liz phair exile from indieville by jay s. jacobs Okay, indie snobs, lay off of Liz Phair already, would ya? Yes, I know she was your poster girl back in 1993 when she released the rightfully celebrated alt-rock album Exile in Guyville, a lo-fi celebration of classic riffs and low life. Here was a cute alt chick that … Continue reading
hope partlow who she is… by abraham kuranga With a cute southern accent and an even more sincere demeanor, Hope Partlow has snuck onto the music scene and is ready to make a lot of noise. From her humble beginnings in Drummonds, Tennessee, Hope has had her eyes set on this moment for a long time. “I … Continue reading
The Dick Cavett Show John & Yoko Collection (Shout! Factory-2005) It’s 1971 and John Lennon is now thirtysomething. His life, finally, is getting interesting. Always on the cutting edge, this time he is on the verge of getting his peacenik ass thrown out of the United States, and not just because he is inflicting Yoko … Continue reading
The Frank Sinatra Show High Hopes (MVD-2005) The old and true adage that “it’s Frank Sinatra’s world – we just live in it” is best illustrated during his Rat Pack years, from the very late fifties until the early sixties. Here you see the Chairman of the Board in his glorious, power-pipe action, during one … Continue reading
Various Artists-So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross (J Records) After the tragic death earlier this year of one of the greatest soul voices of his generation, it is nice to see a tribute to this consummate artist and spine-tingly good singer who pretty much defined the quiet storm and smooth jazz genres. The lineup … Continue reading
Tristan Prettyman – Twentythree (Virgin) Who knew? It turns out that there is a burgeoning folk and rock subgenre coming out of the Southern California surf scene. First there was Jewel (who, granted, was a transplant), then Switchfoot, a group that values hanging ten as much as Christian Rock. Then came the surprise success of pro … Continue reading
NEW ORDER – ITEM (A COLLECTION and NEW ORDER STORY) (2005) Starring Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Gillian Gilbert, Stephen Morris, Ian Curtis, Tony Wilson, Bono, Arthur Baker, John Barnes, Rob Gretton, Quincy Jones, John Robie, Jon Savage, Peter Saville, Neil Tennant, Pete Tong and the voice of Jenny Seagrove. Screenplay by Pascal Laugier. Directed by … Continue reading
New York Metro Vocal Arts Ensemble Operation Opera by Ronald Sklar “Opera is the one art form that combines them all,” says José Alejandro Guzman, guest conductor for the New York Metro Vocal Arts Ensemble (NYMVAE). “If you like dance, singing, ballet, plays or orchestras — scenery or costumes — comedy or drama or melodrama … Continue reading
OUR LADY PEACE IN COMPLICATED TIMES BY JAY S. JACOBS It’s not a religious reference. Honest. They know, they know, the name Our Lady Peace sounds like it could be a designation for a Christian rock band. It could, however, that’s not what it’s all about at all. “I think people sometimes get fooled by … Continue reading
The Ed Sullivan Show Four Complete Historic Episodes featuring the Beatles (SOFA Entertainment-2003) Ironically, the Beatles’ impact on modern popular culture has been diluted and diminished thanks to the very thing they themselves hath wrought: their successors, wanna-be’s and imitators, wearing us down with forty years of excessive noise. These trashy new neighbors have brought … Continue reading
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