Music
Living Thingle
With Seaside Rock (2008), Peter Bjorn and John seemed to experience the writer’s block that inspired the title of their much-loved first album.
Look Who’s Talking
Smaller than a stick of gum and serving the dual function of tie-clip and 4GB mp3 player, Apple’s new talking iPod Shuffle ($79) is both elegant and understated.
Revelation at the Rotunda
Last Sunday at the Rotunda, the ghosts were out — and they were playing with distortion pedals and tape machines.
The Best Songs For Living the Life
Best Song for Eating Alone in Commons Backstreet Boys, “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely” So you’re still on the Penn Dining plan and it’s getting harder to give out those Moocher Meals.
An Horse of a Different Color
If you’re confused by An Horse’s non-traditional use of the article you’re not alone. One can only assume that this is how drum and guitar duo Kate Cooper and Damon Cox discuss their equine escorts in thick Australian accents when they’re throwing shrimp on the barbie back in their hometown of Brisbane.
KRFT SNGLS
Fist of God, the second LP from punk bassist-turned-electro house DJ Jesse F. Keeler and cohort Al-P, is an attempt at creating a cohesive dance record.
Guilty Pleasure: Destiny's Child, "The Writings on the Wall" (1999)
This album’s all about “good for nothing types of brothers” — you know, guys who don’t pay their girls’ bills, say their names or know when to stop paging them.
Get Ur Philly Phreak On
Making Time No write up of dance nights in Philadelphia would be complete without a mention of Making Time, the behemoth that arguably birthed this burgeoning scene.
Mirah, Mirah on the Wall
This is not the Mirah who innocently devoted an album’s worth of songs to a number of different insects, nor is it the Mirah who gave lyrical love advice through the poppy C’mon Miracle. With (a)spera’s return to Spanish-influenced guitar plucking, addressing listeners directly and thinly veiled moralizing politics, comes the striking of a different note: gloom.
Cyc-ology
There’s an important but subtle difference between burning love and getting burned. Neko Case explores the effects of toggling that particular four letter word in and out of the equation on her latest album, Middle Cyclone. More aggressive and revealing than her previous solo release, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (2006), and more straightforward than her New Pornographers material, the flame-haired indie/dixie diva is at her songwriting best.
We’re So Moving On (yeah-ee yeah)
Five years ago, the music gods smiled on Kelly Clarkson and the American public’s desire for a more palatable Alanis found its apotheosis in an awesome little song about dumping your loser boyfriend.
Campus Cred: Off the Beat
Street: Of all the OTB-wannabes on campus, why did you make the cut? Maggie Nyce: I have a nose ring.
Los Angeles, We Have a Problem
In the tradition of major concept albums of years past, Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon of N.A.S.A. (that is, North America South America) have constructed The Spirit of Apollo, which focuses on the transcendent theme of unity through music.
Surf 'n' Turf
Tight Knit has more in common with grass, Vetiver’s namesake, than front-man Andy Cabic could have ever hoped.
Guilty Pleasures: Taylor Swift, "Love Story" (2008)
If you think you’ve never heard Taylor Swift’s “Love Story,” or the album Fearless, you’re wrong.
Campus Cred: DJ Newby
Street: What’s so new about DJ Newby? Matt Newberg: Everything is new about DJ Newby because I am hip-hop.
Defibrillator: TLC, "Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip" (1992)
Six years our senior and fresh off the middle school bus, my best friend’s sister Ali was the unquestioned arbiter of cool.
Bad Seed
Despite wandering into Explosions in the Sky’s territory, the epic (post-rock) fail that is Sagarmatha won’t land the A-Cast a spot on the Friday Night Lights soundtrack anytime soon.
Pop Punk Pity Party
Three years after the critically acclaimed The Ringleaders of the Tormenters, Morrissey returns with more wrist-cuttingly good times.
