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Music

'Nebraska': Bruce Springsteen's 'Heart of Darkness'

'Nebraska': Bruce Springsteen's 'Heart of Darkness'

In 1982, with the charts ruled by “Physical”, “Don’t You Want Me” and “Eye of the Tiger”, along came a low-tech record about killers, small-time thieves and other forgotten souls -- and it's still one of the best albums in American music. [6.Feb.12]

Why Deathspell Omega's Trilogy Has Changed the Face of Black Metal

Why Deathspell Omega's Trilogy Has Changed the Face of Black Metal

By Dane Prokofiev

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. [6.Feb.12]

Of Montreal: Paralytic Stalks

Of Montreal: Paralytic Stalks

By Chris Conaton

Kevin Barnes takes Of Montreal out of its sexy funk phase and into its...20th century atonal minimalism phase? Yikes. [6.Feb.12]

Dropping Names, Cutting Tapes: Beastie Boys – The Sounds of Science

Dropping Names, Cutting Tapes: Beastie Boys – “The Sounds of Science”

“The Sounds of Science” is essentially a three-movement suite about hip-hop bravado. Rarely has science sounded hipper. [6.Feb.12]

Pretty Good Dance Moves: LIMO

Pretty Good Dance Moves: LIMO

Pretty Good Dance Moves are pretty, pretty, pretty... well, fair to middling, actually. [6.Feb.12]

'Nebraska': Bruce Springsteen's 'Heart of Darkness'

'Nebraska': Bruce Springsteen's 'Heart of Darkness'

Why Deathspell Omega's Trilogy Has Changed the Face of Black Metal

Why Deathspell Omega's Trilogy Has Changed the Face of Black Metal

Of Montreal: Paralytic Stalks

Of Montreal: Paralytic Stalks

Dropping Names, Cutting Tapes: Beastie Boys – The Sounds of Science

Dropping Names, Cutting Tapes: Beastie Boys – “The Sounds of Science”

Pretty Good Dance Moves: LIMO

Pretty Good Dance Moves: LIMO

Mixed Media

Music in Motion Series Kicks off with Freedom Rider Commemoration Concert [Mon, 3:00 pm]

M.I.A's "Bad Girls" Video Debuts on New YouTube Channel Noisey [Mon, 10:00 am]

Indie Pop Group the Dø Walk a Fine Line with Cover of "Tightrope" [Fri, 12:00 pm]

The Cedars / Cartel Return With New Name, New EP [Fri, 8:03 am]

Nneka Announces Tour + Download Remix of "My Home" [Thu, 1:00 pm]

Noah and the Megafauna Release Video for “Liquid Modernity” [Thu, 10:45 am]

New Band New Build Releases Four Songs [Thu, 8:10 am]

Daisy McCrackin - "Ladykiller's Wife" Video (PopMatters Premiere) [Tue, 8:20 am]

News

M.I.A.’s halftime gesture said to be ‘a case of adrenaline’

By Todd Martens

LOS ANGELES — In early 1989 Madonna was the center of controversy over the religious imagery in the video for her “Like… [06.Feb.12]

‘American Idol’ vs. ‘The Voice’: Who wins the battle rounds?

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band to perform at Grammys

Declining ratings a sour note for ‘American Idol’

Charlie Gracie, 75, is back with a new rock ‘n’ roll record

Reviews

Of Montreal: Paralytic Stalks

By Chris Conaton

Kevin Barnes takes Of Montreal out of its sexy funk phase and into its...20th century atonal minimalism phase? Yikes.

Pretty Good Dance Moves: LIMO

Pretty Good Dance Moves are pretty, pretty, pretty... well, fair to middling, actually.

Darrell Scott: Long Ride Home

By Steve Horowitz

There’s a drunken fight, a couple grappling in the back seat of a car and other typical Saturday night scenes found outside a bar, but the lyrics give the participants a sense of dignity.

Various Artists: The Total Groovy

By Jedd Beaudoin

Buzzcock Pete Shelley's label reissues its entire three album run with a bonus disc. Sometimes, there's even real music.

Due East: Drawn Only Once (The Music of John Supko) / Gregory Spears: Requiem

Both of these records, while markedly different, are strong indications that classical music, like any other genre, is one rife with innovation.

Nils Frahm: Felt

By Mike Schiller

The felt itself is an additional instrument, a scrape of percussion as each key is played and released.

