Picnictyme

We've reached the halftime portion of 2012, where everyone's scrambling to tally their faves from the past six months. Instead of looking back, we thought it'd be more productive to address what you should be listening to in the future. Here are a few DFW songs to check out, as you ease into Memorial Day weekend.

More >>

Charlie B

There are quite a few notable local albums coming down the mountain, either now or in the near future. Look, I even made a short list:

Power Trip, "Brainwave"
Dallas' finest thrash mechanics just released their three-song EP on Lockin' Out Records, and one of the songs is a Prong cover. Remember Prong? They're currently on tour, but return to Queen City Hall on April 13.

Charlie B, "Make You Proud"
The 19-year-old Dallas singer is staying away from the whole "swag" rap scene, settling more into pop and R&B. It suits him, and he certainly has crossover appeal in the current climate of earnest Bieberocity. His new EP, Dreams Comes True, comes out this summer, and "Make You Proud" is the first single.

More >>

I've paid entirely too much attention to Madonna since the age of six, when I stood in front of a neighbor's TV, captivated by the "Lucky Star" video. And, no matter how annoying and schoolmarmish the artist has become in her 40s and 50s, part of me will always stop and stare when she's in my line of sight. I'd make fun of myself for this, but I don't have to. I've got a lot of company.

There are millions more life-long Madonna fanatics who wince and grimace at their icon's haughtier moments, but manage to forgive her in the end. That fact alone grants her the opportunity to play the Super Bowl this weekend. Despite the media's subtle, ongoing rejection of her, Madonna's still a touchstone of sorts. She's got scads of radio hits, but there's enough non-radio-friendly material to go deep. Like, psychotic deep.

So, instead of speculating endlessly about what her halftime show will entail (Quick prediction: Crappy new song, "Express Yourself," "Vogue," "Ray of Light," "Holiday," hundreds of cheesy fan-cers doing choreography on the field), let's listen to some of her lesser-known tunes and album tracks. Some musical context via my Spotify playlist might help you better appreciate the artist on stage Sunday, rather than obsessing over how much Botox she got pre-game. Happy listening!

More >>

After listening to Lana Del Rey's Born to Die over the weekend, I have to say, as usual, Sasha Frere-Jones nails the thinkpiece so we don't have to. I felt the need to give this woman, who's already been unnecessarily dissected, a chance. She does have a great voice, I just don't know if she'll ever get a chance to develop beyond it. Says SFJ:

"Her invocations of Sinatra and Lolita are entirely appropriate to the sumptuous backing tracks, but, when it comes to lyrics, she and her collaborators get lost in a tangle of keywords."

Yes. The backdrop is there, but not the dialogue. It bothers me that her "authenticity" is being called into question on the regular, but it baffles me that she seems to be the only artist anyone is talking about right now. I guess that's the point? Let's consider a few other ladies with new(ish) albums who are worthy of your time.

More >>