There aren’t nearly enough good New Year’s Eve songs. With the exception of a few gems—George Harrison’s “Ding Dong, Ding Dong,” Prince’s “1999,” Death Cab For Cutie’s “The New Year”—most NYE tunes veer toward the sappy and sentimental. The world doesn’t need another cover of “Auld Lang Syne” (unless the Flaming Lips are the ones [...]
For the Handsome Family, upcoming album Honey Moon—a collection of love songs due April 14—is a startling left turn. The husband/wife duo of Brett and Rennie Sparks still deals in spectral bluegrass and noirish folk forms on its ninth album, but gone are the ghosts and murder ballads that had painted them into a gothic-Americana [...]
A weekly review of The Best Show On WFMU, Tom Scharpling’s call-in/comedy/music show broadcast every Tuesday night from Jersey City. The three-hour program is available for free download at iTunes. It’s The Best Show Awards show! Scharpling announces the winners in various categories, including Saddest Caller, Most Delusional Caller, Worst Caller, Best Guest, Lifetime Achievement [...]
For the Handsome Family, upcoming album Honey Moon—a collection of love songs due April 14—is a startling left turn. The husband/wife duo of Brett and Rennie Sparks still deals in spectral bluegrass and noirish folk forms on its ninth album, but gone are the ghosts and murder ballads that had painted them into a gothic-Americana corner. [...]
They’re nobody’s buzz bands anymore. But since 1993, MAGNET has discovered and documented more great music than memory will allow. The groups may have broken up or the albums may be out of print, but this time, history is written by the losers. Here are some of the finest albums that time forgot but we [...]
Somehow it seems appropriate that the eternally sunny Spinto Band would be the next to cover the song rock critic Lester Bangs once called “the bubblegum apotheosis.” Its rendition of “I Think We’re Alone Now” (originally recorded by Tommy James And The Shondells in 1967, covered by pop sensation Tiffany in 1987) is the musical [...]
For the Handsome Family, upcoming album Honey Moon—a collection of love songs due April 14—is a startling left turn. The husband/wife duo of Brett and Rennie Sparks still deals in spectral bluegrass and noirish folk forms on its ninth album, but gone are the ghosts and murder ballads that had painted them into a gothic-Americana [...]
Harrison Ridley, Jr., a jazz DJ, historian and teacher, died last week due to complications from a stroke. Though most MAGNET readers probably don’t recognize the name, Ridley was a vital part of Philadelphia’s jazz scene and a consultant to the Library of Congress. For 32 years, he was a DJ on WRTI, the jazz [...]
Wheat—the New England wobbly-pop duo of Scott Levesque and Brendan Harney—is reissuing its first two albums (1997′s Medeiros and 1999′s Hope And Adams) in a three-disc package. Along with the two full-lengths, a 16-page booklet and limited-edition signed poster (for pre-orders only), a third disc of rarities titled 30 Minute Theatrik is included. “We made [...]
For the Handsome Family, upcoming album Honey Moon—a collection of love songs due April 14—is a startling left turn. The husband/wife duo of Brett and Rennie Sparks still deals in spectral bluegrass and noirish folk forms on its ninth album, but gone are the ghosts and murder ballads that had painted them into a gothic-Americana corner. [...]
