poptransmission

Category: Music

  • Like a Rolling Stone: Jann Wenner’s Duly Titled Autobiography

    It’s almost cheesy, but he had to do it. It’s the only possible title for the autobiography of Jann Wenner; founder of Rolling Stone magazine. The man who voiced a generation and stole his magazine’s name from Dylan and Jagger. Like A Rolling Stone is a personal history of the magazine and his life. The…

  • Ten Bass Players That Made the Rest of the Band Sound Better

    I don’t play bass guitar, or any type of guitar for that matter. So, who am I to proclaim the greatest bass players of all time? That’s why I decided to make this more of a “my favorites” list. As a non-player, I tend to miss some of the subtle background technique while recognizing the…

  • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2022 Induction Ceremony

    Dolly Parton and Judas Priest. Dave Grohl and Lionel Ritchie. Steven Tyler, Ed Sheeran and Eminem. The 37th annual inductees were probably the most diverse yet, as all these artists performed alongside each other. Once again, thanks to HBO for condensing the 5½ hour ceremony into the three-hour telecast (now streaming on HBO Max). The…

  • Moonage Daydream Review: A Chaotic Collage of Bowie’s Sound and Vision

    The documentary film, Moonage Daydream, begins with a Nietzche quote, followed by Bowie’s voice, then images of the moon. It’s a telling intro to the musical/visual mash-up that awaits you. You may find it a frustrating audio-visual sensory overload. Or a mesmerizing sound and vision experience. I land somewhere in the middle. I found the…

  • New Music Alert: Five Bands You May Not Have Heard of (and One You Have)

    As usual with my new music posts, these are some bands I checked out by listening to a song or two. First impressions were positive enough for me to recommend exploring them more. Also, you’ll hear the beautiful new single from a well-known NYC band announcing their new album after a long hiatus. “Jimmy Neutron”…

  • New Order & Pet Shop Boys: A Hollywood Bowl Synthsation

    As a L.A. native, I’m ashamed to admit this. I had never been to the Hollywood Bowl until October 8, 2022. It’s celebrating its 100th birthday this summer. What a time to finally make it there. The L.A. Times recently printed a commemorative section honoring the milestone for “the grande dame of amphitheaters.” “What other…

  • Beck and Coldplay: Two Enchanting Albums 20 Years Ago

    2002. Bjork and Oasis headlined Coachella. U2 was the Super Bowl halftime performer. American Idol premiered on Fox (Kelly Clarkson would become the first winner). Joe Strummer and John Entwistle died. And Beck and Coldplay released career-defining, beautiful albums, Sea Change and A Rush of Blood to the Head, respectively. Beck: Sea Change Beck had…

  • Interpol & Spoon Concert Review: A Sublime Juxtaposition of Musical Styles

    Interpol and Spoon. Together in concert? Yes, the dark and sullen New York post punkers and the energetic, colorful rockers from Austin. It’s called the Lights, Camera, Factions tour and the co-headliners are finishing up their North American leg later this month in the Pacific Northwest. I was lucky to score a good seat for…

  • Six Overlooked Bands for You to Check Out

    We have all liked bands over the years that our friends may not be that familiar with. Sharing them in forums like this is fun and informative. New bands and good songs can be discovered. Generally speaking, the following six bands all have excellent songs scattered throughout their albums. Critical acclaim and devoted followings, yes,…

  • Top 20+ Driving Songs for Your Next Road Trip

    Shout out to Pop Transmission readers Barcelona1 and Brian S. for suggesting this best-of list. It’s a fun and thought-provoking topic. Driving songs are wide open for individual interpretation, more so than best live albums. While there are numerous great live albums to choose from, it’s likely that most lists contain similar top picks, i.e.,…

  • Movie Review: Showtime’s Inspiring Documentary About the Life of Sheryl Crow

    It started with a McDonald’s jingle. Then dancing and singing on tour with Michael Jackson. Ultimately over fifty million albums sold. Nine Grammy Awards (32 nominations). The relationship with Lance Armstrong. Breast cancer. Sheryl Crowe has lived a lot in her 60 years. Sheryl, Showtime’s 2022 film, delivers what you hope for in a documentary:…

  • Ten New Albums to Explore in Summer 2022

    Let’s listen to some new music courtesy of ten bands with releases this year. Some of these bands are fairly well established, most have at least a few albums under their belt, and a couple are just getting started. Like my other posts of this nature, this is intended as an introduction to these bands…