The Daily Vault – Page 22

16 Dec

2011: Top Ten

Mark MillanBest Of

10. Adele -- 21 UK singer Adele released her second album in January this year, and to my delight, it bettered her stunning debut (2008’s 19) by a fair margin. 21 is an edgy and powerful statement and the quality of the material was greatly enhanced by Adele’s vocals, which boasted considerable power and a very flexible range. “Rumour Has It,” “Turning Tables,” and “Set Fire To The Rain” are definite standouts among this stellar collection of songs. 21 has been nominated for Album Of The Year at the 2012 Grammy Awards and would be a very worthy winner indeed. …

16 Dec

2011: Looking Back

dvadminBest Of

Nothing makes you feel old like a year in which you liked more reissues, retrospectives, and restarts than new music. But frankly, 2011 felt like a year in which the market was flooded with new music that, with a few notable exceptions, didn’t live up to the promise of what came before. That, of course, doesn’t mean there weren’t high points—it just means they were achieved by bands I was already well aware of when the year started. Best Idea That Shouldn’t Have Worked This Well (But Did) Tedeschi Trucks Band -- Revelator What to do when husband and wife…

15 Dec

2011: Another Year, Another List

Ken DiTomasoBest Of

Is 2011 over already? Apparently so, and that means it’s time for another top ten. One thing that became immediately apparent to me after assessing this year’s music is how many of its best records are by artists who’ve been around for decades. But hey, if they’ve still got it who am I to discriminate? Here’s my top ten (in the usual descending order) followed by six more albums I liked this year and six that I didn’t as much (in no order). 10. Justice – Audio, Video, Disco The general critical consensus of Justice’s sophomore album seems to be…

13 Oct

Opeth & Katatonia:

Paul HansonFeature

The First Avenue Club in downtown Minneapolis is a legendary venue. There’s good food next door at the Depot which is connected to the club and you can get a breakfast burger (hamburger, cheese, bacon, fried egg) before the gig you see inside the venue. On the outside of the building, the bands that have played the venue are written within a white star. Metallica, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and a bunch of others have played the place. Based upon Friday’s performance, I’d be hesitant to add Opeth to the aforementioned stars. Their show was mediocre at…

19 Jul

The State Of Yes 2011: Their Morals Disappear

dvadminEssay

This is a story about a lot of things—creativity, ambition, success and conflict—but in the end it really all comes down to one irreducible principal. It’s a story about friendship, and what can happen when it’s tested. The band Yes has been a lot of things over the years—psychedelic folk rockers, ambitious progressive rock pioneers, determined arena-rock hit-makers, and many shades in between. For those who’ve followed them closely over the years—a particularly stubborn and opinionated tribe of fans, wont to turn on both the band and each other at any moment—they are also something more. Through their early ’70s…

15 Jun

Keeping Up (Vol. 50)

Darren PaltrowitzFeature

Here are some more quick picks for you, the loyal readerMUSIC: Take It Or Leave It: A Tribute To The Runaways – Some people became aware of The Runaways in the 1970s as one of the first all-female rock bands. Others took note after founding members Joan Jett and Lita Ford launched successful solo careers. Others very recently when a bio-pic was released starring Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart. Any way you slice it, The Runaways were an influential band and among those paying tribute on Take It are The Dandy Warhols, The Donnas, Shonen Knife, and David Johansen of…

03 Jun

Keeping Up (Vol. 49)

Darren PaltrowitzFeature

Here are some more quick picks for you, the loyal readerMUSIC: Dredg – More than 15 years into their existence, California-based Dredg has not only survived since leaving major label Interscope, but they have thrived in doing so. Dredg's fifth full-length (the interestingly-titled Chuckles And Mr. Squeezy) is their second since going independent, as produced by the legendary Dan The Automator (Gorillaz, Deltron 3030, Handsome Boy Modeling School). “Bug Eyes” from 2005's Catch Without Arms ought to be a great starting point for someone unfamiliar with Dredg, a band that tends to be simultaneously anthemic and sincere. (dredg.com) FILM: Rock…

08 May

Keeping Up (Vol. 48)

Darren PaltrowitzFeature

Here are some more quick picks for you, the loyal reader:BOOK: Sammy Hagar / Red: My Life Uncensored In Rock – Sammy Hagar is arguably best known for fronting Van Halen. However, prior to joining Van Halen, he had millions of dollars in the bank thanks to a solo career and business start-ups. Oh, and even prior to that he sung for Montrose. The man has a lot of great stories and this book makes for a quick read. (redrocker.com) TOOL: Award Wallet – What Mint.com does for your financial accounts, Award Wallet does for your rewards programs. In other…

20 Apr

Keeping Up (Vol. 47)

Darren PaltrowitzFeature

Here are some more quick picks for you, the loyal reader:MUSIC: Heidecker & Wood / Starting From Nowhere is the debut album from Tim Heidecker and Davin Wood, two folks best known for their work on “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” The album is largely inspired by 1970s soft-rock –- often referred to nowadays as “yacht rock” –- coming across as sound-alikes of artists like Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers, and Seals & Croft. Therefore, a subtler form of comedy than Heidecker is generally known for. (heideckerandwood.com) SHOW: The League – I stumbled across this series when browsing…

28 Mar

Keeping Up (Vol. 46)

Darren PaltrowitzFeature

Here are some more quick pick for you, the loyal reader:MUSIC: The Strokes / Angles – Believe it or not, it has been 10 years since The Strokes released their debut Is This It on RCA Records, and five years since the New York City-based quintet released First Impressions Of Earth. On Angles, the band goes back to the original lo-fi guitar-heavy approach, this time with all 5 members contributing to the writing. Strokes fans old and new ought to be delighted. (thestrokes.com) BOOK: Mark Di Vincenzo / Your Pinkie Is More Powerful Than Your Thumb – Although a veteran…