Whitney Sound of Another Time But Belong to This One
For a scruffy little band, Whitney clean up awfully well. They also take up more surface area than you might imagine. What started as two friends from Chicago (Julian Ehrlich, … Continue reading
I’m With Her: Gender, Fame, and the Exquisite Oddness of Neko Case
Gloomy, smoldering ballad “Curse of the I-5 Corridor” is the song I really want Neko Case to play on this drizzly, uncommonly cool summer night in Boston, but of course … Continue reading
Hamilton Leithauser’s Big Dream About Being Heard – Live in Concert
It’s a singer’s worst nightmare. Hamilton Leithauser is opening his mouth and nothing is coming out. At Boston nightclub Royale, the 39-year old indie rock journeyman is on stage belting … Continue reading
“Enjoy the Girls” – Savages in Concert
It’s a rookie mistake. Twenty years of tinnitus-inducing shows hasn’t provided me enough of a reminder to bring ear plugs to Savages’ concert at legendary Cambridge, MA venue Downstairs at … Continue reading
Pop Music’s Unyouth Movement: Why We Want To Remain 25 Forever
In a rare moment of candidness during last Sunday’s 2013 Grammy awards, pop music finally showed its age. An incredulous Nate Ruess, singer from the indie pop band Fun, had … Continue reading
Bros, Angry Pacifism and M83 — A curious concert review
Right up until the moment the big guy punches me, the show is actually quite enjoyable. It’s my second time in five months seeing M83 at Boston’s House of Blues. … Continue reading
Lana Del Rey’s Image Is More Compelling Than Her Sound
In a February review of Lana Del Rey’s mixed bag debut LP, Born to Die, I postulated that her image was more compelling than her sound. Three months later, I’m … Continue reading