Franz Nicolay
Major General
(Fistolo)







Franz Nicolay’s voice is wonderfully animated and on Major General he dramatically uses it to paint rapidly moving scenes and emotions. At times more Broadway musical than anything, Nicolay plays a poetic actor to a rambunctious soundtrack of reckless yet well-crafted slashes of guitar, piano and wild drums. Sometimes leaning more towards mainstream 80’s rock and perfectly boisterous, Major General never moves outside of its own genre. “World/Inferno Vs. The End of the Evening” begins with a grandiose guitar enhanced ballad, the song is plush and moves about beautifully. Nicolay is based out of New York and is known as the keyboardist for The Hold Steady. His vocals are so full that this record could be played at the edge of skyscrapers and still hold up because they fill up so much space. Most tracks are hard rock driven with a feel good utopian rave about them. “This World is An Open Door,” later breaks into a drum and hand clap session with a staccato chorus that intensifies. The last track, appropriately titled, “I’m Done Singing,” is a mild jazz piano-club sentiment about frustrations with creativity within the life of most likely every musician that ever lived. It is hard not to be charmed by Nicolay’s passionate lyrics and his emotional delivery.

Chanda Jones


Roger O’Donnell
Songs From The Silver Box
(Great Society)






The Cure synth man Roger O’Donnell has got his Moogs and Macs a’firing on his new ten song CD Songs From The Silver Box. If your down for some ethereal synth measuring, soft leads, breathy vocals (but mostly instrumentals) “Box” will be right up your apple or the right bite for your tree (mix the metaphor that works best for you).

Though the first tunes here “The Prince of Time” and “Endlessly” kinda have that same sequence-y, mellow synth thang happening, things kick off nicely for me on the third song “In Your Hands Now.” A nice bubbly beat begins this one, there is some interesting vocals from Leka and by the middle of the song we are moving well. This is true of a lot of tunes on “Box,” an effect I know O’Donnell is no doubt trying for-setting the mood at the beginning of the tunes and all that-but I dare say making them sometimes a bit too long for their own good. “Falling” is an upbeat optimistic little number, with a really interesting synth lead and along with the title track, my favorite here. “Tiny Pieces Of You” and “Musique Pour Irakli” (the last and longest tune on the CD) are pretty solid, but to tell you the truth, I could just about do without Erin Lang’s too-breathy voice. I prefer the instrumentals here and think O’Donnell pulls them off with aplomb, but doesn’t need the girl singers and light lyrics. Songs From The Silver Box is a mellow synth gem worth owning.

Ralph Greco, Jr.


Vetiver
Tight Knit
(Sub Pop)






Vetiver’s Tight Knit is anything but what its title suggests and that is what makes it refreshing. Breezy and light, this heavily acoustic guitar folk-inspired release presents a satisfying helping of finely written songs against a sonically beautiful landscape. It is a mellow album somewhere close to Beck’s Sea Change. Every string, pluck or play of instrumentation rings exquisitely, allowing the listener to relish in its distinct singular beauty, coupled with singer Andy Cabic’s voice and then enchanting the whole musical collective. Tight Knit is Vetiver’s fourth full length delight and is way lush. “Everyday” begins as a bouncy tune that unfolds into a sunny pop love song.

Cabic never gets caught up in anything that would detract from the beauty of this album. Every song is uniquely an acoustical gem. The up-tempo almost hipster appeal of “More of This” just solidifies Vetiver’s sweet approach to crafting songs that ring through a pleasurable amount of fidelity. “Another Reason to Go” starts off more haunting and dark and is made spicier with its sleek horn section. Tight Knit has a superiority about it that is as addicting as a summer day.

Chanda Jones


Underworld: Rise Of The Lycan Soundtrack
(Lakeshore records)






Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, is the latest music from the film series, and while you may come to expect more of the same where the soundtrack is concerned, prepare to be surprised. Released on Lakeshore records, the compilation features a few extraordinary hits. An unanticipated Milla Jovovich- the actress and model, sings along side Maynard James Keenan on the brilliantly remixed Cure song, “Underneath The Stars.” The results are startling; it's by far the best track on the record. The Deftones, Alkaline Trio, and Ghosts on the Radio all provide standout tunes. The rest of this 16 track album is comprised of uniform staples of the Industrial-Darkwave genre- unwavering, extensive vamping and thudding beats, which taking into consideration the gothic nature of the movie, is perfect.

Dezzy Ramdeen

Location: Meatpacking District, NYC
Comedy: The Found Footage Festival Get Tickets Here
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Comix
Food: Spice Market
Drink: Plunge
Miscellaneous: Little Pie Company (located at 407 W14th St.)


