Articles by: Tom Johnson

Vinyl

Queensryche – Sign of the Times (2007)

A best-of is really nothing to get excited about; they already have one of those, and this one even looks very similar in design. Basically, this sums up the band’s career from first album The Warning through Hear in the Now Frontier along with one track from Mindcrime II. ThereRead More

Vinyl

Half Notes: The Who – Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who (2007)

It might be easy to look at the title of this and dismiss it as yet another of those “unauthorized biographies” that seem to show up every once in a while — the kind of thing that only completists will snap up. And looking at the cover doesn’t help: nearlyRead More

Vinyl

Half Notes: Killing Joke – Killer Joke, What's This For …!, Ha: Live, Revelations (2005)

Remasters for the seminal post-punk godfathers of what would become “industrial.” (Not really industrial, but it inspired bands like Ministry and Nine Inch Nails, who somehow got wrongly lumped in with bands like Einsturzende Neubauten and Skinny Puppy, who really are industrial.) Unique here is the first-time-ever-on-CD Ha! Killing JokeRead More

Vinyl

Half Notes: Queens of the Stone Age – Era Vulgaris (2007)

Josh Homme’s band thankfully picked up where 2002’s exquisitely fun Songs For The Deaf left off, ignoring the dreadfully boring Lullabies To Paralyze that emerged in between the two. Just count that one as growing pains from Homme kicking bassist Nick Oliveri out of the band following Songs. Vulgaris, happily,Read More

Vinyl

Half Notes: Suzanne Vega – Beauty And Crime (2007)

Most people seemed to tune out of Vega’s music after “Luka” and/or the various remixes of “Tom’s Diner” had their way with the airwaves, relegating her to that sad status as fluke hit-maker. Luckily for discerning listeners she paid them no attention and carried on creating strong albums that provokedRead More

Vinyl

Father John Misty – Fear Fun (2012)

Simple one-sentence review: if you love Fleet Foxes, you’ll love Father John Misty’s Fear Fun. It’s pretty much as easy as that because Father John Misty is former Foxes drummer J. Tillman’s new project (and, apparently, persona) You May Also Like: No related posts.

Vinyl

Rufus Wainwright – Out of the Game (2012)

When listening to Rufus Wainwright, I can’t help now but attempt to imagine how jazz trumpeter Dave Douglas might approach his songs. So successful was his take on “Poses” that it’s hard not to consider that the definitive version of the tune You May Also Like: Dan Markell, “Carnival Game”Read More

Vinyl

One Track Mind: Allyson Lupovich, "Theme from ‘Caillou’" (1998)

What fresh hell is this? Take one day off from work to recover from one of the nastiest, most insidious little colds to come along in ages, and something sicker happens You May Also Like: Joe Sofra, “One of Those Things” (2020): One Track Mind

Vinyl

Half Notes: Paul McCartney – In Red Square: A Concert Film (2005)

Filmed in 2003, McCartney was “Back in the (former) USSR” (c’mon, you know I had to do it) for the first time since the Beatles were banned from the country in the 1960s. You know what a dangerous thing those Beatles were. Featuring a Beatles-heavy setlist (thankfully), this isn’t quiteRead More

Vinyl

Forgotten series: Pelican – Australasia (2004)

I was saddened at the loss of Godflesh, but long before their dissolution Godflesh had ceased to be what interested me in them in the first place. You May Also Like: Pantera – ‘Power Metal’ (1988): Forgotten Series