The songs. 1. “Horse and I”: Please tell me that’s a Theremin! Good sign. Military drum beat? Another good sign. Layered backing vocals? This just gets better and better. 2. “Trophy”: “Heaven is a feeling I get in your arms” might sound a little trite/contrived on paper, but sung by Ms. Khan with the Nick...
I’m rather certain that this Kanye West vs. 50 Cent “battle” is a big marketing stint, especially with all the articles over the past six months about how mainstream rap is stale and its sales are going down. I normally pride myself in my ability to avoid such schemes, both in terms of economic support...
Astroland closed for the summer this weekend – and quite possibly forever. I’ve spent a lot of time at Coney Island over the past year and a half, so if it does indeed shut its doors forever, I’ll greatly miss it. Death Cab For Cutie: “Coney Island” (download) Death Cab For Cutie: “Coney Island (Alternate)”...
Pavarotti did a lot of pop projects – some better than others. Though they may not have been very successful from a critical standpoint, I like the idea of mixing classical audiences with pop audiences, exposing them to each other. It reminds me of the Wordless Music Series. There’s too much needless disdain between the...
I don’t generally read PR e-mails. It’s not that I’ve got anything against PR companies or bands with PR companies, I just want T-Sides to grow more organically, as they say in the marketing biz. But the Boys and Girls Club caught me on a lucky morning, and I’m sure glad they did. The Boys...
Things tend to get a little long-winded over here at T-Sides, I know. Sometimes I just get so excited I can hardly contain myself. But sometimes I can. As proof, I’m launching a new feature – “Quick Impressions,” in which I will review albums by jotting down a few words on each song as I...
I’ve been wanting to get back to updating for awhile now, but I’ve been busy, and… well, you don’t need to hear all the details, but suffice it to say, it’s been a very, very long month or two. It should come as no surprise that the music that finally gets me up and going...
All the words that come to mind to describe “In Piles/On File,” the first-released song from Bring Back the Guns’ debut, Dry Futures, aren’t quite the right ones. I want to say “angular,” but I hate the word “angular,” and while it fits, it just sounds too boring and ordinary for this song. I want...
Due to personal reasons, things are going to be quiet for a little while at T-Sides. I’m sure those of you who are faithful haven’t come to expect things to be particularly noisy, but if things are more quiet than usual, that’s why. I’m going to try to hunt down a guest poster or two...
With the impending closure of Astroland at the end of the Summer, one question drove this year’s Siren Festival: “will it be the last?” The lackluster line-ups for the Siren Festivals of the past two years almost indicate that somebody knew this was coming. From 2001-2005, Siren Fest was a haven for people who didn’t...
St. Vincent’s promotions team must have a grin on their faces a mile wide. In April, the wide-eyed, brunette songstress also known as Annie Clark was opening shows for long established act John Vanderslice in small to medium-sized venues. Fast-forward three months and she’s headlining them all on her own. Not as part of the...
Though the phrase “big in Europe” has become something of a joke among the music set, for someone like Mark Ronson, it’s no laughing matter. While he was born in London, Ronson’s family moved to New York at the age of 8, and it’s this big city he considers his hometown. After attending prestigious schools...
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