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MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER

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The measured success of Metric

Two years ago, Metric dropped their fourth effort, Fantasies , with catchy-as-fuck compositions "Sick Muse," "Help I'm Alive," and "Gold Guns Girls."

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | September 18, 2012

Deep Dive at the ICA

Free Falling
Fine craftsmanship and finesse are nothing new at the Institute of Contemporary Art, though usually they're contained within the Seaport District's monolithic museum.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 31, 2012

Bruce Springsteen at Fenway Park

A monster effort from The Boss
"I'm driving thru the Fenway area on the way home and getting a good look at the Bruce crowd," a friend texted me late last Tuesday afternoon.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 21, 2012

Alanis Morissette | Havoc and Bright Lights

Collective Sounds
Alanis Morissette is one of those artists whose works can't be judged on anything but a case-by-case basis, due to the fact that she puts the entirety of her emotions, personal triumphs and failures into each one.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 23, 2012

Between rock and a hard place with Das Muerte

Broken barriers
The Facebook page for Boston outfit Das Muerte lists under genre "Rock/Funk/Avant Garde."

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 15, 2012

Brian Jonestown Massacre carry onward

Life of Anton
Bring up Anton Newcombe to anyone familiar with the mid- to late-'90s Bomp! Records roster and you'll hear about the unheralded genius of one of the most talented musicians of the last two decades.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 17, 2012

Out: The Rationales hit the Middle East

Going over big
Following a strong showing in this year's Rock 'n' Roll Rumble, it wasn't much of a surprise that the Rationales would go over big at the Middle East upstairs last Friday.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 07, 2012

Redd Kross | Researching the Blues

Merge (2012)
It's difficult to imagine that Redd Kross once boasted a sound so hard-charging that punkers were crestfallen when the band traded it in for the poppier style that made up 1987's Neurotica, an LP time has let slip through cracks filled by Sonic Youth and the Pixies.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 07, 2012

Phil Anselmo pulls no punches on Pantera, American Idol, and the reputation of metal

Cowboy from hell
Who better than Philip Hansen Anselmo to discuss the current state of metal?

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 02, 2012

Lemmy and Motörhead are still raising hell

An Ace, in Spades
At 66 years old, Motörhead's Lemmy Kilmister is still at it, playing the game and loving every minute, having fun while so many of his contemporaries act dour and aloof.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | August 03, 2012

Attika 7 | Blood of My Enemies

Rocket Science Ventures
There's two ways to look at former Biohazard singer/bassist and wannabe pornstar Evan Seinfeld.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | July 31, 2012

Letting it rip with Grey Valley Ghost

Rock heavy
Rarely does the subject go into an interview with their own set of notes, but that's exactly what Grey Valley Ghost frontman/guitarist Madison Taylor did when he checked in from his hometown of Atlanta last weekend.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | July 10, 2012

Holograms | Holograms

Captured Tracks
Remember back in the day when Hot Fuss came out and everyone thought the Killers had built the definitive aural bridge between Joy Division and New Order?

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | July 03, 2012

The Soundtrack of Our Lives | Throw It To the Universe

Telegram (2012)
While many Britpop fans spent the late 90s onward hoping with that Oasis would pull something out of the cabinet that came close to Definitely Maybe or (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, they should've been expanding their sonic range farther west to Sweden, where the Soundtrack of Our Lives have been rolling out some of the genre's finest compositions.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | June 19, 2012

Metric | Synthetica

MMI/Mom+Pop (2012)
Of all the Canadian acts that stumbled onto the scene in the early aughts, Metric have been the most consistent in putting out quality material.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | June 05, 2012

Shirley Manson dishes on Garbage's return

The Vow
Lots of folks are calling this outing by Garbage a reunion, but according to frontwoman Shirley Manson, it's nothing of the sort; it was just the right moment for the alt-rockers to rev it up again after a seven-year chill period.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | May 23, 2012

Shadows Fall | Fire From The Sky

Razor & Tie
Are Shadows Fall still feeling the fan backlash from two albums ago?

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | May 23, 2012

The Cult | Choice Of Weapon

Cooking Vinyl
Second acts are hard enough to deliver successfully in the pantheon of hard rock, so it's surprising then that the Cult, now well into their third go-round, still give their audience exactly what they crave.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | May 15, 2012

Pantera | Vulgar Display Of Power [20th Anniversary Reissue]

Rhino (2012)
By 1992, metal fans were in desperate need of fresh bombast. Metallica had gone mainstream with radio-friendly singles like "Nothing Else Matters," Rob Halford left Judas Priest the year prior, and Iron Maiden had long ago stopped delivering vital material.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | May 08, 2012

Eleven Boston rock bands go for a Ride

Nowhere, Mass.
Out of all the bands that toed the line between shoegaze and Britpop at the dawn of the '90s, perhaps none have been more overlooked than Ride.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | May 03, 2012

Silversun Pickups | Neck Of The Woods

Dangerbird Records (2012)
Following a somewhat disappointing sophomore release, it appeared as if the jig was up for these alt-rock throwbacks that made a name by nicking the best of the Smashing Pumpkins.

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | May 01, 2012