• Junk Mail: Zac Brown Band 'Jekyll + Hyde' Album Review

    If Foo Fighters' Sonic Highways was an exploration of American rock cities, then Dave Grohl's buddy Zac Brown and his Zac Brown Band decided to explore American musical genres here on Jekyll + Hyde. The album title is very fitting -- there are at least 12 totally different musical stylings on this 16-song collection. Will ZBB be country on a song? folk? Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga? electronic DJs? Jimmy Buffett? There are so many clashing personalities here -- let's try and make sense of it all!
  • Madeon Shines as Adventure Tour Touches Down at Webster Hall

    A historic venue like Webster Hall rarely double books for artists in a single night. You get one shot to impress the crowd and that is it. 20-year-old French DJ, producer Madeon, real name Hugo Pierre Leclercq, is not most artists and on Friday, April 24, the Frenchman was allotted not one, but two sets in front of a packed, adoring New York City crowd. He has been hailed as a wunderkind and the next big thing in dance music since he was 16 years old, winning a Beatport remix for Pendulum's track "The Island." This led to a host of British label execs, including Pete Tons to fly to his parent's home in Nantes, France to woo the youngster. He signed a publishing deal at 16, had a major label deal at 17 and has produced songs for Ellie Goulding, Lady Gaga and Coldplay.
  • Calexico Continues Expansion of Sounds and Cultures in 'Edge of The Sun,' Follow-Up to 'Algiers'

    Society always celebrates the records that top the Billboard 200 album chart. Back of The Billboards is a Music Times weekly segment that looks at the opposite end: the new record that finished closest to the back of the Billboard 200 for the previous week. We hope to give a fighting chance to the bands you haven't heard of. This week we look at Calexico and its continuing expansion of sound, inviting in influences beyond its traditional Southwestern fare.
  • Junk Mail: Alabama Shakes, 'Sound & Color' Album Review

    Hands down a great sophomore record form a band that already seems regal. I almost always forget that don't have a handful of albums barreling behind them. Sound & Color is going to sound great live, much like Boys & Girls did. Some duds in here, I'll admit, but nothing worth omitting or a bad review.
  • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction 2015: Green Day, Ringo Starr and Joan Jett Shine Live

    Ringo Starr. Lou Reed. Joan Jett and The Blackhearts. Green Day. Stevie Ray Vaughan. Bill Withers. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. The "5" Royales. And those were just the acts being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday night in Cleveland, not counting the many members of music royalty who made an appearance to both present and perform alongside their mentors and icons.
  • Junk Mail: Tyler, The Creator 'Cherry Bomb' Album Review

    Welcome to Junk Mail, where a few Music Times staffers email back-and-forth about each week's biggest release throughout the work day. This week, Carolyn Menyes, Kyle Dowling and Caitlin Carter chat about Tyler, The Creator's new album Cherry Bomb. Feel free to join the conversation in the comments section, and check back next week for more.
  • Danny Worsnop's Transition from Asking Alexandria to Hard Rock Most Interesting Aspect of 'We Are Harlot'

    Society always celebrates the records that top the Billboard 200 album chart. Back of The Billboards is a Music Times weekly segment that looks at the opposite end: the new record that finished closest to the back of the Billboard 200 for the previous week. We hope to give a fighting chance to the bands you haven't heard of. This week we look at We Are Harlot and the hard rock group's self-titled debut album, featuring members of Asking Alexandria, Sebastian Bach and more.
  • Junk Mail: Matt and Kim 'New Glow' Album Review

    This week, like most weeks, is really dragging for me. But Matt and Kim's new album New Glow kind of helped me pep up this morning and get to work. As far as I'm aware, this is a band that's always been infectiously peppy, maybe almost annoyingly so. But, it worked to jump-start my day. The first song, "Hey Now" is such a blast of energy. It's pretty much as effective as coffee.
Real Time Analytics