The Useless Critic 2.0

Kind of an oldie at this point, but I am AMAZED by how strong of a song this is. I heard it for the first time this year, and it's quickly become one of my favorites. This is prime Boxer Rebellion.  Plus, the video is pretty cool - esp. if you are a daydreamer like myself.  The Boxer Rebellion released "Ghost Alive" last year, and it's a fantastic album. Check out "What The Fuck" off that one ... it's strong, '90s-britpop-meets-The-National sort of sound.

I will preface this post with the following: I grew up as a huge Ryan Adams fan. I was instantly hooked after 2001 and VH1 playing "New York New York" nonstop. To me, he was everything rock was supposed to be - but I hadn't quite found yet. When I began high school, I bought "Heartbreaker" and vividly remember my first listen in my Mom's SUV in the parking lot of our local grocery store. Snow was falling down and it was dark outside, and his music seemed so perfect for that moment.  I was able to keep up with his career until college. He kept putting out music and I just didn't have the space in my brain to keep pace with each album, especially since I found a few to be rather lackluster. Plus, I was being introduced to other musicians and bands, and was really not as interested in Ryan as I had been. It wasn't until the past few years I began appreciating him again. When he covered Taylor Swift's "1989," I found it to be a ge

Sounds Like: Shawn Mendes meets Purity Ring on a road trip Doesn't Sound Like: The Portishead song "Roads"  Coming from somewhere that blends singer-songwriter folky aesthetics,  Mark Diamond premieres his new single, "Road." It's not a song that demands your interest at first - it's almost too soft and easygoing for its own good. But repeated listens reveal a comfort and warmth to it, and certainly it indicates (a lot) of promise for future music.  Says Mark, "I have never had more fun making music in my entire life. Music should make people feel good more than it makes them feel bad. Not necessarily ‘happy’ songs, but songs that make you feel better about life than when you started listening to it.” Seems like he's meeting his ... mark! Looking forward to hearing more from this up-and-coming talent.   

White Lies initially appeared in a crop of late '00s bands that made a brief fuss for a while and then slowly disappeared. But unlike a lot of those bands - and unlike other more forgettable post-punk acts (The Cinematics, anyone?) White Lies has managed to stand the test of time with finesse.  Celebrating approximately a decade together as a band, White Lies released the aptly named "Five" this Friday.  Although White Lies have gone off in slightly different directions since 2009's "To Lose My Life" and even 2011's similar-feeling "Ritual," "Five" does feel like their most accomplished work to death. The instrumentals feel more polished; Harry McVeigh's signature voice somehow more mature.  For me, the strongest track is indeed the opener - "Time to Give." While "Time to Give" has the distinctive touch of White Lies, it approaches more arena rock territory, too. Like, it's not out of the questio