Critics
Hear the whole SBTRKT album now!
Monday, June 20th, 2011One of my most looked-forward-to albums this year: From the record label hype: sbtrkt’s debut album pulls off a series of impressive feats: it’s bursting with fresh ideas, and yet it sounds immediately familiar. it’s sound-patterns and rhythms can easily soundtrack the ecstatic hands in the air dance floor moments as well as reliving the [...]
Has the internet killed local music scenes?
Friday, June 11th, 2010Interesting think piece : Has the internet killed local music scenes? Could this be said to explain the sameness of the Nike/Fader mixes we mentioned the other day? Share
That other list is out
Friday, January 22nd, 2010That other list is out LPs 1. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion – Domino 2. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix – Glassnote 3. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone – Anti 4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz! – DGC/Interscope 5. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca – Domino 6. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest – Warp [...]
NPR, NME (also P4k, Paste, Uncut) release “Best Albums of the ’00s” – Reliably, predicatably, play to own audiences
Thursday, November 19th, 2009NPR: An important distinction: We’re not looking for everyone’s favorite albums or songs, but rather ones that had some sort of historical significance. These are the game-changers — ones that signaled some sort of shift in music, or ones that were particularly influential in some way. We’re looking for the albums and singles people will [...]
One nation under a Moog.
Saturday, October 10th, 2009Simon Reynolds in The Guardian on the development of synth pop (in the UK in particular) Takes in quite a bit for a mainstream pub: One nation under a Moog | Music | The Guardian (Reynolds often publishes the uncut version on his site later. Share
Latest Odds on Winner of Mercury Music Prize
Wednesday, July 15th, 2009The Mercury Music Prize is a “prestigious” prize awarded to an album made by a British or Irish act in the previous year. Current top 5: Florence And The Machine 5.00 Lily Allen 6.00 Bat For Lashes 8.00 Doves 8.00 Little Boots 8.00 I’m a little surprised by Lily Allen and Doves being so high [...]
Steven Wells Says Goodbye
Friday, June 26th, 2009RIP Swells – He was equally annoying and entertaining, and never pulled punches. His takedowns of pompous and self important NME faves were always worth reading. Steven Wells Says Goodbye (Philadelphia Weely) Share
Christgau – Poptastic Bye-Bye – ARTicles
Saturday, March 28th, 2009Christgau on his recent peregrinations. Including Voice, stone, Blender and more. Really, theses days, who would want to be a writer? Poptastic Bye-Bye – ARTicles. (NAJP.org) Share
The Hardcore Continuum
Thursday, March 5th, 2009It’s that man Reynolds again. This time with an eloquent and informative breeze through his approach to the last 20 years of UK ‘ardcore. Remarkably readable and fascinating. Energy Flash – The Hardcore Continuum Theory and Its Discontents The text of a talk by Simon Reynolds delivered at FACT, Liverpool, Wednesday 11th February 2009. PLUS [...]
What is your sampling epiphany?
Wednesday, March 4th, 2009An unofficial compilation of tracks sampled by Massive Attack showcases the group’s aesthetic through the songs that informed it – and provides fans with the thrill of discovering the originals. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2009/feb/26/sampling-epiphany-massive-attack (Simon Reynolds at The Guardian, UK) Share
Sgt Pepper must die!
Friday, June 15th, 2007Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated? It’s meant to be a classic album, but all you can hear is a load of boring tripe … we’ve all felt that way. And so have the musicians we asked to nominate the supposedly great records they’d gladly never hear again Sgt. Pepper Must Die! (Guardian UK) [...]