St. Vincent’s eponymous album dazzles
Annie Clark began as an unknown singer-songwriter upon the release of her debut solo album, “Marry Me.” Better known by her stage name, St. Vincent, Clark could never have dreamed of the cult following she gained over the course of…
Schoolboy Q heralds return of hardcore hip-hop on ‘Oxymoron’
Boasting in the A$AP Rocky track “Brand New Guy” that he was equal parts Biggie and Nas with a sprinkling of 50 Cent, West Coast rapper Schoolboy Q has a flair for the dramatic. Label mates on Top Dawg Entertainment…
‘Robocop’ reboot filled with action, intrigue
Rebooting ‘80s movie franchises seems to be a fashionable thing to do in the film industry. These reboots are typically a mixed bag in terms of quality: some, like “Dredd” (which remade the original 1995 film “Judge Dredd” starring Sylvester…
Weekly EP Revue: Ex-teeny bopper Alexz
From the beginning, former child star Alexz Johnson has pursued music. Known for early roles on CTV’s “Instant Star” and Disney Channel’s “So Weird,” Johnson has largely fallen away from the public spotlight. In 2010, she released her first full-length…
‘True Detective’ mid-season recap
“True Detective” is a miniseries about a murder that’s indifferent to the actual crime. Rather than turn into a standard “whodunit”, the murder quickly fades to the background as the show immerses itself in its two main characters. This is…
Phantogram returns with darker, danceable beats on ‘Voices’
In 2007, Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel came together to create Charlie Everywhere. The name did not stick. However, the duo’s new name, Phantogram, has. With heavy electronic beats and creative direction, Phantogram has made a name for itself both…
Authentic chemistry, weak third act in Farrell’s ‘Winter’s Tale’
“Winter’s Tale” is a whimsical yet heartbreaking fairy tale about miracles and good against evil. The film stars Colin Farrell (“Saving Mr. Banks”) as Peter Lake, a thief that breaks into a house and meets Beverly Penn (Jessica Brown Findlay,…
Broken Bells comeback album falls flat
Four years can feel like a decades’ worth of time in the music world, something especially true for indie supergroup Broken Bells. When the duo, comprised of Shins’ frontman James Mercer and mega-producer Brian Burton, or Danger Mouse, came together…
Clooney, company not so monumental
“The Monuments Men” is a badly paced, old man version of “Saving Private Ryan,” and not just because Matt Damon is in it either. Both of these World War II flicks are based around the question: “What is a man’s…
Bombay Bicycle Club reinvents its sound one more time
After years of exploring and constantly trying to redefine its sound with each successive album, English indie pop-rock quartet Bombay Bicycle Club has finally found its musical niche. The band has forgone the ho-hum guitar melodies and opted for samples…
