Although "This House is Condemned" would have been better left as a B-side, this is truly a wonderful album, especially if you enjoy the dance sound employed in later Pulp releases. Standout tracks for me include Love is Blind, Don't You Want Me Anymore, Down by the River, and Countdown. But my favorite is Death II. If in doubt, start with that one!
There is every other music festival and then there is Coachella, the California-desert weekend that, in many ways, set the template for all that followed. The first U.S. festival to boast big-ticket reunions and all-over-the-map booking, Coachella continues to maintain its distinctive, idiosyncratic personality. Needless to say, navigating such a wide array of music can be tricky. We've picked 25 acts worth making time for. more »
Some artists take a while to find their mature voice, and few have taken quite as long as Pulp. Founded by singer Jarvis Cocker in 1978 as a spirited if unfocused post-punk band, they spent their first 16 years or so experimenting with styles and attitudes, releasing a slow trickle of increasingly accomplished, witty and thoughtful singles and albums that eventually came to treat desire and frustration as their prime subjects. Then, in the mid… more »
When it rains it pours, and this month has been a veritable flood. There are more new, great albums than I know what to do with. I need about 15 extra hours each day to listen to them all. Chances are you will, too. HERE WE GO. Sleigh Bells, Reign of Terror: This is probably where we have the discussion about how bands almost never sound good on Saturday Night Live. Artists we know are great… more »
