Vampire Weekend’s debut album represented a rare thing in indie-world…an album living up to its’ hype. The four Columbia University alumni who made up the band had been rhapsodized so much in the blogosphere prior to the release of their self-titled debut that some folks hated it out of spite. Too bad for them, because I still think “Vampire Weekend”, track for track, is the most enjoyable album of 2008. “A-Punk” is one of it’s […]
THE BEATLES “Lady Madonna” b/w “The Inner Light” (Capitol Records #2138, March 1968)
As much as I loved John, the one I really miss is George. With his quiet inner peacefulness, sly sense of humor and brilliantly innovative guitar licks ranging from bumble-bee stinging to waterfall fluid, NO ONE, before or since, epitomized English cool like George Harrison. Every hip Brit act in recent memory, from The Jam to Oasis to Arctic Monkeys, has featured at least one George look/act/sound-alike in […]
Former protege of Rick James, vanilla soul sister, the one and only Lady T. Whatever you call her, Teena Marie is back with her first album in four years, “Congo Square”. The first single, “Can’t Last a Day” has already made noise at urban radio, and with a guest lineup including MC Lyte, Howard Hewett and Faith Evans, it’s sure to spawn even more hits. The R&B scene has been extra-weak so far this year, […]