The Truth About Music: Play It Loud

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

Play It Loud

Review: She & Him’s Live Performance at Millennium Park

By Loren posted June 09, 2010 at 08:00

So, back in March when I first listened to the second album from She & Him, I was kind of disappointed. Not disappointed because the band, comprised of actress/singer Zoey Deschanel and composer/performer M. Ward, had let their quality slip, but because I was expecting a little more. I wanted Zoey to cut loose a little and show some growth and I wanted Ward to make a more notable evolution on the album. Volume Two was just ok for me. Redemption, however, is never far off the horizon for any band, especially one that actually enjoys performing. She & Him have been hopping around the country performing on their way to the big summer festivals, like Bonnaroo, starting June 10th. And, on a beautiful Monday evening at Millennium Park, I sat back and relaxed as Deschanel called for a sound check on her ukulele. Honestly, after days of rainstorms, it [...] Continue...
Review: Ratatat’s Latest Album “LP4″

By Loren posted June 08, 2010 at 13:00

Have you ever wondered what the soundtrack to your dreams might sound like? Or have you been looking for the perfect music to read to this summer? Pop in the fourth album from Ratatat, properly called, “LP4″ and listen for the possibilities. As the first synthesized chords of “Bilar” enter my eardrums, I feel myself wishing I was in some crowded house party, instead of sitting at my computer. By the time the third track, “Neckbrace,” closes, I am fighting the desire to start dancing around my room. Each of the first three tracks remind me of being at the perfect rave with all the lights hitting at just the right moment. The meticulous work of Brooklyn electro rock duo, Mike Stroud and Evan Mast, begins to shine even brighter as one starts to hear the strong influence of non-synthesized instruments present on tracks such as “Bob Ghandi” and “Mahalo.” Continue...
Nine Inch Nails Trent Reznor Returns With New Band, Carrying The Same Loyal Following

By Robert posted June 01, 2010 at 15:33

Trying to emerge from Trent Reznor’s massive musical shadow is almost impossible. Plainly put, the man doesn’t have a following, he has an obsessive cult who will follow whatever artistic path he may take and will gladly jump into the fire’s central core. In his post-Nine Inch Nails band, How to Destroy Angels, he’s back to a Trent circa Downward Spiral. Not in the sound, but in the eerie feeling it creates when put on in a dark room. The feeling that spiders could crawl out of speakers or a rusty gear could lapse and the machine of life could spin uncontrollably all in time as the world ended. Continue...
Throwback Thursday: 1990

By Melissa posted May 20, 2010 at 17:28

Hop in my virtual DeLorean and let’s revisit the musical hits and misses of the past. Every Thursday I’m going to take you on a musical journey back to a particular year in music. We’ll reminisce about the songs we loved, hated and loved to hate, and we’ll even check out some #1’s from before we were born. Since this list can’t possibly include all of the year’s greatest, make sure to comment and tell us your favorite songs from 1990! Continue...
Bringing the Good Word: Reflection Eternal’s New Album “Revolutions Per Minute”

By Loren posted May 19, 2010 at 14:00

Are you comfortable? Better question: Are you ready to listen? On “Revolutions Per Minute,” the second album from hip hop duo Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek, are delivering the finest, smoothest, lyrics and beats you’ll listen to all year. As on previous albums, Kweli avoids the repetitive beats and empty words of modern rap music. On tracks like “Got Work” and “Ends,” he instead speaks about the pitfalls of pursuing fame and money. The effect of such tracks is to make the listener wary of pursuing a life in entertainment; a sentiment that is further realized on the track “In the Red,” which names star after star that has ended up worse off, in spite of their status as famous. While the message could quickly become dismal, Kweli’s words appear to simply be advising against the love of money being ones only interest in pursuing their dreams. Continue...
Review: Black Keys Return With Sixth Studio Album

By Robert posted May 19, 2010 at 08:00

Do the dudes in The Black Keys sleep? I am convinced they are unaware of the modern advances in science known as Ambien and other sleep aids available to two men clearly in need of either spending some time away from each other or a few hours of rest at the very least. It’s May, and they already have a new album out. Seriously. “Blackrok”, the first non-lame rap-rock collaboration record since Anthrax just came out, like what three months ago? And now, we’ve got “Brothers” another solid record. Where do they find time to write so many songs? Do they hear music when they use the bathroom? Imagine what their dreams sound like! Continue...
The Passing Of A Metal Legend

By Robert posted May 18, 2010 at 13:00

When you’re a fan of Heavy Metal, you border on weird and obsessive. Punks are apathetic, indie rock kids are too cool for what they liked six months ago and Hip Hop is stuck in it’s own period of Glam that Metal saw back in the 80’s, the madness for the music just isn’t the same. For a lot of people music is just music but to the average metalhead, their music is their identity. Metal kids encapsulate bands in their arms and hold them so close that the grip, while loving, can be strangling. Shows are like church and the bands who sweat out song after song are the apostles to a gospel for those who dress in black. It isn’t just a style of music it’s a community and a scene, a youth group for outsiders or a place for the local drunks to smash into one another in [...] Continue...
A Little Taste of Bamboozle at the Bar

By Melissa posted May 17, 2010 at 08:00

I contemplated going to Bamboozle in East Rutherford, NJ this year, but my pending bills and car payment convinced me to keep my regular Saturday night bartending shift instead. After all, who wanted to watch Ke$ha (basically) headline what used to be a killer rock festival. But, the fact that she sums up everything that ‘s wrong with music today is another article altogether. So, anyway, it was a pretty routine Saturday night, slower than usual and not exciting in the least. Around midnight, two guys walked in, one sporting a Mohawk, the other a headband and long-ish hair, and ordered Bud Light drafts and shot of Jameson each. My type of guys. Continue...
Melissa’s Song of the Week: “Wait” by Something Corporate

By Melissa posted May 15, 2010 at 19:00

After a five year hiatus, Something Corporate reunited to take the stage at California’s Bamboozle Left in March. Almost a month to the day later on April 27, 2010 they released their 19-track, double CD, greatest hits album “Played in Space: The Best of Something Corporate.” Whenever I think of Something Corporate, I find myself fondly reminiscing about my high school days when “Hurricane” could be found on all of my mixes. That song just takes me back, and I love it. I love me some Something Corporate and I’ve definitely missed them while they’ve been in hiding (even though Jack’s Mannequin is equally as great). On Disc 1, they revisit favorites like “Hurricane,” “Space,” “I Woke Up In a Car,” and “If You C Jordan,” while Disc 2 boasts previously unreleased tracks like “Konstantine,” and “Watch the Sky,” new mixes of “Forget December “ and “I Woke Up In [...] Continue...
Ke$ha, The Music Industry’s Greatest Enigma

By Robert posted May 12, 2010 at 14:00

I really, really want to hate Ke$ha, but I can’t. I don’t know what it is. I hate her music. I really do, “Blah Blah Blah” is one of the stupidest songs ever written, and I mean it. Ever. But there is something about her and the fact that she’d wipe her ass with my article as soon as she’d jump into a fluid soaked gangbang and beg for the center square that demands for someone to stare at her like she’s a majestic animal in the forest of music. She’s this weird pop culture enigma that I can’t wrap my mind around. Her music sucks and the people who like her make me want to sit down and ask them serious questions about their childhood because her record “Animal” is nothing more than a childish party record for the next few months and I’m sure like all things Dr. [...] Continue...