Lana Cooper

Features

The Importance of Being Morris: Fop vs. Fop and Duality in Purple Rain

In both Purple Rain and Graffiti Bridge, "The Kid" is pitted against Morris Day in a battle for artistic and commercial supremacy in the Minneapolis club scene. Lana Cooper digs deeper than that, though, showing that the characters are not too dissimilar, examining the psychological implications of both leads actions in these films, rife with business-minded headgames and personal attacks through pop music. [3 June 2009]

Spidey Turns Slacker?!: Great Power, Not So Much Responsibility

As Marvel Comics turns back the clock on Spider-Man, returning him to the struggling single life, questions erupt about the relationship of hero to audience. [8 April 2008]

Make Mine Vanilla: Season Sanjaya Six and the American Idol Illusion

Far beyond the media sensation of adoration and hate that surrounded Sanjaya Malakar's stint on Idol is how his booting laid bare how empty and soulless the whole affair has become. [21 May 2007]

Reviews

CookBook: I Love the ‘80s

CookBook loves the '80s a little too much, thoroughly abusing his sampling privileges by cribbing large chunks of the decade's hits and recycling them in full. [26 October 2009]

Jefferson Airplane: Jefferson Airplane: The Woodstock Experience

Jefferson Airplane is a lot like Woodstock itself: rightfully iconic, yet slightly overrated. Fittingly, their live performance at the festival is forever enshrined on this two disc set. [23 October 2009]

Crüe Fest 2: 19 August 2009 - Holmdel, NJ

Undeterred by the sweltering heat -- the kind that forms a sweat-'stache on your upper lip within milliseconds of being exposed to its nuclear-level humidity -- roughly ten thousand rock fans turned out to Holmdel, NJ's PNC Bank Arts Center Amphitheatre to catch Crüe Fest 2. [24 September 2009]

The Who: The Who Sell Out (Deluxe Edition)

Long before the Who could be heard on nearly every television and movie soundtrack, they lampooned their "sell out" status on this '67 classic, now remastered and re-released. [28 August 2009]

Esser: Braveface

Esser rises above his humble, post-punk drummer roots with his debut offering, a solid attempt at reviving Brit-pop with a decade-hopping, electropop twist. [12 August 2009]

Post Honeymoon: Post Honeymoon

Post Honeymoon's debut of retro goth club music isn't the disc you'll break out at your next party -- unless that party involves a casket. [5 August 2009]

Method Man and Redman: Blackout! 2

Method and Red don't recapture lightning in a bottle, but Blackout! 2 gives their patient fans a solid disc of party anthems ten years later. [9 July 2009]

Marilyn Manson: The High End of Low

Marilyn Manson goes back to his roots on his seventh studio album. Suddenly, self-destruction is fun again! [29 May 2009]

CKY: Carver City

Diverse in its array of metal influences and exhibiting a more finely tuned sound than ever, CKY's concept album sees the band on a dark summer vacation. [28 May 2009]

Benjamin Taylor: The Legend of Kung Folk: Part 1 (The Killing Bite)

Yes, Benjamin Taylor is the son of Carly Simon and James Taylor. No, he doesn't sound like either of them, as evidenced by his latest disc full of reggae-tinged folk. [14 May 2009]

Various Artists: The Rough Guide to Klezmer Revolution

The Rough Guide to Klezmer Revolution brings multiple artists together on this compilation showcasing traditional klezmer with a modern, multi-genre flavored twist. [13 May 2009]

Steve Singh: Heavy Metal Sunset

One man band (and production/recording team) Steve Singh offers quirky, electronic folk on his newest creation, Heavy Metal Sunset. [3 May 2009]

Bayside: Shudder

In terms of a genre album, with Shudder, Bayside stands head and shoulders above their more mainstream-acclaimed emo contemporaries. [11 February 2009]

Asylum Street Spankers: What? And Give Up Showbiz?

