Blogcritics Author: Michael Jones

Interview: Band of the Week -- Suffrajett

Michael Jones — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 08:15:15 EST

Boil down the fiercest rock and roll formula, add in an amazing woman vocalist, and you have the perfect band - You have Suffrajett, people!
In 2007 someone was kind enough to introduce me to the music of a band called Suffrajett, through a copy of their sophomore album Black Glitter. Even though I was mightily impressed with the album and the band itself, once I’d written my review I figured that was that, y’know?And it would have been if I had not been asked to contribute...

Music Review: Simon & Garfunkel -- Live 1969

Michael Jones — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 08:59:30 EST

Simon & Garfunkel in their prime? Yes please!
Even though I absolutely adore the music of Simon and Garfunkel, I’ll admit that my fascination for their music is one tinged with regret. Born in 1971, I did not have a chance to see them perform together in their prime years. Granted, they’ve since reunited and toured as recently as 2003… but that’s not the same,...

Mac Game Review: DEFCON

Michael Jones — Tue, 4 Dec 2007 01:53:18 EST

DEFCON reaches into the basic concept of "The war to end all wars" and delivers a simple yet amazingly solid gaming experience.
Have you seen the trailers for the latest Will Smith movie? The one where he’s the last surviving human on the planet? When you sit down and fire up Ambrosia Software’s DEFCON – you’ll come to understand that such a survival rate is unacceptable.Inspired by the 1983 cult-classic film “Wargames,” DEFCON is an...

Music Review: Band of the Week -- Inverse Order

Michael Jones — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:05:28 EDT

Want to get to know a band before they make it big? Come get to know Inverse Order, then!
This is a different experience for me. Usually when I'm reviewing a band's music, it is in the form of a physical CD. Which I'm usually twirling over and over in my hands, in the moments between actual typing, where I try to coax out one coherent thought onto the page, for a change. Inverse Order, as of yet, has nothing for me to twirl about and...

Interview: Band of the Week -- Inverse Order

Michael Jones — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 20:00:54 EDT

I only hope that I�ve managed to string enough coherent words together through the haze of Nyquil to inspire...
A few weeks ago a friend of mine suggested that I give a band a listen, to see if I might be interested in interviewing them for the Band of the Week feature. Of course, music junkie that I am, my answer was yes. The band? Their name is Inverse Order, and they're a group hailing from Auckland, New Zealand.The first thing I did was check out the...

Music Review: Maynard Ferguson -- The Essential Maynard Ferguson

Michael Jones — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 20:50:18 EDT

On this collection from Sony Music, the many musical facets of the late, great Maynard Ferguson are all revealed.
There is simply no possible way that any (or all) of my words will ever live up to the task of adequately presenting to you my thoughts on the music contained on the 2 CDs that make up The Essential Maynard Ferguson. Snowballs have a better chance in hell, quite frankly.How could simple words express the emotions that are flooding from the speakers...

Music Review: Anberlin -- Cities

Michael Jones — Sun, 7 Oct 2007 09:57:30 EDT

Anberlin shown me to give in to unknown albums that catch my eye... else I'd continue to have missed out on a great album in "Cities."
After slowly caressing your ears with the ethereal flow of Anberlin’s debut album, their latest, Cities, slams into action and your eardrums with the fiercely melodic “Godspeed.” All at once it is a song that commands your attention and lets you know that this is not a band that’s afraid of using the dynamics of sound and...

Xbox 360 Review: NASCAR 08

Michael Jones — Thu, 6 Sep 2007 12:13:04 EDT

How do you get to the finish line at the Indy 500? Practice, practice, practice... and a tighter grip on your controller!
Even though I've consistently proven myself inept at it time and time again, I'd like to think that I'm capable of not only playing racing games, but also of downright dominating them. Which is why, of course, that a spiffy new copy of NASCAR '08 has found its way into my house and onto my bedroom television via my Xbox 360. Now...

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

Music Review: Simon and Garfunkel -- Simon and Garfunkel -- Live 1969

Michael Jones — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 09:00:56 EDT

