840. The Fixx, Walkabout (1986) Formed in London in 1979, the Fixx were a regular presence on album rock radio throughout the decade that followed. Despite indications that they might be able to cross over to the Top 40 charts … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #840 to #837
I don’t have much to add about this review, originally written for my former online home. I’m a little surprised it’s as long as it is, given this is a film I’ve barely spared a thought for in the years … Continue reading From the Archive — The Last King of Scotland
Thirty years ago, in the fall of 1988, Keith Richards released his debut solo album, Talk is Cheap. Under any circumstances, the first out-on-his-own record released by the lead guitarist in one of the biggest and most important rock ‘n’ … Continue reading One for Friday — Keith Richards, “Take It So Hard”
Drew Goddard’s feature directorial debut, The Cabin in the Woods, has aged very nicely for me. The film’s impish deconstruction of the horror genre was fun from the start, but the layers of cunning stirred in me a long-lasting appreciation for … Continue reading Now Playing — Bad Times at the El Royale
These posts are about the songs that just barely failed to cross the key line of chart success, entering the Billboard Top 40. Every song featured in this series peaked at number 41. By 1991, discerning music fans with perspective … Continue reading Top 40 Smash Near Misses — “Your Song”
And Nothing Hurt is the sound of a seasoned rock ‘n’ roll artist in beauteous collapse. On the eight studio album with Spiritualized (and the first in six years), Jason Pierce doesn’t sound worn out, not in the slightest. But … Continue reading The New Releases Shelf — And Nothing Hurt
T2 Trainspotting (Danny Boyle, 2017). From the moment it was announced, director Danny Boyle’s choice to develop a sequel to his breakthrough film, Trainspotting, struck me as highly suspect, a seemingly desperate creative retreat for a filmmaker whose recent projects — … Continue reading Playing Catch-Up — T2 Trainspotting; Game Night; RBG
844. Adrian Belew, Lone Rhino (1982) When Adrian Belew released his solo debut, Lone Rhino, he already had a resume heavy with time served alongside iconoclastic geniuses. In the prior decade, he’d been a showcase guitarist alongside Frank Zappa, David … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #844 to #841
As Ryan Gosling blasts into theaters as Neil Armstrong, I’ll take advantage of this space to look back to when he was still venturing on occasion into a different kind of character role. I think this might still represent his … Continue reading From the Archive — Lars and the Real Girl
Thirty years ago, in 1988. Fairground Attraction released their debut album, The First of a Million Kisses. The band hailed from the U.K., where they managed to top the charts with the very first single they released, the aptly titled … Continue reading One for Friday — Fairground Attraction, “Perfect”
Coffee for Two 