poptransmission

Category: Music

  • Dark Matter: Pearl Jam Still Going Strong at 35

    We’ve heard it all before with bands that have been around for a while. The new album is a “return to form” or “their best since …” Pearl Jam’s latest is getting that kind of talk. I’ll admit to being a big fan since Ten, but have they ever really lost their form? (Ok, maybe…

  • My Record Store Day: Pearl Jam and Blur Special Editions

    Happy Record Store Day! One of my favorite days of the year. And it just keeps getting bigger. What started in 2008 as a rather low-key affair, Record Store Day (RSD) has become a community event to celebrate the locally owned record store. RSD brings together fans, artists, and thousands of independent record stores across…

  • 15 Iconic Album Covers That Still Capture Our Attention

    They are cultural and artistic expressions. The initial attraction to a potential trove of new music. Titillating, mysterious, or in-your-face. Album covers are all these things and more. Their indelible images have come in the form of flawless portraits, unconventional artwork, and cutting-edge graphics. Some rock musicians, such as Michael Stipe (Accelerate), Jimmy Page (Led…

  • 1984: Top Ten Albums From 40 Years Ago

    Time for another look back. 1984 was an eventful year in music: Sometimes I go into making these lists with a clear favorite (or two or three), in mind, but not this time. While there were some fine albums released in 1984, upon reflection, there were no definitive albums of the year for me. Some…

  • Future Islands Continues the Sweet Synths and Emotional Vocals on New Album

    Future Islands have graced these pages a couple of times since I first heard them in 2020 thanks to Sirius XMU radio. I was a fan the minute I heard “For Sure” and quickly bought the album, As Long as You Are (see my album review Future Islands: As Long as You Are Review). After…

  • Bob Marley: One Love – His Reggae Music Still Rules

    Does “Is This Love” get your body bouncing? Does “Redemption Song” get your emotions stirring? If so, hopefully you enjoyed the new Bob Marley movie in the surround sound of the theaters. If not, you still may have time before One Love ends its theater run. And don’t let the lukewarm critical reviews sway you.…

  • Deep Tracks: 13 Songs That Rival the Big Hits

    Deep Tracks. The lesser-known songs from our favorite established artists can be even more enjoyable than their big hits. It’s the true fans that know a band’s deeper album tracks instead of just the singles on the radio. We can only hear “Stairway to Heaven” or “Blue Monday” so many times. That’s why the classic…

  • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2023 Induction Ceremony

    The Rock Hall continued moving on from old white guys to a more diverse group of artists and musical styles, exemplified no better than this year’s headline inductee, Missy Elliott (on the heels of last year’s Dolly Parton). Here’s a complete list of the 2023 inductees: For the first time, the Induction Ceremony was livestreamed…

  • I/O, Peter Gabriel’s New Album Will Grow on You

    I/O, the new album from Peter Gabriel was 20 years in the making. Since 2002’s Up, Gabriel has been experimenting with a variety of musical outlets – a covers album, an orchestral arrangement of his earlier songs, soundtracks, and world music – but no album of new material. He teased us throughout 2023 by releasing…

  • New Music Alert: Ten Songs/Bands to Check Out

    Let’s have one more new music alert before the end of the year. As usual, these are songs I took a quick listen to and think the bands might be worth exploring. Some are new bands, some older bands with new music, and many of the bands are new to me. Let’s get started: –…

  • Ten Top Albums of 2003

    . We’ve looked back 40 years (10 Albums of 1983 That Still Stand Out) and 30 years (1993: The Best Albums Through a 30-Year Lense). Before this year runs out, let’s remember the music scene from 20 years ago. Here are some musical headlines from 2003: Some good albums in 2003, but no real standout(s)…

  • Hackney Diamonds: The Rolling Stones New Album Sparkles…Really

    Here I go talking about octogenarians again. A couple weeks ago it was 80-year-olds Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon: An Epic Telling of a Sinister Conspiracy). And now, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (Keith will officially hit 80 next month). The Rolling Stones just released their 26th U.S. studio…