The Truth About Music

"What's hot, what's not, and whats next in pop music"

Throwback Thursday: 1984

By Melissa posted September 30, 2010 at 08:00

It’s been awhile. I’ve been missing from the Truth About Music for some time now and what better way to stage my Kanye-esque comeback than by reviving my attempt at a Throwback Thursday column. Now if only I can amass millions of followers on Twitter since I’ve decided to actually use my account for tweeting and of course apologizing to Taylor Swift. So, without further adieu…Let’s hop in my virtual DeLorean and revisit the musical hits and misses of 1984! Continue...
Harris’ Song of the Week: Nowhere Bound by Jon Sandler

By Harris posted September 23, 2010 at 18:50

Listening to music can sometimes throw you for a loop. Checking into a Myspace page that features only 200 plays per song and a shot of the Brooklyn skyline usually isn’t my personal cup of tea. Although I wasn’t completely in love with the sound on Jon Sandler’s EP “The Fancy Band” right off the bat, one song stuck in my head. Featuring a mix of georgous vocals and a well constructed melody, this weeks song of the week is a pleasant change of pace. Continue...
Review: Vocals Aside, A Killer Album From Former System Of A Down Lead Singer

By Robert posted September 23, 2010 at 08:00

There are two kinds of people: those who enjoy Serj Tankian’s vocal style and those who do not. I am in the latter. I do not like System of a Down (SOAD), and I thoroughly loathe the way he sings. Keeping all of this information in mind, I will admit, his new album “Imperfect Harmonies” is quite fascinating, beyond the vocals. Setting aside my distaste for Tankian’s delivery, the core ideas of the piece are insightful, engaging songs that showcase a lot of talent as a musician. Going into this review, I was expecting ham-fisted SOAD knockoffs with some acoustic guitars or over extravagant faux Nine Inch Nails programmed trash. Instead, the songs are claustrophobic whispers that feature Beatle-like guitar riffs and sublime vocal harmonies that climb the staircase of melody. The album shows a lot of weight and is sonically pleasing to the ear, when you can tune out [...] Continue...
Review: Flowers Delivers a Nice Bouquet

By Jon posted September 20, 2010 at 08:00

Hey TAM readers, it’s been a really long time since I’ve had a piece of my mind on the feed here, but I’m back from my hectic summer and ready to bring you my opinions and reviews, so I’ll spare you the details as to why I’ve been MIA and get right to it. I’m re-emerging with an exciting review of Brandon Flowers’ debut solo project “Flamingo” released September 14th. Continue...
Review: Linkin Park Fails Trying To Reinvent A Dated Sound

By Robert posted September 17, 2010 at 14:13

Apparently 2003 just will not stop calling because Staind, Korn, Limp Bizkit, and now, Linkin Park all have new albums out. On Linkin Park’s new album “A Thousand Suns,” dudes who genuinely like bleached tips and guitar players who wear headphones will find LP are up to their same old tricks. I’ll give them credit that they are aiming for more of a Radiohead-Muse friendly sound this time around, but that credit does not amount to much. Their single “Catalyst” is just musically confusing. It never builds up, and it meanders in this stagnant beat that does not pay off. The album as a whole is like that. Continue...
Harris’ Song of the Week: F**k You! by Cee Lo Green

By Harris posted September 16, 2010 at 08:00

One of the funniest moments of my week was reading through the iTunes comments under this song by Cee Lo Green. One of these comments eluded to this artist being a Gnarls Barkley rip off. After a chuckle I realized that this might not be obvious to the casual music fan. For those of you who didn’t put it together, Cee Lo Green is the former lead singer of Gnarls Barkley. Although he lost Danger Mouse (the DJ who made up the second half of Gnarls Barkley), he hasn’t lost the ability to create amazing hit songs. This could be one of the most catchy songs of the summer/fall seasons. If it weren’t for the blatant cursing, this could easily be a #1 song in America. The song which features a great video (just like almost every song by Gnarls Barkley), showcases Green’s incredibly unique, soulful voice. Continue...
Review: Shooter Jennings, Life In A Country Fantasy World

By Robert posted September 15, 2010 at 12:01

Shooter Jennings has had an intriguing life, to say the least. From being the spawn of famous parents to marrying an actress and releasing a few albums talking about it all in the process, he’s had a lot on his plate. On his earlier records, like “The Wolf” and “Put the O back in country” Shooter assumed the role of “Outlaw” that his father, Waylon left vacant after his death. Aside from a minor hit in the song “Southern Comfort”, Shooters career has been a gradual rise to the place where people assume his namesake to take him and there, in lies the problem. Shooter Jennings is not a country artist as much as he is pretending to be one. Country, to him is safe and casual; he grew up mired in it. It’s like an old pair of shoes that seem right. Shooter, you are too large for those [...] Continue...
The Truth About Music Radar: September 14th

By Harris posted September 14, 2010 at 11:57

It’s been quite a few weeks since I posted the Music Radar. This week seemed like a perfect opportunity to bring it back into the fold. There are quite a few new releases that are worth checking out and even more not worth wasting your hard drive space on. First up this week are two albums that I can’t wait to listen to. They are Weezer’s latest album “Hurley” and Brandon Flowers solo debut “Flamingo.” Honestly, Weezer’s stock has fallen in recent years. Putting aside the fact that they named an album after a character on one of my least favorite shows of all time, their work in recent years has really suffered. Aside from a handful of singles, they haven’t been able to piece together a solid album. Continue...
An Indie Rocker Steals The Show at the 2010 VMA’s

By Harris posted September 13, 2010 at 10:48

Sunday night, MTV reminded us why the Video Music Awards are the easiest to watch awards show. Each year the show seems to focus less on the awards and more on the performances. This year was no exception. With gorgeous sets paired with epic performances there was plenty to keep you entertained. Instead of breaking down the show step by step, here are my top five moments from the 2010 VMA’s. Continue...
Truth About Music Police: Did Nelly Really Do That?

By Harris posted September 13, 2010 at 08:00

Over the years I’ve bee a huge supporter of Nelly. From my days in middle school jamming to “Country Grammar” to his huge singles, I’ve always liked his style. One thing I don’t appreciate is talent ripping off greater talent. Before he was the potential president of Haiti, Wycleff Jean was one of the best producers and singers in hip/hop. His largest single during his career was “Sweetest Girl” which featured Niia, Lil Wayne and Akon. Over the weekend a friend played “Just A Dream,” a new single by Nelly. Suddenly, I felt the urge to sing the chorus to Jean’s song during the chorus. Turns out that after a slight lyrical change, these songs carry the exact same melody. It’s a melody that worked for Jean in 2007 so Nelly and company decided to try it again. Unfortunately, you’ve been caught by the TAM police. Please retract your single and [...] Continue...