brian, Author at Pop Rock Nation

About brian

Tutor, parent, cat-feeder, and voice-actor Brian Block listens to too much music and glides through life mostly on the strength of his good looks. If he can see farther than others, it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants, an environmentally sound form of public transportation.

#3 album of 2012 – Harakiri by Serj Tankian

Artist: Serj Tankian

Album: Harakiri

I’m not sure how famous Serj Tankian is on his own, but through 2006 he spent a decade as lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and occasional keyboardist for System of a Down, who scored the flat-out weirdest series of major hit songs (Chop Suey, Toxicity, B.Y.O.B.) of any band since the 1970s. I’d only recommend three of their five albums, but those include Toxicity (’01) and Mezmerize (’05), each a fair candidate for my […]

By brian|May 21st, 2013|Reviews|0 Comments

#4 album of 2012 – Theatre is Evil by Amanda Palmer

Artist: Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra

Album: Theatre is Evil

Amanda Palmer exists in that odd demi-celebrity where most people haven’t heard of her, but many who *have* heard of her, and formed opinions, have done so without ever hearing her music. Skip down to the asterisks if you don’t care, cuz I want to speak of those issues. I think she and novelist Neil Gaiman make an adorable couple. I don’t think it was her […]

By brian|May 14th, 2013|Reviews|2 Comments

#5 album of 2012 – Eating Chicken by Decomposure

Artist: Decomposure

Album: Eating Chicken

On average, Decomposure’s Eating Chicken will probably appeal most to fans of at least one of

* Ben Folds’s solo career

* The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds / Smile era

* Abstract, avant-hip-hop, such as is purveyed by Doseone, El-P, or Aesop Rock.

I say “on average” and “probably” because Caleb Mueller (who is Decomposure, when he’s not earning a living as a graphic designer) is not the same person as Folds, Brian Wilson, Doseone, etc. As […]

By brian|May 7th, 2013|Reviews|0 Comments

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