Review: Japandroids – Celebration Rock

Fireworks, drums that sound like bomb blasts, lightning bolts of electric guitar, and a rhetorical question: “Long lit up tonight and still drinking/Don’t we have anything to live for?”

So begins one of the greatest rock records of the 21st century. It’s also one of the most aptly named. Celebration Rock. Rarely has an album title ever doubled so effectively as a perfect description of what’s inside. In 2012, with their second LP, Canadian rockers Japandroids served up music perfect for…well, for celebrating to.

What were we celebrating, you may ask? Frankly, if you had Celebration Rock blasting out of a stereo back in 2012, it didn’t matter what you were celebrating, or whether you were celebrating at all. The songs made it feel like a celebration. They made any moment feel like a goddamn, out-of-hand, my-car-is-in-the-swimming-pool rager.

I’ll forever be thankful that I was the age I was when Celebration Rock landed on May 29, 2012. As a recently-minted 21-year-old, I was old enough to get into bars and legally consume alcohol. But I was also still a college student, still sharing an apartment with my college buddies, and still another year or so shy of when real-life responsibility would start to set in. In other words, I was old enough to celebrate the way the characters in Celebration Rock celebrate, and young enough to do it with all the reckless abandon of youth. Even thinking about some of the shit I did while playing these songs very loud on my apartment stereo makes my head hurt with the ghosts of shitty mixed drinks and dreadful hangovers.

Read More “Japandroids – Celebration Rock”

Review: The Cranberries – Stars: The Best of 1992-2002

The greatest thing about music is it’s ability to outlive us, for better or worse. The memories our favorite artists and bands leave behind in their recordings speak to the beauty behind the longevity of music, in general. Today, The Cranberries have reissued their Stars: The Best of 1992-2002 on a beautiful, double vinyl set that speaks directly to the legacy this band has left behind. Presented in chronological order from the band’s singles from 1992-2002, some of the greatest alternative rock songs of my generation like “Dreams,” “Linger,” and “Zombie” front-load this set of songs that sound as refreshing as the first time I heard them. The collection also includes two previously unreleased tracks in “New New York” and “Stars” that bookend this chapter of the band’s rich history.

Read More “The Cranberries – Stars: The Best of 1992-2002”

MacStories Reviews MusicBox

Apps

Federico Viticci, writing at MacStores:

 MusicBox, the latest app by indie developer Marcos Tanaka, is the “listen-later” music app of my dreams, the one I’ve wanted to use for years and that someone finallymade as a Universal app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It’s rare for me these days to find new apps that elicit this kind of enthusiasm, but when I do, I know I’ve stumbled upon something special. MusicBox is one of those apps.

This review is going to be pretty straightforward. If you’re a music lover and use either Apple Music or Spotify, and if you feel like you discover more interesting music than you can possibly consume in a day, MusicBox is for you. Open the App Store, spend $2.99 (there are no subscriptions or In-App Purchases in the app), and you’ll get what is likely going to be one of your favorite apps of 2022. Then, if you want to learn more about what the app does, how it integrates with Apple Music, and how you can set it up on your device, come back to this story and let’s dive in.

Interview: Yours Truly

Yours Truly

A couple of days ago, I was able to catch up with the lead vocalist of alternative rock band, Yours Truly, to discuss everything that went into the writing of their upcoming EP. Mikaila and I also chatted about her and the band’s core influences, their touring plans, as well as the message the band hopes will resonate with their fans both new and old.

Read More “Yours Truly”

Bahjat – “I’m Here” (Video Premiere)

Bahjat

Today is an excellent day to share electronic pop star Bahjat’s new single and music video for his comeback single, “I’m Here.” Bahjat had this to say about the new song that’s a blend between a K-Pop sound paired with a modern flair seen in the most popular music today:

I wrote ‘I’m Here’ during quarantine in 2020. Not only was it such an uncertain time in our lives in general, but I was also getting a lot of pushback from people in the industry who were questioning my vision and my decision to mix Arabic & English lyrics. It’s kind of my ‘comeback’ song in a way, because it captures the moment I got fed up with all the criticism and decided to carve my path on my own terms. Sonically, I wanted to pay tribute to the K-Pop community and the sound of the artists’ debut songs, because I feel like I’m debuting all over again with my new take on global Arabic music, which I’ve been calling ‘A-pop.’

With his sets sight purely on global domination, don’t blame me if you find yourself dancing through to the weekend, courtesy of Bahjat.

Read More “Bahjat – “I’m Here” (Video Premiere)”

Endearments – “Too Late” (Song Premiere)

Endearments

Today I’m thrilled to share the latest slice of music from Brooklyn’s own synth-pop powerhouse band, Endearments, for their single “Too Late.” The song feels like a blend of 80’s new wave paired with the sonic brilliance of modern rock bands like Foster the People and Car Seat Headrest. Self-produced by band leader Kevin Marksson at his home studio, he shared this about the new song, “I think breakups have these turning points where you realize things can no longer be fixed. ‘Too Late’ is about those moments—recognizing when you’re being taken for granted, and saying enough is enough.” Endearments have found the right balance between being at their breaking point while still remaining true to who they are as artists.

Read More “Endearments – “Too Late” (Song Premiere)”

Mark Hoppus Finds Rare ‘Dude Ranch’ Material

Mark Hoppus

Apparently Mark Hoppus found some rare Dude Ranch-era material, according to a fan report from his Discord:

This week on his Discord, he said that he finally came into possession of the multitrack master reels for Dude Ranch, which we all believed were burned in the warehouse fire a few years ago. This morning, Mark said that there are recordings of 2 non-album songs. One is labeled “Voyeur 2” and one is “Don Keydick.” He is still in Italy so he’s not able to listen to them yet, but he believes “Don Keydick” is the second non-album song that was on the Dude Ranch demo tape.