Young Hollywood takes on punk legends


Last weekend, subjects of teen worship Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning starred as the girl-power punk rockers Joan Jett and Cherie Currie of the Runaways. Not only did the duo take on new personalities and wardrobes for the roles, they bravely accepted the responsibility of covering well-known Runaways songs for the soundtrack. The soundtrack perfectly […]

Static’s new album much more than white noise


The band’s name might be the literal translation of the Finnish word for “computer,” but Static of the Gods’ latest release Knowledge Machine is all about life, humanity and emotion. The Boston-based trio of Jen Johnson, Mike Latulippe and Ben Voskeritchian have put together one of the best albums so far this year, but its […]

Gorillaz’s latest shows off pop music at its finest


Gorillaz’s newest release, Plastic Beach, is unmistakably pop. But confined to current and somewhat mistaken definitions of the genre, this is either an insult or just plain wrong. Indie music buffs might denounce such a claim, pointing to the many guest appearances ­— from progressive artists such as De La Soul and Mos Def — […]