Lana Del Rey: Born to Die

By Billy Hepfinger

The Internet-famous chanteuse releases her highly-anticipated debut album. Does it live up to the hype?

Hospitality: Hospitality

Up-and-comers Hospitality are like the characters of their songs: accomplished and bright, with room to grow.

Primitons: Don’t Go Away, Collected Works

By Edward Whitelock

During their short existence, the Primitons were grouped into that mid-'80s sub-genre of “jangly Southern bands that sound like R.E.M.” This was unfair to both.

Gianluigi Trovesi / Gianni Coscia: Frère Jacques: Round About Offenbach

By John Garratt

Frère Jacques: Round About Offenbach is a reverent tribute to an irreverent man. Despite that, it's fantastic.

The Renderers: A Rocket Into Nothing

By Matthew Fiander

The Renderers prove once more that they don't have to sacrifice their experimental side to sound accessible, and 20-plus years in, they're as good as they've ever been.

Wynton Marsalis: Swinging into the 21st

By Jonathan Kosakow

In 1999 Wynton Marsalis ushered us into the 21st century with an incredible effort, proving yet again why he is already a legend.

Chairlift: Something

The Brooklyn Chairlift works differently, obviously. It lifts you up but won't bring you down.

Buxton: Nothing Here Seems Strange

By Chris Conaton

As solid as Buxton is, they're doing nothing to set themselves apart from other bands in their genre, and they don't quite have the songwriting chops to overcome that lack of character.

The Soul Rebels Brass Band: Unlock Your Mind

By Elias Leight

The Soul Rebels Brass Band make a case for the greatness of the horn section.

Gonjasufi: MU.ZZ.LE

By Jonathan Linds

MU.ZZ.LE is Gonjasufi's first artistically cohesive statement: a bold first stab at playing with space and mood. It’s a compelling reason to keep watching to see what he’ll do next, because if this is what Gonjasufi sounds like muzzled, we should all be very afraid when he finally decides to unleash.

Paul Kelly: Greatest Hits, Songs From the South (Volumes 1 & 2)

By Steve Horowitz

While pinning down Kelly’s style is impossible as he’s always changing, his lyrics are always literate and innocently romantic. He may understand love hurts, but that doesn’t stop him from being sucker punched.

JJ Grey and Mofro: Brighter Days

CD/DVD combo pack documents an American treasure: Florida swamp-rock-boogie-blues at its finest.

Black Bananas: Rad Times Xpress IV

By Zachary Houle

Jennifer Herrema, ex of Royal Trux, and her cohorts deliver a confounding record that is clearly a candidate for most audacious album of the year, a mere five weeks into 2012.

PJ Harvey: Let England Shake: 12 Short Films By Seamus Murphy [DVD]

These videos deftly match Harvey's exploration of England's wartime past with artfully filmed images of its present.

pacificUV: Weekends

The stately winter mood evoked by Longplay 2 has given way to the lullaby dreaminess of Weekends, trading post-rock for shoegaze. The results are often excellent, though the record isn't without its missteps.

Joe Louis Walker: Hellfire

A strong collection of tunes from a blues guitar stalwart.

Kammerflimmer Kollektief: Teufelskamin

By Alexander Heigl

Kammerflimmer Kollektief present an ambient electro-jazz album without much bite to it.

So Percussion: It Is Time

By Jedd Beaudoin

Percussion ensemble keeps counting out time.

Leonard Cohen: Old Ideas

By Jeff Schwager

Septuagenarian folk legend Leonard Cohen revisits his Old Ideas on his first new studio album in seven years.

Ruthie Foster: Let It Burn

By Steve Horowitz

There was always a gospel element in the way Foster delivered her vocals. She openly emphasizes this aspect of her voice on her latest album.

The Cure: Bestival Live 2011

By Zachary Houle

Despite the travesty of relabeling their 1978 song "Killing an Arab" as "Killing Another", this is a taut, tight and energetic double live set for fans who want to hear all the Cure’s major hits in one place.

Treefight for Sunlight: A Collection of Vibrations for Your Skull

By Jedd Beaudoin

Danish dudes dazzle on the expressway to your skull.

Noah and the MegaFauna: Anthems for a Stateless Nation

By Philip Majorins

Songs for the end of the world, inspired by the old world.

The Gallantiers: Red in Tooth & Claw

By D.M. Edwards

Rock 'n' roll ain't dead; you're just asleep.

