AltWeeklies Wire
Sunshine State of Mindnew

Levek's newest album, Look a Little Closer, explodes onto the national indie scene
Orlando Weekly |
Bao Le-Huu |
10-10-2012 |
Profiles & Interviews
Vanilla Ice Talks About Madonna, Wallaroos and What's Nextnew
After a quick rise, Vanilla Ice quickly became America's favorite joke. But with time, the vitriol has worn off. Now, the name Vanilla Ice evokes the sweet charm, the unknowing innocence of another time.
New Times Broward-Palm Beach |
Michael J. Mooney |
12-01-2009 |
Culture
'This Is It' Looks at Michael's Sad Endnew
Kenny Ortega's film is a patched-together effort to make money, featuring a man who was not well.
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
11-04-2009 |
Reviews
Michael Jackson's Genius is Brought Closer and Clarified in 'This Is It'new
Behind the tabloid image, Jackson's seen thinking, devising, improvising -- and performing masterfully. At age 50, Jackson was still a prodigy; possessed of protean talent and when in the company of collaborators he is inspired.
New York Press |
Armond White |
10-29-2009 |
Reviews
Is the Madonna on 'Celebration' Compilation a Material Girl, or a Beautiful Stranger?new
Oh, remember when Madonna promised to lead us through the wilderness with a witty, ambitious combination of disco sex appeal, businesswoman savvy and cardinal danger? Remember when she had her own cheekbones?
C-Ville Weekly |
Cathy Harding |
10-09-2009 |
Reviews
Whitney Houston's New Album is Almost Absurdly Gimmick-Freenew
I Look to You sounds out of time, and if one didn't know better, one might suspect it was released a decade or two ago. But the timeless approach works. There's something extremely refreshing about a performer who refuses to kowtow to whatever they're calling the newest generation of brats.
Looking Back Through the Glass at the 'TRL' Pop-Culture Revolutionnew

Coming in the midst of a tsunami of Woodstock nostalgia, the news that Viacom is not renewing its lease on the Times Square studio where MTV staged Total Request Live didn't attract much attention.
Las Vegas Weekly |
Greg Beato |
08-20-2009 |
TV
Players Only: A Peek Inside the World of Harmonixnew
Harmonix Music Systems is a Cambridge video-game company behind the Rock Band franchise and Guitar Hero. You may have seen the ad for its upcoming Beatles game -- it was recently playing on 100-foot screens behind Sir Paul at Fenway.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Parish |
08-19-2009 |
Video Games
In 'Hound Dog,' Songwriting Duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Remember Redefining Postwar Pop Musicnew

Hound Dog: The Leiber and Stoller Autobiography is a delightful read. Both men are terrific storytellers, witty and succinct, with a sharp eye for the telling detail.
Baltimore City Paper |
Geoffrey Himes |
08-18-2009 |
Nonfiction
There's No Doubt That No Doubt Rules Orange Countynew
Even if they hadn’t been around in a while, even if they’re internationally famous superstars, even if some of them don’t live in the area anymore, No Doubt are permanently woven into the fabric of our culture—and unlike consumerism, conservatism or reality shows, they are something to be proud of.
OC Weekly |
Albert Ching |
08-18-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
The Michael Jackson Death Circusnew
Despite his immense talent, Michael Jackson is not a man who should be revered.
Tucson Weekly |
Catherine O'Sullivan |
07-08-2009 |
Performance
Beyonce: How Much is Enough?new
Entertain a morbid thought: If Knowles were to crash and burn her Thierry Mugler motorcycle breastplate during her current "I Am ... Tour" -- said to out-razzle-dazzle all predecessors with its aerial flips and 70-some costumes -- would she be revered like Michael Jackson?
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Kimberly Chun |
07-08-2009 |
Music
Michael Jackson: A Eulogynew

Why and how Jackson became the most famous person the century ever knew is a matter for the anthropologists. For us, here and now, Jackson was elemental and impossible to ever fully understand; fearsome and heartbreakingly beautiful; at once mortal and deathless.
City Pages (Twin Cities) |
David Hansen |
07-01-2009 |
Music
Elijah Wald Explains How the Uncool Music of Yesteryear Shapes Today's Tunesnew

No one makes music in a vacuum, completely detached from the pop mainstream and his or her potential audience. Wald argues that nobody should be trying to, since how many people music appeals to in its own time is at least as important as how many rock writers it appeals to in 30 years.
Chicago Reader |
Miles Raymer |
06-15-2009 |
Nonfiction
Tiga's 'Ciao!' Is Unfettered, Unabashed, Intuitive and Hilariousnew
All of Tiga's hustle and accomplishment is concealed behind the sleek, casual, quirky and fascinating veneer which is ultimately his greatest talent— his distinct personality.
Montreal Mirror |
Jack Oatmon |
06-05-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews