The Useless Critic 2.0

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...

You Need to Hear This (This Week)  After a decade since embarking on her solo adventure, Emily Haines (lead singer of Metric, if you didn't know) is back with her long-awaited follow-up album, "Choir of the Mind." Dig the cover art:  Let me pick up where Blogger ate my post yesterday. Sorry about that - been doing this for almost a decade and that has yet to happen. First for everything, I suppose.  Emily Haines has been silent (minus her work with Metric and a surprising reunion with Broken Social Scene) since 2007. I really didn't think we'd hear from her as the Soft Skeleton again, but here we are.  "Knives Don't Have Your Back" was an outstanding work - a body of music dedicated to the passing of her late father. The depth of lyricism on that album - and melancholic melodies - was fantastic. With "Choir of the Mind," we see her take a similar turn. "Statuette" is an immediate standout (and the next big single).  ...

Do you know that feeling when a band you completely adore and would marry if you could marry a band puts out a song that feels like a brutal slap to the face? Where you're left wondering "What is this weird CHVRCHES-like thing? Whaaaaaatttttt happened?" It's like if you were driving a car at the time the single came on the radio, YOU'D DRIVE INTO A DITCH SCREAMING? Those are my feelings on this song. I still love you, Metric.  In all seriousness, one feature I have admired about Metric is their ability to shapeshift from album to album. They went from dance pop to more anthemic rock in just a few albums. Compare "Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?" to "Synthetica." There are some common areas, but there's a lot of change and change is good (NOTE: I hate change, haha, well except in music and my restaurant choices). Metric went from a kind-of-okay band to a great band in a very short period of time (even though their first albu...

In my grand tradition of celebrating the mediocre (see also Vance Joy), I'm giving this catchy-almost-weirdly-1950s song some love. I think I heard this several places over the summer, but was too unmoved to do some research on it. I finally did. I gave in. On that note, Hozier and Sam Smith have grown on me as well. Mostly though, I've been listening to Metric, Tennis (OMG SO GOOD), and meditations/Buddhist chants. It's a good mix. It keeps me grounded. 

Song of the Day I neglected this album when it came out, which is a shame, since it's pretty good. I don't like it as much as "Fantasies" though. CUT COPY TONIGHT!

http://kindofbleu.com/2012/05/03/metric-youth-without-youth/ It's a bit different than what I've grown to expect from Metric, but equally enjoyable nonetheless. Very...bouncy? Is that the word? B+ Tour dates for 2012 up here!  MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU

Metric's newest album, Synthetica , will be out to the world on June 12, 2012. this is a big deal. look at that date. again:  this is a big deal. it's been 3 YEARS since the last album, Fantasies . Fantasies  was perfect. So there's a lot riding on this one! Here is what HBIC Emily Haines has to say about this new feat: SYNTHETICA is about insomnia, fucking up, fashion, all the devices and gadgets attached to our brains, getting wasted, watching people die in other countries, watching people die in your own country, dancing your ass off, questioning the cops, poetic justice, standing up for yourself, sex, the apocalypse, doing some stupid shit and totally regretting it but then telling everyone it made you stronger, leaving town as a solution to unsolvable problems, owning your actions and owning your time.

Oh Land (swoon!) and Sia are teaming up for a North American tour this summer. these are the dates: July 21 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue July 22 Chicago, IL Metro July 23 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall July 24 Toronto, ONT Phoenix Concert Theatre July 26-27 New York, NY Webster Hall July 28 Washington, DC 9:30 Club July 30 Montreal, QC Osheaga Festival Musique et Arts July 31 Boston, MA House of Blues August 1 Philadelphia, PA The Trocadero August 3 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse August 5 New Orleans, LA House of Blues August 6 Houston, TX Warehouse Live Studio August 7 Dallas, TX Granada Theater August 10 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern August 11 San Diego, CA House of Blues August 13 San Francisco, CA Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival August 16 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom August 17 Seattle, WA The Showbox SODO August 19 Vancouver, B.C. Commodore Ballroom and Metric  will be playing an acoustic show at the UnMasked after party on May 11th. I wish I could go bu...

I'm kind of out of it. bare with me, I have the beginnings of the flu, I started my new job and had to go around and shake everyone's hand today. typhoid Mary? winter 2011: please don't be a mean winter. I don't think I can handle another one of you. So here is my dead person of the day, the dead singer (dead) Robert Palmer. do you remember him? he was awesome: Florence + the Machine recently covered his biggest hit, "Addicted to Love." see here: also, Shakira. flashback 2002: my friend in eighth grade: Brittany do you like Shakira? me: what? sorry, I'm too busy jacking off to these Gwen Stefani magazines. my friend in eighth grade: it's okay, I like Linkin Park too much to have a respectable opinion. then I saw the "Whenever, Wherever" video. wow that girl can dance! I've never been particularly fond of her, though. she's catchy and dances well but sometimes she blows and when she blows well she really blows. "Underneath My Clot...