Capsule Reviews

Drunken Prayer: Into the Missionfield

By Zachary Houle

Into the Missionfield is far, far from being a horrible album, but it doesn’t light a torch for a new brand of Americana either. [06.Feb.12]

Various Artists: World's Funkiest Covers

All Cannibals: Black Shark Shake-A-Lake

B-Movie Lightning: Rain on a River

Capybara: Dave Drusky

More Capsule Reviews

Events

They Might Be Giants Slay on Tour: 28 January 2012 - Los Angeles

By Melissa Bobbitt

Weird was good at the seminal silly band's 30th anniversary gig. [06.Feb.12]

Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel: 27 January 2012 - Washington D.C.

'Hotel Project': The Internationalists and Neighborhood Productions – New York

Common and Atmosphere Make Freezing History at Colorado’s Red Rocks

Antony & the Johnsons: 'Swanlights' with Symphony Orchestra: 26 January 2011 - New York

Features

Why Deathspell Omega's Trilogy Has Changed the Face of Black Metal

By Dane Prokofiev

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. [06.Feb.12]

Slipped Discs 2011 - Part 3: From Real Estate to Youth Lagoon

By PopMatters Staff

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. [03.Feb.12]

Columns

Sound Spectrum

'Nebraska': Bruce Springsteen's 'Heart of Darkness'

In 1982, with the charts ruled by “Physical”, “Don’t You Want Me” and “Eye of the Tiger”, along came a low-tech record about killers, small-time thieves and other forgotten souls -- and it's still one of the best albums in American music. [06.Feb.12]

Field Studies

Tower Songs: Townes Van Zandt

By Andrew Gilstrap

I'll Be There in the Morning offers an affectionate but hardly rose-colored view of Townes Van Zandt and his influence on other songwriters. [02.Feb.12]

From The Blogs

Dropping Names, Cutting Tapes: Beastie Boys – “The Sounds of Science”

“The Sounds of Science” is essentially a three-movement suite about hip-hop bravado. Rarely has science sounded hipper. [06.Feb.12]

Counterbalance No. 67: John Coltrane’s 'A Love Supreme'

Don Cornelius: Rest in Peace, Love, and Soul

Jealous Creatures Recall the Brooding 1990s with Aplomb!

More From the Blogs

DVD Reviews

'Queen: Days of Our Lives' Is the Definitive Queen Documentary -- for Now

By Jedd Beaudoin

Loud guitar, astrophysics, little people, S&M clubs, positive thinking, and nude women on bicycles are all part of the Queen saga, darling. [30.Jan.12]

Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson: Live at the US Festival

By Christel Loar

The US Festival's "Country Day" in June 1983, featured both Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. [24.Jan.12]

More DVD Reviews

Now on PopMatters

Not-So-Central Casting: Kevin Smith and the Birth of the Reality Podcast

Why Deathspell Omega's Trilogy Has Changed the Face of Black Metal

Sound Spectrum: 'Nebraska': Bruce Springsteen's 'Heart of Darkness'

Mixed Media: Music in Motion Series Kicks off with Freedom Rider Commemoration Concert

Sound Affects: Dropping Names, Cutting Tapes: Beastie Boys – “The Sounds of Science”

Moving Pixels: The Moving Pixels Podcast Explores the World of 'Skyrim'

Of Montreal: Paralytic Stalks

Pretty Good Dance Moves: LIMO

Darrell Scott: Long Ride Home

Various Artists: The Total Groovy

Due East: Drawn Only Once (The Music of John Supko) / Gregory Spears: Requiem

Nils Frahm: Felt

They Might Be Giants Slay on Tour: 28 January 2012 - Los Angeles

'Our School' Shows Effects of Poverty and Prejudice

'Smash' Is a Drama for Adults

'My Fair Lady': Let's Revisit This Loverly Classic in HD

Hunter S. Thompson, the Method and the Man: 'Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone'

'The Fat Years' Is a Cunning Caricature of Modern China

'SoulCalibur V' Is a Very Vibrant Game

Five Years Gone: The Folded Time of "Action #6"

Tilda Swinton helped birth a nightmare called ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’

‘NCIS’ hits the 200 mark

Skeptics making some noise over ‘The Artist’

‘American Idol’ vs. ‘The Voice’: Who wins the battle rounds?

