Pads & Panels

Artist: Fun.

Album: Some Nights

Label: Fueled by Ramen

Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

Whether music fans know it or not, they’ve probably already had some contact with Fun.’s sophomore full-length, Some Nights. The first single, “We Are Young” (featuring soul musician Janelle Monáe), was covered on Glee long before the album’s release. Then it was featured on Chuck, and then in a major Chevy commercial for the Super Bowl. Hell, it was even used in a video package for the WWE Slammy Awards.

And as fans who have heard the song and ventured to give Some Nights a listen have already found, the single and the album are both well-deserving of the attention they have received. Fun.’s Some Nights is an incredibly strong album from start to finish, save one major blemish, and quite possibly the best album to come out of the indie-pop scene since The Format’s Dog Problems. (more…)

 Print This Post

Best of 2011 – Bill’s Music Picks

The Best

Polar Bear Club – Clash Battle Guilt Pride (Bridge 9 Records)

Polar Bear Club’s Clash Battle Guilt Pride makes my list for one key reason – it has spent more time in my CD player this year (I’m estimating) than all other albums I’ve listened to combined. The band’s best to date walks a fine line between gruff aggression and catchy melody, with the band’s usual blend of post-hardcore and indie rock sensibilities, and it gets its all right from start to finish. That’s not to mention lyrics that engage throughout. It’s a culmination of everything the band has been working toward. It’s every reason I’ve loved listening to them for the past few years, only better, and it’s nothing short of my favorite album this year. (more…)

 Print This Post

Title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Director: Edgar Wright

Writers: Michael Bacall, Edgar Wright

Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh

Producer: Universal, Scott Pilgrim Productions

Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is 112 minutes of pure fun, plain and simple. In a world where comic book films have either hit the dramatic prominence and cinematic quality of The Dark Knight, fail trying, or lose themselves to bad jokes and shitty dialogue, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is the reminder that comic books don’t have to be serious; they can be a hell of a lot of fun, and their movie adaptations can play by the same rules. (more…)

 Print This Post