CONCERT REVIEW: Crosby, Stills and Nash (The Riverside Theatre, Milwaukee)

Despite being at an age where they're allowed to rest on their laurels, the venerable folk rock supergroup nevertheless delivers an energetic show at the Riverside Theatre.

Read my full review here.

PLAYLIST: Mondo Radio (04/29/15)

Here's the playlist for this week's edition of Mondo Radio, which you can download or stream here. This episode: "Crash", featuring classic no wave and more. If you enjoy it, be sure to also follow the show on Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter!

Artist - Song - Album
Contortions - I Can't Stand Myself - No New York
Teenage Jesus And The Jerks - The Closet - No New York
DNA - Blonde Red Head - A Taste Of DNA
DNA - New New - A Taste Of DNA
Theoretical Girls - Chicita Bonita (Second Version) - Theoretical Girls
Theoretical Girls - Contrary Motion - Theoretical Girls
Mars - N.N. End - The Complete Studio Recordings NYC 1977-1978
Mars - 11,000 Volts - The Complete Studio Recordings NYC 1977-1978
Y Pants - Luego Fuego - Y Pants
Y Pants - Off The Hook - Y Pants
Ama-Dots - Hit Girls - History In 3 Chords: Milwaukee Alternative Bands 1973-1982
Ama-Dots - Samizdot - History In 3 Chords: Milwaukee Alternative Bands 1973-1982
Bush Tetras - Snakes Crawl - Boom In The Night: Original Studio Recordings 1980-1983
Bush Tetras - Too Many Creeps - Boom In The Night: Original Studio Recordings 1980-1983
Mario Merola - Zappatore - Chiamate Napoli ... 081 E Altre Musiche Dai Films Di Mario Merola
Material - Metal Test - Memory Serves
Material - Silent Land - Memory Serves
Suicide - Che - Suicide
Suicide - Rocket USA - Suicide
Chrome - Perfumed Metal - Blood On The Moon
Chrome - Blood On The Moon - Blood On The Moon
Screamers - 122 Hours Of Fear (Live At Mabuhay Gardens 9/2/78) - In A Better World
Screamers - I Wanna Hurt (Live At The Whisky 1/7/78) - In A Better World
Flipper - In Life My Friends - Gone Fishin'
Flipper - One By One - Gone Fishin'
Swans - Stay Here - Filth
Swans - Blackout - Filth
Sonic Youth - Death Valley '69 (Live) - Smart Bar - Chicago 1985
Sonic Youth - Expressway To Yr Skull (Live) - Smart Bar - Chicago 1985
Nirvana - Hairspray Queen - Incesticide
Nirvana - Aero Zeppelin - Incesticide

FEATURE: Video Villains Celebrate Three Years of Visual Accompaniments

For three years now, Milwaukee's Video Villains have been transforming area shows into psychedelic extravaganzas, but this dynamic duo still has big plans for the future.

Read the full piece here.

CONCERT REVIEW: Todd Rundgren (The Pabst Theatre, Milwaukee)

In popular music, there are a handful of different career arcs that artists tend to follow, stories that seem to repeat themselves time after time, and Todd Rundgren fits into precisely none of them, instead carving out a unique path that’s led him through a little bit of everything. He’s equally noteworthy as both a producer, with classics albums from Grand Funk Railroad, New York Dolls and XTC among his many credits, and a performer, dabbling in diverse genres from power pop to prog, and while he never quite achieved the same level of lasting mega-fame as some of his contemporaries, he’s remained remarkably prolific, releasing his 25th studio album, Global, just this month, and still enjoys a rabidly loyal following, who eagerly packed into the Pabst Theatre tonight to experience it live.