Even though I absolutely adore the music of Simon and Garfunkel I’ll admit that my fascination for their music is one tinged with regret; born in 1971, I managed to come along just late enough to not have any chance at seeing them performing together in their prime years. Granted, they’ve since reunited and toured as recently as 2003… but that’s not the same, really.Fortunately, with the release of Simon and Garfunkel – Live 1969, I’ve been given a sonic glimpse of what might have been. Recorded in the fall of 1969, at perhaps the height of their fame and precarious precipice of their working relationship, this 17-song disc chronicles what would turn out to be the duo’s final tour together for over 13 years.My initial thought, you ask? This might be the loveliest “farewell,” ever.The fact that it has taken so long to see the light of day — and to reach the ears of those it was meant to say “farewell” to — is, perhaps, something nearly as lamentable as the fact that I wasn’t even alive yet to have had a chance at seeing it take place in person.Beginning and ending with the simple and pure sounds of Paul and Art’s voices accompanied only by Paul’s guitar, the duo are joined onstage (for the first time ever during one of their tours, actually) by a band… and what a band! Arranged on stage were the amazing studio musicians that were the backbone of Simon And Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water album, which was set to be released shortly after these concert venues.Hal Blaine (drums), Joe Osborn (bass), Larry Knechtel (keyboards) and Fred Carter, Jr. (guitars) — yeah, I’d say that's a group worthy of joining them onstage.Now that I think about it… I’m not sure that this has done anything to temper my regret over having been born too late to experience S&G in their prime. Instead, it’s probably added to it. Listening to the amazing versions of “The Boxer,” “Why Don’t You Write Me,” “At The Zoo,” That Silver-Haired Daddy Of Mine,” and “The Sound of Silence” — this album has left me in equal amounts of gratefulness and wistfulness.I’m glad to have been able to listen to this and review it, but I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to be “there” and listen to it. This is a lovely album and when it finally arrives in local music store on September 18th, 2007, I can’t recommend it enough. With the duo having the wonderful choices allowed by working their way through a career of amazing songs, Simon and Garfunkel – Live 1969 is armed with an amazing set list:01. Homeward Bound02. At The Zoo03. 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)04. Song For The Asking05. For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her06. Scarborough Fair / Canticle07. Mrs. Robinson08. The Boxer09. Why Don’t You Write Me10. So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright11. That Silver-Haired Daddy Of Mine12. Bridge Over Troubled Water13. The Sound Of Silence14. I Am A Rock15. Old Friends / Bookends Theme16. Leaves That Are Green17. Kathy’s Song

Music Review: Silverchair -- Young Modern

Michael Jones — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 09:47:51 EDT

It was with some trepidation that I dropped Young Modern, the latest album by Silverchair, into my home stereo. One a devoted fan of the band, and especially of their talented front man Daniel Johns, I’m sorry to say that I’d lost the taste for the direction that he seemed determined to aim his musical sights.Of course, I understand that a truly talented musician cannot keep repeating themselves and trying to maintain the same exact sound throughout their life and career, but when you work your way down a particular path for your first four albums and have as solid of a fan base as you can ever imagine… only to throw everyone a gigantic curveball and send your fifth album out on sonic ledges you’ve never even hinted at.Seriously, the difference between the first four Silverchair albums and their fifth, Diorama, were jaw dropping. I’m not saying that the music on that album wasn’t beautiful and unique in a lovely way, but I’m also not sure that it wouldn’t be as jarring a listen to unprepared ears as it would be if Metallica suddenly decided that bluegrass was the perfect direction to head next.It was just… weird and something that made me shy away from listening to Silverchair for quite a while. Of course, the fact that Silverchair seemed to drop off the face of the earth for a number of years — due to Daniel Johns health concerns — made it easier to dismiss the band as something akin to a rock engine that had seriously blown a gasket and was stranded along the road of my memory.Of course, this all brings us to the point where I’m now listening to Young Modern, Silverchair’s latest album, and finally beginning to understand why the sonic detour that was Diorama was necessary. Merged into the churning guitar riffs and sublime rock sensibilities of the earlier incarnation of Silverchair, I can now hear the fruits of melody and lush instrumental harmonies that seem to have been born of that album’s seed.While not as mainstream as their previous albums — minus, of course, Diorama — Young Modern is a damn nice album. Filled with moments of frantic guitar hooks, bouncy keyboards, and enough sheer talent flowing out of an apparently healthy and rejuvenated Daniel Johns to light up half the world… I just love it.Having said that, I don’t think that this album will bring the band back to the heights of Frogstomp, Freak Show, or Neon Ballroom. No, those days are over and done with I’m afraid. What it will do — what it does do, actually, and quite well — is signal that this is a band determined to grow and allow itself and its sound to become whatever its slender muse of a front man can dream of…I think I’m finally at a place and an age in my life when I can honestly say that that is pretty much all I can ever ask of a band. That, and whether it is okay or not if I climb back aboard and be counted as one of their fans, so that I can enjoy the ride as well.Silverchair’s Young Modern is a really good album by a damned good band. I’m glad to see these guys back to playing rock music, and I’m glad I had a chance to review this album.