Thursday, February 9 2012
“Don’t Let Me Fall”: Hip-Hop in the Age of Austerity
Rappers have always wrestled with the question of how to succeed in a society where the odds are stacked against them. The biggest difference now is that their middle class listeners have the same worries.
“Blue Estate”: A Sardonic Pulp Paradigm?
It's the turning of the final tide, the groundbreaking Blue Estate wraps issue #8, which closes the second volume of the collected editions, and launches issue #9, which opens the final volume. The stakes, and the value, couldn't be higher.
Wednesday, February 8 2012
A Look to the Past, An Insight Into the Present: The Use of Gender in ‘Mad Men’
Looking beyond the aesthetic surface of the series, what is the true motivation behind Mad Men’s frank depictions of these troubled social times? Is sexism being used as some sort of nostalgic trope, or does Mad Men actually delve deeper and explore these issues?
Does Silence Speak in the Loudest Voice?: Misconceptions about Silent Protagonists in Video Games
Granted, Link does “hiyah,” “eyah,” and “ahh” his way through all of his post-64-bit adventures, but no amount of elfish interjections can change his status as a silent protagonist. Is a failure to communicate much, a failure to communicate?
Tuesday, February 7 2012
Mitt Romney Can Reside at Today’s Proverbial ‘Downton Abbey’... Newt Gingrich Cannot
Downton Abbey reveals not only the play of chance that often confounds choice, but the power of social class to confine choice within established boundaries -- and we're comfortable with that.
Mental Pop & Beyoncé Beats: An Interview with Liam Finn
Crusty walls of distortion co-exist with pop hooks in the second and latest solo album from Liam Finn. Here the songwriter talks about taking a break from life on the road to write FOMO in far-off New Zealand, working with producer Burke Reed and percussionist Glenn Kotche to seriously tinker with his sound and taking inspiration from, of all people, Beyoncé.
Monday, February 6 2012
Not-So-Central Casting: Kevin Smith and the Birth of the Reality Podcast
Filmmaker Kevin Smith may be in a celluloid slump, but his new podcast network is on point.
Why Deathspell Omega’s Trilogy Has Changed the Face of Black Metal
The concept of a “trilogy” is such an overdone thing. Be it film trilogies, album trilogies, book trilogies, video game trilogies… we have all seen trilogies in various forms of entertainment media to the point of it becoming banal. At the end of the Deathspell Omega experience however, do not be alarmed if you wake up to find yourself in Silent Hill.
Friday, February 3 2012
Bring Out Your Dumb!: The Ficarra Exclusive Concludes
It's been our longest interview for an exclusive yet, Editor John Ficarra, the mind behind MAD. And it ends in the most unexpected place; compassion.
Slipped Discs 2011 - Part 3: From Real Estate to Youth Lagoon
The three-day 2011 edition of Slipped Discs -- where we feature great albums that missed our Best Albums of 2011 -- concludes with the smart hip-hop of the Roots, indie greatness from Real Estate and Youth Lagoon, blasts out of the UK from WU LYF and We Were Promised Jetpacks, and many more.
The Amazingness of Everything: A Conversation with Dan Mangan
At the end of the day, "insincerity is so visible, says the much-loved Canadian troubadour.
Thursday, February 2 2012
After Cease to Exist: The Far-from-Final Report of Throbbing Gristle
After a British government official declared them "Wreckers of Civilization", Throbbing Gristle understood their mission -- to destroy the Control society.
Carole E. Barrowman’s Authorial Journey to Hollow Earth
Hollow Earth isn’t just any book. It may be the Next Big Thing in young adult (YA) literature. It’s cover proclaims that “Imagination can be a dangerous thing,” but fans of John and Carole E. Barrowman are more than willing to take that risk.
Wednesday, February 1 2012
Slipped Discs 2011 - Part 2: From the Go! Team to the Phoenix Foundation
The three-day 2011 edition of Slipped Discs -- where we feature great albums that missed our Best Albums of 2011 -- continues with the forward-thinking R&B of Frank Ocean, the Americana brilliance of Ha Ha Tonka and Lydia Loveless, the unheralded collaboration of Talib Kweli and Res, and many more.
Tuesday, January 31 2012
Slipped Discs 2011 - Part 1: From 13Ghosts to Friendly Fires
The three-day 2011 edition of Slipped Discs -- where we feature great albums that missed our Best Albums of 2011 -- kicks off with Akron/Family's most experimental work, Kate Bush's sound poetry, the stunning Anna Calvi, the brilliant hip-hop of Drake, and many more.
Get Off of My Cloud!: ‘Collecting’ Music in the Digital Age
I have the greatest record collection imaginable. But it's almost exactly the same as all of Rhapsody’s other customers.
Monday, January 30 2012
The Best Games of 2011
This year was a year when something called Lesbian Spider-Queens of Mars could be celebrated alongside the latest Gears of War game. This was a year in which one of the most reviled games, Dragon Age II, was also one of the most revered.
Listening Ahead: Upcoming Releases for February
PopMatters previews some of February's most eagerly awaited offerings.
Friday, January 27 2012
The Future Is a Faded Song: Douglas Rushkoff on the Groundbreaking “ADD”
It's especially hard to shift between being a world-class media theorist writing nonfiction, and a writer of fiction. That's even more so when the fiction appears as comics. Why does Douglas Rushkoff make it look so easy?
Different Flavored Skulls: An Intimate Chat with the Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne
In speaking to PopMatters about the creation of the Flaming Lips' latest edible piece of insanity, frontman Wayne Coyne reveals how he turned mistakes into opportunities, gives much love to the major label he's signed to, and remains unshakably upbeat about what's next for one of the greatest bands working today.
