Everyone has their own holiday traditions and that includes music.  Whether you’re the type that tunes into the 24/7 radio broadcasts for the entire month, or you have a small collection of favorites that briefly come out for their annual appearance, the sounds of the holidays are inescapable.   The songs that we associate with Christmas are as unique as the individuals listening.  Everyone has favorites linked to specific memories and it’s best not to question preferences.  The holidays are already tense enough.  No need to pile a musical debate on top of political differences, generational gaps, and vegetarians at the dinner table. Continue Reading

Tired of reading the same old cookie-cutter album reviews? Are you forced to reach for the dictionary just to understand those pompous wordsmiths with their syllables and thesaurii? Looking for a fun, new take on the craft? Here is a poem I scribed in honor of The Black Keys’ newest full-length release. No reason, just rhyme.

El Blues Cruise
There are two men from Akron named Patrick and Dan
In two thousand one they started a band.
With Dan on guitar and Pat pounding the drums
Blues rock poured out in infinite sums. Continue Reading

If you’ve ever purchased tickets from Ticketmaster (TM) you already know that it’s a multi-step process that goes something like this:

Step 1: Search for the artist (e.g. “the Biebs,” “Rick Astley,” or “Ratt”)

Step 2: Select the quantity and location/price range for the tickets.

Step 3: Decipher an impossibly vague reCAPTCHA security phrase that appears to have been scrawled by heavily sedated kindergartner with mittens on.  (Note:  If during this step you have never clicked the “Vision Impaired” option, you really should.  A very nice computer lady reads a series of words and numbers while a garbled message from Satan plays in the background, ensuring no computers are able to pose as humans.  Scarred for life.) Continue Reading

NOVEMBER 2011

1. Spank Rock | Car Song (feat. Santigold)
2. Zola Jesus | Shivers
3. Florence + The Machine | No Light, No Light
4. Childish Gambino | Heartbeat
5. Justice | On ‘n’ On Continue Reading