Category: Reviews

EVEN THE DEVIL BELIEVES IN STRYPER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL SWEET

August 24, 2020

interview by Michael McCarthy On September 4th, 2020, the world’s most famous Christian rock/metal band of all time, Stryper, will release their 13th studio album, Even The Devil Believes, on Frontiers Music Srl. If you’re a fan of the band’s last three albums, No More Hell To Pay, Fallen and God Damn Evil, then you’re…
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#songoftheday = FRONTIERS ALL STARS: “PUSH THROUGH”

July 18, 2020

Now, that’s what I call an all-star song. I am very impressed with this one. A powerful and inspiring song for our times if ever there was one. It’s a perfect blend of catchy and ferocious. I love the video, too!
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RAISE YOUR HANDS: AN INTERVIEW WITH STEVE BROWN OF TOKYO MOTOR FIST, DEF LEPPARD & TRIXTER

July 4, 2020

interview by Michael McCarthy One of the last heavy metal bands to make it big before grunge exploded and decimated the scene was a group out of Paramus, New Jersey called Trixter. The band’s self-titled debut came out in 1990 and their biggest hit, “Give It to Me Good,” was number one on MTV’s daily…
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#songoftheday / #amlistening = MICHAEL RIDER: “BREAKTHROUGH”

July 3, 2020

As a thick bass line lulls you in and gently massages your brain while stabbing piano keeps you from getting overly relaxed on Michael Rider’s intoxicating new single, “Breakthrough.”
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CHEERS TO THE BRAINWASHED GENERATION: AN INTERVIEW WITH CHIP Z’NUFF OF ENUFF Z’NUFF

July 2, 2020

interview by Michael McCarthy On July 10th, Enuff Z’Nuff will release their all-new album, Brainwashed Generation, on Frontiers Records. It’s the band’s third record for the label and the second to feature bassist Chip Z’Nuff front and center handling lead vocals on all but one song, a blistering gem called “Strangers In My Head,” which…
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#songoftheday = Lolo Zouaï: “Alone With You”

June 29, 2020

“I’d rather be alone / Than be alone with you,” purrs pop songstress Lolo Zouaï on her luscious new single, “Alone With You,” which hails from her recently released Beautiful Lies EP, something I’ve been listening to on a loop lately.
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MICHAEL RIDER, AMERICAN FIGHTER: AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

June 18, 2020

interview by Michael McCarthy I’ve known singer/songwriter/painter Michael Rider for several years now. Their piano-centric indie pop blends irresistible pop hooks with thought-provoking lyrics that sometimes feel like poems and occasionally sound like journal entries, which I mean in the best way possible. Insightful is the first word to describe Michael that came to mind…
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#songoftheday = Enuff Z’Nuff: “Mother’s Eyes”

June 3, 2020

This Enuff Z’Nuff classic from 1991 is a terrific anti-racism song if ever there was one. If you like The Beatles and hair metal, you’re in for a real trea
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RISING DURING THE PANDEMIC: AN INTERVIEW WITH RORIE KELLY

May 23, 2020

interview by Michael McCarthy photos courtesy of Rorie Kelly “You can’t keep this fucker down,” sings indie favorite Rorie Kelly on her ferocious new song, “Up From Here,” which she just uploaded a live version of on Youtube this week. It’s just one of several new songs the powerful singer-songwriter has unveiled as of late,…
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#songoftheday = Emeli Sandé: “HOPE” (#songsforourtimes #22)

May 18, 2020

I’ve always loved this little ballad by Emeli Sandé and was surprised that it wasn’t a single. In fact, so far as I could tell, the audio hasn’t even been officially posted on Youtube, hence this fan-made lyric video.
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LUCKY SEVEN: CHATTING WITH MICHAEL SWEET OF STRYPER

May 1, 2020

interview by Michael McCarthy If you’ve been following Love is Pop for any period of time then I’m sure you’ve realized that one of my favorite people to interview is Michael Sweet of the legendary heavy metal band Stryper. In fact, this interview is the seventh time we’ve spoken since we started chatting about his…
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#songoftheday = JON BON JOVI: “DO WHAT YOU CAN” (LIVE FROM JERSEY4JERSEY) #songsforourtimes #22

April 23, 2020

“When you can’t do what you do / You do what you can,” sings Jon Bon Jovi on his Covid-19-themed song “Do What You Can,” which he debuted last night during Jersey4Jersey, a benefit show on behalf of the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund (NJPRF) to
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#songoftheday = METALLICA: “ONLY HAPPY WHEN IT RAINS (LIVE)” (#songsforourtimes #20) + A-HA: “LIVING AT THE END OF THE WORLD (#songsforourtimes #21)

April 20, 2020

Yeah, yeah, I know, this isn’t exactly a hopeful song and it isn’t about the end of the world either. But I do feel like “Only Happy When It Rains,” a Garbage song which Metallica covered at the Bridge School Benefit on 10/27/07, has the vibe many of us are feeling right now.
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#songoftheday = DAVID ARCHULETA: “AIMING FOR HOPE” (#songsforourtimes #19)

April 10, 2020

The chorus of this gorgeous ballad by David Archuleta says it all: “When you’re alone And don’t know when the night will end
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#songoftheday = BUTCH WALKER: “END OF THE WORLD (ONE MORE TIME)” (#songsforourtimes #18)

April 8, 2020

“Skyrockets in flight / Get ready for a fight!” proclaims Butch Walker excitedly before a “hey, hey” during the bridge of his ultra-catchy ode to the end of the world, appropriately entitled, “End of the World (One More Time).”
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