Bublé invokes the nostalgia that underpins so much Christmas music by mimicking crooners of another era, Sinatra most notably. His attempts to show his versatility and relevancy come off as manufactured, stale pastiche, a bland, paint-by-numbers approach that succeeds only in being indistinguishable from the canon it reveres. Reminds us of: Frank Sinatra | John Secada | downtown department store window dressing Michael Bublé: Official | Twitter | MySpace
The (white) elephant (gift) in the room is that Under the Mistletoe , sounding more like a soundtrack to Valentine's Day than Christmas, consistently substitutes a conceit of materialism with a far more pernicious commodification of women and expects listeners to celebrate its multi-millionaire teenager as a romantic. Save your receipt. Reminds us of: Andy Samberg & Justin Timberlake but for serious | Mariah Carey Justin Bieber: Official | Twitter | Facebook
December's about here and you know what that means: no matter where you go there's going to be an insufferable amount of Christmas music. Maybe you got a taste this past Black Friday and you're already dreading the commercial nightmare that is fa-la-las and ding-dongs. Well have no fear, because we've got the best reprieve to hours of decking the halls and ringing bells. The Kooks have had a strong run of sold out shows throughout North America, and we've got a pair to their booked show at Crystal Ballroom on December 5. All you gotta do is [...]
![The Smoker's Club [Method Man, Curren$y, Big K.R.I.T.] - The Paradise (Boston, MA; Nov 23, 2011)](http://cdn.elbo.ws/posts/3891091_lg.jpg)
'Twas the night before Thanksgiving, and after 35 cities, The Smoker's Club tour planted in Boston for its final night. It was a tightly rolled evening, with four hours of entertaining hip-hop that brought MC after MC to the stage in front of an adoring audience. Sure it helped that each opening act was announced by Shiest Bubz (purple sour!), whose shopping bags of swag kept the crowd excited to catch a free smoke. Swag, plus a high level of cannabis and nicotine buzz, made for an intoxication slightly "legal" for the mostly 18+ throng pushed [...]
Achieving perfection is tough, but not if you're Merrill Garbus , the powerhouse behind tUnE-yArDs . Defining such perfection, in terms of music, can be tricky and difficult to explain as more than just a bias on the definer's part. But when considering the mesmerizing ability Garbus contains and distributes onstage and in the recording studio, the answer seems clear. This lady is perfection. Not to mention the queen of soul funk-pop. Garbus got her start as a mostly folk artist, then twisted things up monstrously for her 2011 release, w h [...]
Sinister and strange, Suuns' video for "Red Song" displays their frontman in black and white as he contorts and manipulates his face around the lyrics. Anyone catch the DBZ reference in the beginning?
I'm not sure any collection of words or set of images can really do justice to what it's like to catch a Deer Tick show right now. This is a band in their prime. They don't care who you think they should be. They know who they are, they know what they're doing and they're perfectly fucking fine with it. Now that's not to say they don't want you to like them. It's quite evident from lead man John McCauley's presence on stage that he wants you to enjoy yourself as much [...]
I'm not sure any collection of words or set of images can really do justice to what it's like to catch a Deer Tick show right now. This is a band in their prime. They don't care who you think they should be , they know who they are, they know what they're doing and they're perfectly fucking fine with it. Now that's not to say they don't want you to like them. It's quite evident from lead man John McCauley's presence on stage that he wants you to enjoy yourself as much [...]
How do you match up a live show to a contender for album of the year? Be M83 . The following are ways to be M83 live. 1. "Intro." Open with it. Definitely do not forget to bring the character on the cover of "Midnight City" to scare the pants off the audience first. 2. During "Intro," don't stop building, and when you think you can't build anymore, stand on a monitor and assert your rock-star status before launching into the ending, at which point, you may allow the audience to [...]
It makes sense that these images of WU LYF were rendered in black and white. Is there anything more appropriate for a band that has given us the starkest and more darkly potent record of the year? Contrast between the darker and lighter shades seems like the only true path to exploring the primal force that makes them shine. Check out Troy Burki's pictures of them above and go check them out in the future. Apparently, it's life affirming. DOWNLOAD: WU LYF - Cave Song (MP3)
When I was in fourth grade, I bought my first album. By that I mean I personally went out and bought my first album, myself. Granted, I got a ride from my parents and used the allowance money that they had given me, but it was all me. That album was the Foo Fighters' The Colour And The Shape . With that said, there is no inherent bias in this review, I promise. I took my seat in the sold-out arena and did what I had to do in an arena—justify being there. [...]
