At first, Joe Jackson struck meas the “other” Elvis Costello, and at the time, in my teens, I could not imagine needing another one. I was wrong aboutthat, of course, and I knew itas soon as Jackson released the big band album, Jumpin’Jive. He actually beat Costelloto the punch with the genrehopping. But this, NightContinue reading “#739: J is for Jackson, Joe”
Tag Archives: review
#721: G is for Grant, John
I stumbled upon a live studio recording of Elbowperforming a song called“Kindling” from the Little Fictions album with a guestvocal performance by a guynamed John Grant. Who’s this person, I wondered. And I concluded, if he’s a friendof Elbow’s, he’s a friend ofmine, and then I watched thatvideo. Whoever this JohnGrant person was, he wasContinue reading “#721: G is for Grant, John”
#709: F is for FFS (Franz Ferdinand and Sparks)
It took a collaboration with Sparksto get me interested in Franz Ferdinand,this alt rock group from Glasgow, now into their twentieth year or more as a band. This record, the only album I have of theirs,is titled simply FFS. Not officially a FranzFerdinand album, but rather a new supergroup collaboration with a new super groupname.Continue reading “#709: F is for FFS (Franz Ferdinand and Sparks)”
#708: F is for Foxygen and Foxwarren
FoxygenWe Are the 21st Century, Ambassadors of Peace and Magic, is the bold title of this 2013album from Foxygen. It’s theonly record of theirs I have, one thatI remember liking, at least a little,but before I play it today I canremember nothing about itor who turned me on to itor how. It’s a retro affair,Continue reading “#708: F is for Foxygen and Foxwarren”
#707: F is for Foreigner
I“I guess it’s just the woman in youthat brings out the man in me,”an objectively dumb lyric. I’m not looking forward to this. I have five, that’s right, five Foreigner albums, inherited by my older brother who hasn’t plugged in a turntablefor decades now. Like the Flashdancesoundtrack, but in a very differentstylistic direction, I don’tContinue reading “#707: F is for Foreigner”
#706: F is for The Format
First of all, can we just agreethat The Format is about the worstband name ever. It does absolutely nothing for me. I can’t imaginewhat would inspire one of popmusic’s current best singers to choose such a stupid band name. However, Dog Problems is an infinitely bettertitle for an album. I don’t rememberhow I learned aboutContinue reading “#706: F is for The Format”
#705: F is for Folds, Ben
Ben Folds Five, a 90’s era rock trio, was for me the antidote to grunge. Here was a band with a pianoat the center that rocked harderthan any guitar. Ben was like a punk rock Elton John. Joined by two guys who seemed neitherpunk nor grunge, looked a littlebit like a couple of jazz nerds,Continue reading “#705: F is for Folds, Ben”
#701: F is for The Flaming Lips (17, 20)
After several years of disappointment,I was feeling doubtful about the newFlaming Lips album in 2017, the strangelytitled Oczy Mlody. But there are certainartists or bands to which I feel an almost insane level of loyalty. The Flaming Lips isone of those. It turned out, I was pleasantlysurprised. If Embryonic and The Terror werenearly unlistenable, uncomfortableContinue reading “#701: F is for The Flaming Lips (17, 20)”
#699: F is for The Flaming Lips (08, 09, 10, 12, 16)
I have not seen it in full, but judging only from short clipsI have seen, the first film written by, starred in, with a soundtrack composed byThe Flaming Lips, a thing called ChristmasOn Mars, was an utterly terrible film.Some folks will disagree, claim that it is a classic cult film on par with Eraserhead. TheContinue reading “#699: F is for The Flaming Lips (08, 09, 10, 12, 16)”
#690: F is for Father John Misty (12, 15, 17)
This guy, Joshua Tillman, appears to havehad his big break in rock music as the drummerfor Fleet Foxes. The breakout album he playedon happens to be in my collection, the 2011Helplessness Blues. The drummer’s identity didn’t register with me at the time, nor should it have, as I wouldn’t hear a song byhis adopted monikerContinue reading “#690: F is for Father John Misty (12, 15, 17)”
michael jarmer 