The Useless Critic 2.0

Photo credit - Piper Ferguson One of my favorite (newer) musical discoveries is the Brooklyn post-punk/new wave band, Nation of Language. Think of The National crossed with something New Order/Joy Division-inspired, and you would have them.  My favorite track off their sophomore album "A Way Forward" - which was just released! - is "Across That Fine Line." Listen to it and see if you aren't hooked immediately: On "A Way Forward!", the band nods toward the sounds of Kraftwerk and Neu!, and it's VERY easy to hear that in their music - with a uniquely 2021 twist. Honestly, it's been a minute since I've heard a good new post-punk band, so I'm happy I heard them this past year.  In 2022, they'll be headlining a tour of the EU. Dates below - if you live in the EU, see if you can catch them. COVID getting worse permitting: Nation   of   Language  Tour Dates: 01/10 - Cologne, DE @ YUCA [ tickets ] 01/11 - Antwerp, BE @ TRIX Bar [ no pre-sal...

This Saturday I'm sharing some fun, uplifting rock that echoes back to a more youthful time with Scottish band We Were Promised Jetpacks' new song "Fat Chance." The song is about overcoming odds in your path, and the sort of sweet realization that you can actually overcome said odds. In all frankness for me it's a very appropriate choice today. :D  The band's new album, "Enjoy the View," is slated to arrive September 10th, on the Big Scary Monsters label. Like many artists releasing music right about now, the album was written during the height of last year's COVID shutdown. As the lead singer of the band Adam Thompson explained, "So from March to June we sent each other ideas remotely and collaborated that way. I was so glad to have had a project to focus on when proper lockdown hit. When we were finally able to get into our practice space in July and write together in one room like we normally do, this song appeared pretty quickly."  ...

One thing I'm happy to admit is that I spend a lot of money on music. This is often a Herculean struggle for me internally - as much as I absolutely love the experience of live music, I hate crowds, and I hate the absurd wait times some artists inflict on their audiences. I went to a lottttttt of shows in 2017, cut back some in 2018, and this year looks like it'll be modest but worth it.  I'm not seeking to hit an exact # here - I've been to somewhere between 30 - 50 shows at this point, and probably hundreds of smaller, lesser known bands. I chose 13 for now because that just seems like the fair way to do things.  Is this the best use of money?! For me, YES. I rather collect experiences than things, and look forward to purging myself of some of the junk that I've accumulated the last several years (it does not bring me joy!)  I invite you to comment about any specifically memorable shows you've been to, and what makes them so grand in retrospect.  Honor...

I finally made my dreams come TF true Wednesday evening and caught Phantogram on their co-headling tour with Tycho at the Van Buren! Four years after I first really became an ardent fan, and WOW.  It was well worth the ridiculous wait. They blew me away. I can't recommend them enough. See them if you get the chance. Just do it. They are so much fun.  THESE VIDEOS ARE NOT MINE. I FOUND THEM ON YOUTUBE.  And at the end, there was a dog who came out briefly. I loved it, I loved every moment of it. It was one of those concerts - much like Andrew Bird and St. Vincent, much like No Doubt, much like the Xx, much like Metric - that i wish I could go back and live in. Of course, hearing one of my favorite songs ever ("Fall in Love") live was a life highlight. Just awesome, etc.  Also, they performed "Someday," their new song I posted a few days ago. It was inspired by the suicide of Sarah's sister, Becky. The performance of it was incredibly emo...

Song of the Day I am the sullen girl next to the making out couple. Sylvan Esso is a duo that recently performed @ SXSW, where I was informed they were crowdpleasers. I don't have trouble believing that- their sound has that cute folksy thing going on that was popular in the mid to late 2000s combined with the distant electronic reverb more popular today. Their music video glorifies bad white people dancing, which I find endearing. Below are their tour dates- Sylvan Esso Tour Dates 3/20 London, UK - Lexington  3/21 Brussels, BE - Botanique  3/23 Amsterdam, NL - MC Theatre  3/25 Berlin, DE - Privat Club  3/26 London, UK - Oval Room  3/27 Paris, FR - Trabendo  5/9 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle 5/12 London, UK - Village Underground  5/14 Berlin, DE - Berghain  5/15 Hamburg, DE - Nochtspeicher  5/18 Amsterdam, NL - Bitterzoey  5/19 Paris, FR - Cafe De La Danse  5/26 Boise, ID - Knitting Factory Concert House...

~ Moar moar moar ~ Want a (free or pay-what-you-want) Christmas song? Of course you do! Who doesn't! And Sofia Talvik is a long-time (Swedish) Useless Critic favorite. Download, share, support- click here ! There's also more good news concerning Sofia: She'll be touring the United States again next year. Something to definitely look forward to. Here's Sofia's story behind the song: Every year I release a free Christmas single as a gift to all my fans. This year, since I'm spending Christmas in Berlin, I figured I should write a Christmas song about Berlin.  Berlin is a complex city, it’s both new and old, rich and poor and that triggered my imagination for this song. A friend of mine told me about his apartment in Friedrichshain which is huge, but run down. They're on the top floor but there are holes in the roof in the attic above them, and sometimes the heating goes out in the middle of winter and leaves the flat very cold. This reminded me ...