Considering the Runt’s mercurial reputation, it was difficult to know what to predict walking in, and the first surprise came when Dâm-Funk, the Stones Throw Records electro-boogie maestro that was publicized as the tour’s incongruous warm-up act, provided less of an opening set and more of an opening song, a version of his throwback slow jam “I Wanna Thank You for (Steppin into My Life)” awkwardly reworked to introduce Rundgren, who emerged with two dancers in tow and launched into “Evrybody”, Global’s lead-off track. The song, a dissection of modern life complete with Miley Cyrus name-check, is one of the record’s more conventional rockers and afterwards he seldom picked up a guitar again, leaving it to one-man band Dâm-Funk to provide the electronic textures that make up most of the rest of the album.

Rundgren’s current taste for EDM produces some truly strange results, an uneasy mix of new wave hooks, big beats and the boundless, quasi-spiritual positivity of rave that can either tip in favor of well-crafted pop, like the funky “Skyscraper”, or cringe-worthy message songs, as with the ponderous “Holyland”. There was also, of course, a handful of oldies for the die-hards (mostly middle-aged ladies, mostly dancing in the aisles), including the stylistically appropriate Utopia cut “Secret Society” as well as a medley of his 70s solo classics, like “Can We Still Be Friends” and “Hello It’s Me”, all updated with Global’s retro-futurist sheen. If altogether uneven, there were certainly moments of inspiration throughout the exhaustive two-hour show, and if it’s a curious direction for his career to take, well, what else would you expect?

PLAYLIST: Mondo Radio (04/22/15)

Here's the playlist for this week's pledge drive edition of Mondo Radio, which you can download or stream here. This episode: "The Sound of Money", featuring music about cash and talk about why should contribute some of it to keep WMSE spinning!. If you enjoy it, remember to also follow the show on Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter!

Artist - Song - Album
Barrett Strong - Money (That's What I Want) - The Complete Motown Collection
James Brown - I've Got Money - I Got You (I Feel Good)
The Trashmen - Money (Live) - Teen Trot
The Minitmen - Rollin' In Money - Wyld Sydes, Vol. 5
The Beatles - Money (That's What I Want) - Rock 'N' Roll Music
Monty Python - Money Song - Monty Python Sings
The Kinks - The Moneygoround - Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround, Part One
ABBA - Money, Money, Money - The Definitive Collection
M - That's The Way The Money Goes - New York, London, Paris, Munich
The Flying Lizards - Money (That's What I Want) - The Flying Lizards
Rubella Ballet - Money Talks - Anarchy In The U.V.
Pet Shop Boys - Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money) - Please
Bronski Beat - Love & Money - The Age Of Consent
Shadee - I Just Need More Money - I Just Need More Money
Lee Rosevere - Bad Money - Backtime
Falcao And Monashee - Money - Fools
Holger Czukay - Oh Lord Give Us More Money - Movies
Holger Czukay, Jah Wobble, Jaki Liebezeit - Where's The Money? - Full Circle
The Pop Group - Blood Money - Y
Cosmic Psychos - No Money - Fifteen Years, A Million Beers
The Avengers - Money - Died For Your Sins
Dark Chocolate Chips - Let Me Spend Money - Colonial Solutions
King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard - Danger $$$ - Willoughby's Beach
Oozing Wound - Bury Me With My Money - Earth Suck
Niney & Slim Smith With The Destroyers - No Money, No Honey/Nevada Joe - Joe Gibbs Scorchers From The Early Years 1967-73
Dennis Brown & Big Youth - Money In My Pocket/A So We Stay - Joe Gibbs Scorchers From The Early Years 1967-73
The O'Jays - For The Love Of Money - Ship Ahoy
L.T.G. Exchange - Money Mad - Susie Heartbreaker
Sugarhill Gang - On The Money - Sugarhill Gang
Blackalicious - Deception Part 1: Don't Let Money Change Ya - Deception
DJ Babu Feat. Homeliss Derilex - Cash Money - The World Famous Beat Junkies, Vol. 1
London Posse - Money Mad - An England Story
Wiley Feat. Leah Miller - Music Not The Money - 100% Publishing