As many people know, in spite of my infidelic nature, I love Christmas music. I don’t confine myself to the time around the Christmas holidays, either; I’ll listen to a Christmas album in spring or summer just because I feel like it. A few days ago, the Guardian reviewed A Very She & Him Christmas,Continue reading “On A Very She & Him Christmas”
Category Archives: Music
On the BBC’s Oliver Reed/Keith Moon Radio Play
This week, Radio 4 broadcast “Burning Both Ends: When Oliver Reed Met Keith Moon,” an hour-long radio play starring Sean Pertwee as Reed and Doctor Who‘s Arthur Darvill as Moon. Burning Both Ends tells the story of one of the most infamous, unexpected and touching of friendships between two icons of the 1970s, Oliver ReedContinue reading “On the BBC’s Oliver Reed/Keith Moon Radio Play”
On Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto
Mylo Xyloto. Coldplay’s fifth studio album (or sixth, if you count Prospekt’s March as an album, which I do) came out two weeks ago, but due to Amazon being a bunch of raving maroons, I didn’t have it until about five days ago, making Mylo Xyloto the first Coldplay album since Parachutes that I didn’tContinue reading “On Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto”
On Noel Gallagher’s New Single
This morning I awoke to find an e-mail from Noel Gallagher in my inbox. To be fair, the e-mail wasn’t from Gallagher personally. It was from his website’s online store. But the “From” field said “Noel Gallagher,” so for a few pre-caffeinated moments I could have believed that the rock star himself had deigned toContinue reading “On Noel Gallagher’s New Single”
On This Autumn’s Anticipated Albums
In the next two months, there are five albums I’m looking forward to. Actually six, if you count the freebie disc cover-mounted on MOJO each month, but some people wouldn’t. 😉 Let’s take it from the top: New Blood — Peter Gabriel, October 10 Last year Peter Gabriel released a covers album, Scratch My Back.Continue reading “On This Autumn’s Anticipated Albums”
On Seeing Elbow in Washington, DC
Thursday I went to DC to see Elbow. Elbow, as long-time Allynologists know, is the Mancunian band that I really groove to, and they’re a band that I push on all my friends. Despite being something of a big deal in the UK, the band has never broken the American market; they play festivals andContinue reading “On Seeing Elbow in Washington, DC”
On Songs by Queen That I Like
Was it yesterday that would have been Freddie Mercury’s sixty-fifth birthday? Or the day before? I thought I saw something about it on NPR’s website in the last two or three days. Sometime over the weekend, surely. You can tell how much I care. I actually had to Google to see how to spell “Freddie”Continue reading “On Songs by Queen That I Like”
On Elbow’s St. Paul’s Cathedral Gig
A month ago Elbow performed an interesting concert for Absolute Radio — they did a live acoustic gig in the crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London which Absolute put live on their website for viewing or listening. Doctor Who fans, of course, know St. Paul’s Cathedral for the iconic image of Cybermen marching aroundContinue reading “On Elbow’s St. Paul’s Cathedral Gig”
On Coldplay’s New Single
Last Friday, Coldplay released a new single from their forthcoming album, “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall.” It’s the band’s first song since their Christmas release, “Christmas Lights,” which I liked. “Christmas Lights” had to grow on me, true, because it was so atypical of where the band’s last albumw as — “Christmas Lights” sounds muchlyContinue reading “On Coldplay’s New Single”
On Completing the 30 Day Song Challenge
A little more than a month ago, I began posting to Facebook and Twitter responses to the 30 Day Song Challenge. As I mentioned at the start of it, some friends of mine at work had been doing the challenge, one sent me the link to the “rules,” and I started answering the various questions.Continue reading “On Completing the 30 Day Song Challenge”