Articles by: Something Else!Something Else!
The Something Else! Reviews webzine, an accredited Google News affiliate, is syndicated through Topix.com and AllAboutJazz.com. The site has been featured in The New York Times, NPR.com's A Blog Supreme, the NoDepression.com Americana site, Popdose.com and JazzTimes, while our writers have also been published by USA Today, Jazz.com, Rock.com, Blues Revue Magazine and UltimateClassicRock.com, among others. Contact Something Else! at reviews@somethingelsereviews.com.

by / on August 19, 2011 at 7:59 am / in Metal, One Track Mind

One Track Mind: Metallica, "Some Kind Of Monster" (2004)

by Tom Johnson Metallica released the Some Kind Of Monster EP the same week that a film of the same name opened in limited release, touting it as a “soundtrack” to the “band in therapy” project.

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by / on August 16, 2011 at 8:37 am / in Rock Music, Vocalists

Regina Spektor – Soviet Kitsch (2005)

by Mark Saleski Call me easily amused, by I’m a sucker for a girl who accompanies herself at the piano by whackin’ a chair with a drumstick. That was how Regina Spektor sang the sassy “Poor Little Rich Boy.” One hand for piano chords, the other for abusing a wooden surface with a stick.

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by / on August 15, 2011 at 7:09 am / in Half Notes

Half Notes: Built To Spill – You In Reverse (2006)

by Tom Johnson You just don’t think of too many great guitarists in indie-rock. It’s practically built into the genre to not emphasize your skills. So what a refreshing treat a band like Built To Spill is where they most definitely fall into that meaningless “indie rock” category (since they were recording for Warner Bros.) and guitarist/singer Doug Martsch can [...]

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by / on August 13, 2011 at 8:49 am / in Featured Artist, Progressive rock, Uncategorized

Something Else! Featured Artist: Genesis

Believe it or not, Phil Collins was once just a member of this group called Genesis.

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by / on August 13, 2011 at 8:21 am / in Half Notes

Half Notes: Robert Pollard – Superman Was A Rocker (2008)

by Tom Johnson Even before Guided By Voices split on New Year’s Eve 2004, some fans were pining for the old days — back when Robert Pollard and company crudely recorded in a basement on cassettes into a boombox, throwing caution to the wind and making lo-fi masterpieces that confounded standard song-writing practices. Pollard’s become something of an off-kilter, oddball-pop [...]

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by / on August 13, 2011 at 7:34 am / in Rock Music, Vocalists

Björk – Medulla (2004)

by Mark Saleski It was all about the voice. The radio was on one day and I heard these lines

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by / on August 12, 2011 at 10:07 am / in Friday Morning Listen, Uncategorized

Friday Morning Listen: Bob Marley, “Three Little Birds” (1977)

by Tom Johnson Our oldest daughter is preparing for her first days of first grade. Supplies have been bought, some in ridiculous quantities (seriously, 36 pencils for the first day alone?!)

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by / on August 12, 2011 at 9:04 am / in Jazz

Christian McBride Band – Vertical Vision (2003)

by Mark Saleski Vertical Vision would remind me of Weather Report even if it didn’t contain a smokin’ reading of “Boogie Woogie Waltz.” Honest!!

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by / on August 11, 2011 at 7:39 am / in Country, Vocalists

k.d. lang – Recollection (2009)

by Mark Saleski I can’t exactly remember either the song or the awards show I saw her perform it on. It had to be either Roy Orbison’s “Crying” or maybe “Constant Craving

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by / on August 10, 2011 at 7:36 am / in Fusion Jazz

Bill Frisell – Unspeakable (2005)

by Mark Saleski Big ears: usually a none-too-nice description of some poor kid on the elementary school playground. In the jazz world, “big ears” is a good thing.

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