The Spankers go vaudeville in a two-disc live album recorded during their two-week off-Broadway engagement, showcasing the band at their best and worst. [29 January 2009]

Melissa Etheridge: A New Thought For Christmas

Offering earthy, uplifting renditions of holiday classics alongside new, poignant pieces, Melissa Etheridge decks the halls and shakes the walls on her Christmas offering. [10 December 2008]

Straight No Chaser: Holiday Spirits

The ten-man a capella ensemble known for fresh reworkings of pop classics attempts to breathe life into stale Christmas leftovers with mixed results. [8 December 2008]

New Kids on the Block

Having been a lifelong metal head, I was curious to see how fans at the other end of the musical spectrum behaved at live shows.

Cheap Trick: Budokan!: 30th Anniversary Collector’s Edition

Celebrating their career-making romp at Japan's Budokan 30 years ago, Cheap Trick offer a four-disc set that fans will no doubt "Surrender" to. [5 December 2008]

Queen + Paul Rodgers: The Cosmos Rocks

Queen's first studio album of new material in 13 years continues their legacy with Rodgers adding a bluesy-er element to Queen's awesome majesty. [7 November 2008]

The Uglysuit: The Uglysuit

Filled with complex arrangements and cheery optimism, the Uglysuit's debut is a an impressive venture for seasoned musicians, much less a sextet of 20-something Okies. [23 October 2008]

Ying Yang Twins: The Official Work

Ying Yang Twins rehash the same, uninspired samples that have been passed around more times than a crumpled dollar bill at a strip club. [13 October 2008]

The Birthday Massacre: Looking Glass

The Birthday Massacre pads their catalogue with another EP, remixing and rehashing previous material and throwing a few new bones to die-hard fans. [23 September 2008]

H.I.M.: Digital Versatile Doom

Finnish "love metal" outfit H.I.M. offers a sublime slice of live with a two-disc CD and DVD set showcasing their intimate live show. [20 August 2008]

The Faint: Fasciinatiion

Four years after their last album, indie-punk synth-addicts the Faint develop a lyrical social consciousness to go with their dance-friendly ditties. [8 August 2008]

Saawariya

The wonder of love and heartbreak with breathtaking visuals and top-notch Bollywood song and dance. [9 July 2008]

The T4 Project: Story-Based Concept Album

A collective of punk luminaries gather for a politically-charged concept album so elaborate it took two-and-a-half years to complete. [7 July 2008]

Othello (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Production)

The Globe Theatre Production of Othello offers outstanding dramatic performances from its entire cast and lightens the mood with unexpected comedy. [23 June 2008]

Partition

This hastily crafted Sikh/Muslim love story is barely salvaged by lush cinematography and a few fine performances. [28 May 2008]

The Dollyrots: Because I’m Awesome

Power-pop/punk hasn't been this fun in a long time! [15 May 2008]

Nerf Herder: IV

The nerd rock favorites take too lingering of a walk down memory lane, revisiting older material in a way that seems more bitter than sweet. [7 May 2008]

Mrs. Doubtfire

This film about a charmingly warped, desperate, and divorced dad in drag has held up well 15 years after its original release. [16 April 2008]

The Kooks: Konk

The Kooks step into Ray Davies' studio, name an album after it, and come away with a disc full of punchy riffs, chords, and provocative lyrics. [14 April 2008]

Army of the Pharaohs: Ritual of Battle

The vast collective Army of the Pharaohs may lack the mainstream recognition of Wu-Tang, yet prove to be a force to be reckoned with on their second album. [2 April 2008]

The Lost Book of Nostradamus

The History Channel slums it with this sensationalistic account of the recently-unearthed contents of Nostradamus' lost book of prophecies. [12 March 2008]

Tiësto: In Search of Sunrise 6 - Ibiza

Tiësto bangs out another two-disc compilation, this time accurately capturing the ancient, yet modernly beachy party atmosphere of Ibiza with a collection of tracks he's put his own midas touch on.