So Metric (who met the Queen of England yesterday???? weird??????) is doing the theme song for the Eclipse film. also appearing on that soundtrack: Bat For Lashes and Beck, Florence + the Machine, etc. I remember the first Twilight soundtrack. it wasn't amazing, not awful either. The Black Ghosts and Muse (duh what else) were on it, but then you had PARAMORE omg I hate Paramore don't even get me started. Then you had the New Moon soundtrack, with Grizzly Bear and Lykke Li. somewhat better. Editors were on it, though, which hurt it (ha sorry I JUST D NOT LIKE THEM). so if the first soundtrack scored a B-, New Moon earned a A-. (and also- OKGo, and that Anya Marina song, bleh) now you have Eclipse . which is AMAZING. and I had the epiphany yesterday- ha, why do I think so much about these things!- the continuing improvement of the soundtracks reflects the main characters' developing maturity levels. ... anyway Rusted Root and One World Tribe are kicking off Eight Great Tues...

Here is the shortlist: N.E.R.D's new track featuring NELLY FURTADO. ahhhh I miss her. Come on, I still know the lyrics to "Promiscuous." You don't have game like Steve Nash! "Hot and Fun"- if I danced, it would be to stuff like this. Pharrell is a little genius: Nelly Furtado is so gorgeous it hurts. oh my god. I don't know how I never noticed this before. Neon Indian says how I wish high school was: Metric Metric Metric. I am currently seeking a concert partner for Cleveland. I NEED TO SEE EMILY. I NEED TO BATHE IN HER SWEAT. THERE'S JUST NO WORDS OKAY I NEED TO BE THERE WHEN SHE DOES HER COCAINE. May 19th! I have two tickets! You'd have to pay for your ticket and give me a ride, but guess what! I know how to use my hands well! Bear In Heaven is opening! They are one of those "next big thing" bands! Slow Club is really juts too adorable it's sick: Cara, does that boy NOT look like Pete? The feel good hit of the summer: http://www.y...

I decided to play the band version of "fuck, marry, kill" with the line-up, because I have nothing better to do at the library today. just kidding, I have five papers to work on. Does someone want to pay for me to go Lollapalooza, btw? I will reward you handsomely with _____jobs. because I want to go so badly! fap fap fap. Green Day- KILL THE STROKES- FUCK FUCK FUCK Lady GaGa- marry (too dirty) Arcade Fire- fuck! MGMT- fuck! Soundgarden- marry, I'm not huge on them. AFI- ?!?!?! kill Spoon- fuck Metric- fuck (see: Emily Haines) Hot Chip- faukkkkkk Phoenix- FUCK! Wolfmother- marry, I saw them before, not bad! Cypress Hill- eh marry Stars- fuck Cut Copy- fuck The National- fuck Switchfoot- wow, what the fuck? no. KILL Grizzly Bear- fuck! my favorite band! Erykah Badu- fuck, she is quite ballsy. Digitalism- marry The Black Keys- marry The Cribs- fuck The New Pornographers- FUCK IT LIKE IT IS HOT The Walkmen- marry (not really a fan) Rogue Wave- marry (boring) Minus the Bear- ...

I almost forgot about this! Because I can't see Metric in Pittsburgh on Tuesdsay ( :( ) I AM seeing Miss Nellie McKay- a very, very talented singer/songwriter who played the sister in "P.S. I Love You" and grabbed my attention with her debut album, a must-hear, "Get Away From Me." she just released- just, as of Oct. 13- her tribute to Doris freaking Day, Normal As Blueberry Pie. Here she is, being all adorable and smarmy, and like my one friend stated, Regina Spektor-ish. AND SHE'S PLAYING AN UKULELE! Dance break! ... Anyway, she will be playing at Cleveland for two engagements at the jazz bar Nighttown. November 23rd and November 24th for 20 dollars, both shows beginning at 7 p.m. NO REASON TO BE MISSING THIS.

METRIC: November 24th, Mr. Small's, Pittsburgh (with Band of Skulls). Tickets are $20 and the show begins at 8 p.m. nothing on this planet is keeping me from that show!!! also of interest Kanye West, Lady Gaga: December 23rd - Cleveland FAME KILLZ Quicken Loans Arena

OMG METRIC'S NEW ALBUM IS LIKE OMG basically "Gold Guns Girls." "Gold Guns Girls." "Gold Guns Girls." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqldwoDXHKg Emily Haines. oh my god. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. - Britt in other news, why I haven't died yet, I don't know.