Category: Music
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Arcade Fire close out Coachella set with bouncing balls of light
Arcade Fire closed their Coachella set with the anthemic “Wake Up,” adding some crowd interaction with a couple hundred glow in the dark, multi-colored beach balls.
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Record player wedding invite
Graphic designer Kelli Anderson creates a wedding invitation for her friends Mike and Karen that forms a papercraft record player. The resulting booklet is comprised of a cover, two inner pages, a letterpressed band (with instructions and a tear-off RSVP postcard), and a flexdisc on a screwpost. The recipient bends the second page of the […]
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Review: The Script – Science & Faith
If you like The Fray, Five For Fighting, Yellow Card or any other pop-punkish band, you’ll enjoy The Script and their Science & Faith album. Simple hooks, beats and melodies work with O’Donoghue’s earnest lyrics. At times, there’s a sense of urgency (closer, Exit Wounds) or bombast (Walk Away, which features B.o.B) or contemplation (Nothing).
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Carolina Chocolate Drops – Genuine Negro Jig
Carolina Chocolate Drops’ album Genuine Negro Jig is a throwback, reviving traditional country, bluegrass string and jug music. It begins with an instrumental led by a fiddle that sets the tone for the remaining tracks–music from an era that mp3s forgot. Simple, direct and earnest, the album includes a mix of originals and traditionals. The […]
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Brandon Flowers – Flamingo
Brandon Flowers’ solo album, Flamingo, is a good, solid collection of tracks. With Las Vegas as his back drop, flowers tells stories of those to succumb or persevere in the bright lights. He varies the tempo and pacing of the album, beginning with a soaring Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas and kicks it up with […]
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Social Distortion – Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes
Some thoughts on Social Distortion’s latest, Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes: Mostly sounds like garage rock with some bluesy riffs. Not too many punk chord progressions. Stand out tracks: Alone & Forsaken (direct and punky), Still Alive (closer, anthemic), Bakersfield (6.5 minute bluesy guitar anthem story) Some songs go on too long, with half the […]
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A rock show at your house
If bands/artists playing intimate shows to 50 people at someone’s house is a trend, that’s a trend I can fully support. “It was at my friend Bodie’s small apartment in Boulder, and Joe Pug was playing,” said Browne, who writes and edits the popular website Fuel/ Friends. “There were probably 40 people in a tiny […]
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PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
PJ Harvey’s Let England Shake contains numerous songs, full of atmosphere and reverb. Some vocals don’t seem to make it through all the layers of production. The only standout track, to me, is On Battleship Hill, but only because it feels tribal, like something Enya would do. Not really impressed with this album.
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Cage the Elephant – Thank You Happy Birthday
Cage the Elephant’s Thank You Happy Birthday takes you on a roller coaster ride through an amalgam of 90s rock. In the layers of drums, guitars, bass and slightly nasal vocals, you’ll hear influences of the Pixies who experimented with sonic textures; effect laden guitars, ala Smashing Pumpkins; simple chord structures in the vein of […]
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Some Kind of Trouble – James Blunt
Some Kind Of Trouble by James Blunt is offensively bland. Nasal, sugary, signer songer writer pop that all sounds annoyingly similar.