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The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow
In the music business, year-end lists have become as predictable as the New Years holiday itself. It’s that most wonderful time of the year when critics and musicians alike sound off on...
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Masterpiece Turntable : Marvin Gaye – Let’s Get It On
To say that Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” album is just about sex would be to belittle a great piece of art. But by the same token, the theme of sexual relationships is unavoidably the...
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“Others Sang Your Life”
There are a number of weird quirks I’ve come to learn about myself that I can’t really understand. One oddity that I’ve become painfully aware of happens to also be one of the most peculiar....
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Pop Obscurities : B-Sides
If you ask me, the b-side has become somewhat of a lost art in modern music, and that’s a shame. Of course, as the market for tangible forms of music becomes more obscure, the sale of singles and their...
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Unsolved Oddities : Billy Joel and the Curse on “The River of Dreams”
The River of Dreams is a puzzling sort of album. To be certain, it stands apart from any of Billy Joel’s previous records in a variety of fashions. For one, it must be said that the...
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Masterpiece Turntable : David Bowie &“The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and...
To be able to choose any one piece of art and definitively claim it as your favorite is not an easy task. Surely as one’s experiences and viewpoints change and shape their tastes, it would be nearly...
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Glen Hansard –“Rhythm and Repose”
In a sense, Glen Hansard always was a kind of solo musician. Even though most will recognize him as the frontman and founding member of both the Frames and of the Swell Season, the songwriter started...
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David Bowie Retrospective Series – Part 1: Wishful Beginnings
In preparation for The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album of newly-recorded material in ten years, I’ll be taking a retrospective look at each of the singer’s official studio albums ranging from 1967...
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David Bowie Retrospective Series – Part 2: Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed
In preparation for The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album of newly-recorded material in ten years, I’ll be taking a retrospective look at each of the singer’s official studio albums ranging from 1967...
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David Bowie Retrospective Series – Part 3: Rock and Roll Star
In preparation for The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album of newly-recorded material in ten years, I’ll be taking a retrospective look at each of the singer’s official studio albums ranging from 1967...
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David Bowie Retrospective Series – Part 4: Just a Hint of Mayhem
In preparation for The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album of newly-recorded material in ten years, I’ll be taking a retrospective look at each of the singer’s official studio albums ranging from 1967...
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David Bowie Retrospective Series – Part 5: Nothing’s Gonna Touch You in These...
In preparation for The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album of newly-recorded material in ten years, I’ll be taking a retrospective look at each of the singer’s official studio albums ranging from 1967...
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David Bowie Retrospective Series – Part 6: Waiting for the Gift of Sound and...
In preparation for The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album of newly-recorded material in ten years, I’ll be taking a retrospective look at each of the singer’s official studio albums ranging from 1967...
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David Bowie Retrospective Series – Part 7: We are the Goon Squad and We’re...
In preparation for The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album of newly-recorded material in ten years, I’ll be taking a retrospective look at each of the singer’s official studio albums ranging from 1967...
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David Bowie Retrospective Series – Part 8: Believing the Strangest Things
In preparation for The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album of newly-recorded material in ten years, I’ll be taking a retrospective look at each of the singer’s official studio albums ranging from 1967...
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David Bowie Retrospective Series – Part 9: Too Dizzy
In preparation for The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album of newly-recorded material in ten years, I’ll be taking a retrospective look at each of the singer’s official studio albums ranging from 1967...
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David Bowie Retrospective Series – Part 10: Never Born, So I’ll Never Get Old
In preparation for The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album of newly-recorded material in ten years, I’ll be taking a retrospective look at each of the singer’s official studio albums ranging from 1967...
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David Bowie Retrospective Series – Part 11: Strangers When We Meet
In preparation for The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album of newly-recorded material in ten years, I’ll be taking a retrospective look at each of the singer’s official studio albums ranging from 1967...
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David Bowie Retrospective Series – Part 12: Nothing Has Changed. Everything...
In preparation for The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album of newly-recorded material in ten years, I’ll be taking a retrospective look at each of the singer’s official studio albums ranging from 1967...
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David Bowie Retrospective Series – Part 13: Not Quite Dying
In preparation for The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album of newly-recorded material in ten years, I’ll be taking a retrospective look at each of the singer’s official studio albums ranging from 1967...
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David Bowie Retrospective Series – Part 14: “My Dear Man, I Am Not Pissing in...
The Live Albums: Bowie at the Beeb Sure, it’s not as much a live album as it is a compilation of early radio sessions, but Bowie at the Beeb nevertheless captures some great performances at a rarely...
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Podcast – Episode 1: Ranking the David Bowie Albums (Part One)
Episode 1: Ranking the David Bowie Albums (Part One) After a long time in the making, here is the first episode of The Paper Masque Podcast (available for streaming and download). This time, I begin...
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Podcast – Episode 2: Ranking the David Bowie Albums (Part Two)
Episode 2: Ranking the David Bowie Albums (Part Two) The David Bowie Retrospective Series has finally come to an end. Thanks so much to everyone who read and listened to this series of reviews. There...
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ANNOUNCEMENT : John Frusciante Retrospective Series
Photo courtesy of Facebook Yes, you read that right. The next installment in our line of retrospective review series will focus on singer/songwriter and former member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John...
