Photos By Gail
Five Points Fest did not really have a ton of cosplayers running around, at least not on the day I attended, but this dedicated fan of the animated TV show Steven Universe definitely stopped me in my tracks, dressed as they were as the likeness of Rose Quartz, a character from that show. Oh, the Pinkness.
Continue reading Pink Thing of The Day: Rose Quartz Cosplayer From Steven Universe!
Something I did not imagine I would ever be doing is posting a new video from alternative rock radio darlings Live in this column – and one featuring all four original members, no less! I admit that, not only because I was pretty sure that Live had broken up in a manner that could only be described as ‘acrimonious,’ but also because I had heard from sources that would know that lead singer Ed Kowalczyk had kind of, well, turned into dick. I guess that Ed must have worked through his issues, because Patrick (Dahlheimer) and the two Chads (Gracey and Taylor) have accepted him back into the fold, and Live is back to making the skull-splittingly-brilliant music that, at one point in the ’90s, made them The Biggest Band in the World — at least if this clip for “Love Lounge” is any indication. Wow. Wonders truly never cease.
If you are fans of old-school Live, you will be blown away by the sonic locomotive that is “Love Lounge.” Holy shit, Ed‘s voice is in top shape, and he is still one of the sexiest, most charismatic front men in rock. You don’t even need me to tell you anything else about this song except that, aurally, Live still have it going on. “Love Lounge” sounds like no time has passed since the glory day of Throwing Copper, except that Live somehow got ever better. Visually, you’ve got a wall of golden skulls, a high roller’s poker game, and a graffiti-covered tunnel as the major back drops that “Love Lounge” plays against. And then, there’s Ed looking like a stone solid rock god. It’s not anything I thought I would see again. And yet, here it is.
Ladies and gentlemen, Live is back. Enjoy!
Chad Taylor, Ed Kowalcyck, Chad Gracey and Patrick Dahlheimer are Live
Photo By Gail
Let’s play a game: would you rather be poked incessantly with sharp objects, or be forced to relive the eighth grade? You might need a minute to think it over. No one wants to be tortured, but eighth grade is a special kind of hell. It only lasts for one year; but what a socially awkward, puberty-riddled, emotionally agonizing year it is. Eighth grade blows, but now you can vicariously cringe your way through the gauntlet that is the last week of middle school for an earnest, 13-year old wallflower in director / writer Bo Burnham’s fantastic debut feature, Eighth Grade. He went back to eight grade, so you don’t have to.
While comparisons will be immediately made between Israel Nash’s “Lucky Ones” and Neal Young’s “Harvest Moon,” I doubt that Nash would complain at all about being mentioned in the same sentence as one of the greatest American songwriters of all time. The similarities are not just for Nash’s vocal delivery, but also for the song’s lush wistfulness and the really top-notch songwriting that includes a jaw-droppingly flawless instrumental arrangement and incredible word economy that tells you all you need to know about the kind of artist he is in under 4 minutes. Wow. High fives all around on this one.
Visually, we get to see Nash looking very much like a young Gregg Allman, as he explores the land on his ranch in the Texas Hill Country, recording the sounds of nature that were meticulously incorporated into various songs during the recording of his new album. It’s so fresh and so understated, you almost don’t even notice when it’s over. “Lucky Ones” can be found on Lifted, out July 27th, 2018 on Desert Folklore Music / Loose Music. Recommended if you like any of these artists: Neil Young, The Eagles, The Byrds, Joseph Arther, Gomez, The Sheepdogs. Enjoy!
People will say that originality is overplayed: I disagree. While it may be virally impossible to do anything truly original within the pop music landscape, that does not mean that intermingling the definitive essences of two bands that really have nothing in common — and that may or may not even be verifiable influences on the band performing the music in question — isn’t going to be utterly mind-blowing. What am I even talking about? It’s this week’s Sunday Jam, the curiously named “Pollyanna,” which comes to us from the experimental progressive rockers called Visitors. Successfully combining the best of Yes‘ most LSD-ridden mindfuck prog meandering with Jane’s Addiction’s Perry Farrell releasing his Id with wild abandon, this song is intense.
Continue reading Video Clip of The Week: Visitors, “Pollyanna”