Category: Music
DoT Podcast EP18 – Miles Hyman Celebrates Shirley Jackson’s Centennial
One hundred years ago today, horror and humor writer Shirley Jackson was born in San Francisco, California. To celebrate this centennial, I spoke...... Read More
Eight Essential Rock and Roll Christmas Songs
Christmas is about joy. Not mere happiness, but a jolt to your soul. Rock and roll gives that to me. So rock and...... Read More
New Release Roundup: Neil Young on the Peace Trail, Morphine Documentary on DVD
MUSIC 1. Neil Young – Peace Trail There is something both comforting and unsettling about Neil Young’s signature overdriven electric guitar sound, that...... Read More
DoT Podcast EP17 – Sam Phillips Talks New Music, New “La Las” for Gilmore Girls
Sam Phillips fans have reason to celebrate this fall. She has a new mini-album out, called Human Contact Is Never Easy, which includes...... Read More
Coming Up: The Rivergods Preview the “State of the Union” with “Dress Like A Poet”
I first met The Rivergods around fifteen years ago, when I wrote about them for No Depression in its first print incarnation. Sometimes,...... Read More
New Release Roundup: Bob Dylan’s Real Royal Albert Hall, New EPs from Permit and The Adventures of the Silver Spaceman
1. Bob Dylan – The Real Royal Albert Hall 1966 Concert So you don’t have the money for the full 36-CD set of...... Read More
DoT Podcast EP16 – Alejandro Escovedo Burns Something Beautiful
When I interviewed Alejandro Escovedo for this episode, we were sitting in the green room upstairs at the Brighton Music Hall in Boston....... Read More
New Release Roundup: A Sparkling EP from Sam Phillips, a Lost Classic from Terry Dolan
1. Sam Phillips – Human Contact Is Never Easy Sam Phillips’s new EP, Human Contact Is Never Easy, is a gorgeous bridge between...... Read More
Record Store Day Highlights – Black Friday 2016
The throngs will be out in force for Black Friday sales today, along with some brave record nuts looking for some vinyl candy...... Read More
Happy Thanksgiving To-Do List of Tangents
Happy Thanksgiving from the Department of Tangents. Enjoy your friends and family. Watch Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Make mashed potatoes with Paul McCartney....... Read More
Coming Up: A New Single, and a New Direction for Imelda May on “Call Me”
There is no title or firm release date for Imelda May’s new album yet, but it doesn’t take long to notice a change...... Read More
New Release Roundup: Offbeat blues from Churchwood, gentle folk from Cory Hanson
1. Churchwood – Hex City Churchwood’s fourth full-length album Hex City is the soundtrack for the best road house horror movie no one...... Read More
New Release Roundup: Man of the World – The Peter Green Story on DVD today
DVD – DOCUMENTARY Man of the World: The Peter Green Story About halfway through Man of the World: The Peter Green Story, Noel...... Read More
Coming Up: Lift To Experience reissue The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads
Lift To Experience released just one album before they imploded, and it was a doozy. In 2001, Andy Young, Josh T. Pearson, and...... Read More
Video: Luke Temple’s “Maryanne Was Quiet”
Luke Temple‘s “Maryanne Was Quiet” is a strange beast. It’s essentially a short story with a refrain, comparable to the more spoken-word-oriented stuff...... Read More
New Release Roundup: Mike Watt live, Pavo Pavo debut
MUSIC 1. Mike Watt – “Ring Spiel” Tour ‘95 I have very fond memories of ball-hog or tugboat?, Mike Watt’s first solo album,...... Read More
Video: The Molochs “No More Cryin'”
Last week, I got a press release touting the premiere of The Molochs’ new video for “No More Cryin'” on the Brooklyn Vegan...... Read More
Minicast: Interview Flashback with Reggie Watts
Anyone who has Reggie Watts spin beats and jokes onstage will tell you he is a comic, musical genius. With a microphone and...... Read More
New Release Roundup: Three New Ones from the Frank Zappa Vault
Frank Zappa – Meat Light, Chicago ’78, Little Dots Frank Zappa has been more prolific in death than most musicians could ever hope...... Read More
Coming Up: Middle Kids
Sydney-based trio Middle Kids won’t release their debut six-song EP until early 2017, but they’ve given us a hint at what they’ll sound...... Read More
Will Johnson’s Shares “Nervousness Fangs,” GRAMMY Contention for “Inclined”
Most people probably know Will Johnson from one of his bands or projects. He fronted Centro-Matic, which called it quits in 2014, and...... Read More
DoT Podcast EP15: Dana Gould talks Stan Against Evil, an “Apocalypse Fetish” from Lou Barlow
Tonight, fans of horror and comedy get a Halloween treat when the pilot episode of Stan Against Evil from Dana Gould makes its...... Read More
Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers on Horror and Songwriting
This blog is called the Department of Tangents because I couldn’t find another way to connect three personal passions I wanted to cover...... Read More
New Release Roundup: Alejandro Escovedo and Lou Barlow
Music 1. Alejandro Escovedo – Burn Something Beautiful It’s been a decade since Alejandro Escovedo released Boxing Mirror, the album that marked his...... Read More
New Release Roundup: ESP Ohio, Savoy Motel, and RocknRoll Hi-Fives
MUSIC 1. ESP Ohio – Royal Cyclopean I wrote a while back that it’s been a great year for music, in terms of...... Read More
Daily Horror Film Fest: Blood of the Tribades
Welcome to the DoT Daily Horror Film Fest! Throughout the month, I’ll be featuring new horror every weekday. Sometimes that will be indie...... Read More
New Release Roundup: Big Star’s Third Complete
Big Star – Complete Third Reviewing Third/Sister Lovers is like reviewing The Basement Tapes. There have been so many interpolations of this material...... Read More
DoT Podcast Ep14: Mary Lou Lord, Annabelle Lord-Patey and Matt Minigell
We have a full dance card for Episode 14 with three guests — Mary Lou Lord, Anabelle Lord-Patey, and Matt Minigell. Each of...... Read More
New Release Roundup: Shovels & Rope, Todd Snider, Springtime Carnivore, Brent Cobb
MUSIC 1. Shovels & Rope – Little Seeds When I first saw Shovels & Rope live, I had the same thought I’m sure...... Read More