56 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(04/29/10 5:45am)
Do you miss Nathan Fillion on the small screen? Do you wish that he was still fighting the Alliance and leading the crew of Serenity? Then I've got a show for you. ABC's series Castle, which is currently in its first full season, is stepping up to - at least partially - fill the void.
(04/22/10 4:49am)
If I had to come up with one buzzword to describe the music scene during the last two years or so, it would have to be "reunions." From The Police to Led Zeppelin to Creed, it seems that an endless number of once popular bands are getting back together to recapture that old magic. Well, after years of denial they would ever reunite, we can add Soundgarden to that list.
(04/15/10 4:59am)
Saul Hudson, or Slash as he is more commonly known, has compiled one of the longest r
(04/08/10 5:04am)
Fusion music has always intrigued me, mostly because it's never boilerplate or predictable. Each band or singer is able to blend genres in a unique and creative way to make something that listeners have never heard before. That is especially true with Enter The Haggis, which hails from Toronto, Canada.
(03/25/10 5:46am)
Stay with me if you've been through this: You find a new show at the beginning of the season that you absolutely love - and then it unceremoniously is canceled at the end of the season. In honor of such demises, I present the four least-deserved TV cancellations of the past few years.
(03/18/10 7:19am)
During the last year or so on the TV airwaves, we've seen the debuts of some great shows, such as Royal Pains on the USA Network and Castle on ABC. One of the best new shows to start this season has been CBS' The Good Wife. Ever since 2005, when JAG ended and Joan of Arcadia was canceled - one of the worst cancellations ever! - CBS has been mired in somewhat of a primetime slump. This new show could lead them to a comeback.
(01/28/10 6:32am)
Sometimes, bands get noticed because of what their members do afterward rather than anything they did while the band was together. The Spokane rock band The Mayfield Four offers an example of this phenomenon. Many fans discovered this band only after lead singer and lead guitarist Myles Kennedy began to front Alter Bridge with three former members of Creed.
(11/19/09 7:17am)
For an album that was delayed at least a year because of the band members' "perfectionism," the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's new album Night Castle leaves a lot to be desired.
(11/12/09 6:03am)
This past March, a terrible, life-altering event happened while I was on my way to a game at John Paul Jones Arena - an event so gruesome and tragic that I can barely muster the strength to write about it now.
(11/05/09 5:36am)
A few weeks ago, I penned an article about the reunion of a band that many in the music world love to hate: Creed. Its comeback album, Full Circle, is the band's first since 2001, and many fans wondered what form the album would take after the members spent five years apart.
(10/29/09 5:40am)
John Ondrasik, better known by his stage name, Five for Fighting, became a household name following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. His hit single "Superman (It's Not Easy)" became one of the most-played radio hits of the year, launching his career. Since then, he has released three more albums, The Battle for Everything, Two Lights and his latest, Slice.
(10/15/09 4:51am)
The challenge for Paramore in making its third album, Brand New Eyes, was to avoid sounding like a boilerplate pop-punk band, while also reminding listeners why it was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2008 Grammy Awards on the heels of its previous album, Riot!
(10/08/09 6:00am)
Few bands have managed to polarize the listening public quite like Creed has.
(10/01/09 6:31am)
After a four-year hiatus during which many fans thought a breakup was imminent, Vertical Horizon returns in 2009 with a new record, Burning the Days. Vertical Horizon is most famous for its smash single "Everything You Want," which became one of the most played songs of 2000.
