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MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER

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What's F'n Next? King Tuff

Sounding like the bastard offspring of T. Rex and Alex Chilton, King Tuff's self-titled second album and first for the iconic Sub Pop label was one of the more pleasant surprises of last year.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | January 14, 2013

Quicksand rises from the '90s

There are two ways to go about being a post-hardcore band from the '90s.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | December 28, 2012

Chad Stokes empowers his radio

Cellars by Starlight
To say that this is a busy time for Chad Stokes is an understatement.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | December 12, 2012

Memory Tapes | Grace/Confusion

Carpark Records (2012)
It was a mad bummer when Philly's synth-infused post-punk outfit Hail Social quietly called it a day a half-decade ago after just two inspired releases.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | December 04, 2012

MUSIC_ROCK_GaslightAnthem_CreditDannyClinch_list

Four records in and still suffering the endless comparison treatment, it's high time folks started to let the Gaslight Anthem exist on its own merits, without the looming specter of that iconic fellow Garden State native.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | November 21, 2012

Ash names the alphabet

Do you remember the time I knew a girl from Mars? Probably not, since that Ash hit was from eons ago. But Ash frontman Tim Wheeler does remember, checking in via phone from London.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | November 16, 2012

Soundgarden | King Animal

Seven Four Entertainment/Republic (2012)
Soundgarden have long been the most-likely grunge outfit to reunite; the only surprise here is that it took this long for them to get their shit together.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | November 07, 2012

The Soft Moon | Zeros

Captured Tracks (2012)
Feeling disassociated, darkened, distressed, or just plain different this fall? Don't fret or suffer like the only hope out there for getting lost musically is by listening to early Depeche Mode or jumping on the Kraftwerk revival bandwagon.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | October 24, 2012

Bat For Lashes | The Haunted Man

Capitol/Parlophone (2012)
It's no myth that artists tend to struggle with the dreaded second-album slump, but less clichéd and much more real is the third-album choke — especially when previous releases are so critically acclaimed.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | October 18, 2012

The Walkmen fill in the gaps

Nothing on the seventh Walkmen release is remotely as jarring as their 2004 masterpiece, "The Rat," a song that had frontman Hamilton Leithauser howling over frenetic guitars and a wildly crashing drumbeat.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | October 10, 2012

Frightened Rabbit ready to emerge

It's always annoying when a band is touted as "the next big thing," especially when they've been around pumping out great stuff for years and then suddenly everyone is talking about them like the stork dropped them off that morning — see Bon Iver winning a Best New Artist Grammy this year, five years after their debut came out.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | October 02, 2012

The sound quality of Caspian

Bands looking to create a BUZZ should take note of Caspian.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | September 25, 2012

The measured success of Metric

Two years ago, Metric dropped their fourth effort, Fantasies , with catchy-as-fuck compositions "Sick Muse," "Help I'm Alive," and "Gold Guns Girls."

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | September 18, 2012

Deep Dive at the ICA

Free Falling
Fine craftsmanship and finesse are nothing new at the Institute of Contemporary Art, though usually they're contained within the Seaport District's monolithic museum.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 31, 2012

Bruce Springsteen at Fenway Park

A monster effort from The Boss
"I'm driving thru the Fenway area on the way home and getting a good look at the Bruce crowd," a friend texted me late last Tuesday afternoon.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 21, 2012

Alanis Morissette | Havoc and Bright Lights

Collective Sounds
Alanis Morissette is one of those artists whose works can't be judged on anything but a case-by-case basis, due to the fact that she puts the entirety of her emotions, personal triumphs and failures into each one.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 23, 2012

Between rock and a hard place with Das Muerte

Broken barriers
The Facebook page for Boston outfit Das Muerte lists under genre "Rock/Funk/Avant Garde."

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 15, 2012

Brian Jonestown Massacre carry onward

Life of Anton
Bring up Anton Newcombe to anyone familiar with the mid- to late-'90s Bomp! Records roster and you'll hear about the unheralded genius of one of the most talented musicians of the last two decades.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 17, 2012

Out: The Rationales hit the Middle East

Going over big
Following a strong showing in this year's Rock 'n' Roll Rumble, it wasn't much of a surprise that the Rationales would go over big at the Middle East upstairs last Friday.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 07, 2012

Redd Kross | Researching the Blues

Merge (2012)
It's difficult to imagine that Redd Kross once boasted a sound so hard-charging that punkers were crestfallen when the band traded it in for the poppier style that made up 1987's Neurotica, an LP time has let slip through cracks filled by Sonic Youth and the Pixies.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 07, 2012