Sundance 2012: This year’s Sundance Film Festival was a family affair

‘Chronicle’ scores big on Super Bowl weekend

‘Downton Abbey,’ more on DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday

M.I.A.’s halftime gesture said to be ‘a case of adrenaline’

Tilda Swinton helped birth a nightmare called ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’ (PopWire) [Mon, 3:35 pm]

Music in Motion Series Kicks off with Freedom Rider Commemoration Concert (Mixed Media) [Mon, 3:00 pm]

‘NCIS’ hits the 200 mark (PopWire) [Mon, 2:35 pm]

Skeptics making some noise over ‘The Artist’ (PopWire) [Mon, 1:35 pm]

‘American Idol’ vs. ‘The Voice’: Who wins the battle rounds? (PopWire) [Mon, 12:35 pm]

Super Bowl XLVI: Battle of the Commercials (Mixed Media) [Mon, 12:00 pm]

Sundance 2012: This year’s Sundance Film Festival was a family affair (PopWire) [Mon, 11:35 am]

‘Chronicle’ scores big on Super Bowl weekend (PopWire) [Mon, 10:34 am]

M.I.A's "Bad Girls" Video Debuts on New YouTube Channel Noisey (Mixed Media) [Mon, 10:00 am]

‘Downton Abbey,’ more on DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday (PopWire) [Mon, 9:35 am]

Dropping Names, Cutting Tapes: Beastie Boys – “The Sounds of Science” (Sound Affects) [Mon, 9:30 am]

M.I.A.’s halftime gesture said to be ‘a case of adrenaline’ (PopWire) [Mon, 8:19 am]

'Our School' Shows Effects of Poverty and Prejudice (Reviews) [Mon, 8:10 am]

'Smash' Is a Drama for Adults (Reviews) [Mon, 8:08 am]

Super Bowl XLVI: Did This Year’s Show Live Up to the Hype? (Mixed Media) [Mon, 8:00 am]

The Moving Pixels Podcast Explores the World of 'Skyrim' (Moving Pixels) [Mon, 7:00 am]

Five Years Gone: The Folded Time of "Action #6" (Reviews) [Mon, 6:40 am]

'Nebraska': Bruce Springsteen's 'Heart of Darkness' (Columns) [Mon, 1:00 am]

Not-So-Central Casting: Kevin Smith and the Birth of the Reality Podcast (Features) [Mon, 1:00 am]

Why Deathspell Omega's Trilogy Has Changed the Face of Black Metal (Features) [Mon, 1:00 am]

'Touch': The First Episode Is Stunningly Effective (Reviews)
The Hidden Mythos of 'Police Academy' (Features)
''Memphis': A Tony Award-Winning Musical Brought to Your Living Room (Reviews)
Batman Is Boring in ‘Arkham City’ (Columns)
Slipped Discs 2011 - Part 1: From 13Ghosts to Friendly Fires (Features)
10 Songs That Will Make You Love U2 (Sound Affects)
The Best Games of 2011 (Features)
'Amy' Is a Horror Game That Is Broken in All the Right Ways (Moving Pixels)
The 10 Greatest Movie Spies Ever (Short Ends and Leader)
Slipped Discs 2011 - Part 2: From the Go! Team to the Phoenix Foundation (Features)
Counterbalance No. 66: Carole King’s 'Tapestry' (Sound Affects)
Slipped Discs 2011 - Part 3: From Real Estate to Youth Lagoon (Features)
Not-So-Central Casting: Kevin Smith and the Birth of the Reality Podcast (Features)
Facebook's False Frame of Reference (Marginal Utility)
Make-Believe Rock Star: An Interview with Anthony Green (Features)
'Nebraska': Bruce Springsteen's 'Heart of Darkness' (Columns)
'Library After Air Raid': On the Survival of Culture Amid the Barbarity of War (Columns)
Lana Del Rey: Born to Die (Reviews)
Lamb of God: Resolution (Reviews)
Different Flavored Skulls: An Intimate Chat with the Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne (Features)
Get Off of My Cloud!: 'Collecting' Music in the Digital Age (Features)
Navigating the SOPA Soap Opera (Columns)
Leonard Cohen: Old Ideas (Reviews)
Did Somebody Say "Snub!?!" - The 2011 Oscar Nominations (Short Ends and Leader)
Paul McCartney: The Family Way (Soundtrack) (Reviews)
Cloud Nothings: Attack on Memory (Reviews)
The Future Is a Faded Song: Douglas Rushkoff on the Groundbreaking "ADD" (Features)
Google and the Production of Curiosity (Marginal Utility)
Carole E. Barrowman’s Authorial Journey to Hollow Earth (Features)
Alcest: Les Voyages De L'Âme (Reviews)

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