Blogcritics Author: Glen Boyd

Music Review: Radiohead - The Best Of Radiohead (2 CD Special Edition/Single DVD Edition)

Glen Boyd — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:55:48 EDT

Far from being a label blowoff, the double CD and single DVD editions of The Best Of Radiohead are worthy additions to any fans collection.
I have to admit that I was a rather late arrival to the Radiohead party -- having not fully embraced them until they released their semi-electronica trilogy (minus one), in the form of the albums Kid A (2000) and Amnesiac (2001). Don't ask me why, but it wasn't until the release of those two albums that I really first started to...

New Album Releases 07/22/08: U2, David Bowie, Miley Cyrus, Nine Inch Nails, Paul Weller, Black Sabbath, CSNY, Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Fred Frith & More

Glen Boyd — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:28:13 EDT

Everything old is new again.
Someone at the labels must have been listening to all the pissing and moaning we've been doing here all year about the lack of new releases each week. Because holy crap, there is a lot to write about this time around.Not all of it is really what you would call "new" however. In fact, reissues and previously unreleased material from...

Music Review: Alice Cooper - Along Came A Spider

Glen Boyd — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 08:25:49 EDT

Before there was Kiss, before there was Marilyn Manson, there was Alice Cooper.
Before there was Kiss, before there was Marilyn Manson, there was Alice Cooper. Back in his seventies heyday, as the guy who more or less grandfathered the whole concept of rock theatre (or as it is most commonly known, "shock rock"), Alice Cooper was regarded as a genuine threat to the youth of America by just about everyone in a...

The Rockologist: The Beach, The Sea, and The Who

Glen Boyd — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 23:51:37 EDT

Check your local listings for VH1's Rock Honors: The Who. But if you love rock and roll, don't miss it.
When I was growing up in the seventies, I can honestly say that there were few artists that affected me in quite the same way that the Who did. On the surface, you had the fact that these four guys made one hell of a big noise. Yet in spite of the unhinged chaos that characterized their live performances, there was something lying underneath all of...

New Album Releases 07/15/08: Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, David Banner, Nas, The Hold Steady, Terry Adams, & More

Glen Boyd — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:21:08 EDT

The biggest, best bargain out there this week isn't even on the list.
Before we dive into this week's new album releases, we need to make mention of one very noteworthy item that doesn't even show up on this week's AMG list.Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band have just released a four song E.P. of Magic Tour Highlights. Following on the experiments of bands like Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails, this...

Music Review: John Mellencamp - Life Death Love & Freedom

Glen Boyd — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 10:29:02 EDT

Although, this isn't quite Mellencamp's Nebraska, the songs here still cut right to the bone.
As an artist, John Mellencamp has come a long way. From his earliest days as Johnny Cougar (the name given him by David Bowie's former manager Tony DeFries), John Mellencamp has most often been dismissed as an artist who, despite the sort of common man concerns expressed in songs like "Jack And Diane" and "Hurts So Good,"...

New Album Releases 07/08/08: Beck, Patti Smith/Kevin Shields, Albert Hammond, Jr., Billy Joel, Maroon 5, Melvins, & More

Glen Boyd — Tue, 8 Jul 2008 19:38:53 EDT

Saleski's back, plus Josh Hathaway on the new Beck. Did we mention Saleski's back?
Although we have before us another rather short list of new album releases this week, there are quite a few interesting ones to consider. The biggie this week is of course the new one from Beck -- produced by Danger Mouse no less. Our own Josh "Meet Him At Mary's Place" Hathaway will be along shortly to talk about that. Also worthy of...

The Rockologist Puts Together A 4th Of July 2008 Mixtape

Glen Boyd — Fri, 4 Jul 2008 07:03:24 EDT

In porn terms, Hendrix's "Star Spangled Banner" is what you would call the "money shot" of a July 4th mixtape.
By the time most of you read this, I'll be on my way to spend the 4th of July holiday with my buddy Dave, at his cabin up on The Lake. Dave and I are best friends dating back to our high school days, and 4th of Julys spent at The Lake are a tradition dating back at least that far.Over the years, the stories from our summers at The Lake are both...

New Album Releases 07/01/08: Celebrate America With Willie Nelson, Plus: G-Unit, John Mayer, Los Lonely Boys, My Chemical Romance & More

Glen Boyd — Tue, 1 Jul 2008 04:04:42 EDT

Happy 4th Of July!
With the big holiday week now upon us, the list of new releases hitting stores is not surprisingly a short one -- even by 2008 standards. So this week's rundown is likewise going to be short and sweet. Our cast of pickmaking contributors have also been given the week off, so you won't find a lot of fireworks here this time around.But...

Music Review: Willie Nelson - Stardust (30th Anniversary Legacy Edition)

Glen Boyd — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:56:42 EDT

If Willie was already a legend, Stardust forever cemented his status as an icon.
Over the short course of the history of popular music (at least as we define it today in the mostly American sense), there are but a handful of artists who stand out as truly iconic figures. These are those rare artists whose appeal transcends boundaries both artistic and generational. Gershwin, Berlin, Sinatra, and Bennett certainly all fall into...