Bob Marley and the Wailers: Another Dance: Rarities From Studio One

Probably not the Bob Marley and the Wailers you're used to, Another Dance captures the group in their early years as they evolved from a Jamaican doo-wop sound to the reggae icons Marley and company would eventually become. [4 March 2008]

Ambitions: Stranger

A better-than-average debut, Connecticut's Ambitions serves up some melodic hardcore as they attempt to dodge hardcore genre clichés and infuse their lyrics with subtle references to classic literature. [26 February 2008]

Southway: Somapop

Southway dodges the "sophomore slump" on Somapop and evolves into a punk-n'-funk beast, dishing out danceable protest tunes among other good-time rags. [19 February 2008]

Friends of God: A Road Trip with Alexandra Pelosi

While the film underscores the sharp division between Red- and Blue-State (of mind) ideologies, it only begs the question of why there can be no middle ground. [11 February 2008]

Baby Bash: Cyclone

Baby Bash breathes some new life into the hip-hop/R&B genre by infusing it with old-school, '80s and '90s flavor. While his latest could easily have become just another clone, Bash rips through the hip-hop landscape with a Cyclone. [8 February 2008]

2Pac: The Best of 2Pac - Part 1: Thug / The Best of 2Pac - Part 2: Life

Two separate best-of discs highlight the multi-faceted career of Tupac Shakur, throwing in a few unreleased tracks and remixes to sweeten the deal. [21 January 2008]

Siouxsie: Mantaray

It took Siouxsie Sioux nearly 30 years to complete her first, full-length solo album, an eclectic mix of styles ranging from industrial to jazz. Mantaray was worth the wait. [18 January 2008]

Mack 10: Foe Life: The Best of Mack 10

Mack 10's best-of compilation doesn't offer any new tracks to sweeten the deal, however, it is still a solid career retrospective of head-bobbing rhymes to make the collection worth your time. [8 January 2008]

Mom, Have You Seen My Leather Pants? by Craig A. Williams

The title of Craig A. Williams' memoir just about sums it all up. It's worth reading anyway. [2 January 2008]

London After Midnight: Violent Acts of Beauty

Taking a new, more politically aware direction and adopting a more pared-down sound, L.A. gothic-industrialists come up with mixed results. [17 December 2007]

Martha Graham: Dance on Film

Watch for the three outstanding performance restored to pristine, black-and-white clarity. Stay for the scores of bonus features that paint a well-rounded portrait of Graham as a persona and artist. [13 December 2007]

Psychostick: The Flesh Eating Rollerskate Holiday Joyride

On their latest EP, the Christmas themed The Flesh Eating Rollerskate Holiday Joyride, Psychostick pokes fun at their genre of choice, the oft cliché riddled hardcore/metal scene. [3 December 2007]

Various Artists: Hear Something Country Christmas 2007

A solid mix of old and new in the way of both artists and holiday offerings, Hear Something Country Christmas 2007 bears gifts for every type of country fan.

Shawn Lees Ping Pong Orchestra: A Very Ping Pong Christmas: Funky Treats From Santas Bag

Fun and funked-out to the gills, Lee's Yuletide effort merits year round replay value, not just during the holidays. [27 November 2007]

Various Artists: Monster Ballads Xmas

Hair metal makes a Christmas-comeback on Monster Ballads Xmas, the latest disc in the Monster Ballads franchise, providing a fun, musically sound dose of hairsprayed holiday hijinx. Just keep your Aqua Net-ted locks away from your menorah or Yule log. [21 November 2007]

Various Artists: Country Christmas

Well… This one'll put the kids to bed before Santa comes. And maybe Mom and Dad, too. [20 November 2007]

Token Entry: The Re-Issues

Delivering considerable bang for the fans' buck, Token Entry re-issues two of their albums in a single-disc format. The result is solid starter kit for newer fans just discovering these forefathers of the NYC hardcore/punk scene, showcasing two different sides to the band. [9 November 2007]

The Cult: Born Into This

Although The Cult have sampled a variety of styles from metal to mystic in their past, their latest album scatters its focus, combining too many distracting elements at once. [7 November 2007]

Death Before Dishonor: Count Me In

Boston's Death Before Dishonor dish out standard, cliché-laden hardcore fare, following the formula to the letter, with a few notable exceptions along the way. [2 November 2007]

Dashboard Confessional: The Shade of Poison Trees

So emo it hurts, yet more punk than they may even know, Dashboard Confessional heads back to their acoustic roots. [30 October 2007]

The Evil Queens: Lovesong Werewolves

On their third disc, The Evil Queens make due with unexpected touches of kicky instrumentation to their dirty, groove-heavy brand of bar band rock. [29 October 2007]

The New Loud: Me (Secrets) You

Toss Flock of Seagulls into a blender with Weezer, a touch of emo, and bouncy disco-rock and you've got the intriguing (and shamelessly catchy) first offering from The New Loud.

