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This Is How I Feel
One of the most frequently asked questions in music today is where is real R&B? Amongst the hip-pop, party-rock and other hybrid genres, no genre is missed more than authentic R&B. Thankfully, it’s finally time to call off the search parties because real R&B has been found in Tank’s 5th studio album This is How I Feel. more…
Elliott McKnight
I must admit I am not the biggest fan of a lot of today’s hip hop. However, The Beginning, an album by up-and-coming rapper and Howard University student Elliott McKnight, has definitely challenged my previous notion. Despite the pressure many mainstream rap artists feel to incorporate pop music into their sound, McKnight commits to sticking with several fundamental elements of 90’s hip hop. more…
Maps and Atlases (Photo by Charlotte Zoller © 2010)
I have been an ardent fan of Maps & Atlases ever since I had the good fortune of working a small show of theirs in Philadelphia, after which Dave Davison (singer/guitarist) played a short acoustic set on the sidewalk outside the bar. They are the rare kind of band that can capture your attention and hold it so much that there is absolute silence in the audience – even the Philadelphia streets themselves seemed to calm down for a moment, as if they were enchanted as well. On their latest release, Beware and Be Grateful, the Chicago-based band has lost absolutely none of their charm even as they have developed their sound beyond a largely acoustic aesthetic. more…
Snoop Dogg's latest EP
Snoop Dogg’s latest EP is entitled Stoner’s (just in time for 4/20), and if the title itself doesn’t hint at its lack of originality, its content will. The west coast rapper has certainly proven himself over they years, and his old school hits like “Gin and Juice” and “Who am I? (What’s my name)” have kept their staying power amongst stoner playlists. more…
Jones's new sound, like her new look, is edgier.
There are certain things that one comes to associate with the Norah Jones of the past. Red wine, perhaps, or a long stroll at night along gently lit streets. Maybe a nice cup of tea in the armchair by the window as it rains. Your mother puts on Come Away With Me as background music for dinner parties with work associates. That Norah Jones is still present on her latest album, Little Broken Hearts, but she’s back with a bit of an edge. more…
Monica
After releasing a successful album in 2010, Monica is back with her new album, New Life. But the question is: can she do it again? more…
Apparently being an Apparatjik requires the use of an unusual uniform.
So what exactly is an Apparatjik? Where can I get one? Does it come with various color options? These are the very important questions I first considered upon receiving this assignment (I’m sure you harbored similar ones as well). Never fear! I’m going to explain all of this and more. But first and foremost: Apparatjik is one of those fancy supergroup things that musicians do when they’re all well and famous because of the band that drove them to the top and perhaps bored by working within those same boundaries – and wow is this one weird. more…
The Used's new album, "Vulnerable"
The Used released their fifth album, Vulnerable, last Tuesday and I’ve been listening to it ever since. Being a fan of The Used since they started in 2002, I generally like everything they do. This being said, I haven’t been this into one of their albums since my favorite album of theirs, In Love and Death (which is tied at first with their self-titled debut). I like Vulnerable so much that it has just become my second favorite album by The Used, beating out Lies for the Liars. more…
“Port of Morrow” is The Shins first album in 5 years. In between this time, front man James Mercer had been spending time on his other project, Broken Bells with DJ Danger Mouse. The duo released their debut record in 2010 and it was unclear whether or not Mercer would make another Shins album. I was relieved a few months back to hear that The Shins were due to release new material in March, however I was also terrified of the result. more…
What is this, the British version of Justin Bieber multiplied by five?
I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t have a clue who One Direction were before I typed their band name into Google for the purpose of writing this article. I don’t tend to be incredibly up-to-date with a lot of stuff, trapped as I am in the magical realm of 80s and 90s punk music, but occasionally I will make the effort to drag myself into 21st century pop culture. more…
