This Christmas Present entry again reaches back a few years, with a release from the late oughts by NLT, a boy band that failed to make much of a splash and ultimately had their album cancelled, but is notable for being an early stop for Glee star Kevin McHale. Continue reading
An SCTV gem: Dusty Towne’s Sexy Holiday Special
Although I spend a lot of time focusing more on Christmas present, there’s classic holiday fare that I enjoy as well. One that’s more off the beaten path is an SCTV classic, “The Dusty Towne Sexy Holiday Special.” Continue reading
Christmas Present: Rob Thomas’ ‘A New York Christmas’
This one dates back a bit farther than most Christmas Present selections, but is by a popular artist of the past 15 years, and I actually don’t recall hearing it before this year, so it’s new to me: Rob Thomas’ “A New York Christmas.” Continue reading
Required listening: Kate Pierson’s ‘Mister Sister’
Kate Pierson, longtime member of the B-52s, is leading up to the release of solo album “Guitars and Microphones,” and song “Mister Sister” was released ahead of the February album launch. Continue reading
Subway tips from an unlikely source
While many debate whether Taylor Swift is an appropriate ambassador for New York, too many are overlooking someone else who should be instantly named ambassador: Johnny T. Continue reading
Christmas Present: Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Grown-Up Christmas List’
While it’s been out for awhile now, she’s a current artist, so that fits the definition of “Present” – Kelly Clarkson’s “Grown-Up Christmas LIst.” Continue reading
YouTube has everything: Jean-Luc Picard’s Christmas carol
It’s the holiday season, so how about Jean-Luc Picard singing a Christmas carol? Let’s “Make it so.” Continue reading
The risks of transporting oil by train
It was an unlikely source, and it had a click-baity headline, but The Weather Channel impressed me on one of their latest stories, done in partnership with the nonprofit InsideClimate News, about the growing risks around America’s recent oil boom. Continue reading
Christmas Present: ‘A Very Postmodern Christmas’
Here’s another incredibly fresh release for the Christmas Present pile this year, from a group I’ve been digging heavily throughout this year: Postmodern Jukebox. Continue reading
Is this why every pop song sounds the same?
A couple of months ago I tripped across this article about how pop music is becoming more homogenized. It’s an article that’s been written before, but for some reason the argument gains traction each time it comes around. I meant to write about it at the time, but as I kept thinking about it I kept wondering what the new thought was within the piece, other than it providing more detail about how it works in 2014. Continue reading