A little over 100 years ago, Thorstein Veblen published “A Theory of the Leisure Class,” and introduced a new term to the popular lexicon. “Conspicuous consumption,” wrote Veblen, happens when rich people spend their money simply to get attention.
That pretty much sums up the big concert market, where idiots routinely drop 500 bucks on [...]
A CD Review
It’s been a long time coming for this, the second effort from Syd. The Norwich native spent much of 2005 in the studio, only to shelve the work last autumn. Rescued by producer Danny Weinkauf (Fountains of Wayne, They Might Be Giants) and freshly mixed by Jeff Thall, “The Way We [...]
A CD Review
Her fragile voice sits somewhere between Norah Jones and a twanged-out Beth Orton, but the similarities end there. Jenny Owen Youngs delivers a sweetly subversive concoction of modern alienation, romantic ennui and deliciously infectious hooks.
Youngs explores technology’s hold on human interaction from a variety of angles. “Voice On Tape” uses answering [...]
A CD Review
Fans of Crowded House should warm up quickly to this record, released last year in Nicholson’s native Australia, and available Tuesday on iTunes (with general release next month).
“Faith and Science” once again demonstrates the ability of performers from Down Under to mine the best of American music. There are traces of [...]
CD Review
Jonatha Brooke channels her inner Todd Rundgren in an effort that’s worlds removed from her folksinger roots, though her busker humor is always in evidence.
“I was so naïve,” she chuckles on the title track (and album opener), plucking out a distracted guitar progression, before shifting to dense, majestic pop. It’s a [...]