Reba McEntire: Reba Duets

Reba collaborates alongside a cadre of contemporary pop and country chart-busters, churning out some truly excellent duets that showcase both her own considerable talents, as well as that of her guests. [22 October 2007]

Watchers: Vampire Driver

Every once in awhile, a band with a truly unique sound comes along. A configuration of instrumentation and vocals unlike anything you've ever heard before. And sometimes that can be a very, very bad thing. [19 October 2007]

Deathkiller: New England Is Sinking

Deathkiller breathes some new life into a stagnant genre, blending and embellishing the punishing sound of hardcore with a stripped-down melody and outspoken stance on the politics of punk.

Dr. Hook: Greatest Hooks

Greatest Hooks plays it safe by offering the chart-placers among the kinda-country cult-favorite '70s sleazemeisters from Dr. Hook's catalog, as opposed to more of the fun-filled, comedic debauchery they're best known and loved for. [16 October 2007]

Ugly Betty - The Complete First Season

The beauty of Ugly Betty is that it examines everyday situations under a highly-magnified microscope. [2 October 2007]

The Aggrolites: Reggae Hit L.A.

Unless you're a die-hard devotee of the band, The Aggrolite's latest offering skips around too much to be truly satisfying, flitting from one sound to another and floundering for a definite identity. [28 September 2007]

The World/Inferno Friendship Society: Addicted to Bad Ideas: Peter Lorre’s Twentieth Century

A punk/cabaret operetta about one of the most underrated of actors of the previous century? World/Inferno makes this seemingly kitschy concept work. [21 September 2007]

Damnation A.D.: In This Life Or The Next

Using nearly every metal cliché to their advantatge, the D.C.-based quartet adds some suprising, new elements to a standard formula and comes away with powerful results. [14 September 2007]

Ojos de Brujo: Techarí Remixes

An intriguing comparative study pitting different versions of the same song head-to-head, various producers and DJs take a crack at remixing songs from Spain's premiere flamenco fusion outfit, Ojos de Brujo's latest offering with mixed results.

Love Camp 7: Sometimes, Always, Never

Brooklyn indie intellectuals Love Camp 7 deliver an ode to obscure folk heroes, past and present, on their fifth release. [6 September 2007]

Asylum Street Spankers: Mommy Says No!

The usually bawdy folk/rockabilly/country/neo-ragtime balladeers, the Asylum Street Spankers toss off another theme album -- this one a children's record. [30 August 2007]

Joe Shithead Keithley: Band of Rebels

On his second solo album, D.O.A.'s Joe Shithead Keithley hammers the ol' punk mallet with a sense of style, humor, and crunching guitars, giving young whippersnappers half his age a clinic in how it's done. [22 August 2007]

Eli Cook: Miss Blueses Child

Eli Cook, at the ripe old age of 20, delivers his first solo album, a bang-up blues fest in the old school vein of Robert Johnson and John Lee Hooker. While his guitar playing is bar none, Cook's vocals -- sounding four times his age -- are a little much.

The Morning Pages: The Company You Keep

The Morning Pages' The Company You Keep is a bouncy blend of folksy, country-inflected indie rock that leaves the listener craving more than just the five-track smattering of songs on the EP. [16 August 2007]

Dean Martin: Forever Cool

Even from beyond the grave, Dean Martin is Forever Cool, teaming with an all-star cast of contemporary guest artists on this posthumous collection of collaborations.