(09/17/09 5:25am)
Typically, thrash metal and classical guitar are not two genres mentioned in the same sentence. Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela, however, is not your typical musical outfit. The collaboration was born when Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero met while playing in a thrash metal band called Tierra
(04/23/09 6:13am)
Yellowcard was a largely successful band at the beginning of the 2000s, starting with their breakthrough single “Ocean Avenue.” And, much of its success in the past has stemmed from the impassioned singing of frontman Ryan Key. In 2008, Yellowcard announced that it was going on an indefinite hiatus, and the band’s return is now uncertain.This paved the way for Key to form a new band, BIG IF, with fellow vocalist and guitarist Sean O’Donnell. O’Donnell achieved notoriety in the band Reeve Oliver, another pop-rock band that has two albums to its credit. Oliver has won acclaim in the San Diego Music Awards, and has opened for bands like Yellowcard, The Vandals and Switchfoot.BIG IF is not expected to release an album until later this year, but the band has given us a short preview of its music, posting three demo tracks on the band’s MySpace page. Here’s the skinny on each one:“Bunny and Me,” is a song that unfolds in two distinct phases. It opens with Key singing a much softer part alongside an acoustic guitar. Near the three-minute mark, the listener hears a drum roll, and the song picks up in intensity moving toward much more passionate vocals and a full electric band. The song transitions seamlessly between the two parts, and they complement well the lyrics of the song, in which the main character is just realizing how he feels about a special person in his life. The contrast between the two sections of the song really shows off Key’s vocal versatility; he can convey just as much emotion whether he’s singing softly or loudly.The second track, “Bug Light,” begins with O’Donnell singing, with Key taking over about 25 seconds in. The two vocalists’ voices are weaved in and out throughout the song, producing a great effect. This shows the distinct advantage that a band like this would have over either singers’ original bands: they have two strong vocalists and are willing to use them, reminding the listener of bands like Blink-182. Lyrically, this song contrasts with “Bunny and Me,” as it is about the breakdown of a relationship. Because the song is relatively upbeat, the listener gets the sense that the main character is not angry or spiteful — just disappointed about the situation.“When,” the third song, is about waiting for love, something to which most people can relate. Key and O’Donnell’s voices also rotate in and out throughout this song, with Key singing slightly more often. Musically, it follows much of the same formula established by the first two.Overall, BIG IF doesn’t explore much new ground. Many of the instrumental parts will be recognizable to anyone who has listened to Yellowcard or Reeve Oliver. The same is true of its lyrics. Nevertheless, the band is worth checking out because the interplay between the two voices makes BIG IF’s sound just different enough to be interesting. You can check the group’s songs out on myspace.com/bigifmusic, which also features videos of the members during the recording process.
(04/09/09 5:29am)
In the United States, we are very familiar with talent contests. Shows like American Idol and Dancing With the Stars have become mainstays on American television. In terms of longevity and viewership, however, these shows have nothing on the Eurovision Song Contest.Eurovision was conceived in 1950, when Europe was struggling to rebuild itself in the wake of World War II. Marcel Bezençon, a Frenchman working for the European Broadcasting Union, came up with the idea for a contest in which each country in Europe would designate someone to write a song. Each artist would perform his or her song at an event that would be broadcast throughout the continent. The first contest was held in Lugano, Switzerland, in 1956, with a total of seven countries participating. Today’s Eurovision retains the same basic format. The number of countries participating has grown to 42, requiring two semifinals to be held before the final. After each song is performed at one of the events, each country casts votes for its favorite songs in descending order: 12 to the favorite song, 10 to the second favorite, then eight to one points for the rest. A country cannot vote for its own song. The EBU recently announced changes in the voting system to prevent bloc voting among different regions of Europe, like in last year’s contest when Sweden cast its top three votes for Finland, Norway and Denmark, three of its closest neighbors.2008’s competition was loaded with talented artists and great songs. This year, the talent pool is a bit thinner, but there are quite a few memorable entries. One of my personal favorites this year is Switzerland, who featured the Lovebugs performing “The Highest Heights.” The song features an interesting version of the airy rock style that bands like U2 popularized. Another strong entry comes from Finland, which spotlights the band Waldo’s People performing their song “Lose Control,” an electronic dance pop extravaganza.One of the most interesting things about Eurovision is that it showcases the tremendous versatility of styles in European popular music. Don’t get me wrong, I like American pop music, but much of it sounds the same, with industrial rap-influenced beats and singers with astonishingly similar voices. European pop music experiments with many different influences, like techno (the aforementioned Finnish entry) and classical (Slovakia’s “Love Symphony”). One song, Germany’s “Miss Kiss Kiss Bang,” even features a 1920s swing band in the background, something that would never be found in an American pop song.Eurovision is the one of the most-watched TV shows in the world, with audience figures quoted between 100 million and 600 million in recent years. To give you an idea of how huge of an audience that is, consider that the last year’s Super Bowl reached about 98.7 million households.Preview videos for each country’s entry are being added every day at www.eurovision.tv. Anyone who wants to expand his or her musical horizons should definitely check it out.
