Entries from March 2007

The Smashing Pumpkins announce “comeback” show

March 28th, 2007

What? Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlain count as The Smashing Pumpkins? Since when? Oh, since Billy Corgan’s solo album tanked. A full reunion didn’t seem so important, then, I guess. Granted, Billy Corgan was inarguably the creative force in that band, but there were two other players…James Iha and what’s her drugs…D’Arcy? This is exactly […]

[Read more →]

Tags: gossip

Bloc Party retaliates to Oasis slur

March 28th, 2007

Never the wittiest man in the music business, Oasis’ Noel Gallager has slandered Bloc Party as “a band off University Challenge” (a long-running, British television quiz show). Coming from Noel, that’s actually not too bad, considering he wished members of Blur to be smited with Aids back in 1995. But Bloc Party isn’t taking this […]

[Read more →]

Tags: gossip

REVIEW: Amy Winehouse, Back to Black, Universal

March 28th, 2007

It does seem like there’s a rash of foul-mouthed British pop singers storming our shores lately. Well, ok, two. That’s not quite a storm. But Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse have kicked up enough press in the wakes of their respective US releases of proven overseas hits to make it seem like one.

[Read more →]

Tags: album-review

The slow death of the compact disc makes the indies more powerful

March 28th, 2007

Tower Records went under because it ripped off customers, overcharging by embarrassing margins that anyone with half a clue knew better than to pay. Most mall record store chains have died similar deaths for similar reasons, but that doesn’t mean the CD is dead. Yet. Slate’s piece today calls the constant CD doomsaying an anomoly, asking […]

[Read more →]

Tags: commentary

Mute Math, a video in reverse

March 28th, 2007

[kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/b13rc6DY74A” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /] The singer apparently learned to sing the song backwards. Reminds me of the old Gondry directed Cibo Matto video for Sugar water.

[Read more →]

Tags: video

Uh-oh, emo is losing its grip on America’s disenfranchised mallrats

March 28th, 2007

According to Punknews, heart on sleeve bedwetters, Thursday, are parting ways with Island records. Amicably, of course: “Everyone at IDJ has treated the band with respect and we are leaving on good terms with all our friendships still intact.” Right, right. This is all code for “we didn’t sell as many records as our shitty […]

[Read more →]

Tags: commentary · news

Modest Mouse debuts at #1

March 27th, 2007

We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank sold 133,000 copies, topping Joss Stone and some American Idol nonsense. It’s kind of hard to wrap my head around the fact that Modest Mouse is as big as it is. With The Shins, The Arcade Fire, and Modest Mouse all selling well, the Top 200 album […]

[Read more →]

Tags: news