Billy Bob Thornton: Beautiful Door

On his fourth solo album, Beautiful Door, Billy Bob Thornton solidifies his status as a Hollywood oddity, a celebrity who actually can produce music worth a damn: catchy, conceptual, and with a conscience. [15 August 2007]

SoCalled: Ghettoblaster

SoCalled brings together hip-hop and traditional Klezmer and the result is a stellar disc that delivers seamless fusion, a jolt of humor, and a dash of history. [2 August 2007]

The Addams Family: Volume 2

Over 40 years later, The Addams Family still manages to be funny. [26 July 2007]

DJ Mayonnaise: Still Alive

DJ Mayonnaise makes the evolutionary jump from straight-forward DJ scratching to incorporating elements of jazz and trip-hop. [20 July 2007]

Fabolous: From Nothin To Somethin

Fabolous' latest album breaks out the heavy artillery in the form of guest artists and producers. [16 July 2007]

Crack City Rockers: The Good Life

The Crack City Rockers revamp '80s pop/alternative for a new generation on The Good Life. [13 July 2007]

Tim Armstrong: A Poets Life

With a 20-year career under his belt, punk/ska icon, Tim Armstrong finally releases his first solo album, a reggae-laden affair that conjures the spirit of his Operation Ivy days and the ghost of Joe Strummer. [28 June 2007]

Jimmy LaFave: Cimarron Manifesto

On Cimarron Manifesto, singer/songwriter Jimmy LaFave serves up a regional slice-of-life à la Guthrie and paying homage to some of his favorite people and places along the Oklahoma/Texas corridor. [11 June 2007]

Praxis: Tennessee 2004

An auditory snapshot of supergroup/jam band/fusion fiends Praxis and their live set at Bonnaroo, Tennessee 2004 may arguably be one of the best live albums released this century. [7 June 2007]

The Saints: Imperious Delirium

With more lineup changes in over 30 years than Elizabeth Taylor has had husbands, everything old is new again with The Saints. Now a pared-down trio, their latest album is brilliantly experimental yet solidly punk. [5 June 2007]

Ben Mono: Hit the Bit

On his ambitious second album, Deutschland DJ Ben Mono attempts to create a new genre of electronica. Although Hit the Bit hits a few stumbling blocks, Mono and company lay the foundation for something new. [4 June 2007]

Ozzy Osbourne: Black Rain

The Ozzman cometh once again. This time, he's a harbinger of doom, speaking of more earthly versions of evil than a mere Aleister Crowley-brand of hoodoo. [1 June 2007]

A.G.: Get Dirty Radio

A.G. comes back with a vengeance to unite East and West Coast schools of hip-hop, educate fans on the genre's history, and for Pete's sake, create something new that's actually worth a damn. Even better, he succeeds. [24 May 2007]

The American Plague: God Bless The American Plague

The American Plague breaks out again with their sophomore effort, blending various genres of rock to create a unique sound and an impressive disc that clocks in at little over a half an hour and packs some seriously infectious tunes. [23 May 2007]

Uncle Monk: Uncle Monk

Tommy Ramone teams up with Claudia Tienan on a satisfyingly traditional bluegrass album that brings CBGB's original meaning full-circle. [21 May 2007]

The Mentors: El Duce Vita [DVD]

A decade after the untimely death of their lead singer, El Duce, The Mentors release their first DVD compilation, a truly tasteless testimonial to their status as misogynistic -- yet strangely hilarious -- metal mastodons of the underground scene. [16 May 2007]

Déclassé: Remain Still

Déclassé's Remain Still, an experimental mix of electronic dance, new wave, emo-tinted goth rock. While an intriguing blend, the disc suffers a few pitfalls, but a diamond in the rough shines through. [14 May 2007]

Rob da Bank and Chris Coco: Listen Again

The hosts of BBC Radio's "The Blue Room" offer up a two-disc set of their favorite music. It's like getting a few great mixed CDs from your friend with the incredible record collection up the block. [10 May 2007]

Hilary Duff: Dignity

The Last of the Squeaky Clean Disney Divas forays into the world of electronic pop on her third studio album.

