2010
It happens every year. You’re tasked with planning the New Year’s Eve outing for you and your crew. However, you did not get around to it, were out of ideas and money, or just wasn’t up to being the party planner. Now it’s the day before New Year’s Eve and everyone’s looking at you with expectations of a good time. Take the pressure off yourself by serving up delicious Rack of Lamb with Asparagus Parmigiano and a tomato fennel salad. This recipe takes about 40 minutes from start to finish and serves 4-6 people, animals, or whomever you decide to invite.
"Twenty three is still growing up. Who you are is not who you've been; you're still an innocent", Taylor Swift sang at this year's 2010 VMA's. The words "Kanye West" never exited the 20 year old songstress's mouth during the song, however the topic was obvious. This was Swift's way of saying, I forgive you, to West for interrupting her acceptance speech during last years 2009 VMA'S. After crashing the stage last year, ranting about Beyonce and leaving a mortified Taylor speechless, West was rumored to fall into a deep depression. Rumor blogs wrote that West was on suicide watch, commentators questioned his sanity, and the news reported the dramatic scene more than the war. During the months after Swift took a very mature stance, never even whispering a word of slander about West, and saying very little regarding the incident. One of the few times Taylor did spoke out about it was on Oprah. While hosting SNL she sang "You might be expecting me to say something bad about Kanye, and how he ran up on stage and ruined my VMA monologue. But there's nothing to say because everything's OK". Kanye was quoted saying "She's just a little girl with dreams like the rest of us. She deserves the apology more than anyone. I'm ready to go out of my way."
As with many great things in life, my tenure as an intern at Joonbug had come to a close. Finishing up my last day was almost as difficult to get through as my first one. I was lingering in the office on a Friday evening, putting the final touches on my last Featured Artist Profile, when the editor-in-chief, Kelley Baker, came bouncing up to my workstation (which was quite unprecedented, since she was seated only ten feet away at her own desk) and tapped me on the shoulder.
"You're on the list to see Dinosaur Jr. on the 17th!"
The wander-lusting experimental trio Liars must have the skin of a rhinoceros. Their original appeal as a post-punk band from the New York rock scene was met with critical dismay with their exploration of sound possibilities on They Were Wrong, So We Drowned, an atmospheric conceptual “story album” about witches, but they persevered. Their next album, Drum’s Not Dead, was even more of a rejection of the traditional rock concept as they toyed with electronic drum processors, relaying said productions through multiple effects pedals, and recording in various non-studio venues in exploration of their acoustic qualities. The album they produced was one of their proudest achievements. Their latest album, Sisterworld, was unceremoniously pirated on the internet in full as low quality mp3s on December 24, over three months prior to its actual release date on March 8.
Delphic Acolyte
Jason Boesel Hustler's Son
Bouncing Souls Ghosts on the Boardwalk
Sarah Elizabeth Foster Gardening From The Ground Up Part 1
OK Go Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky
Omarion Ollusion
Owen Pallett Heartland
Ringo Starr Y Not
Vampire Weekend Contra
In my efforts to report on the latest touring schedules for the New Year, it has come to my attention that labeling the encompassing stigma surrounding the band of Montreal as “art-rock” is as much an understatement as labeling Jersey Shore as an intellectual stimulating program full of wit and merit (I know, two Jersey Shore slams in one week is a little trite, but I just hate that show so much. Go “pump that fist” right into your stupid f’n faces!). Where musical visionaries like David Bowie and Roxy Music brought a much needed visual element to a lack-luster rock environ, the live music performances of of Montreal have thoroughly exemplified the gonzo-zen statement uttered by the late Hunter S. Thompson:
In an epic band regrouping comparable to that of the post-Joliet Blues Brothers' “mission from Gawd,” grunge-rock fans are furiously typo-tweeting and updating their dismally life-affirming Facebook profiles with the news that genre-defining angst-therapy band Soundgarden will be officially reuniting in 2010. Word came as the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve via lead singer Chris Cornell’s Twitter feed that, “The 12 year break is over & school is back in session. Knights of the Soundtable ride again!” He then provided a link to the new official band website where fans can keep updated on all upcoming news and sign up for email updates.
For some of us, our familiarity with Brody Jenner starts and ends with his interminably frustrating flirt-fest with Lauren Conrad on The Hills. But whether you know it or not, Jenner has actually been up to a lot lately, and he's not stopping anytime soon. Just recently, he's upgraded from blondes to brunettes (he's currently dating the 2008 Playmate of the Year, Jayde Nicole), become step-uncle to Kourtney Kardashian's baby, Mason Dash Disick, and word on the street is that he's following in his father's footsteps and training for the 2016 Olympics. So make no mistake, Brody Jenner is here to stay.
While so many other artists, record labels, and magazines are taking a break from the daily grind for the holidays, the ever-diligent heads over at Rhymesayers Entertainment have announced that Minnesotan emcee P.O.S. (a.k.a. Stefen Alexander) will be making the rounds across the U.S. and Canada for the “Every Never Is Now” tour. This upcoming tour will mark a full year since the emcee dropped his third album Never Better, which found its way onto several year-end “top” lists, including Spin Magazine’s “Top 10 Best Albums You Might Have Missed.”
Tuesday, December 29
Ryan Star Rock Star: Supernova
Friday, January 1
Christina Milian Christina Milian
Carnie Wilson For the First Time
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