Jeff Clutterbuck – Page 2 – The Daily Vault

10 Jan

Looking At The Perfect Thing

Jeff ClutterbuckFeatureLevy

However, the mindset of the majority of the music industry, along with the advent of new technology, is killing off album-driven music. I just hope the decline reverses its course before my kids eventually do end up asking me, "Dad, what was an album?" -- “What Was An Album?” I wrote those words roughly a year and a half ago. Funny how a little bit of time can change one’s views.Steven Levy currently is the senior editor and the chief technology correspondent for Newsweek. His career has covered a great deal of the PC Revolution, and much of his writings…

31 Dec

2006: That’s Better!

Jeff ClutterbuckBest Of

Has it been a year already? Indeed it has, and 2006 definitely was a step up from a so-so 2005. From revitalized classic rock artists to newfound respect for current performers, this year was a bit more like it. Comeback Album Of The YearElton John -- The Captain and the Kid This was one of the hardest categories for me to decide on. There were three extremely worthy artists: Meat Loaf, Elton John and Cat Stevens as a late bloomer. In the end, though, Elton takes this category simply because this is his best in 30 years. While all three albums are…

25 Dec

2005: Not Bad!

Jeff ClutterbuckBest Ofbest_05-jc

Last year was the first year I was given the opportunity to compile a best-of list, and it was a good one. As a result, my expectations were tempered going into this year. I doubted that this year's list would be as good as last year's, and it turns out I was right. There were some good efforts to be found, but nothing on the scale of 2004. Here goes my take on music in 2005:Sound Of The YearIf you put a gun to my head and asked what the music of '05 sounded like, I would say stripped-down. The…

26 Aug

Summer SMiLEs With Brian Wilson

Jeff ClutterbuckFeature

The sounds emanating from the Pabst Theater Wednesday night belied the ornate trappings and sculptures that surrounded them. What we were privy to were some of the great pop classics of the last half of the 20th century, as well as one of its greatest achievements performed in its entirety.Since the late '90s, Brian Wilson has been slowly recapturing his legacy, performing to audiences for the first time since his days as a Beach Boy. With the help of his backing band (the Wondermints), his attempts have been largely successful. But his greatest triumph has come in the past year,…

27 Apr

What Was An Album?

Jeff ClutterbuckEssaywhatwasanalbum

It isn't that farfetched to think that by the time I have kids that can appreciate music, one of the first questions they'll ask me will be, "What was an album?"In the days of Elvis, Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis, the music industry was unquestionably a singles-driven business. If you couldn't keep delivering top-notch songs one at a time, then your time in the sun was up. However, things started to change in the late '60s, thanks to visionaries such as the Beatles and Brian Wilson. These artists completely changed the way music was viewed; instead of buying a…

05 Dec

2004: Jeff’s Top Ten Favorite Albums

Jeff ClutterbuckBest Of

This was the first year that I really realized that good music still exists, and didn't die out in 1976. It was a treat for me to discover new artists that impact me as much as my favorite older artists. It's ironic then, that the top spot in my list is occupied by one of the great minds of pop pretty much last seen 40 years ago. So, without further adieu, the list of my ten favorite albums to come out in 2004. 10. Maroon 5 -- Songs about JaneGee, the first album and I'm already off to a bad…