There’s a moment on “The Overly Dramatic Truth,” the ninth track of El-P’s brilliant sophomore effort, I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead , when the Brooklyn-born Jaime Meline doesn’t sound like any of the writerly influences critics typically pigeon-hole him with. It doesn’t remind me of Philip K. Dick. Or George Orwell. Or Aldous Huxley. Or […]

In a shocking reversal of fortune, Iraq, a nation recently teetering on the brink of Civil War has finally stabilized, as Iraqi insurgents of all stripes have laid down their arms, agreeing to love one another, regardless of religious sect or philosophical difference. In a magnanimous gesture, the United States will pull out its troops […]

The Setting: Jay-Z’s lavish offices at Def Jam Headquarters in Manhattan. Reclining in his leather chair, Jay throws his S. Dot kicks up on his mahogany desk and lights a Cohiba Cigar with a $100 bill. Suddenly, he hears a knock at the door. Jay-Z: Holla at ya boy! The door opens. Pete Wentz walks […]

I almost never listen to the radio. Not out of any sort of musical snobbery (well, maybe a little). But mainly, I don’t listen because I’m an album sort of a guy. But every now and then, a moment will come along that reminds me why I loved the radio so much when I was […]

Just when you thought that the “Good Vibrations” couldn’t get any better, now you can make Marky Mark get funky on your very own Sega CD. Steroids not included. The Funky Bunch demands that you look at the first four days of the list below the jump. 30. Jay-Z –American Gangster [Roc-A-Fella] Is American Gangster […]

So with Christmas and Hanukkah came a bounty of gifts for this young blogger. A Woody Allen Box Set. A DVD of The Marx Brothers’ Duck Soup. A 2-Month Gift Subscription to Netflix. But perhaps bestest of all was the long awaited Season 1 DVD of Beverly Hills 90210. Scoff all you want my friends, […]

There’s a rarely discussed but subliminal understanding between music obsessives, the types that listen to dozens of records each year, the types that spend all their discretionary income on Ticketmaster-inflated concert tickets, the types that waste vast chunks of their time writing blogs for the similarly musically obsessed. And that understanding is that for all […]

In Alphabetical Order A-Ko: “Chicago” Now that RJD2 has abandoned instrumental hip-hop for the the world of pop and DJ Shadow has fallen into the open arms of Keek Da Sneak, this 17-year old kid from Iowa might be the next best thing. Full of dusty soul samples and vinyl crackles, “Chicago” takes it back […]

In Alphabetical Order The 1900s-“Bring the Good Boys Home” It’s fitting that a group called the 1900s would write a song called “Bring the Good Boys Home” as the title makes it seem like a song written by a WWI pacifist. The sound however is perfect light-hearted pop, full of pounding drums, synths and a […]

25. Camera Obscura-Let’s Get Out of This CountryLet’s Get Out of the Country is a charming collection of 10 relentlessly pleasant twee pop songs. I only have one problem with it. Every time, I hear its breakout single, “Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken,” I become convinced that the song is about Lloyd Christmas, Jim […]