The parallels between 1976 and 2008 are undeniable. Back then, the economy was in shambles, suffering through a wicked bout of inflation. Late in the year, hope arrived in the…
Spin City: The Complete Season 1 (Dreamworks/Shout! Factory) (Buy this DVD at Amazon) The success of any workplace series comes down to casting. If we believe that every character in…
Left wanting more after seeing one of their many CMJ sets, I was interested to see that Pattern is Movement was coming back to NYC to open for Subtle. As…
Just in time for the holidays, the complete Speed Racer series has been re-released in a groovy collector’s set. If you’re a fan of the popular anime cartoon that came…
It all started back in September, when Robert Cass sent an e-mail to the staff telling us Billboard had announced that Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” is the top song of…
My World History teacher in high school, Mrs. Rivers, was less than efficient in her use of verbiage. While lecturing about the Peloponnesian Wars or the Roman aqueducts, she would…
It’s vacation time already? Awesome! Time to kick back, relax, and…oh, wait, I forgot: this is only a part-time writing gig, and I still have to keep doing my full-time…
Ranlom – Going on Holiday (Quirky Bird, 2008) purchase this album (Amazon) With the amount of shit I’ve given Christmas music over the last few years, and the obvious relish…
Howdy, folks! As some of you may have already realized, Popdose is preparing for the holidays by giving the columnists you know and love a holiday of their own. Between…
[Note: Back in April, as part of Matthew Bolin’s ongoing series, When Good Albums Happen to Bad People, Popdose ran a post that focused on MÁ¶tley CrÁ¼e’s Girls, Girls, Girls….
By “2,” I mean “3,” of course. But if you’re having trouble following my byzantine internal logic, then allow me to explain. I was going to give you discs two…
The Guardian interviews Ryan Adams, and as usual, he has a lot to say; Anthony Kuzminski comments on news of Todd Rundgren reuniting with the New York Dolls; Something Else!…
Adam Sandler – The Thanksgiving Song from They’re All Gonna Laugh at You! (1993) Graham Parker – Almost Thanksgiving Day from Your Country (2004) Ben Wisch – Thanksgiving from Winter…
Hey everybody!Á‚ Just think: one week from now, you’ll probably be feeling full and somewhat nauseous from all the food you’ve ingested.Á‚ I say, why wait a week?Á‚ Get that…
Management informs me that as of today weÁ¢€™re off until the new year. I canÁ¢€™t promise that I wonÁ¢€™t sneak back into the building from time to time, but to…
The press materials for The Who at Kilburn 1977 describe this DVD as “a holy grail for fans after decades of anticipation,” and that’s no piece of bull dreamed up…
Garden Party (Lionsgate, 2008) purchase this DVD (Amazon) Garden Party, just released on DVD after a brief theatrical run, is one of those indie films that kind of meanders through…
Live albums have been a staple of the music business for ages, and even if you’re someone who loudly proclaims to have no interest in them whatsoever, it’s probable that…
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to see David Byrne live in concert. It was purported to be a celebration of the work he did with Brian Eno,…
Morrissey was one of the earliest fans and champions of Britpop glumlords Suede, and it’s not too tough to figure out why. Besides owing quite a musical debt to Morrissey…
Gather round the fire, kids, let’s roast some chestnuts and let Uncle Mojo tell you a story: Back in 1990, he was a blithely ignorant intern at Billboard, so happy…
Last Saturday, as the latest round of California wild fires burned on in cities nearby our home, we waited anxiously to see whether the Pasadena Marathon would be canceled. For…
Over the next year Terje Fjelde has agreed to listen to nothing but David Foster on his iPod. HeÁ¢€â„¢s loaded the thing with over 1,200 songs produced, arranged, composed, and/or…
Á¢€Å“Eighty percent of success in life is just showing up.Á¢€ Á¢€” Woody Allen For a few years there Á¢€” as George Bush “won” a pair of shady elections and then…
Guggenheim Grotto – Happy the Man (UFO Music, 2009) purchase this album (Amazon) Its artwork has the sort of washed-out color tones that usually suggest an album from Jack Johnson…
As you may have heard by now, Rod Stewart confirmed last week that all the surviving members of his old band, the Faces (including current Rolling Stone Ron Wood and…
November 19, 1985, is a Tuesday. Ronald Reagan and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev are in Geneva, where they will hold their first summit meeting starting today. Other headlines in the…
Things have been hectic at the Test of the Boomerang headquarters: I just became a father, and things have been understandably hectic. I took a break from changing nappies, though,…
Guns n’ Roses – Chinese Democracy (Geffen, 2008) purchase this album (Best Buy) Unless you’ve spent a lot of time in the company of William Shatner, Chinese Democracy will likely…
Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, Cardinology (2008) purchase this album (Amazon) It’s been fashionable for the last few years to slag Ryan Adams at every turn. There’s no doubt that…