Jack White was in the building earlier that day. On a day when The Raconteurs put out their first album in over ten years, the band played a small in-store that afternoon at Rough Trade in Brooklyn-the first of three intimate NY shows for the band. The Raconteurs would go onto play Rough Trade Saturday night and Coney Island Baby Sunday afternoon. Jack White exists within a realm that few working rock musicians do; Dave Grohl is probably his only true contemporary. This is all to say that these 200-250 cap rooms are a rarity for someone of Jack White’s stature to perform in. He’s a rockstar in the truest definition of the word, which is very different from how someone would perceived Titus Andronicus who headlined Rough Trade on Friday Night for the release show for their new record An Obelisk.
To say I wasn’t really looking forward to Titus Andronicus’ new album wouldn’t be right. I really wanted to hear it, but I also planned to dislike it. In the interview that was released with “Number One (In New York),” Patrick Stickles declared that A Productive Cough would have no “punk bangers.” Those were my favorite Titus songs, and now Stickles wanted to get rid of them? These fears evaporated upon listening to “Number One.” A Productive Cough doesn’t have the same sort of gritty, shout-along songs like “Dimed Out” or “A More Perfect Union,” but the songs aren’t any less punk bangers. Continue reading →
The human fascination with death and murder takes us all down strange rabbit holes. It’s hard for some people to resist watching Law & Order, some of us have libraries with Helter Skelter or Zodiac, and some of us spend most of our work day listening to murder podcasts. With a demographic that can sometimes skew down the darker path of life, it’s not difficult to see an audience for Charles Manson’s Lie album. Manson’s relationship with music is one of the largest parts of his legacy that will surely be discussed for years to come. Continue reading →
The Florida math-rockers have released the excellent Abendrot. The album is much more textured than the straightforward yet intricate punk of the group’s previous work. The whole album is worth the listen, but “Sundial Song” is an early standout. Continue reading →
This weekend saw the wrap up of the Desert Trip festival in Indio, California. McCartney was probably one of the biggest draws when the festival was announced, but he brought out a special guest who is definitely more suited for Coachella.
Aimee Mann-“Can’t You Tell”
The 30 Days, 30 Songs campaign has been a recurring story here at BurgerADay for the past week. Aimee Mann’s song is easily one of the best songs to come out of it. It’s a driving number that takes on a much sadder point-of-view that almost forces the listener to emphasize with the Republican Presidential Candidate
The Who-“Baba O’Riley”
Another “Oldchella” act. While The Beatles and Rolling Stones are essentials for any music fan, I always preferred Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwhistle and Keith Moon growing up. It’s hard to find a song as timeless as “Baba O’Riley.” That synthesizer riff is one of the most iconic in history.
Kevin Devine-“Freddie Gray Blues”
As the release of Kevin Devine’s Instigator draws closer, we’ve been treated to the album stream. Devine did release this track right after the murder of Freddie Gray, and it’s just as haunting. Devine both acknowledges his white privilege and relationships with cops, and it’s chilling.
Moose Blood-“Honey”
The UK pop-punk outfit has just embarked on a US tour opening for The Wonder Years. Where their first album had more emo-influence, Blush is sugary sweet pop-punk, and the lead single is probably the best song from the album. The band is sure to be exciting.
Modern Baseball-“Phone Tag”
Another tour-opener. Modern Baseball has just kicked off a tour with Brand New and The Front Bottoms. While their setlist mostly features takes from the excellent Holy Ghost, I’ve been revisiting their B-sides. This reworking of “It’s Cold Out Here” is a nice change of pace, and the altered lyrics at the end are much better than the original.
Brand New-“Not the Sun”
Brand New has been playing Devil and God front to back on their current tour, forcing me to revisit the album. While the most popular tracks never fail to entertain, I’m pleasantly reminded how great songs like “Welcome to Bangkok” or “Not the Sun” are.
Bob Dylan-“Desolation Row”
The biggest music news story this week has been about the Nobel Prize winner. Dylan’s poetry is perhaps best summed up in this song, and here’s a video from this weekend’s Desert Trip.
Black Kids-“Obligatory Drugs”
Black Kids are back with this fun-as-hell track. “Obligatory Drugs” is a dancey, indie-rock song with an undeniable hook. I’m definitely in.
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