I recently found out that Robbie Fulks, the guy who blew out my brains twenty-plus years ago when I caught him on Austin City Limits, was releasing a passion-project, full-cover, vinyl-only release entitled 16 featuring his take on all the songs from my all-time favorite album, Bob Dylan’s Street Legal. I couldn’t believe it. Now…
There is a myriad of ingredients that can make for a successful reality show recipe, and I have to confess I am not always a “healthy eater” when it comes to what I consume. But, when I tune into new episodes of A&E’s Born This Way, I know I am getting my recommended weekly allowance…
In the first episode of A&E’s docu-series Born This Way, Megan Bomgaars explains that she’s a “very typical 22-year-old girl.” That’s a pretty humble self-evaluation for a young woman who’s a sought after public speaker; a fashion model; a recipient of the 2008 National High School Spirit of Sport Award; an entrepreneur; and the star of a viral video…
(CAUTION. This review contains spoilers. You probably assumed that that was true when you clicked the link; but, just to be totally, 100% above board with you: this is a review of the third season of House of Cards, and so there are going to be spoilers in it. If you haven’t seen season…
On Saturday I was treated to a preview screening of the pilot episode of Bravo’s first foray into scripted programming, the hour-long dramedy Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce starring House’s Lisa Edelsteine and Janeane Garofalo which debuts on Bravo on Tuesday, December 2. I really cannot say enough by how great the show is, but I thought I might try with this glowing review. 🙂
In 1999 George Jones made the decision to return his focus to the traditional country sound that defined his earlier work and made him a living legend with the album Cold Hard Truth. The result was an instant classic and a must have for any Jones record collection. Take a stroll with us down memory lane as we remember this killer release including Alan Jackson’s unforgettably defiant tribute during the CMA Awards.
A way-too-late review of Another Day/Another Time: Celebrating the Music of Inside Llewyn Davis with featured performances by Marcus Mumford, Jack White and The Dave Rawlings Machine.
We’re still more than a week away from the Disney Channel premiere of Girl Meets World, but the pilot episode is actually available for free download on iTunes. After watching it, here are a few thoughts on what fellow Boy Meets World fans should expect…
VH1 served up a big dose of nostalgia last night with CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story. The original biopic was produced by the group’s surviving members, Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas and Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins. Watch the full video and read the reviews.
MTV’s special Being Maci definitely had a different feel than its Teen Mom predecessor. But, with equal amounts of drama and extra appearances from Bentley, they show was a hit! See what people had to say about — and learn why the show did draw a bit of criticism for Maci.
We don’t often do reviews here at Starcasm, but after watching last night’s premiere of TLC’s new reality series Welcome To Myrtle Manor I found myself wanting to not only share my praises for the show, but also defend reality shows as entertainment in general.
“You mess with one of us, you mess with the whole damn trailer park!”
A review of Sing the Delta by Iris DeMent. After a 16-year gap in original releases DeMent returns with an instant classic that reveals an artist further along the road of mastering her craft.
“I’ve had my own opinions as each new release dropped since then and each time while I may have disagreed I could see where each side was coming from either yea or nay. But now we have Wrecking Ball and of any original release that the best guitar picker from Asbury Park, New Jersey has let out in to the world this is the one that has the power, strength and consistency to most deservedly sit at the bar and toss ’em back with those other records of Bossman yore. Yes. I’m telling you to feel all right if you’re in a hurry and slip this new album in between Nebraska and Born in the U.S.A. While you’re out you shouldn’t feel disrespectful or bad about it.”
What if I told you that a somewhat unheralded (chart wise anyways) release from 1992 would fall unquestionably under the title of my all time favorite live country music release? Not only that, but this release features covers only and is a completely acoustic affair. Well, this is exactly what I think of the unstoppable force that is Emmylou Harris and The Nash Ramblers At the Ryman. Take a detailed look back at an underappreciated live giant in the genre of country; a release and artist heralded for reviving The Mother Church of Country Music for which the album garnishes its name.
Back in 1996 alternative country pioneer Robbie Fulks released one of the most interesting, diverse and exciting debut albums for a country music artist. Come along for a honky tonk ride as I look back at a hell of a record and one that still comes across as revolutionary and entirely new to this day.
Come along as I look back at the 1966 Buck Owens and His Buckaroos classic album Roll Out the Red Carpet. Buck and his band dominated country music for most of the 60’s and this work from that era that is absent of any charting single is in my opinion the definitive album for the band’s addictive and game changing sound.
Check out our review of Superhighway the soulful southern debut release from The New 76ers, an acoustic 3-piece band from Tallahassee, FL. Photos, video and bio information included for this impressive first release.
I’m the last person in the world to complain about the choices of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as far as Oscar nominations go, but last night I was finally able to catch the film Get Low thanks to a special screening at the 2011 Macon Film Festival and I’m astonished it wasn’t considered to be one of the best 10 films of last year. Keep reading for the full review and see if I can’t convince you to order a copy today!
Check out our review of Grant Peeple’s “Okra & Ecclesiastes,” a focused and heart felt release from an extremely interesting singer songwriter from Northwest Florida. Review, photos, video and bio information included for the self described left-neck from the sunshine state.