The Found Footage Festival turns precious family moments that you’ve conveniently thrown away as well as embarrassing celebrity appearances, into comedy gold at a Fest like this. Created and hosted by Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher, this touring one-night-only showcase of awesomely bad found videos is a must. For dinner, if you can get a table, check out Spice Market. Chef and owner Jean-Georges Vongerichten converted this HUGE space into one of the sexiest Asian restaurants in NYC. Serving up exquisite dishes like the onion and chili crusted short ribs with egg noodles and pea shoots ($22), Spice Market impresses. If you choose not to stay at APT for drinks, close by is Plunge. Located at the top of the Hotel Gansevoort, this rooftop lounge offers stunning views of the city. If dessert is your thing, stop over at Little Pie Company, where pies are baked on premises. Whether you’re in the mood for sour cream apple, southern pecan, or Mississippi mud pie, you can’t go wrong here.

A Better Band




It was pretty dreary outside, and while my radiator knocked and groaned loudly, it was still bitterly cold inside my apartment. I waited by the telephone, coughing and sneezing waiting for it to ring. It was certainly an inopportune time to be sick. I hoped Paul Noonan would forgive my hoarse voice. Bell X1’s latest album, Blue Lights on the Runway, released today on their label, BellyUp Records, is one stellar body of work.

What would you say is the biggest difference between this record and your last, Flock?

Umm, I don’t know, I think it was made by different people? I really think that’s the biggest difference.

What theme’s if any, did you cover? Lyrically, It’s brilliant.

It’s kind of hard to sum it up in a sound bite. I think for us there’s no coherent theme to the record as a whole, I think the identity of it is more of a process of how it was made and the journey we were going through as a band at that time.

A lot of changes occurred.

It was a period of great change, the line up changed through the making of the record. We kinda began to assert of our own independence, as this is the first record that we owned ourselves, that we made ourselves. I suppose that we were quite empowered by that, it’s a new dawn for us in that sense. We feel a lot more included in the control of our destiny and I think that for us is the identity of the record rather than any thematic strands running through the songs.

There’s a distinct synth pop/new wave sound, was that a cowbell I heard on the track, “A better band”? It really gets stuck in your head.

Oh yes, that was a cowbell. A cowbell is like the cockroach of instruments, no matter how low its buried in the mix, you can always hear it.

I think more bands should make use of the cowbell.

Yeah, it’s very much part of the defining character of the song. It’s well up there anyway.

Do you have a favorite track on the album?

It’s hard to tell really, I think that sort of crystallizes when we get out and start playing the songs live. As far as studio moments go, there were a couple of times where we felt this kind of rush of this is why we do this! During the making of the record, these moments that you live for as a musician and as a band when you kinda land somewhere that just feels very satisfying. At one point, I would have shied away from that in the past, in the sense of feeling that, that was self indulgent. But I think this time we’ve allowed ourselves a lot more freedom and kinda explored the idea of taking a song and bringing it in a different direction. A song like, “How Your Heart’s Wired,” or “Amelia” or “A Better Band” are journey’s we always felt self conscious about taking in the past, but I think that was part our rebirth and I suppose confidence. So it was very satisfying that we made that leap creatively.

I’m sure you’ve heard by now, that our politics have gone through sort of a seismic shift, and I was wondering if political or social issues influence your music?

Yeah, I think we’ve been really lucky to have been here this past week for the inauguration and Martin Luther King day before it. It had such resonance and such global resonance that it’s something that will stay with us for our lifetime and being here for the inauguration is something to tell the grandkids about. I think its part of psyche, part of our make up to be aware of the consequences of what we do and I supposed we dabbled our commentary on such things on this record more so than the last. I think the last one was more explicitly commenting on Ireland, specifically the changes that have come about over the last 15 years.

I read somewhere in an interview you did where you said, “I have this romantic notion of traveling coast to coast on a bus in the States and stopping in Wyoming for pancakes. I want to see the square states — the Dakotas, Idaho. I want to touch and feel these exotic places. I’m sure any romantic notions will be shattered once I get there.” So having since toured here, was your romantic notions shattered?

We never got to do that! We flew to the west coast and pretty much the furthest we got in was Chicago, and we traveled down the south quite a bit but we never got to the square states.

I hope you do this time!

I really hope we do this time! We plan to do later on in the summer, more of an extensive tour in that part of the world, so I look forward to that.

If for some bizarre reason, you couldn’t make music anymore, would you be satisfied with the music you have out there already?

No. I think we’ve got more to say and we definitely haven’t had our day yet.

My last question is, what do you listen to when you’re sad?

When I’m sad! I don’t know, it kinda changes I supposed. It depends on what kind of sad. Actually, there’s one song I like to wallow too, it’s on the Allison Krauss/ Robert Plant album. It’s the last song, it’s called, “Your Long Journey.” It’s an old folk song…about death I suppose, it’s incredibly beautiful and moving, to have a good cry to sometimes.