From the moment we heard Nas working a DJ Premier beat grounded by the Berklee Symphony Orchestra , we knew this was a must see movie. Just be careful what you google, as this is not a Ryan Gosling narrated documentary on the concerns of today's youths. Rather, this Amir Bar Lev directed film (known for "My Kid Could Paint That" and "The Tillman Story") asks five electronic artists/producers to sample anew the traditional genres of jazz and classical music. The resulting pairings ( Mark Ronson + Erykah Badu ; [...]
Tasseomancy began the night bejeweled in velvet, beads, silk, and plastic tribal bear masks. The masked bassist and of the two twin sisters (on classical guitar) played from folding chairs while the drummer from Austra tweaked knobs and buttons in the back. The style Immediately harkened the playful feminine mysticism of Bat for Lashes, Cocorosie, Cibelle, Stevie Nicks, and Lavender Diamond. And though they risked losing people by singing like choir girls about contemplating snakes, golden flames, and drink, the packed room was transfixed... and remained so until the end. Grimes [...]
Close your eyes and imagine what type of songs it takes to make 100,000 people sing out in reckless abandon. Think about how good they have to be, how perfectly coordinated and timed. Think about the outpouring of energy that is shed every time these vibrant souls hear their favorite played. Now think about seeing a show of this quality, and songs of this magnitude in a small venue. It's yours if you go see M83 . They are in take-no-prisoners mode right now, and they have a setlist of stadium-ready songs to prove it. As a fan, you [...]
Let us help your December get off to a great start with tickets for Tribes and We Barbarians . It will be a festive night at the Great Scott , part of a Fenway Recordings concert session on 12/7. If you have any love for Mystery Jets , then we'd be pleased to have your ears introduced to Tribes. Boston plays host for their first stateside show, and download their free EP for a preview of their rambunctious Brit-rock. We're sure that once a full album [...]
With its awkward design separating the primary performance area from the bar and the dance floor, Holocene isn't exactly conducive to multitasking. Want to dance to the DJs playing between bands? Fight your way through the narrow passage from the staging room to the front of the venue. Need a drink from the bar? Good luck navigating the crush of people who are either similarly thirsty or simply couldn't find a suitable place to stand. Hoping to check out the opener while waiting ages for your beer? There's a wall in the way. [...]
It's been almost 10 years since Seattle's Minus the Bear released Highly Refined Pirates . To honor this occasion, they have taken to the road to engage in the best trend around: the full album play down. Sponsored by nostalgia, and a wonderfully coordinated, but seizure-inducing light set-up , the boys came to Portland's Doug Fir to relive one their best moments in style. Our photographer, and resident Highly Refined Pirates -lover, Lymay Iwasaki was on hand to capture said beautiful lights, and soak up every sparkling sound coming off MtB's salad days. Lymay remarked that [...]
With the world population reaching 7 billion, Statik Selektah's latest LP is appropriately titled. However, it runs into a common Malthusian dilemma: no matter how varied and fertile the environment, some beats can only support so many MCs. With over 40 guest spots, Population Control is just too crowded. Reminds us of: All of your favorite rappers fighting for space at open mic night. Statik Selektah: MySpace | Twitter
On the first listen and many repeats after, we were blown away by M83's latest album, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming . This album can take you on an emotional journey with your headphones, so imagine the engulfing carthasis you'd get with giant monitors and a full band before you. Or rather, don't, because they're bringing their music to Wonder Ballroom this Friday, September 11, with the equally enchanting Active Child</strong. Listen to M83's "Claudia Lewis" above and see an in-studio performance of "Kim & Jessie" below for motivation, as if [...]
Another entry into a catalogue that's indispensible from top to bottom. Boozy, gritty, sexy, and heartfelt: Bad as Me is so thoroughly a Tom Waits album that the only question it has to answer is, "Why another Tom Waits album?" But then, why would anybody ask a question like that? Reminds us of: Rain Dogs | Swordfishtrombone | Small Change Tom Waits: Official | MySpace | Facebook
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![Niki & The Dove - The Fox [OFFICIAL VIDEO]](http://cdn.elbo.ws/youtube/l2f6UbMnlq4_130.jpg)
The Best Whitney Houston Covers: A Tribute
The Weeknd – D.D. (Chi Duly Remix)
