poptransmission

Author: DSquared

  • Ten Songs That Leave You Wanting More

    Tom Petty once said that two minutes is all the time a good writer needs for a song. Punk rock embodied this spirit. The two-minute surge of stripped-down energy became the punk rock credo and an in-your face rebuttal to classic rock. A lasting musical expression can be made in short order, but don’t you…

  • Air: An Entertaining, Even Suspenseful Movie About a Shoe

    It’s 1984 in Beaverton, OR, and running shoe titan Nike is on the verge of shutting down its basketball shoe division. Sales of Nike’s shoes for hoops are getting crushed by Converse and Adidas. The upcoming NBA draft is the event of the year to lock in new talent. Michael Jordan is considered off-limits; he’ll…

  • The Book of Mormon: A Cringe-Worthy Yet Uplifting Musical Comedy

    In order to attend a performance of The Book of Mormon, it pays if you’re a South Park fan, or at least very familiar with the outrageous animated comedy. I shudder to think of the reactions to the play for those not so initiated. My wife and I just enjoyed the 26th season of South…

  • M83: New Album and Concert Review: A Rousing Fantasy

    M83, the electronic band from Antibes, France formed way back in 1999. Originally a duo, Anthony Gonzalez became the sole songwriter and lead vocalist when Nicolas Fromageau left after the release of their second album. Seven albums later, Gonzalez is still recording primarily on his own as M83 accompanied by numerous guest musicians. Their sound…

  • Ten Guitar Solos That Will Live Forever

    The time has come. The guitar solo. The definitive statement in rock and roll that has inspired countless wannabes, video games, and air guitar poses. Guitar solos can be subtle and delicate or loud and raging. How can you compare and rank “Comfortably Numb” and “Green Grass and High Tides?” I don’t have one all-time…

  • White House Plumbers: HBO’s Satirical Take on the Watergate Caper

    “The following is based on a true story. No names have been changed to protect the innocent because nearly everyone was found guilty.” Then as you see a band of misfits failing to gain entry through a locked door, “There were four Watergate break-in attempts. This was number two.” So, begins HBO’s tale of the…

  • Personality Crisis: A Fitting Title for the David Johansen Documentary

    Showtime does it again. Another captivating rockumentary by the network that has recently brought us the stories of Sinead O’Connor, Sheryl Crow, the Go-Go’s, the early aughts NYC scene, and New Order. It’s an imaginative film apropos for its subject, the musical iconoclast David Johansen. The inventiveness of the approach has much to do with…

  • Record Store Day 2023: Vinyl Keeps on Surging

    Happy Record Store Day! One of my favorite days of the year. And it just keeps getting bigger. Thank you Taylor Swift fans! What started in 2007 as a rather low-key affair, Record Store Day (RSD) has become a community highlight around the country centered around the local record store. Record Store Day brings together…

  • Movies That Blew Us Away: The Top Ten Twists

    One of the finest parts of the film experience is the well-executed, didn’t-see-it-coming plot twist. Many memorable twists occur in a movie’s final scenes to maximize the impact of the reveal. Good twists are a surprise at the time, but upon further reflection, or watching the movie again, are often hiding in plain sight. I…

  • Dead to Me: Netflix’s Dark Comedy About Loss, Grief, and Forgiveness

    Some of you have probably seen this series starring Christina Applegate (Married with Children) as Jen Harding and Linda Cardellini (ER) as Judy Hale. For those of you who haven’t, Dead to Me is uneven at times, but the compelling and endearing lead women make it all worthwhile. They’re confounding and irresistible. James Mardsen (Robot…

  • 10 Albums of 1983 That Still Stand Out

    We had fun last year reviewing the best of 1982, so let’s hark back to 1983. Toto wins the Grammy for Best Album. Michael Jackson’s Thriller hits the charts at #1 and the trailblazing video airs on MTV. The second US Festival takes place in Southern California. David Crosby is sentenced in Texas to five…

  • Music Alert: Eight Cool New Songs to Listen To

    I’ve come across a sampling of new songs for you to hear and possibly explore the album and/or the band. As usual they’re a hodgepodge of new bands, new bands to me, a band I was a little familiar with, and lastly, a veteran artist that has 13 albums in my collection. “Billie Toppy” by…