July 2007

Event Reviews

Bonnaroo

Though this festival built its reputation as a lovefest for jambands and hippies, Bonnaroo in 2007 opened its arms up to more modern rock bands, bringing in a whole new audience. One new convert was Jen Cray, whose weekend in the mountains of Tennessee is not one she's soon to forget.

Erasure

In a celebration of all things shiny and happy, Erasure brought their circus of glitter to Orlando's Hard Rock Live, and Jen Cray was there for the party.

Jesse Malin

Not rain, nor the humid Florida summer night air could keep Jen Cray away from checking out former D Generation vocalist Jesse Malin's show as part of the Death & Taxes tour.

Morrissey

For his first show in Central Florida in 15 years, Morrissey proved that not since Elvis has a musician been capable of inciting a near riot by a twist of his lip and the tossing of his shirt. Jen Cray was happily amongst the swooning masses.

Sage Francis

Chris Catania gets swept up by the creative electricity that had a Chicago crowd firmly in the grip of indie hip-hop mastermind Sage Francis.

Interviews

Sevendust

Gail Worley sits down with Sevendust drummer Morgan Rose for a debriefing on a rough year. From divorces to record label woes to clothing companies, nothing is off limits this time around.

The Seeded Planet

Many rock bands have penned protests of America's war in Iraq. But Sans, leader of The Seeded Planet, was actually there, and even received a Purple Heart for his bravery. Find out from Kyrby Raine which side he stands on.

Theo & the Skyscrapers

Former Lunachicks frontwoman Theo Kogan, whose current band, Theo & the Skyscrapers, are about to release their second full length, chatted with Jen Cray about the record industry, sex in music, and her ambitious plans for the future.

Music Reviews

Music A

Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O.

Nam Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo (Ace Fu). Review by Aaron Shaul.

The American Black Lung

Sudden Departure Vultures (Uprising). Review by Jen Cray.

Autumn Shade

Ezra Moon (Strange Attractors). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Music B

Bad Religion

New Maps of Hell (Epitaph). Review by Jen Cray.

Bowerbirds

Hymns For a Dark Horse (Burly Time). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Broken Poets

Optimism In E Minor (Self-Released). Review by Andrew Ellis.

Music C

Call Me Lightning

Soft Skeletons (Frenchkiss Records). Review by Matthew Moyer.

Cheer-Accident

What Sequel? (Pravda). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Circa Survive

On Letting Go (Equal Vision). Review by Jen Cray.

Music D

Danzig

The Lost Tracks of Danzig (evilive). Review by Jen Cray.

Dear and Glorious Physician

Dear and Glorious Physician (New Granada). Review by Matthew Moyer.

Dear Tonight

We're Not Men (Red Leader). Review by Jen Cray.

Bill Deasy

The Miles (Traveling Light Records). Review by Andrew Ellis.

Deathkiller

New England is Sinking (I Scream). Review by Jen Cray.

Deicide

Stench of Redemption (Earache Records). Review by Matthew Moyer.

Driveblind

Driveblind (Geffen). Review by Andrew Ellis.

Music F

Far From Finished

Living In The Fallout (Think Fast!). Review by Jen Cray.

The Feeling

Four Stops and Home (Interscope). Review by Andrew Ellis.

Music G

Gallows

Orchestra of Wolves (Epitaph). Review by Jen Cray.

Music H

Emerson Hart

Cigarettes and Gasoline (EMI/Manhattan). Review by Andrew Ellis.

Annie Haslam

Woman Transcending (White Dove). Review by Matt Parish.

Ian Hunter

Shrunken Heads (Yep Roc). Review by Matt Parish.

Frida Hyvonen

Gives You: Music From the Dance Performance Pudel (Licking Fingers). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Music I

Interpol

Our Love to Admire (Capitol). Review by Jen Cray.

Ira

The Body and the Soil (Go Kart). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Music J

Juliette & the Licks

Four on the Floor (The Militia Group). Review by Jen Cray.

The Junior Varsity

Cinematographic (Victory). Review by Jen Cray.