First of all, this new direction she's going in. I quite like it! It seems more intense and less cerebral. It seems to draw on more of her amazing guitar skills- and it's a little disconnected and discombobulated, but in a cool way. ANNIE I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE BACK EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE WHITE HAIR AND THAT IS WEIRD Her self-titled fourth album is being called (by her) "a party record you could play at a funeral." Good, because I always wanted that. She announced her ~tour dates~ for 2014. They are as follows: 02-13 Berlin, Germany - Postbahnhof 02-15 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso 02-17 Brussels, Belgium - Ancienne Belgique 02-18 Paris, France - La Cigale 02-20 London, England - O2 Shepherds Bush Empire 02-21 Manchester, England - Manchester Cathedral 02-22 Dublin, Ireland - Olympia Theatre 02-26 New York, NY - Terminal 5 02-27 Boston, MA - House of Blues 02-28 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer 03-01 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club 03-04 Saxap...

Song of the Day/You Need to Hear This! I just heard this band yesterday and I already adore their stark sound. The lead singer's voice sounds a lot like Anna Calvi to me. Anyway, I have this inkling they could be very big some time soon.  March 21st- which seems far away but isn't - will bring them to Phoenix's Crescent Ballrooms. Tickets start at $12. I plan on being there.

Song of the Day/You Need to Hear This! Pompeya is an up-and-coming `80s-influenced band from Russia (their debut album " Tropical " was released last month). Fred Falke is a producer who has worked with the likes of Annie and Lana Del Rey. Enter magic happening: Pompeya's North American Tour 2o13 (NO PHOENIX :( ) Pompeya 2013 Tour Dates Sat, Nov 23 // Miami, FL @ The Garrett at Grand Central Wed, Nov 27 // Autlán, Mexico @ Autlán's Festival Thu, Nov 28 // Mexico City, Mexico @ El Imperial Fri, Nov 29 // Guadalajara, Mexico @ Casa Ignacio Diaz Morales Sun, Dec 1 // Managua, Nicaragua @ Meka House Tue, Dec 3 // Miami, FL @ Soho House Thu, Dec 5 // Tampa, FL @ The Hub Fri, Dec 6 // Orlando, FL @ Will's Pub Sun, Dec 8 // Raleigh, NC @ Pour House Music Hall Tue, Dec 10 // Washington, DC @ Black Cat Thu, Dec 12 // Philadelphia, PA @ North Star Bar Fri, Dec 13 // Brooklyn, NY @ Cameo Gallery Free music yes please : " Power " ...

why iz every1 taller than me :< I haven't been to a real concert in ages and THIS WAS AWESOME. I have been trying miserably to see Cut Copy live since 2011- and my buddy Frank and I saw the indie-dance gods at the Marquee Theater last night! It was, I think, what the both of us needed. First of all, I don't think I've ever been to a show where so many people were dancing. And how could you not dance? I white-person danced- meaning I was too tired and my legs were too sore other than to do anything but bop rhythmically in tune with the music. See video for an example- Cut Copy puts on a good, energetic live show. Lots of sweating, dancing and at least one person who was on drugs ("I JUST TOOK SOME ECSTASY")- some dude offered me ecstasy once when I first moved here. I was so tempted but my friend strongly advised against it. She said I'd be happy for an hour and sad for a month. I was like "This is a drug that essentially recreates my exist...

Song of the Day I didn't think I was going to like this song that much, but this is sick! It's a bit "harder" than the Cults we're used to. And it's as catchy as ever. Cults are coming to the Crescent Ballroom Nov. 9 in Phoenix. I'm hoping to go, even though I've seen them live a lot. It will be a nice rush of nostalgia for me. 

Golden Suits is the solo project of one Fred Nicolaus, who is best known for his work in the band Department of Eagles. His debut album as Golden Suits (name lifted from a John Cheever story) was released last month.  His debut album is getting pretty good reviews so far. And in order to make it, he went through a lot. And, of course, read a lot of Cheever. The album itself has a poppy, melodic 1970s folk vibe to it. It's pleasant to listen to. Golden Suits will be playing a free show at the Sail Inn tonight @ 9 p.m. I strongly recommend going. I asked him a few questions via email recently. Here are his responses (some of which are fairly ... interesting; you will see what I mean). Thanks Fred! UC: What's the reception been like for your debut album? GS: It's been good so far - it's kind of hard to say what it's been because it's only been out a month or so.  I feel like I'll have a better answer in a year or so when I can look back fondly/res...