Magnetic Fields – Andrew In Drag (Live)
In March of 2012 Stephen Merrit released the best Magnetic Fields album since 2004's i. The album features songs with classic Stephin Merritt charm and benefits from vast improvements in production over recent releases. This album should have been nothing but aces, but it could have been a whole lot better (More...)
Robyn Hitchcock – The Executioner (Live)
I have had several conversations about which band/artist can claim responsibility for setting the precedent of touring behind a long since released back-catalog album that has reached 'classic' status for a full cover-to-cover live rendition. Many have done it, and based on my sampling, I have been generally pleased that the concept has taken hold (More...)
Avalanche: Best of 2011
Once again, the great releases of this year are roundly ignored by other 'best-of' music compilers - fools, one and all, but that is precisely why you come here. I am again mystified how some of these releases got such short shrift (More...)
OMD: History of Modern-Part 1, Talking Lound and Clear (Live)
OMD, the UK based new-wave pioneers and all around synth pop greats, debuted their first release way back in 1978 on Manchester’s renowned Factory Records. Their new album, The History of Modern – a slab of amped-up blood-rushing synth washes – is so good that it makes their storied back catalog obsolete (More...)
Peter Hook: Atmosphere (Live)
Joy Division's eponymous debut album, Unknown Pleasures, came out in 1980 and therefore Peter Hook, bass player and I am beginning to assume primary song writer, decided to throw a 30 year anniversary tour to commemorate the album (More...)
The Radio Dept: Lost and Found (Live)
Radio Dept is a cornerstone band off of the fantastic Swedish label, Labrador. In 2010, Radio Dept put out a very well received dream pop/shoe-gaze-ish album in Clinging to a Scheme (More...)
Chairlift: Take It Out On Me (Live)
Chairlift is a Colorado sourced outfit that relocated to Brooklyn several years ago. As has been noted here a time or two, any Male/Female vocal pairing, ala Human League, is almost always a good idea particularly with a synth-pop new wave type sound as Chairlift has, but is one that is effectively exploited. (More...)
Bad Religion: Requiem of Dissent, Avalon (Live) Pt 3/3
Bad Religion, while in New York took a break from their Dissent support tour, and played three special New York only shows - each dedicated to a different decade in Bad Religion's career, hence TSOI's special three part series. (More...)
Bad Religion: Flat Earth Society, Generator (Live) Pt 2/3
Bad Religion presumably had to relearn dozens of songs for these one-off shows, in particular during the 80s show where many of the songs clock in under two minutes all while supporting a new record. They did deviate from the featured decade sets by including some hits from other decades as well as selections from the new record. (More...)
Bad Religion: Latch Key Kid, Big Bang (Live) Pt 1/3
Bad Religion, the California pop-punk band, released Dissent of Man, their 100th Album (kidding, sort of) this year. This being 2010, and since How Could Hell Be Any Worse was released in 1980, that means the Bad Religion have been active for three solid decades. (More...)
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