CD Review: The Rolling Stones, “Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out” 40th Anniversary Edition | Popdose

My review of the 40th Anniversary Edition of The Rolling Stones Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out was posted to Popdose today:

Just when you start to think that Rhino is the only company that knows how to do the box set thing, along comes ABKCO Records with their entry in the definitive statement sweepstakes. In this case the statement in question is in regard to the classic live Rolling Stones album Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out from 1969.popdose.com, CD Review: The Rolling Stones, “Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out” 40th Anniversary Edition | Popdose, Nov 2009

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CD Review: Frank Sinatra, “Sinatra: New York” | Popdose

My review of Rhino’s latest box set triumph, Sinatra: New York was posted to Popdose today:

“I am certain that when Frank Sinatra was a child, he must have gazed at the Manhattan skyline just across the Hudson River. If you’ve ever been to Hoboken, you know that the big city appears to be so close that you can almost reach out and touch the buildings. It’s a place where a young man can dream big dreams. When Sinatra was old enough, he made his escape. For him, and for countless others, “The Apple,” as he called it, became the center of the world.”

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The Popdose Interview: Eric Johnson, President and C.O.O. of Wolfgang’s Vault

Last week I had the chance to speak with Eric Johnson, President and Chief Operating Officer Eric Johnson of Wolfgang’s Vault. There’s some big news at the Concert Vault this week:
“Wolfgang’s Vault is one of the Internet’s greatest treasures for music lovers. The site hosts thousands of concerts that are available for free streaming, as well as vintage memorabilia that includes t-shirts, posters, photographs, tickets, and other items of interest. Thus far, only a limited number of the shows in the Concert Vault have been available for download. That’s about to change tomorrow. Last week, I had a chance to speak with Wolfgang’s Vault President and Chief Operating Officer Eric Johnson from his office in San Francisco.”

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DVD Review: Nirvana, “Live At Reading” | Popdose

My review of the DVD Nirvana – Live at Reading was posted to Popdose today:

Can you remember 1992? I certainly can, and what I remember is that trash TV — and to some extent, even the mainstream media — was filled with stories about Kurt Cobain and his bride, Courtney Love. They had been married in Hawaii in February of that year, and already there were lurid tales of addiction, arrest, and marital discord. In the midst of it all a daughter, Frances Bean Kobain, was born in August.popdose.com, DVD Review: Nirvana, “Live At Reading” | Popdose, Oct 2009

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Cratedigger: Rickie Lee Jones, “Pirates” | Popdose

My latest Cratedigger column reflects on Rickie Lee Jones’ second, and in my opinion finest, album Pirates:

I have to admit that I was hesitant to make Rickie Lee Jones’ Pirates the subject of this week’s Cratedigger. The weather has been gloomy here in New Jersey all week, the Yankees dropped the first game of the World Series to Philadelphia, and my finances are in the sewer. Since Pirates is perhaps the most heartbreaking album I’ve ever encountered, I was afraid listening to it again would throw me into an even deeper funk. Despite the sorrow, when pressed, I will tell you that Pirates is one of the best albums ever made, and it is easily ensconced in my personal Top Five, where it has resided since its release in July, 1981.popdose.com, Cratedigger: Rickie Lee Jones, “Pirates” | Popdose, Oct 2009

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CD Review: U2, “The Unforgettable Fire” (Remastered) | Popdose

My review of the newly-remastered U2 album The Unforgettable Fire was posted to Popdose today:

So, friends, here we are again to determine whether you need to purchase the latest entry in Island’s U2 remastering series. First a question; what kind of U2 fan are you? Casual or committed? If it’s the latter, you probably need to read further only to enjoy the beautiful prose. You’re going to buy this. Hell, you were probably at the store on Tuesday morning to grab the first copy. It’s the casual fan who needs to make a decision. I’ll try to help you out.popdose.com, CD Review: U2, “The Unforgettable Fire” (Remastered) | Popdose, Oct 2009

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CD Review: Matthew Ryan, “Dear Lover” | Popdose

My review of Matthew Ryan’s new album, Dear Lover, has been posted to Popdose:

“First he fills in the foreground. I imagine Matthew Ryan sitting in a dimly lit room with a guitar, or at the piano. He scribbles, in pencil, into his songwriting notebook, filling it with stories of the lost and brokenhearted, the dreamers and the damned. Then he picks out a melody that perfectly expresses the yearnings of his characters, who more often than not seem to be some part of himself. The song written, he opens his sonic palette to create a backdrop for his painting. A distorted guitar here, a driving electro-beat or ominous synth pad there. Foreground and backdrop blend into a seamless whole.”

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CD Review: Gov’t Mule, “By A Thread” | Popdose

My review of the new Gov’t Mule album, By A Thread, was posted to Popdose today:

I’m tempted to call Gov’t Mule one of my guilty pleasures. The thing is, there is really nothing to feel guilty about. Their last album, High and Mighty (2006), was my favorite hard rock album of that year, and the new one, By a Thread (Evil Teen Records), is likely to hold the same position this year. While it’s true that I don’t listen to a lot of this kind of music, I know what’s good when I hear it. It comes down to my long-held belief that no matter what genre music may belong to, it all comes down to the songs. These songs, written for the most part of band leader Warren Haynes, occasionally in collaboration with other band members, are expertly crafted, and played with passion and conviction.popdose.com, CD Review: Gov’t Mule, “By A Thread” | Popdose, Oct 2009

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The Popdose Interview: Clarence Clemons

E Street Band saxophone player Clarence Clemons, known the world over as the “Big Man,” has written a new book with his friend Don Reo. As the subtitle, “Real Life & Tall Tales,” suggests, the book is a wildly entertaining blend of autobiography and a substantial amount of myth. You can read Pete Chianca’s review for Popdose here. The mythmaking comes via tall tales that Clarence calls “Legends.” Whether he’s riding big waves with Oprah, playing pool in Havana with Fidel Castro, or hanging out with Bruce Springsteen in a remote area of Hawaii, it’s clear that Clarence Clemons has led an extraordinary life. I had a chance to speak with him on the telephone last week.

You can read my interview for Popdose here

CD/DVD Review: Otis Redding, “The Best: See & Hear” | Popdose

My review of the new cd/dvd package Otis Redding – The Best: See & Hear was posted to Popdose today:

The package consists of two discs – an audio CD, and a DVD. The CD contains 12 of Redding’s greatest hits. These are timeless songs and performances, every one of them was a top 20 hit on the R&B charts, and of course “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” was a number one smash on the pop charts as well. Sadly, it was a posthumous hit for Redding. I am a big Otis Redding fan, and you’ll never hear a bad word from me about any of these songs. The thing is, you have them already, don’t you? Do we really need a new release of these songs? They haven’t been remastered, or remixed, and we already own them. They’ve just been … collected.popdose.com, CD/DVD Review: Otis Redding, “The Best: See & Hear” | Popdose, Oct 2009

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