We all need that once in a while.

(laughing) Yes.

Dezzy Ramdeen

Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Bands: Run Dan Run
Show time: 11 PM
Venue: Arlene’s Grocery
Food: Katz’s Deli
Drink: Nurse Bettie
Miscellaneous: Ludlow Guitars

Check out indie rock group Run Dan Run, who come by way of Charleston, South Carolina. With splashes of piano and violin, their music comes across as earnest with beautiful melodies that make the songs pop. If you’re starving, I mean really starving, head over to Katz’s Deli. This old school deli packs on the pastrami a mile high. The portions are huge and the place is classic NY. For drinks, Nurse Bettie is a chic looking bar with exposed brick walls, paintings of 50s pinups, and offers an excellent cocktail menu. Stop by Ludlow Guitars if there’s time and peruse through some magnificent rare and new music equipment from inexpensive to guitars that you will have to save dearly to afford.

No more problems with eyeshadows. No more creases. Long lasting eye color. Finally, Urban Decay has created Eyeshadow Primer Potion, which takes care of our worst shadow nightmares. How many shadows do we buy and throw in a drawer never to be seen again? We hate them because they lack pigment or they fail to stay on more than an hour. This miracle eyeshadow primer is unmatched by any other in the beauty industry. The genie in this bottle fulfills three wishes: eyeshadow that lasts, more vibrant and truer color, and absolutely NO creasing. Apply this Primer Potion to lids before shadow application. It dries down instantly, invisibly creating smooth lids that are super powered eyeshadow magnets.

The formula is full of silicone, which you beauty mavens know makes for a smooth and silky application. It’s packaged in a pretty genie bottle. A little goes a long way. Apply a thin coat and let dry, then apply shadow as you normally would. This product is so fantastic, you can even wear it alone without shadow for a shear shimmering look. No wonder Sephora has given it it’s 2008 Best of Sephora stamp of approval.


Meryl Hartstein

Not just a beauty writer, Meryl Hartstein also runs Re-Vamp Cosmetic and Image Counseling. For more info see her website Re-Vamp Counseling

Get Happy with Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers


Location: Tribeca, NYC
Bands: Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers + Joanna Erdos and the Midnight Show Get Tickets Here
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Santos Party House
Food: Pakistan Tea House
Drink: Mocca Lounge
Miscellaneous: Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the documentary on Woodstock, Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers and Joanna Erdos and the Midnight Show will both perform cover songs from the original concert. Don’t forget to look pretty when you go cause VH1 will be there filming for their own documentary on Woodstock. Nearby, Pakistan Tea House is a buffet style Indian restaurant where you can choose between chicken, meat, fish and vegetables. It’s affordable and very good. For drinks, check out Mocca Lounge. With a funky interior and a menu of Italian inspired fare, it’s also a bar with a large list of coffees with or without alcohol, beers, and frozen shots. Smack dab in the heart of Chinatown, the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory makes gourmet ice cream flavors like Black Sesame, Ginger, Durian, and more exotic flavors like Taro and Wasabi. Don’t worry, they have the go-to’s like Vanilla, fruits, and chocolate flavors too.

RocknRolla
Directed by Guy Ritchie
(Warner Bros.)






The latest offering from Guy Ritchie, well known writer/director of Snatch and Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, RocknRolla has all the glam, crime, quick cuts, witty English slang, and sprawling ensemble cast of recognizable stars from his earlier films. Somehow though, this story comes off less fresh-faced rock n’ roll and more familiar deadbeat tune.

What once was the sexy/edgy look into the grimy fabulous underworld of London; it’s multi-racial street culture, class stratified layers of criminals, and hilariously dry irony, had somehow drained out of RocknRolla. The film seems too conscious of itself, and the style seemingly forced. The story is a familiar one; Gangland bosses make shady multi-million dollar deal, one of their employees hires a small time gang to grab the cash, money disappears, all hell breaks loose as hard nosed thugs battle it out to lay hands on the money and title of King of London’s underworld; add a splash of rock hard abs, jump cut action, and plenty of graphic violence; viola, you’ve got RocknRolla.

To the film’s credit the actors put on a believable show, each seeming quite gleeful to inhabit the skin of their own smarmy smart assed crook. But unless the viewer pays very close attention (and perhaps puts the subtitles on), you’ll probably lose the thread of the story as all the characters become entwined in some murky fashion while talking too quickly and with such vernacular that one forgets how exactly.

Interestingly, the film was nominated for a GLAAD Award (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) honoring a Widely Released Outstanding Film, probably due to its inclusion of a positively represented gay character in the main band of small time crooks. The film didn’t win the award and that about says it all.

Kenneth Joachim