The Automatik

Virgin Records America, 2004

It would be impossible to attempt to write a review of Courtney Love’s new album without having, even in the back of one’s mind, at least a few preconceived notions. After all, we’ve all seen or heard several years’ worth of crazy stories about her antics. I’ve always been a tremendous Courtney supporter, even when she did things that defied logic. But I wanted to leave out a lot of the personal drama when listening to this album.

It wasn’t easy. America’s Sweetheart is no Celebrity Skin. It’s not the Fleetwood Mac-esque elegy to the dangerous beauty of Southern California. But it’s not the punk rock feminism of the Riot Grrls, either. The music is studio pristine and at times so glossy you can see your own reflection in it. Then there’s Love’s voice.

Read more

From Smack Dab #5, April 1996:

Although you, loyal readers, may have believed fervently that Heidi and I were always media mavens who possessed a brilliant interrogative style, this was alas, not always so. Case in point: our first collective brush with fame, Suede’s Brett Anderson.
Read more

The Everyones
Sloan
Jet
House of Blues
July 18, 2004

I thought that having to wait a month or so to see Sloan after buying the tickets to the show would mean that my giddy, fangirlish anticipation would have waned somewhat and I’d be able to relax and not make a fool of myself. But I was wrong.
Read more

3CG Records

Every time I mention that I like Hanson, the collective response goes something along the lines of, “Aren’t those the little boys that sang that song? I hate them!” The infectiously catchy “Mmmbop,” the hit single that put Hanson on the bedroom walls of millions of teen girls, came out seven years ago, but for whatever reason, Hanson will always be eleven in the minds of most of the world. Listening to the music they’ve released since then would probably be a huge shock to music fans who still picture them as tow-headed, squeaky-voiced kids.
Read more

Capitol, 2003

Now I’m not going to lie to you. I didn’t even like The Vines the first time I heard them. The friend who gave me Highly Evolved also provided me with a lot of gushing about how incredible it was. I listened to it and was not impressed.
Read more

Twiropa
April 5, 2004

I bought the tickets for this show so long ago that I almost forgot about it. My excitement also waned considerably since the ticket purchase due to my somewhat less than enthusiastic feelings about Air’s latest album Talkie Walkie, but I knew it would be an enjoyable show anyway. And despite my disappointment upon finding out that Jason Falkner would not be touring with them this time, I was looking forward to seeing those French tiny gypsies, Jean-Benoit Dunckel and Nicolas Godin, and Redd Kross’s Brian Reitzell on drums.
Read more

2004, Wrechord Records

Just because Mr. Falkner’s last proper album was 1999′s excellent Can You Still Feel? doesn’t mean he’s been sitting on his well-deserved laurels. Between conceptual “soundtracks” like Logan’s Sanctuary, the Bedtime with Beatles discs, working and touring with French band Air, and the unsigned TV Eyes, Falkner’s musical contributions have been good and plenty. But we still want more Falkner, so this five song EP, the appropriately titled Bliss Descending, is the kind of candy that isn’t going to spoil your supper.
Read more

Maplemusic/Universal, 2004

It was bound to happen sooner or later. After gushing about Joel Plaskett’s genius songwriting and peerless vocal stylings as much as I have, I’d have to be disappointed eventually. Truthfully Truthfully is not a terrible album, or even a bad one. It’s just not a worthy follow-up to Down at the Khyber.
Read more

Astralwerks

Considering that Air’s 2001 release, 10,000 Hz. Legend, was one of my favorite albums of 2001 and will probably end up as a favorite of this decade, I was both thrilled and hesitant to listen to their latest offering, Talkie Walkie.
Read more

I have been alerted to this piece of crap from our dear “friends” at Pitchfork magazine. It’s a review of Sloan’s last album, Action Pact. I hope that the fact that this review came out today and the album came out last year is an indication of the delay of its U.S. release and not laziness or apathy.
Read more