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John Frusciante Retrospective Series – Part 1: I May Again Know John
With the recent announcement of Frusciante’s upcoming EP release, Outsides, The Paper Masque will be taking a look back at each of his official studio albums from Niandra LaDes to PBX and ending with a...
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John Frusciante Retrospective Series – Part 2: How Energy Stays Alive
With the recent announcement of Frusciante’s upcoming EP release, Outsides, The Paper Masque will be taking a look back at each of his official studio albums from Niandra LaDes to PBX and ending with a...
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John Frusciante Retrospective Series – Part 3: Look On
With the recent announcement of Frusciante’s upcoming EP release, Outsides, The Paper Masque will be taking a look back at each of his official studio albums from Niandra LaDes to PBX and ending with a...
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John Frusciante Retrospective Series – Part 4: Central to Nowhere
Image courtesy of Wikipedia As the final entry in John Frusciante’s infamous “six albums in six months” project, Curtains may stand as the most effective of the bunch. It is certainly the most...
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10 Forgotten David Bowie Songs
Image courtesy of Flickr / Cea Have we ever discussed David Bowie on this blog? Sometimes I forget… Yes, the work of Mr. Bowie has become familiar territory for The Paper Masque ever since our...
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Podcast – Episode 10: Weezer Retrospective (Part One): What’s with these...
Weezer Retrospective (Part One): What’s with these Homies Dissin’ My Blog? In this episode, hosts Stephen and Tom make odd noises, become ditzy whores in a wacky, misguided attempt to get a free pass...
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John Frusciante Retrospective Series – Part 5: Endless Hearsay
Image provided by Wikipedia With The Empyrean, John Frusciante reached a watermark in his solo work with a hugely complex and textured opus that many hold as the defining moment of an engaging, diverse...
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Podcast – Episode 11: Weezer Retrospective (Part Two): Is It Cool If We Slash...
Weezer Retrospective (Part Two): Is It Cool If We Slash Up This Place? In the second part of our Weezer retrospective, hosts Stephen and Tom take a look at the next batch of the band’s official...
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Top Ten “Unreleased” Weezer Songs
Image courtesy of Weezerpedia To coincide with out Weezer retrospective on The Paper Masque Podcast, I’ve rounded up some of my personal favorite “unreleased” tracks from the band. I put “unreleased”...
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Podcast – Episode 12: Weezer Retrospective (Part Three): How Do You Solve a...
Weezer Retrospective (Part Three): How Do You Solve a Problem Like a Weezer? In this episode, hosts Stephen and Tom finish their look back on each of the Weezer albums by discussing Rivers Cuomo’s...
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Podcast – Episode 13: Vindictive Rudolph vs. Mecha-Randolf
Vindictive Rudolph vs. Mecha-Randolf Image courtesy of http://www.newgrounds.com Happy Holidays everyone! In this episode, hosts Stephen and Tom talk about Christmas songs – the good, the bad, and...
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Podcast – Episode 15: The Crescendo of Rant: 2013 in Review
The Crescendo of Rant: 2013 in Review Stephen takes a look at his favorites and least favorites in music and movies from last year. And things start to get a little rant-y… For more reviews and lists,...
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Stephen’s Favorite Album of 2013: The Civil Wars
“D’Arline, what do I do now? Can’t live with you or without, but oh That’s how it goes” “D’Arline,” The Civil Wars Image courtesy of Wikipedia Sophomore albums can often be an...
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Paper Masque Playlists: The Many Moods of Valentine’s Day
Sure, all of the greeting card companies would probably like for us to think that Valentine’s Day is nothing but cupid, candy, and roses, but we all know that the holiday tends to carry a wide range of...
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Please Help The Cause Against Willful Idiocy
“You used to be so amused At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used Go to him now, he calls you, you can’t refuse When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose You’re invisible now, you got no...
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Podcast – Episode 20: The Unearthed Artifact
Click here to listen to “The Unearthed Artifact” Hey folks. Sickly Stephen here. Since I’ve been under the weather this week, we weren’t able to record a new episode of the podcast. However, we do have...
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Podcast – Episode 22: Enter Roy McDouchepickle
Click here to listen to “Enter Roy McDouchepickle” Image courtesy of Wikipedia In this episode, hosts Stephen and Tom return after a short hiatus and deconstruct a few songs by the pop groups Hot...
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Green Day –“Awesome as F**k” Review (2011)
Image courtesy of Wikipedia As polarizing as Green Day may be, there is one thing that even the band’s harshest critics might have to concede. From their early days of mud-slinging Woodstock...
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Bob Dylan Posts Frank Sinatra Cover, Announces New Album
Image culled from bobdylan.com Something is happening here, and now we know what it is. According to recent updates on the official Bob Dylan website and from Rolling Stone, the 72-year-old...
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Morrissey Retrospective Series – Part 1: VIVA HATE (1988)
Stephen takes a look at Mozza's 1988 solo debut, VIVA HATE for the first entry in the Morrissey Retrospective Series. Continue reading →
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Morrissey Retrospective Series – Part 2: KILL UNCLE (1991)
Stephen examines what many consider to be one of Morrissey's least impressive albums, "Kill Uncle." Is it really as bad as its reputation suggests? Continue reading →
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