Music K

Kalli

While The City Sleeps (One Little Indian). Review by Andrew Ellis.

Kill The Alarm

Fire Away (G$makr Music). Review by Andrew Ellis.

Music L

Avril Lavigne

the best damn thing (RCA Records). Review by Matt Parish.

The Lonely H

Hair (The Control Group/In Music We Trust). Review by Tim Wardyn.

Music M

Jesse Malin

Glitter in the Gutter (Adeline). Review by Jen Cray.

Marco Polo

Port Authority (Rawkus). Review by Chris Catania.

Paul McCartney

Memory Almost Full (MPL Communications LTD). Review by Christopher Long.

The Measure [Sa]

Historical Fiction (Team Science). Review by Jen Cray.

Music N

The Nerd Parade

A Delicate Bashing (Headphone Treats Records). Review by Crystal Lee.

New Found Glory

Coming Home (Suretone/Geffen). Review by Andrew Ellis.

Music O

Only Crime/Outbreak

Split (Think Fast!). Review by Jen Cray.

Music P

Pat McGee Band

These Days (The Virginia Sessions) (Self-released). Review by Andrew Ellis.

Grant Lee Phillips

Strangelet (Zoe Records). Review by Linda Tate.

Plan B

Who Needs Actions When You Got Words? (Pet Cemetery/679). Review by Chris Catania.

Music R

Kim Richey

Chinese Boxes (Vanguard). Review by Andrew Ellis.

Music S

Satellite Party

Ultra Payloaded (Columbia). Review by Jen Cray.

Smashing Pumpkins

Zeitgeist (Martha's Music/Reprise). Review by Jen Cray.

Summer of Love

The Hits of 1967 (Time Life). Review by James Mann.

Music T

Thee Ohsees

Sucks Blood (CastleFace). Review by Jen Cray.

Music U

Underworld and Gabriel Yared

Breaking and Entering: Music From the Film (V2). Review by Aaron Shaul.

The Unseen

Internal Salvation (Hellcat). Review by Jen Cray.

Music W

Warped Tour 2007

Warped Tour 2007 Compilation (SideOneDummy Records). Review by Brittany Sturges.

Wax Cannon

Someone in Madison is Praying for You (And It’s Not Me) (Commie Martyr 512). Review by Chris Catania.

Print Reviews

Boarding the Enterprise

Calling all Star Trek fans and absolutely no one else!! This book is not for the light of Trekkie heart. Tim Wardyn got suckered into reading these essays and finds out that, for the most part, those who write about Star Trek are just a bunch of a-holes.

Cuba And Its Music

Chris Catania finds that it's taking longer than he thought to finish Qbadisc mastermind Ned Sublette's new history of Cuban song - he keeps running to the record store mid-page for his fix. That's the stuff.

Dog War

Rhona Scoville has a new favorite author, and this quirky and funny tale about life after a significant other's death by Jamaican writer Anthony Winkler really hit the spot.

Front & Center

A story about accepting the odds and thriving beyond them. Cindy Barrymore finds unexpected heart and soul in this tell-all from one of Madonna's former dancers.

Hallo Spaceboy: The Rebirth of David Bowie

Tom "Tearaway Stardust" Schulte enjoys Dave Thompson’s second volume of an enlightening and detailed look at the life and career of ьber-artist David Bowie. Even more surprising is that his hands aren't covered with glitter after putting the book down.

Lone Racer

With few lines and fewer words, Nicholas Mahler manages to break hearts with his minicomic tale of the Lone Racer. Heather Lorusso wipes her eyes with the checkered flag.

Skinema

Chris Nieratko tells brutally frank tales of inebriation and sexual excess while supposedly reviewing porn videos in Skinema. Chris stopped by the Skate Park of Tampa to promote his new book and present a little slide show. Bob Pomeroy was there and gives you the dirt on the dirty stories.

The Girl With The Golden Shoes

Bob Ham is overjoyed to find that the coming-of-age story still has legs with Colin Channer's lovingly crafted tale of a 14-year-old Caribbean girl's journey to find a new home.