Tagged: commentary

Photo of the album cover by G. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. Released February 4, 1977 Happy 35th anniversary to one of the greatest albums of all time, Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours." If you only know the music (and not the back story) of Fleetwood Mac, you are missing out on one of the most intense Rock and Roll stories of all time about one of the most dysfunctional bands in history. Fleetwood Mac, a British Rock/Blues band was enjoying success in the late 60s when several [...]

Here at HAD, we are of two minds when it comes to the imminent "two disc" reissues of classic records. With bands we obsessed over before the reissues, they can be a bit of a let down: sometimes they don't include one or two key tracks, sometimes the ordering is less than ideal, and (let's be honest) it just hurts to see the tracks you paid hundreds of dollars to obtain as import B-Sides on one convenient $15 bonus disc. However, with bands for whom we had never invested that level of time and money the two [...]

I hate when real-life changes the film going experience. To clarify I do not mean that I dislike films that deal with real issues or real people. What I am talking about is when events in my own life alter the magical illusion that film creates. Normally it works the other way around. Even if the disturbance is only temporary, it ultimately keeps me away from watching particular films I usually enjoy. Such is currently the case with films that feature memorable car crashes. Toward the end of December, a day before New Year's [...]

REM is a strange beast, and in the wake of their breakup , one that deserves some examination. They unquestionably have had a lasting effect on the world of rock and roll, and their disciples are many. They also possess a singular character amongst their peers. Their image is neither rough or fashionable, but more fleetingly nerdy and awkward. Their hits are often angsty balladry or quirky pop melodies, and they often fill the roll of "cool" band for people who don't like "cool". However, here at HAD, our favorite REM moment has always been one that broke [...]

• R.E.M. - Tongue

Awards season is well underway. With the People's Choice Awards, the Critics Choice Awards, the Golden Globe Awards, and several other awards' events already in the bag, there've been no shortage of red carpets and acceptance speeches, and there's still more to come. I know people who despise this time in film because award shows dominate the airwaves at the start of the year, and can become redundant, predictable and boring. Some, like the People's Choice Awards, are viewed [...]

He spoke with his eyes, tear-filled A lump in his throat, his fear built My whole life it was instilled This ain't the way that men feel A feeling, he said he wish he could kill A feeling, not even time could heal (This is how real life's supposed to be? For it to happen [...]

Photo and video by G. Lana Del Rey Opinions are opinions obviously, but based on some of the ignorant comments I've heard in regards to the singer Lana Del Rey since her weekend appearance on the TV show Saturday Night Live that I've heard, I thought I'd offer my two cents about Lana Del Rey. I'm only saying these words as someone who sees HUNDREDS of live acts a year. That might not qualify me as an expert in live music, but I'll tell you one [...]

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The Best of Andy Rooney Volumes 1 & 2: Movies & TV This is kind of bullshit guys, because, let's be honest, you should just do a huge DVD box set that includes EVERY SINGLE ONE of Andy Rooney's curmudgeonly but cute and out-of-touch rants. According to Amazon, "Run Time: 245 minutes". Doesn't that seem like WAY TOO LITTLE ANDY ROONEY?

All throughout 2011 I was talking about 2011 being, like, the best year ever in music. People were freeing themselves like never before, artists were digging deep, and pulling brilliance from unexpected places. Women and men took chances! Crafts got perfected! Paradigms shifted! To me, when I heard Sufjan Stevens' The Age of Adz and Kanye [...]

Akira has been on my mind recently due to the controversy surrounding the remake. Like many fans, I was perturbed by the news that there was going to be a live action version made. Akira was an instrumental part of my development as a film lover. In the early 90's my discovery of Akira , along with others 80s films such as Barefoot Gen, Vampire Hunter D, Wicked City and Fist of the Northstar , taught me that anime could be more than just a thirty minute Saturday morning cartoon. [...]

Given our ecstatic love for SUUNS first full length Zeroes QC , we have to say expectations for their next effort were running painfully high. Luckily for us, the band must have anticipated the potential for backlash, as their new 12" EP Bambi/Red Song (cover above) is nothing but totally killer new material. SUUNS at Shea Stadium from the HAD Archive Comprised of only two [...]

Can's Tago Mago was reissued in a 40th anniversary edition November 15th. The 40th anniversary reissue campaign will continue all year, and we at The Tape found ourselves wondering: why? Why Can? Why now? Tristan: It seems to me that Can has a large place in the canon of modern music, even if their product [...]

In 2007, Okkervil River released the Golden Opportunities Mixtape as an early Christmas present (the record was released on December 12th) and a thank you to their fans. The record consisted mostly of popular cover songs, including renditions of tunes by Randy Newman, John Cale, Serge Gainsbourg, and Joni Mitchell. It's interesting to compare the [...]

A few months back I found myself in a rather interesting conversation about the film X-Men: First Class . I was at one of our local Toronto Blogger pub nights and conversation was flowing about numerous film related topics. Somehow I ended up defending the latest X-Men film. Now while I enjoyed X-Men: First Class , it is not necessarily a film I would usually go out of my way to defend. However, I found myself championing the film nonetheless. Like all good discussions about film, the conversation evolved into an [...]

Today, nostalgia is a pervasive pop culture element. Lists cataloging the best bands of the 20002s, best movies of the 902s, etc., build in us a feeling that all the best things have already been done. This feeling is no more evident than when discussions about music amongst music lovers arise. Political rock was never [...]

John Cale entered into the new decade on the high of two critically acclaimed records, Black Acetate and Hobosapiens , that saw him giving a nod to his poppier guitar based rock instincts, and blending them with some delightfully experimental use of electronics and synthesizer. As such, it should come as no surprise that 2011 finds Cale continuing on the same path, to similarly great success. Compared to the records mentioned above, Cale's latest, Extra Playful , is perhaps the most accessible of all. Where the others ebbed and flowed [...]

Two things: one, I never watched Degrassi. And two, I'm going to try to go this whole piece without using the K word. But I love Take Care and haven't felt this fulfilled by an artist's expansion of their previous work since Kanye put out My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Fuck. Including here at The [...]

We always like to spend holiday weekends with a new record. It gives us a chance to really dig into the meat of the record, and moreover, it gives us a really clear sense of space and time for that first listen. So it was that we pulled out M83 's latest Hurry Up, We're Dreaming. last night and gave it a spin. Suffice it to say, we were not disappointed. The two disc opus, which was recommended by HAD friend Nabocough , dropped back in October, [...]

• M83 - New Map

Busdriver is one of rap's strangest figures, but he's exceeded his weirdest offerings with his newest track, "NoBlacksNoJewsNoAsians." The first single from his upcoming Beaus$Eros is somehow both engaging and alienating, hammering home the "No Blacks, No Jews, No Asians" thesis over a post-disco-esque frantic assault of a beat. "Number 22 the sex offender Google [...]