| DVD Review: The Alternate Reality of Easy Star All-Stars' Dub Side of the Moon Live
That Pink Floyd's 1973 Dark Side of the Moon is one of the iconic classics of rock is indisputable — darkly atmospheric and almost neurotic in its themes of greed, war, self-absorption, and class struggle. And then there was its aural quality, which often eclipsed the themes. "Ya gotta hear this through headphones!" was the review I heard most often from my stoner friends at the time. In that regard, the album made me realize that rock had become more a medium for engineers than musicians and set me on a punkish course to rediscover the roots of rock, which led, in a circuitous route, to reggae. The almost soothing beat of reggae belied its political underpinnings and seduced me immediately. I was the first kid on my block to wear a Bob Marley t-shirt, much to the bewilderment of the East Texas citizenry.
Los Lonely Boys keep it fresh on their ambitious second disc
A fluke hit can turn into an artistic curse, as San Angelo's Los Lonely Boys might have feared. With the unexpected pop and adult contemporary staple "Heaven," the "Texican rock 'n' roll" brothers Henry, JoJo and Ringo Garza morphed from independent trio into nationally renowned next big thing. .
30 Seconds to Mars is more than a hobby for actor Leto
When 30 Seconds to Mars debuted in 2002 with its self-titled CD, more than a few people probably thought the band would turn into another Dogstar (fronted by Keanu Reeves), Juliette and the Licks (led by Juliette Lewis) or Bruce Willis and the Accelerators. Those bands featured notable actors, and none of them has established themselves enough musically to be seen as much more than side projects to the acting careers of their most famous members. But with the release of the latest 30 Seconds to Mars CD, "A Beautiful Lie," it's looking like the band will become a legitimate, long-term pursuit for Jared Leto, its frontman. Leto, whose acting credits include parts in such high-profile films as "Panic Room," "Fight Club" and "Alexander," is fully dedicated to the band and his acting career, according to drummer Shannon Leto, his brother and 30 Seconds to Mars bandmate.
CD reviews: Peaches, Old 97's
Like a 40-minute telling of "The Aristocrats" joke, this CD is full of grimy sex and scatological insults all described in vulgar-for-vulgarity's-sake detail. And like any decent version of "The Aristocrats," "Impeach My Bush" is surprisingly entertaining. The third album from electro-punk rocker Merrill "Peaches" Nisker, "Impeach" features another dose of the lusty-voiced singer's girl power anthems. Not to be mistaken for a Spice Girl, Peaches is out to turn the tables on misogynist, sex-obsessed rockers and rappers by showing she can be just as nasty in songs like "Hit it Hard" and "Stick It to the Pimp." In the process, Peaches makes Lil' Kim look like Lil' Bo Peep. She inverts the Beach Boys' "Surf City" plan on "Two Guys (For Every Girl)," then tells her dynamic duo specifically what she wants to see them do, while waxy synths wind tightly around crisp electronic drums.
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