F

Flavorwire

Earplug

Five Bands from this Decade and Their ’80s Counterparts

By Matt McGovern on

Arrested Development (the TV show) had one of its best lines in mid-2004, when perennial alcoholic Lindsay Fünke made this offhand remark about fashion: “It’s the 21st century. We should be dressing like the ’80s.” It was ironic at the time, but now, at the tail end of 2009, after surviving an age that resurrected high-waisted jeans, we’ve come to realize she was dead right. Fashion wasn’t the only thing the first decade of the 21st century lifted wholesale from the ’80s.

Presented here are five blatant examples of bands who have begged, borrowed, or stolen from their ’80s predecessors. In the comments, let us know what ’90s sounds will see a revival in the next decade. We’re putting our money on grunge and Limp Bizkit-style nu metal. … Read More

Earplug

10 Reissues Sure to Please Your Music-Loving Friends

By Matt McGovern on

Thanks to the internet, buying for that beloved music lover of yours can be next to impossible. Chances are your friend already knows about — and has the albums of — every current notable band worth listening to. That’s why, when stuck with the conundrum of what to get him or her, the solution comes in looking backwards. Many fans are so busy trying to keep up with the current trends that they forget to check out the fantastic acts of yore. We’ve rounded up ten recently released reissues, from Devo to Robert Wyatt, with suggestions for which of your music loving friends to give them… Read More

Film

The Men Who Stare at Goats: Disarmingly Funny, Vaguely Unsettling

By Matt McGovern on

[Editor's note: Enter to win a DVD/Bluray prize pack featuring our favorite titles from this all-star cast by leaving a comment on this post. Titles include Burn After Reading, Moulin Rouge, American Beauty, and The Big Lebowski.]

Some movies have a premise too ridiculous to be true, and it ends up ruining what would otherwise be a great film. There’s a rarer breed of film, however, that has a premise that is too ridiculous not to be true. The Men Who Stare at Goats is just such a film, and it’s not afraid to put that fact in your face by slapping the message, “More of this is true than you would believe,” across the opening scene. … Read More

Music

Exclusive Q&A: Kid Koala presents the Slew

By Matt McGovern on

Canadian born Kid Koala (Eric San) has already made a name for himself, both as a solo turntablist and as a member of hip-hop supergroup Deltron 3030, which also featured Dan the Automator and Del tha Funkee Homosapien. Kid Koala’s most recent collab finds him working with frequent partner Dynomite D (Dylan Frombach). The project was originally planned to be the soundtrack to a documentary that ended up being scrapped. Undeterred, the two decided to release the work as a standalone under the name the Slew. It’s clear why: the music is an intriguing mix that seems to veer giddily between hip hop, funk, and vintage rock, frequently anchoring Koala’s skillful turntable work to hard rock guitar riffs that sound like they’d fit in fine on a classic Zep album. … Read More

Music

Exclusive: Interview With All Tomorrow’s Parties Founder Barry Hogan

By Matt McGovern on

Since its inception in 2000, the All Tomorrow’s Parties series of festivals has become the standard. This September, ATP returns to New York keeping the three day long festival’s focus much the same as last year. Friday brings the “Don’t Look Back” series, where artists play a seminal live album of their choosing. Saturday is set of bands curated by ATP, while Sunday has a set curated by the Flaming Lips. We talked with ATP founder Barry Hogan about the upcoming lineup, and future plans for… Read More

Music

Exclusive: Health Talk About Their New Album, Get Color

By Matt McGovern on

We caught one of HEALTH’s sets back in March, only to be assaulted by a wall of noise so tangible that you could actually feel the tinnitus developing not just in your ears, but in your face. Since, the band has released a new single entitled “Die Slow” in preparation for their new album Get Color; they’ve also been announced as the opener for the last two Nine Inch Nails shows ever. We caught their recent JellyNYC Pool Party show, a ferocious set that started with lead singer Jake Duzsik nonchalantly stating, “Hi, we’re HEALTH,” followed by feedback, drums, and the screams of a medieval torture.

Two days later, we met with the band and interviewed them about everything from the pitfalls of experimental music, to the obstacle course component of their upcoming… Read More