It is that time of year again. You’re either done with finals, still have one or two left, or somehow still have all of your final papers due on Saturday. If you belong to these previous two categories, this song will represent you at varying levels. Those who are just tired of finals will connect to the disconnected, non-linear lyrics and narrative. Others might just mind the overall darkness and jumble of the song to represent your current state of mind. Read More »

Several months ago, when reviewing Boys School’s debut album, I asked “Why can’t there be more albums like Boys School’s Boys School?” That question has been answered with the arrival of 180, the debut album from British rock band Palma Violets. 180, like Boys School, is a refreshing take on 60s garage and psychedelic rock, bringing the sounds of the summer of love to spring 2013. Additionally, I hear the disc as taking listeners through an abbreviated history of Anglo-American underground rock music. These reasons alone make 180 a praiseworthy album. Read More »

This is just a wee post to encourage all of you to stay strong during finals. Hopefully Bruce and I can keep you strong fellow students, as exams and paper weigh down on your minds. Just remember that “Every rung just makes us stronger.” Good luck during finals week! Read More »

This song, like most of my knowledge of Gospel music, comes from my History of Gospel class. For those of you who are not familiar with Gospel, the Hawkins family is one of the biggest names in the biz. Walter’s brother Edwin founded the Edwin Hawkins Singers, who are most famous for the Gospel classic “Oh, Happy Day.” This track comes from Walter’s first project outside of the family singers; the first in the Love Alive album series. Read More »

You probably couldn’t tell at first glance, but Brett Young is a man who likes his soul music. Indeed, Brett talked a bit about the influence that artists like Al Green and Marvin Gaye had had on his music when we talked backstage before his performance at the Hamilton in downtown DC. Brett’s music reflects his upbringing quite well, with hints of country, pop, worship and gospel, and soul peppering the tracks of his two albums, 2012′s Brett Young and new release On Fire. Read More »

I appreciate Grip Of The Gods’ boldness; such a name is a definite assertion of expectation. While their new EP, Take, is not exactly a divine grasp, it will grip and capture you nonetheless. Grip Of The Gods display a sure knack for variation, as their EP constantly shifts between more straightforward, distorted guitar-driven alternative rock, and a spacey, effects driven, Muse-esque space and alternative sound. What I should specify is, they pull these transitions off seamlessly, as otherwise this sound dichotomy could go very wrong. Read More »

I still cannot figure out why, but Sixx: A.M. is one of my favorite bands from the past few years. “Are You With Me” comes from the group’s second, and most recent, album This Is Gonna Hurt, an album that has the overall theme of critiquing the American ideal of material beauty. Read More »

Today’s song of the day is in honor of the new additions to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry. The Registry is a list of sound recordings that “are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States,” to be preserved for the ages.  Among the new additions are Pink Floyd’s seminal album, The Dark Side of The Moon, albums Big Brother & The Holding Company, Simon & Garfunkel, The Bee Gees, and many other bits of recorded material including a D-day radio broadcast. Read More »