Blog Post

31 Dec

2006: Stickers Included

Melanie LoveBest Of
For the music charts, this was the year of Justin Timberlake and High School Musical, not to mention entirely too much attention given to Paris Hilton and Kevin Federline. American Idol continued its reign, Beck released an album with stickers for do-it-yourself album art and I still haven’t figured out the appeal of Fall Out Boy or Panic! At The Disco. But for me, on the other hand, 2006 was also the year of some fantastic indie debuts, follow-ups from old favorites and the odd supergroup who detested being termed a supergroup -- not to mention a lot of paychecks…
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31 Dec

The Top 14 of 2005-06

Duke EgbertBest Of
As I've mentioned before, I was moving and getting settled for most of the early part of 2006. As such, I present the DV faithful with the Top 14 of 2005 and 2006: 14. Nickel Creek -- Why Should The Fire Die? Newgrass wunderkinds Nickel Creek break out of their sophomore slump with a tight, powerful CD of brilliant music. 13. Blackmore's Night -- Winter Carols I don't often put holiday music on this list, but I had to in this case. Candace Night has the most beautiful voice currently recording.  12. Il Divo -- Siempre Yes, they're manufactured. Yes, they're…
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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…
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30 Dec

2006: The Year Of…?

Sean McCarthyBest Of
Ghostface Killah proved that rap is not exclusively a young players' game. The weirder Tom Waits gets, the more popular he becomes. And Cee-Lo, a person whose career was as commercially dead as K-Fed (but for all the wrong reasons), is now set for a long time with “Crazy,” perhaps the only shoo-in for “Top Ten Songs of the Decade” in a year that saw virtually no shoo-ins for “Best Albums of the Decade” – even though there was a ton of great stuff out there. Bob Dylan achieved “instant classic” status again with Modern Times, though some fans began…
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27 Nov

James Blunt Bangs A Gong

Melanie LoveFeature
I know I probably lose all credibility as a music reviewer for this, but I can’t help it: I love James Blunt. Yes, “You’re Beautiful” has been played to death and more than verges on cheesy and on top of that, I’ve never been a huge fan of the dime-a-dozen, soulful pop idols, famous for a few moments of gorgeousness before imploding into one-hit wonderland – but even despite that, something about Blunt’s debut, Back To Bedlam, resonated with me. And apparently I’m not alone, because the Gibson Amphitheater, which seats about 6,000, was packed when I put aside an…
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11 Nov

Moline Gets Godsmacked

Paul HansonFeature
The question asked by thousands of bands in thousands of arenas for many years was asked first by Hour Cast’s Patrick McBride. The lead vocalist wanted to know “How are you feeling?” The crowd in the Mark in Moline, IL answered with a respectable roar, but it didn’t satisfy McBride. “That’s not going to cut it,” he told the crowd, continuing a night where his band had to get a crowd riled up that was there to see fellow Bostonians Godsmack. Judging by the riffs by David Henriquez, the band’s dreadlocked-hair guitarist, and the pounding of Jerry Clews, the band’s…
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06 Nov

Page Hamilton: The Interview

Cory GalliherFeature
Helmet's most recent album, Monochrome, was released in July; the 11 tracks are described as a return to roots for the band. The alternative metal group also is going to be included on the soundtrack for the film Saw III, and recently I was able to talk with Helmet frontman Page Hamilton about the soundtrack, the album, the band, video games and Bach, among other things. Daily Vault: So, I've heard that the title track from your new album Monochrome is going to be on the Saw 3 soundtrack. What can you tell me about that? Page Hamilton: They asked me about…
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28 Oct

Andy Summers: A Life In Music

dvadminFeature
There’s a familiar feeling I get when reaching the end of a book I’ve really enjoyed.  It’s a bittersweet, slightly disorienting sensation of departing -- against your will -- a world that’s thoroughly captivated you, even if some part of you knew all along that your time there was destined to be limited.    In this insightful musical autobiography, guitarist Andy Summers shares in intimate detail how he came to experience that same sensation, arriving -- after great tribulation -- at the peak of a legend-making career with the Police, only to face the inevitable yet all-too-soon breakup of the band…
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28 Oct

Michael R. Smith’s Pop 100

dvadminAnnouncement
Never let it be said that Daily Vault staff writers aren't ambitious. While many of us present our capsulized Top 10 of the year every December, until Michael R. Smith came along, we'd never had anyone attempt a Top 100 featuring full reviews of all 100 albums.Michael's choices reflect his strong affection for pop music released between 1966 and 2006, though he did of course toss in a few surprises.  The reviews ran every Sunday beginning October 29, 2006 and concluded with his #1 pick on September 28, 2008.  More information about Michael is available at the reviewers' bio page…
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18 Oct

The World Cup of Music: Madonna’s Confessions Tour

Michael R. SmithFeature
The Italians may have won the coveted World Cup, but for whatever reason Madonna never even mentioned it during her second of three sold-out shows at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston on July 9th.  It was just one of many indications that her show was extremely choreographed from start to finish, leaving very little room for spontaneity. Madonna has always had trouble connecting with her audiences over the years, though perhaps that is what preserves the illusion that she is a larger-than-life, untouchable superstar. So, while her fellow Italian-Americans were celebrating in the streets of Boston’s North End, Madonna…
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