - Los Angeles Live Review: 6/30/09 *** The Strange Boys have the youthful, wide-eyed good looks of a pop punk band, although once you start listening to their music, they are anything but twee and PG-rated. Jangly guitars, classic garage rock structures and scratchy vocals quickly make way for the kind of whiskey-fueled, devil-may-care nonchalance that bands like the Black Lips have popularized in recent years. By the time the band arrived on stage, the front row—previously occupi

TMR Music Review: Woodstock 40th - Sly and the Family Stone
Listening to the original Woodstock 3 LP vinyl set (later reissued on a double CD), one heard this rendition of “Dance To The Music” that was lifted along with the MEDLEY: Music Lover/Higher to comprise track 4 on CD 2 after iconic farmer Max Yasgur speaks. It was a dynamic slice of the Woodstock festival which now, thanks to Sony/Legacy’s 40th Anniversary Woodstock releases is -finally - and thankfully - put in its proper perspective. Along with previously unreleased material that origi

Jeff Beck at the Royal Albert Hall last night: music review
Saw Jeff Beck at the Royal Albert Hall in London last night, an idyllic way to spend a glorious summer evening before the predicted storms over the next few days. We even caught an old-fashioned Number 9 Routemaster bus complete with a proper conductor for the last leg of the journey, something that turns us passengers into ten-year olds, drawing smiles and getting us talking to each other. No mean feat for hard-bitten Londoners. The Hall is huge and we had good seats in the banked stalls facin

Changing the Face of Country Music The Way Carrie Underwood Does It
by Greg Shuey Ever since she won the much-coveted Idol crown in 2005, Carrie Underwood has enjoyed a very beautiful music career which turned her into a country music superstar. When she first sang in front of the show’s judges, she immediately earned their admiration. Her rendition of Bonnie Rait’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” was enough to earn her a golden ticket to Hollywood and make it all the way to the finals of the hit reality show. Each week, her stellar performances propelled her to

Music Review: Jacám Manricks - Labyrinth
Jacám Manricks’ work is an exploration of serious style and substance.

Fujifilm FinePix S2000HD
The Fuji?lm Finepix S2000HD has the look and feel of a digital SLR camera, but is aimed at those on a tighter budget needing a large zoom. The long lens – offering an amazing 15x optical zoom – and sturdy grip handle make it a chunky camera compared to compact cameras elsewhere. That said, it’s an incredibly comfortable device to hold and, with the addition of a built-in image stabiliser, this is the best option here for those looking to capture action shots without losing sharp focus. The 10