And his Top Five (sometimes of all time) LED ZEPPELIN “LED ZEPPELIN I” In 1970, Led Zeppelin started the term “heavy.” It was a year before I was born and a new era in rock began. The heavy aspect is mostly due to John Bonham’s powerhouse technical ability, and Jimmy Page’s unrelenting riffage. Another of Page’s contributions was the tone he … [Read more...] about Issue 10.21: Ear Shot
Ear Shot
Issue 10.20: Ear Shot
NATIVE GUNS “BARREL MEN” [INDIE HIP HOP] Hip-hop and activism collide in Barrel Men, a debut release by California’s Native Guns. Serving a clever pun on the ubiquitous barrel-encased, unquestionably male Filipino keepsake, the album claims a pivotal moment in Filipino-American music. While most chart toppers do a tad more than launch a thousand ho-downs, … [Read more...] about Issue 10.20: Ear Shot
Recent Releases by Badass Bitches
PEACHES “IMPEACH MY BUSH” [Canadian electro-punk] Peaches is an outright dirty, foul-mouthed slut. And I love her. As always, her lyrics are naughty as they wanna be on songs like “Tent in Your Pants” and “Two Guys (For Every Girl),” and take a slight political bent in “Fuck or Kill,” where she proudly claims, “I’d rather fuck who I want than kill who I’m told … [Read more...] about Recent Releases by Badass Bitches
Top Five CD’s by Bands I’ve Seen Live
RADIOHEAD TIE: “THE BENDS,” “OK COMPUTER” AND “KID A” I spent three grand last month to fly to California, just to see them play. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Their onstage energy, confidence and virtuosity were seared into my brain. These CD’s include a first in the history of music—three consecutive albums with not one throwaway song. Do yourself a … [Read more...] about Top Five CD’s by Bands I’ve Seen Live
Musical Comfort Food
“BEST OF THE BETA BAND” From the chilly streets of Edinburgh, Scotland comes The Beta Band. In 1997, three friends came together to form the band—vocalist Stephen Mason, drummer Robin Jones and DJ/sampler John Maclean. Their songs usually start with simple, catchy campfire song arrangements and Mason’s earnest Scottish-accented vocals. Soon layers of textures and electronic … [Read more...] about Musical Comfort Food