764. The Icicle Works, If You Want to Defeat Your Enemy Sing His Song (1987) By most accounts, Ian McNabb was anxious for a hit when it came time to record the third album with his band the Icicle Works. … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #764 to #761
I appreciate honestly and accuracy in promotion, so I’d like to celebrate the simple guarantee offered by the trio Mountain Man in announcing new covers of John Denver songs. On their Facebook page, after pointing out they’d gone the extra … Continue reading This Week’s Model — Mountain Man, “Take Me Home, Country Roads”
I’ve been repeatedly certain I’d finally encounter the sunny side of Bob Mould for at least twenty-five years. Upon the release of File Under: Easy Listening, the sophomore album from Mould’s band Sugar, I hummingbirded around my college radio station, … Continue reading The New Releases Shelf — Sunshine Rock
768. Romeo Void, It’s a Condition (1981) The foundation of Romeo Void was laid when Debora Iyall met Frank Zincavage, while both were attending San Francisco Art Institute. Iyall had recently been inspired by Patti Smith concerts and felt she … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #768 to #765
“And it all feels harder than normal,” Jess Cornelius sings at the opening of the new single “No Difference,” over a spare, echoing guitar line. “And you can’t believe it’s happened again,” she continues, the last word stretched to about … Continue reading This Week’s Model — Jess Cornelius, “No Difference”
772. Van Halen, Van Halen II (1979) In the early part of their recording career, Van Halen moved quickly. The enormous sales of their self-titled debut and the similarly robust interest in the subsequent tour led the band to assess … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #772 to #769
When I write about music, there are a few synonyms I might employ to avoid repetition of the word “singing.” I’m partial to “belting,” but I probably need to retire the term. How can it be applied with any accuracy … Continue reading This Week’s Model — Lizzo, “Cuz I Love You”
776. Buzzcocks, A Different Kind of Tension (1979) Buzzcocks operated with a raw nerve openness (few other bands would be so brazen to release a single called “Orgasm Addict” in the nineteen-seventies), so it makes sense that their final album … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #776 to #773
I’m fully prepared to defer to John Darnielle if he posits differently, but I think there’s no story from Greek mythology with more of an indie rock vibe than that of Sisyphus. The story of a egotistical king who was … Continue reading This Week’s Model — Andrew Bird, “Sisyphus”
L7: Pretend We’re Dead (Sarah Price, 2016). A nifty video scrapbook posing as documentary, this film traces the career of the L.A. hard rock band L7. Largely avoiding details of personal entanglements, L7: Pretend We’re Dead dutifully ticks off the … Continue reading Playing Catch-Up — L7: Pretend We’re Dead; Cold War; Green Book
Coffee for Two 