Most well-established experimental bands have two things to worry about. They need to remain artistically fresh, but they also need to appease a fanbase. A group like Radiohead has no intentions of staying in one place, despite the incredible success they’ve had in the past with a sound like Ok Computer. But they still need… Continue reading Baldwin’s Choice: Ulver
Author: Christopher Baldwin
Baldwin’s Choice: Kate Bush
What happened to the intellectual angle in pop music? There was always a need for accessibility – bright melodies, danceable rhythms, relatable lyrics. But when did it become a genre bent on laziness? It’s all about appeasing the casual listener now with the least amount of effort. Recycled beats, auto tuned vocals and lyrics that… Continue reading Baldwin’s Choice: Kate Bush
Baldwin’s Choice: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. It’s an Olympic band name that such a huge band deserves. They consist of seven members – three guitarists, two drummers, multiple vocalists, bass and a guy who plays a mean harmonica. They’re also huge in terms of popularity, recently selling out every date on a headlining US tour.… Continue reading Baldwin’s Choice: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
Book Review: A Drink with Shane MacGowan
Much like the usual millennial, I came to know of Shane MacGowan through a random YouTube search. It was a video list of rock stars that should be dead, but aren’t. There were of course the expected culprits; Ozzy Osbourne, Nikki Sixx and Keith Richards. But then they mentioned this guy from an Irish group… Continue reading Book Review: A Drink with Shane MacGowan
Baldwin’s Choice: Magma
It’s satisfying to know that there’s a progressive rock band out there that takes the negative tags associated with the genre and runs with them. French progressive band Magma have answered critical statements like “pretentious,” “bombastic,” and “pompous” with a “hell yes we are” defiance since the early 70s. And they remain to this day… Continue reading Baldwin’s Choice: Magma
Baldwin’s Choice: Cardiacs
Cardiacs is what happens when worlds collide. Who would have thought that two completely separate rock subgenres with two entirely different musical outlooks would ever be able to work together? This band found a way, and the results are very exciting. Although bandleader Tim Smith will never admit to it, Cardiacs is the first (and… Continue reading Baldwin’s Choice: Cardiacs
Baldwin’s Choice: Kayo Dot
Kayo Dot is more than a little confusing. They’re a group that sounds like you shouldn’t take them seriously, because they’re strange almost to the point of mockery. But beneath the sheer alien nature of whatever genre of music they tackle at any given time, there’s a core of uniqueness that’s unparalleled. In a musical… Continue reading Baldwin’s Choice: Kayo Dot