By Aanen Butz, Chattanooga, TN– There are very few surprises on “Bankrupt!”, the latest album by French synth-pop outfit Phoenix. For many bands, the statement “This is an album by (insert name here),” is plenty sufficient to summarize the content of their newest release. In 2010, the Black Keys even went so far as to [...]
The Knife blows audience away with “Shaking the Habitual”
April 8, 2013 by
By Aanen Butz, Chattanooga, TN—”Everybody is always desiring already imagined things…But how do you build an album about not knowing?” So reads the manifesto coupled with “Shaking The Habitual,” the latest album by Swedish experimental electronic duo The Knife. Comprised of siblings Karin and Olof Dreijer, the band has forever been as enigmatic as they [...]
“The Walking Dead” has deeper meaning, despite plot problems
April 3, 2013 by
By Aanen Butz, Chattanooga, TN—Following the breakthrough success of hit shows “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad,” AMC has struck gold for the third time with Zom-Dram “The Walking Dead.” However, after finishing the latest season, I can’t help but wonder if the show actually deserves the tremendous amount of ballyhoo surrounding it. One of the [...]
Red Ginger Bistro delights with adventurous choices in sushi
March 26, 2013 by
By Aanen Butz, Chattanooga, TN—In the small pink building on Dayton Boulevard, directly across from the Waffle House, there is a quiet new sushi restaurant named Red Ginger Bistro. Located in the same place that used to be home to the New Peking Mandarin buffet, Red Ginger Bistro has been celebrating their “grand opening” by [...]
Critics Corner: ‘20/20’ not quite the best vision for JT
March 20, 2013 by
By Aanen Butz–Maybe if Justin Timberlake’s latest album wasn’t titled “The 20/20 Experience,” people would not have been so quick to label it “visionary.” While it is certainly an impressive display of musical craftsmanship and one of the most ambitious efforts of Timberlake’s multi-faceted career, the only thing it ever approaches the cutting edge of [...]
Youth Lagoon drops ‘Wondrous’ sophomore album
March 5, 2013 by
By Aanen Butz, Chattanooga, TN—In 2011, Trevor Powers (aka Youth Lagoon) released his spectacular debut album, “The Year Of Hibernation.” Contained within were eight anthemic pop songs, bursting at the seams with lovely crescendos, cathartic lyricism and unforgettable melodies. It captured the bashful hopefulness and wide-eyed naivety of youth in a way that few other [...]
‘Identity Thief’ simply a comedic crime
February 27, 2013 by
By Idris Garcia, Chattanooga, TN–Beware! Keep your credit card and social security number close to make sure your identity remains your own. That is about all I can take from the movie “Identity Thief,” a movie that can surely go in the “watch once” category. The movie stars Jason Bateman as Sandy Patterson, whose identity [...]
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke’s new project doesn’t disappoint
February 25, 2013 by
By Aanen Butz, Chattanooga, TN—Atoms For Peace is the latest project of Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke. On the band’s debut album, “Amok,” he joins bassist Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers, percussionists Joey Waronker and Mauro Refosco, and producer Nigel Godrich to create an entracing and wholly captivating experimental dance music album. The group was [...]
Foals’ new album hits some, misses others
February 19, 2013 by
By Aanen Butz, Chattanooga, TN—Over the course of three LPs, Foals have established themselves as architects of some of the tightest pop tunes in the indie-sphere. On their latest album, “Holy Fire,” this is not immediately apparent. Instead, they kick things off with a couple of the heaviest jams of their career, indicating that things [...]
My Bloody Valentine breaks long silence with “mbv”
February 10, 2013 by
By Aanen Butz, Chattanooga, TN—My Bloody Valentine, for those who are unfamiliar, is one of the most innovative and influential bands of the last 25 years. Led by visionary frontman Kevin Shields, their dreamlike blend of feathery vocals and hazy guitar fuzz has paved the way for the musical genre known as “shoegaze.” In 1991, [...]
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