Damn Yankees: Uprising [DVD]

The power balladeering supergroup earns that epithet in this 1992 live concert performance that gives a heady dose of nostalgia, riffs, and tight pants. [23 April 2007]

Ankla: Steep Trails

On their debut effort, Steep Trails, Ankla charts new territory, blending heavy, thrash-metal with traditional Latin music in ways that even the most elitist of metal-heads would enjoy. [12 April 2007]

Insane Clown Posse: The Tempest

Insane Clown Posse once again brings its Dark Carnival to town with The Tempest, however the latest rollercoaster thrill ride has its ups and downs. [11 April 2007]

Magenta Skycode: IIIII

Finnish goth/prog-rockers, Magenta Skycode's debut album IIIII is a mixed bag that offers moments of dazzling brilliance that shine amid stumbling blocks of monotony that show substantial promise for future efforts. [9 April 2007]

The 69 Eyes: Angels

Finnish goth-metal group, the 69 Eyes further Americanize their sound and have a sleazy good time in the process on their latest release, Angels, a tribute to all that is Hollyweird. [5 April 2007]

Ozomatli: Dont Mess With the Dragon

The Grammy-winning Latin rock/hip-hop collective keeps their political priorities in order while pulling off a multi-faceted musical coup on their most pop-friendly record to date. [30 March 2007]

Moussu T e Lei Jovents: Forever Polida

No translation or travel guide is required to enjoy reggae/folk/rock troubadours Moussu T e Lei Jovents second release, Forever Polida, a multi-layered musical tribute to the city of Marseille. [23 March 2007]

Mickey Avalon: Mickey Avalon

Former male prostitute Mickey Avalon invents the genre of "glam rap" with his raunchy, gritty, autobiographical -- and shockingly fun -- self-titled debut. [16 March 2007]

Thirdimenson: Before the End Begins

Swedish alt-rockers Thirdimension go to church and find themselves on a live album that serves up strikingly beautiful acoustic renditions of material from their first two albums. [8 March 2007]

Johnny Cash: Cash: Ultimate Gospel

The latest compilation of the Man in Black's spiritually-themed songs offers both religious and secular appeal, particularly with a few previously unreleased tracks for fans to enjoy. [7 March 2007]

The Young Knives: Voices of Animals and Men

Attempting to break out across the pond, it's still up in the air whether or not The Young Knives will sink or swim. [22 February 2007]

Various Artists: Superstars of the 80s: Volumes 1-3

Time Life's three-disc compilation of '80s hits delivers some of the best and worst of the decade while still playing it safe. [16 February 2007]

Xzibit: Full Circle

With nary a bad track in sight, Full Circle may just catapult Xzibit into the upper tier of high-profile rappers on the scene today. [12 February 2007]

Keith Urban: Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing

The Aussie pop-country crooner alternately plays it safe and stretches his musical boundaries on his latest, chart-topping release. [8 February 2007]

Birdman and Lil Wayne: Like Father, Like Son

Lil Wayne and his adoptive father, Birdman, produce an uneven collaborative effort with no shine in spite of its excessive bling. [5 February 2007]

Various Artists: The Bombay Connection, Vol. 1 Funk From Bollywood Action Thrillers 1977-1984

East meets West with the first two in a series of six compilation albums, collecting the best of Bollywood cinema score and song. [30 January 2007]

Alkaline Trio: Remains

Alkaline Trio serves up a collection of b-sides, rarities and live tracks, converting new fans and giving old stalwarts something to recharge their batteries. [29 January 2007]

Styles P: Time is Money

The LOX-member's second solo effort delivers lyrical maturity and smooth beats, however the host of notable guests overpower Styles P's... err... style. [20 December 2006]

Blogs

Mixed Media: 664: Neighbor of the Beast (web series) [28 October 2009]

Mixed Media: Hollywood Undead - “No. 5” (video) [9 March 2009]

Consuming Consumables: SoCalled - GhettoBlaster [$11.98] [4 December 2007]

Consuming Consumables: Various Artists - Monster Ballads Xmas [$18.97] [29 November 2007]