The Daily Vault – Page 38

07 Mar

Classic Jazz Retrospective

dvadminAnnouncementJazz

Let’s not beat around the bush -- it’s tough to summarize a musical genre that defies definition.We can say this much: jazz was invented in America but descended from Africa. It is said to have originated in New Orleans – specifically, in the horn-and-drum-playing bands that would accompany funeral processions through the city -- around the turn of the 20th century. Since then, jazz has steadily morphed and spun off one subgenre after another, from swing to big band to bebop to hard bop to fusion to smooth jazz and the list goes on. Wikipedia calls it “a blend of African American…

13 Jan

Ratings And Comments And Links, Oh My!

dvadminAnnouncement

On January 13, 2007, The Daily Vault will celebrate 10 years of publishing some of the best (or at least, most opinionated) music writing on the Web. As part of our anniversary celebration, we’re excited to announce the launch of an array of new features and functionality that dramatically increase the interactivity of the Daily Vault: Forum / Message BoardThis feature went live in late November, offering Daily Vault readers the opportunity to interact directly with one another and our writing staff in a message board environment.User Ratings Every one of our over 4,600 reviews now includes the opportunity for readers to…

13 Jan

Ten Years Gone

Sean McCarthyEssay

Thanks to the Internet (and a few hours of boredom), I stumbled across The Daily Vault in 1997. I put in a request to review Liz Phair’s Exile In Guyville and founder and then-editor Christopher Thelen obliged. The Daily Vault prides itself on a quick response to reader requests as well as the massive variety of the reviews. It wasn't always this way -- then, it was one classic album per day, but now it's evolved into covering all genres, all ratings, all eras.As The Daily Vault turns 10, it’s natural to reminisce about how much has changed. After all,…

11 Jan

High School Musical Goes Remix

Paul HansonFeature

When my daughter and I walked into the Girl Scout-sponsored Daddy-Daughter Dance recently, the dance floor was empty. But as soon as the first chords of "Breaking Free" began, there were screams of joy from what seemed like hundreds of 10-year-old girls. The dance floor was suddenly a mob as dads began filing to the bleachers to watch their daughters scream the lyrics to the tune. This was in April 2006, shortly after High School Musical premiered on the Disney Channel. Now, in early 2007, Disney continues to feed the marketing machine behind the hit film with a remix DVD…

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…

02 Jan

Nine Years And Change

dvadminEssay

I officially joined the staff of the Daily Vault in October 1997, a little over nine years ago and a little over nine months after Christopher Thelen turned on the lights on January 13, 1997. The site was in its infancy then, but the potential was obvious – a diverse and dedicated group of music fanatics sharing ideas and opinions from across the globe about the one subject they all shared a passionate interest in: music.After Chris welcomed me on board, my first, somewhat inauspicious review was of John Hiatt’s uncharacteristically mediocre disc Little Head. And while in the intervening…

02 Jan

A Dream Goes On Forever

Christopher ThelenEssay

There is a line in Josh Groban’s heart-wrenching song “Home To Stay” which says “Look how far your dreaming’s gone.” I kind of feel that way as I write this, approximately two weeks away from the tenth anniversary of this site.It’s kind of awkward, as I gave up ownership and full control to Jason and his team over a year ago – a decision I do not regret, as Jason has taken the site into areas I never could have dreamed of. But it’s weird looking in on something that was literally a part of one’s daily life for so long.…

31 Dec

2006: Top 10 Concerts

Vish IyerBest Of

My top 10 favorite concerts of 2006, in descending order:1. Porcupine Tree (Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA & State Theatre, Falls Church, VA; October 07 & October 08): These back-to-back shows top the list because Steven Wilson and his group simply put on awesome performances both nights. In what seemed like a common theme on all concerts on the band’s entire Arriving Somewhere tour, both the shows were divided into two halves. The band played unreleased material from the upcoming album on the first half and the regular favorites during the second. The new material, which included the brilliant tentatively-titled “The…

31 Dec

2006: A Rebuilding Year

dvadminBest Of

In baseball they call it a rebuilding year… that in-between space where you’re more preoccupied with missing the past and looking forward to the future than with focusing on the present you’re inhabiting. I can’t say the year 2006 made a big impression on me musically. Other than the few standouts noted below, the biggest news for me this year was that Fountains Of Wayne, the Redwalls and Jimmy Eat World are all back in the studio working on 2007 releases. That said, here are a few randomish awards: Album I Most Regret Not Reviewing This Year Like many latter-day fans…

31 Dec

2006: A Top Ten

Shane M. LieblerBest Of

No drawn-out introduction here. Below you'll find a top 10 list of the records I personally enjoyed most in 2006:10. Gnarls Barkley -- St. ElsewhereAfter all the British-sponsored hype about this dynamic duo, the likely one-off release was a major disappointment. However, tracks like "Go-Go Gadget Gospel," "Crazy," "Smiley Faces" and "The Last Time" provide more than enough forward-thinking sheen to gain this relatively dull offering numerous top 10 entries this year -- including mine. If you want to call it R&B or soul (which I do), this is certainly the most notable release in a very, very long time.9.…