So what if I told you that musical legend Willie Nelson released arguably his best album in 1996 to little fanfare or critical acclaim? And what if I told you that if this hidden gem were to be classified as a “country” album that it would be the very best release under that genre in the last 20 years? You would probably think, like that character in Willie’s classic song, that I’m crazy right? Well I may be crazy but this is exactly my opinion of Nelson’s masterpiece Spirit.
30 years ago country music legend Merle Haggard released the album Back to the Barrooms right on the heels of The Way I Am. The album’s theme of loss imbued with a going down to hell drinking attitude have stood the test of time leaving in its wake a generation of musicians and fans in awe of the masterpiece from the man they call The Hag. Read on for a 30-year-retrospective on the greatest drinking album ever recorded.
The Last Exorcism doesn’t deliver on the shock-and-awe horror promised in the trailer, but it does deliver a fresh take on “the exorcism theme” with some fantastic acting and somewhat subdued – but nonetheless entertaining – BOO! moments. For me the film was a pleasant surprise… right up until the final ten minutes. (Spoilers included, though I don’t give away the disappointing ending.)
If you’ve read Martin Booth’s decadent novel A Very Private Gentleman, George Clooney seems like perfect casting of the dubious main character for the film adaptation The American (which opened at the #1 spot over Labor Day Weekend). Unfortunately the screenplay (by Rowan Joffe) and style fail the book’s rich potential, and Clooney loses his…
Hard to believe, but it’s been 20 years since Dwight Yoakam released his classic album “If There Was A Way.” Read my retrospective on the record that turned my ear to country music and my argument that it’s the best main stream country album of the last 25 years.
Bonus: Check out videos for songs from the album including “The Heart That You Own,” “You’re The One” and “Turn It On, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose.”
After some disappointing music from Rihanna, whose voice can often be grating, she’s back with a perfect collaboration with Eminem. “Love the Way You Lie,” which premiered last night right before Jersey Shore, is a song about domestic violence, something Rihanna and Eminem have experienced on different sides; and the raw honesty really shines through….
Janelle Monae’s new release The ArchAndroid (Atlantic Record) isn’t just an album, it’s an event, an “emotion picture,” if you will, a journey through time. With it’s extremely wide variety of influence and sounds, it tells an epic story. All the songs have disperate sounds ranging from classical overtures, to glam rock, funk, 50’s doo-wop,…
You’re probably thinking to yourself “what is that smell?” Well folks it is one of the two worst reviewed movies of all time on Metacritic (I’ll follow up with the other one in a few days). Metacritic takes reviews, combines them, and applies a composite score based on the results. They have been around since 1999 and include films from previous years as well. So can you guess what is this tied-for-worst rated movie? A couple of hints:
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A) Pauly Shore
B) Didn’t work for the BP oil spill either
C) Tenacious D
Read on to find the answer, check out footage from the train-wreck and more from Metacritic’s tied-for-worst movie EVER!
Jason Castro’s debut, self-titled album is solid. It’s a hummable toe-tapper that takes you through the highs and lows of love with the playful, sunny quality of a spring breeze.
I recently outed myself as a big Willie Nelson fan in a post featuring concert photos of Willie from Arena Theater in Houston, Texas January 8, 2010. Well, that got me all excited to see the Red Headed Stranger again, so I road tripped to Macon, Georgia for his show at the Macon City Auditorium January 24, 2010. Read the ridiculously long review, check out my original Willie Nelson oil pastel drawing and listen to part of Willie doing “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” from his upcoming album due out April 13!
Image: Courtesy of MTV ‘I’m Done With You’ is something we have all said but not all of us have acted on it. Kristin Cavallari is a girl who says what she means and means what she says. Hence the “b*tch” label. Brody and his girlfriend, Jayde are taking a break because they fight too…
In this week’s episode of Desperate Housewives entitled, ‘Don’t Walk on the Grass’ everyone wants to break the rules. Bree starts to fall for Karl and the feeling appears to be mutual. When Bree trys to break it off with Karl he gives her a cameo that he tells her is a family heirloom….
Landon Pigg hit the big screen as Ellen Page’s droolworthy love interest in Drew Barrymore’s Whip It, but he’s more than just a cute boy. Pigg is the singer-songwriter behind the perfectly infectious song featured in De Beers and AT&T commercials “Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop,” and recently released his sophmore album, The Boy Who Never, featuring…
Ladies and gentlemen, the downward spiral has begun. If you haven’t been able to tell from my previous recaps of Jon and Kate Plus 8, then I find it my duty to inform you that this show is taking a long walk off a short cliff. The once-refreshing look into the everyday battles of a…
Little did I know when I turned on Jon and Kate last night that I was walking into a television nightmare. The episode lulled me in with the typical presentation of cutesy activities and family bonding, but just when I thought I had a grasp on the general plot…there was a turn. In between sweet…
The full episode is at the bottom on this post. I highly recommend that you take an hour to watch Catelynn and Tyler’s amazing story. Catelynn’s story (often misspelled Caitlynn by Googlers) was definitely the most intense and moving episode of the compelling 16 and Pregnant MTV series. The last episode dealt with Whitney, who…
A study of the contemporary American male’s immature nature and innate thirst for debauchery can make some of the most fun you’ll experience in a movie theater, if it’s done right. The Hangover does it right. Vegas makes a fun playground for the superb cast, who sync together nicely. The script is formulaic and somewhat…
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