(04/02/09 6:43am)
So, when I sat down to write last week’s article about five albums I never get tired of, I realized I was having lots of trouble narrowing down the list to just five. So now, like any good album, here’s some bonus content — five more albums I never get tired of.A Perfect Circle: Thirteenth Step (2003)This album holds the distinction of being the only one on either list about which I have ever written a paper. It is a concept album that explores many types and points of view of addiction. While most of its songs fit into popular rock forms, it mixes in some weird meters, like on “Weak and Powerless,” and stretches the capacity of the band’s instruments. Listen to “Blue,” when the bass is played in the upper register to produce a sound similar to a guitar.BEST TRACKS: “Weak and Powerless,” “Blue,” “Gravity”Maroon 5: Songs About Jane (2002)Maroon 5 is often touted as the successor to boy band sensations like ‘N Sync and the Backstreet Boys. There’s just one key difference: The boys of Maroon 5 actually are good musicians. They manage to infuse rock and pop sensibilities with a hint of soul, which puts a twist on traditional lyrics. They are also interesting because their live shows are a completely different experience from their studio albums, especially their live DVD, Friday the 13th.BEST TRACKS: “She Will Be Loved,” “Shiver,” “Not Coming Home”Bond: Classified (2004)Classical-music purists will probably hate me for including this band, but I can’t help it. Rather than fusing classical and rock like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Bond brings classical into the world of pop hooks. “Classified” includes reinterpretations of classics like Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers” on “Dream Star”. The band gained notoriety when its song “Explosive” was chosen as Australia’s theme song for the 2004 Athens Olympics.BEST TRACKS: “Explosive,” “Lullaby,” “Dream Star”Imogen Heap: Speak For Yourself (2005)Imogen Heap is another innovative artist, injecting pop songs with a little electronica. Her voice is also versatile — haunting in “Hide and Seek” and passionate in “Goodnight and Go.” Another interesting element of “Hide and Seek” is her use of a vocoder along with an a cappella voice, perfecting a technique that Laurie Anderson pioneered. She often acts as a “one-woman band” during her live shows, operating all her electronic instruments herself.BEST TRACKS: “Hide and Seek,” “Daylight Robbery,” “Just for Now”Audioslave: Revelations (2006)Tom Morello, guitarist of the now-defunct Audioslave, described this record as “Led Zeppelin meets Earth, Wind, and Fire.” This description is apt, as this album contains a lot of funky wah-pedal effects to go with the band’s rock roots. The strong backbeats on the drums also almost give the album a danceable sound. Audioslave was a collaboration between three former members of Rage Against The Machine and singer Chris Cornell, and the band initially struggled with chemistry on its first two albums. But on Revelations, the band gels well for the first time ever. Alas, the group broke up just after the release of this record, proving that chemistry isn’t everything.BEST TRACKS: “Revelations,” “One and the Same,” “Wide Awake”
(03/27/09 5:53am)
For most teams, traveling from a mild state like Virginia to a hot and humid one like Florida could pose a challenge. Considering the kinds of conditions in which the Virginia men’s tennis team has won matches, however, the heat may not influence the Cavaliers’ play against Miami and Florida State as much as the tough competition will this weekend.Virginia (20-0, 5-0 ACC) has won several matches in varying weather conditions this season, including a match against then-No. 10 Texas that was marked by rain delays — which can throw off a team’s practice and competition rhythms — and a windy home match against Clemson, in which the Cavaliers struggled to execute their shots.“Against Clemson it was really windy — and the wind was kind of swirling in a circle,” sophomore Michael Shabaz said. “It kept moving, so you weren’t really able to set up and hit your shot.”Regardless of the weather this weekend, the Cavaliers will face stiff competition from both of its upcoming opponents. Miami (8-6, 4-1 ACC) is coming off two consecutive 4-3 wins against North Carolina and Duke. While the Hurricanes’ (15-5, 5-0 ACC) talent is perhaps not as impressive as Virginia’s, the Cavaliers cannot afford to take the match lightly. Hurricane senior Daniel Vallverdu sports an impressive 11-4 record on the season. He has also stepped up against top-notch competition, compiling a 4-2 record in the No. 1 singles slot. Miami also has some young talent on the rise, including sophomore Carl Sundberg, who has a 14-5 overall record and a 4-1 conference record. Florida State, which currently ranks second in the ACC Standings, also will challenge Virginia’s undefeated record.