The Subways - A Brief History

 

In order to provide some context into my music preferences, I guess I should provide some insight into the I love the Subways, and it’s an unequivocal love that is a case of “Right band, right time” in every sense.  However, in spite of this, I don’t think that you can write them off just based on this.  In fact, I think that the most important music one will ever hear comes from this alchemy, and this is largely why the Beatles were so important.  But the Subways stand out because they are exactly what music needs at this point, and that’s a young and hungry rock band not afraid to seem a little stupid and trite while searching for its own voice, because when they do find their voice above their influences the band is a rock n’ roll hydra that towers over the accomplishments of their peers. 

Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

 

 (Note:  This is an advance review.  Wasting Light will be released in stores and online in the United States on April 12, 2011)

Wasting Light isn’t going to surprise anybody with its sound, but that’s par for the course with the Foo Fighters at this point.  What should surprise you is how tight the set is, and the hope is that the Foo Fighters can really pull off the neat trick of growing older without losing any of their fire.  As far as this year goes, I’m comfortable with claiming that it’s a great way to begin the summer, and is the strongest that the band has sounded in years. 

ArtSTALK - A New Home!

Hello reader,

I have found a home for my work on ArtSTALK, a blog site created and edited by students in the University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication.  This is exciting news because it now allows you to find a ton of other content from other soon-to-be influential bloggers, and it also pretties up some of my work a bit.  Check out my first post here, then go online and let me know what you think if you haven't already.  More new content is coming on the way, I swear it!

Reader Request

Hey everybody, thanks for the great comments, particularly on the Rebecca Black article.  I'm interested in doing a readers request review or analysis for my next blog post, and I'm looking for suggestions about what you think I should examine next.  I've got some great ideas for this blog, and I'm looking forward to my upcoming summer film series beginning next month, but I'd also like this to be a place where your voice is also heard, and one way to do it is through reader suggestions.  Put a comment on this site suggesting some media you want to hear, let me know what you want, and I'll begin working on it this weekend for a Wednesday posting!
 

The Strokes - Angles

The freshness of the Strokes has now grown somewhat stale, and what should be a welcome return to form has instead produced a shambling holding pattern.  For a band that once sounded like it knew exactly what it was doing and could do no wrong, Julian Casablancas and company take a few too many wrong turns here to really herald them as returning rock saviors. 

Rebecca Black - Friday

Today I will delve into how this video gets viewed over 36 million times from various sources.  This may take a while, so only read the first paragraph if you want my review of the track itself. 

Album Review - Beady Eye, Different Gear, Still Speeding

Finally, I decide to tackle some music from 2011!  Getting with the times seemed appropriate after the many looks back into history that we’ve offered, and it seems unfair to keep adding so many older acts without looking at where we are now.  Also, it’s my way of appeasing you for being late with last week’s review.