In an effort to expand our horizons and turn you on to some really cool new books concerning music, this is The Book Report , an ongoing series from guest contributor Christopher Ambrose. Text by: Christopher Ambrose for The Sky Report The Beautiful & The Damned: Punk Photographs by Anna Summa With everyone and their roommate posturing as a rock photographer with their underwhelming cellphone-camera snapshots of performances, it's inspiring to see the conscious images of someone that knows and cares about what they are doing inside a setting [...]
As the ghosts of summer depart, the skyline paints itself a solemn grey - the cool winds of loss become ever more apparent. Not only through heat, but also by the withdrawl of warm colours - even the vibrancy of reds and yellows dull somewhat, leaving a void of life in its place.Autumn is indeed the struggle, but soon even those steeped in brown tinted age must soon move on. It doesn't mean I
For anyone who would like to see some brilliant Post Punk 70's New Wave action tonight in London, then head on down to The Vic, Mile End for James Chance And Les Contorsions. It's destined to be a funky night of great music. Tickets £8. No related posts.
If there is one thing that is more frightening than Halloween it has to be Christmas. Strangers all around dressed in Santa costumes wanting to talk to your children and have them sit on their laps...any other time of the year the thought of this kind of thing going on would be the cause for Amber Alerts and stranger danger reports. Not to mention Santa knowing all your movements...he knows if your kids have been good or naughty. I think they put people like that on trial and put them behind bars. Or make them live [...]
Time for another Song Of The Day. I was going to include a track off the new Passion Pit album because Ive been digging that recently, but its just too sugary and I know I'll just be completely sick of it in two weeks time, like MGMT. So on with the time tested goodness. In the burgeoning UK music scene in the early 80's, Shriekback never quite got the credit they deserved. Consisting of members of Gang Of Four and XTC should have been a recipe for success enough. This tune comes from an early [...]
One night a few years ago, I was record shopping at this store called Rocks In Your Head, which used to be on Prince Street in SoHo. My friend Jessica brought me there for the first time after I met her at her place of work (an upscale spa with an A-list clientele) around the corner. There was a cute girl that used to work behind the counter, and she introduced me to bands like Orange Juice, Psychic Ills, and The Contortions. Although technically I don't think my asking, "What is this we're listening to?" counts as having her introduce [...]
James White: Christmas With Satan [ purchase ] Probably, everyone has heard the Waitresses song "Christmas Wrapping". But did you know that, in its original release, it could only be found on an album called "No Wave Christmas"? I knew, because, (guilty pleasure confession), I loved the song and had to have it. This almost proved to be a classic case of "bought a lousy album for one great song" syndrome. There was, however, one other song I fell in love with, (because I am hopelessly warped), and [...]
Play it: James Chance Irresistible Impulse (Box set sampler) Sometimes I think the Rhapsody additions are mysteriously connected to what I'm reading. Take for example yesterday's addition of the box set on James Chance entitled Irresistible Impulse . It comes on the very day I read the No Wave New York chapter in Simon Reynolds ' Rip it Up and Start Again: PostPunk 1978-1984 . [...]
The Sky Report
Easy Music for Difficult Ears
Mnuvrs
Twelve Months of Christmas
Waves at Night
Swan Fungus
Star Maker Machine
thus spake drake
Beach House covers Queen
Video: Nas – “Daughters”
The Bee Gees – Tragedy (Equateur Remix)
