Tag Archives: Alternative Rock

Sonic Youth latest to be inducted into Hollywood’s Rockwalk: Critically acclaimed godfathers of alternative rock, Sonic Youth, have tirelessly charted new music terrain for nearly a quarter century. The underground American rock icons abandoned any pretense of traditional rock ‘n’ roll convention by redefining what noise meant within rock music, …

Concrete Blonde, the veteran trio led by singer-bassist Johnette Napolitano and guitarist Jim Mankey, recently released a fine new live double-CD, Live In Brazil, which proves they still have it. But while the group evolved into a moody pop band over the years, on their great ’86 debut (produced by …

Another amazing 20-year anniversary, Bronski Beat’s The Age of Consent. Twenty years ago I was not having an easy time adjusting to the knowledge that a very close family member was gay. I was not particularly homophobic – my wife at the time worked in retail and had many gay …

The rather stark photo on the cover of Annie Lennox’s new CD Bare reminds us she isn’t getting any younger, but it’s still hard to believe the Eurythmics’ (Lennox’s duo with Dave Stewart) best two albums, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) and Touch, were both released twenty years ago. …

I love EP’s, especially from new bands: short, sweet, no filler, no “bonus tracks,” no farts and sniffles in place of songs to fill up CD space – just the best a band can come up with to sell the world on their viability. I am convinced Eyes Like Knives …

Dawn and I were shaken out of white line fever on the Pennsylvania Turnpike when this one came rattling over the speakers, a raucous blend of Americana and garage rock, an unholy marriage of Black Oak Arkansas and Chickasaw Mudpuppies from a band incongruously generated by the Portland music scene, …

Legendary producer-record exec Denny Cordell and Leon Russell had a remarkable run with their Shelter Records in the ’70s. They formed the label after working successfully together with Joe Cocker, in particular on Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmentour, with Russell as the music director. They formed the label on Russell’s …

A self-recorded, self-produced, at times slightly over-the-top gem from NYC “supergroup” Cardia, consisting of Rival Schools’ Ian Love on vocals and guitar, Andy Action of 2 Skinnee J’s on drums, St. John Scott IV of Shudder to Think on guitars, and the Verve Pipe’s Brad Vanderark on bass. The action …

Al Barger wrote a very nice tribute to Joe Jackson for his 48th birthday just today. Coincidentally, Jackson’s most popular album has jsut been re-released in Deluxe Edition form. Night and Day, originally released in ’82, was Jackson’s move into nocturnal Tin Pan Alley pop and piano cocktail jazz, where …

The Sex Pistols hit the road this summer – will the road hit back? It is pointless to try to confront an antagonist such as Lydon in an interview format, especially a timed interview format: As first reported here, the cross-country, 13-date trek will launch Aug. 20 in Boston. The …