Tag: 2026
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by Michael McCarthy I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to Paris four times. My first visit was in 1999, when I spent the entire month of September there after arriving during the last week of August. I’d specifically chosen September 1999 so I could attend all four of Mylène Farmer’s sold-out concerts at Bercy, Paris’s…
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by Michael McCarthy “Caught me in the middle of the night / after that / can we go back,” singer/songwriter Ane Brun sings on the melancholic “Can We Go Back,” a dark and moody song that would seem to be about attraction that crosses an unfortunate line on her brilliant new album I Thought We…
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by Michael McCarthy I’m totally hooked on Heavens Edge’s new album, Philadelphia, which will be released on November 13th via Frontiers Music. In fact, I’ve been streaming it every single day since the band’s publicist first sent me an advance listening link over a month ago, and I’m still not remotely tired of it. I…
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by Michael McCarthy You never know what might happen at a Kate Nash concert. At the opening night of her North American tour at Somerville’s Arts at the Armory, the British singer-songwriter became an impromptu matchmaker, offered lessons in Irish history, spoke passionately about women’s and transgender rights, and even turned part of the evening…
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by Michael McCarthy I recently posted part one of 18 Albums That Made Me, which was inspired by the my9albums thing that has been going around on social media where you can select nine album covers of the sounds that made you and make a collage to share. As with the first part of my…
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by Michael McCarthy Following her recent signing to Frontiers Music Srl, veteran guitarist/vocalist Lita Ford has just unleashed her bloody good new single “Dracula,” just in time for Halloween. The track was produced by Gary Hoey, mixed by Max Norman, and was performed by Lita, Gary Hoey and Bobby Rock on drums. Hoey previously produced…
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by Michael McCarthy Israeli singer-songwriter, composer, and multimedia artist Jasmin Stone has spent years creating music that defies easy categorization. In addition to releasing her own albums, she’s composed music for films, television, and theater, written songs for other performers, published poetry, and created imaginative music videos. Her influences range from Portishead and Saint Etienne…
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interview and photos by Michael McCarthy On Tuesday, November 3rd, Massachusetts voters will decide the future of recreational marijuana sales in the state. Question 8, if approved, would repeal the laws allowing the retail sale of recreational cannabis, effectively shutting down the state’s legal adult-use marijuana industry. Medical marijuana would remain legal, as would possession…
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by Michael McCarthy I’ve been a fan of Nicotine Dolls since their debut album, An Attempt at Romantic, which I enjoyed quite a bit. But after listening to their new self-titled album, I have to agree with something frontman Sam Cieri said during our recent interview: This feels like the first true Nicotine Dolls record.…
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by Michael McCarthy Dan Reed has never been an artist who’s content to stay in one musical lane. From the infectious blend of funk, rock, and soul that made the Dan Reed Network such a distinctive band to his more introspective solo material, he’s spent decades exploring different sounds and following his creative instincts wherever…
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by Michael McCarthy There was a time when I loved watching movies. I went to the cinema regularly, collected DVDs and Blu-rays, and eagerly anticipated new releases. I was even a film critic for various magazines and e-zines. These days? I probably watch one or two movies a month, if that. And it isn’t because…
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by Michael McCarthy It’s been nearly a decade since Tyketto released their previous studio album, but the wait for Closer to the Sun has certainly paid off. The band’s sixth studio album reached number one on the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart, and frontman Danny Vaughn says the band is enjoying one of its…
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by Michael McCarthy We recently featured Nicotine Dolls’ single “Here to California” as a song of the day on Love is Pop, and it’s a great tune. But their new single, “Gimme Sympathy,” is even better. It’s a much heavier, almost grimy hard rock song that kicks your ass from start to finish. Sam Cieri’s…
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by Michael McCarthy By now, I’m sure you’ve seen the “9 albums” thing going around on social media. There’s a website called My 9 Albums where you can make an image showing nine album covers. It’s supposed to represent the nine albums that made you who you are, so to speak. For some people, that…
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by Michael McCarthy First of all, I don’t mind telling you that I’m not a particularly big Keith Urban fan. In fact, I’m generally not a big fan of modern country music. To my ears, much of it sounds more like country pop than actual country music, and something about that has always put me…