“Two years ago we went down to Florida State for a 4-3 battle — absolute battle — which we narrowly pulled out,” Senior Dominic Inglot said. “I’m sure they’re gonna pose another threat.”Florida State is led by senior Maciek Sykut, who continues to climb up the Seminoles’ all-time wins list, with nearly 150 career wins in singles and doubles. Sophomore Clint Bowles also has shown talent, rolling up a combined 21-13 singles record in the fall and spring seasons.For the Cavaliers, Inglot is expected to demonstrate the same leadership he has shown all season. Inglot recently was named the ACC Player of the Week after an undefeated week during which he knocked off Georgia Tech sophomore Guillermo Gomez, who at the time was the ACC’s top-ranked singles player.According to weather.com, Friday’s high in Coral Gables will be 83 degrees, with 60 percent humidity. Sunday in Tallahassee, the high will be 73 degrees, with 60 percent humidity. With these warm weather conditions in mind, coach Brian Boland said he looks forward to this weekend’s matches.“We want to play in difficult situations,” Boland said. “And where it’s really hot — we’re hoping that with each match we get closer and closer to being our best at the end of April.”
(03/26/09 6:09am)
These days, when musical artists make an album, there tends to be maybe two or three good tracks apart from the singles. Rarely do we see an album that is good from the first track to the last, keeping the listener interested all the way through. But every so often, an artist just gets on a roll and never looks back. So I’d like to present my picks for the Five Albums I Never Get Tired Of.Alter Bridge: Blackbird (2007)In case you haven’t figured it out by now, I am a HUGE fan of this group. While their first album, One Day Remains, sounded rushed and uneven at times, this record is chock full of face-melting rock. Vocalist Myles Kennedy shows off his titanic range and guitarist Mark Tremonti delivers some of the best riffs and solos modern rock has ever heard. Alter Bridge proves that a band doesn’t always have to be depressed or angry to sound good. Many of their songs, like “Rise Today” and “Before Tomorrow Comes,” are uplifting without losing their rock edge.BEST TRACKS: “Before Tomorrow Comes,” “Blackbird,” “Come To Life”Shania Twain: Come On Over (1997)When a 16-track album spawns 12 singles, you know there’s something special about it. The master of country-pop crossover mixes the genres well, and throws an occasional dose of rock in for flavor. Twain is renowned for her meticulous attention to detail on every album. She takes longer than most to release her albums, but they are all solid efforts as a result.BEST TRACKS: “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!,” “Black Eyes Blue Tears,” “Rock This Country!”Tool: 10,000 Days (2006)Few well-known rock bands can be described as innovative, but Tool is certainly fits the description. 10,000 Days challenges traditional forms throughout the whole album. In “Vicarious,” lead singer Maynard James Keenan makes the somewhat awkward phrase “Why can’t we just admit it?” flow very well with an unconventional rhythm. Another interesting moment on the album is Adam Jones’s lightning-quick riff at the start of “Jambi.”BEST TRACKS: “Vicarious,” “The Pot,” “Right In Two” The Corrs: Borrowed Heaven (2004)Celtic rock band The Corrs have not received much acclaim in the United States (unless you heard their song “Breathless” sweep the nation for about 10 minutes at the turn of the millennium). But they are mega-famous in their native Ireland and the rest of Western Europe, and this album help explains why. This is one of those rare albums in which none of the musicians are a weak link. Each band member has a shining moment, whether it’s the drums on “Angel,” the guitar on “Summer Sunshine” or the vocals on the title track (featuring an appearance by the African folk group Ladysmith Black Mambazo).BEST TRACKS: “Summer Sunshine,” “Angel,” “Even If”Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Lost Christmas Eve (2004)TSO has become the foremost classical/rock fusion group, and are most famous for their holiday music. This album contains great renditions and medleys of Christmas classics, culminating in “Christmas Canon Rock,” a stunning electric guitar and vocal retelling of Johann Pachelbel’s timeless “Canon in D,” which is perfect for any season.BEST TRACKS: “Christmas Canon Rock,” “Wizards In Winter,” “Christmas Jam”