Author: Christopher Sheridan

Music, Print, Reviews

Album Review: Pearl Jam – “Lightning Bolt”

November 12, 2013

For a while, Pearl Jam had become a band that is mentioned and everyone nods and acknowledges them. They were in danger of merely existing, while the world either forgot about them or worse: just didn’t care. They’ve barely escaped downfall and obscurity multiple times. But they get another chance, four years after their last album, to jump back into relevancy. The result is “just another Pearl Jam album,” which, after years of the same feel, will feel worn out to all but the most devoted of fans.

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Music, Print, Reviews

Album Review: RJD2 – “More Is Than Isn’t”

October 21, 2013

RJD2 is known for his talent when it comes to instrumental hip-hop music. You may have heard his music without realizing it in the theme to the AMC television show Mad Men. The smooth, catchy vibe exemplified in that track is what the artist does best, and it’s a strength that he brings to the table for his latest album, More Is Than Isn’t, to great effect.

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Music, Print, Reviews

Album Review: Sleigh Bells – “Bitter Rivals”

“Noise pop” is a subgenre wholly unique and perfectly fitted to its namesake; this is music (put that term in quotations for some non-fans) that puts a lot more emphasis on distortion and electronics than it does actual melodies, but Sleigh Bells made the style work with their stellar debut album Treats, and again with Reign of Terror.

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Film, Print, Reviews

Review – “Gravity”

October 11, 2013

There’s some innate genius about the way director Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) can juxtapose beauty with death and darkness. Gravity, a passion project over four years in the making, is yet another example of this skillful blend. It opens with text explaining, “Life in space is impossible.”

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Music, Print, Reviews

Album Review: The Naked and the Famous – “In Rolling Waves”

October 8, 2013

The Naked and Famous released their debut album Passive Me, Aggressive You in the fourth quarter of a tumultuous 2010. The synthpop indie album was a breath of fresh air, an anthem of happiness and energy. Listening to the New Zealand outfit’s catchy, pounding synth somehow makes you feel like everything is going to be all right. The wait between their debut album and its successor was only a couple of years, but the painful lapse felt far longer. At last, the follow-up In Rolling Waves is here, and it does not disappoint.

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Film, Print, Reviews

Review – “Prisoners”

October 7, 2013

A short ways into Prisoners, there is a quote on the radio about the importance of patience and penance, and working through trying times. The Lord’s Prayer is uttered at least twice, and faith plays a prominent role. But every man has a breaking point, and different ways of handling hardships.

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