I heard Steven Wilson’s solo stuffbefore I ever picked up an album from Porcupine Tree. A shape-shiftingprog rocker, Wilson is the singer-songwriter and guitar player behind this band and its massive catalog of 34 years, a solo artist with a formidable catalog of 26 years, and has become a kind of wizard studio engineer who,Continue reading “#837: P is for Porcupine Tree”
Tag Archives: review
#836: P is for Pomplamoose
I think we have YouTube to thankfor Pomplamoose. Most folks, including moi, came across thispop music duo on their exceptionallywell recorded and filmed DIY videosof their original songs and wildlyinventive mash-up covers. Simpleaffairs, really, just a split screenor a quartered screen, each box featuring multi-instrumentalistJack Conte and his partner NatalyDawn performing live in the studio.Recently,Continue reading “#836: P is for Pomplamoose”
#835: P is for The Polyphonic Spree
Some of us remembera band from the early to mid 90’scalled Tripping Daisy. They had a hit called “I Got A Girl,” a super silly but super catchy post-punk, grunge-adjacent tune rightalong the lines of The FlamingLips’ “She Don’t Use Jelly.” This was their only hit. I likedthe song but never bought the album. IContinue reading “#835: P is for The Polyphonic Spree”
#835: P is for The Police
Of all the new wave and punk era drummers,Stewart Copeland was maybe the first and maybethe only one to call attention to himself, to distinguish himself in the genre as a drummerone would admire, and, if one was a fledglingpercussionist, one to aspire to. He was, possibly, the Neil Peart of the punk and newContinue reading “#835: P is for The Police”
#832: P is for The Pineapple Thief
Progressive rock, at its worst, becomes all about the enormous chopsof each member of the band. For me, at its best, those chops are coupledwith and secondary to great songs, memorable melodies, strong pop hooks, and smart lyrics. The Pineapple Thiefhas found the perfect prog rock recipefor me. Bruce Soord is an accomplishedsongwriter, has aContinue reading “#832: P is for The Pineapple Thief”
#831: P is for Pelley, Dan, aka–D Pel
This guy’s wife, Dr. Pelley, was my chiropractorfor a time, back when I had health insurance that would cover such a thing. I was kind of smitten with her, and learned that she and her husbandplayed music together, as my wife and I do, and so we traded records, one of oursfor one of herContinue reading “#831: P is for Pelley, Dan, aka–D Pel”
#830: P is for Pearl Jam
Just as the 80’s was a kindof revolt against the 70’s, the 90’s was a kind of revoltagainst the 80’s. Only recently, in the 21st century, has musicbecome so bifurcated by genreand sub-genre and sub-sub genre, that huge movements like punk or new wave or the grunge of the 90’s seem to have evaporated rightContinue reading “#830: P is for Pearl Jam”
#829: P is for Partridge, Andy
Thank the universe for collaborationsand solo projects. I have had the good fortune of listening to Andy Partridge while moving through the letter H on that Robyn Hitchcock collab, and here I am in the letter P, arrivingat some of the very few solo things AndyPartridge has ever released on vinyl over threee.p.’s, the equivalentContinue reading “#829: P is for Partridge, Andy”
#828: P is for Parks, Arlo
Groovy, slick, smooth, personal, poetic, and very English, Arlo Parks’ first album reachedthe #3 position on the UK album charts in 2021. It’s a funky mix of hip hop lo fi drum production, jangly guitars, cool synths and organs, and Arlo’s hooky melodies, soft delivery,and earnest, conversational lyrics. This debut is nearly irresistibly cool. IContinue reading “#828: P is for Parks, Arlo”
#823: O is for Ono, Yoko
I do not have any albumsby Yoko Ono. I do not have anyalbums by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. But I do have this thing, Ocean Child: Songs of Yoko Ono, a collection of recordings by various artistscovering Yoko Ono’s songs. I remember distinctly that I found this album at the annual sidewalk sale ofContinue reading “#823: O is for Ono, Yoko”
