Category: Features

  • interview by Michael McCarthy Tyketto is one of those bands who debuted in the early ’90’s and happened to be good looking, long-haired guys so they were lumped in with hair bands when in reality they were more like a Journey or Night Ranger or Styx. Of course, there were some similarities to hair bands,…

    Read more

  • interview by Michael McCarthy It’s no secret that Enuff Z’Nuff is my favorite band.  My favorite solo artist is Butch Walker, but my favorite band is easily Enuff Z’Nuff.  The band debuted in the late 80’s and had three modestly successful albums then you could say they vanished into obscurity.  However, they proved to be…

    Read more

  • interview by Michael McCarthy The Range is the moniker of choice of James Hinton, a super talented quote “electronic musician.” I use the quotes because when many people think of electronic musicians they tend to think of sterile music that lacks the human touch. This is where The Range’s music differs substantially. Rather than just…

    Read more

  • interview by Michael McCarthy Back in 2014 we interviewed Beleth and Exo of Spanish extreme/black metal band Noctem regarding their brutal and mind-blowing album Exilium. Their follow-up album Haeresis was just released in late September and is equally brilliant, jam-packed with shrieked and growled vocals that come at you like a rabid wolf, an onslaught…

    Read more

  • interview by Michael McCarthy On October 21st folk rockers Streets of Laredo will release their sophomore album, WILD, via Dine Alone Records. The album is a spectacular set of tunes rich in kaleidoscopic color with lyrics that are inspiring as they inspired. With several different percussive instruments, horns, bass, electric and acoustic guitars and both…

    Read more

  • by Michael McCarthy Time sure flies, doesn’t it? These days, mine is taken up by doing interviews for Love is Pop and working on my novel Book of Shadows 2. Yeah, I know, the first book hasn’t even been published yet, but if I can’t find an agent to get me a publishing deal soon…

    Read more

  • interview by Michael McCarthy Wild Beasts, one of today’s most popular bands out of the United Kingdom, released their fifth album, Boy King, back in August and it’s one of the best records I’ve heard this year, packed with songs that are equal parts catchy, pop-minded affairs and intellectual, artistic statements. It’s also one of…

    Read more

  • interview by Michael McCarthy Born in Australia and currently residing in Nashville, Quinn Lewis is one of today’s most interesting up and coming singer/songwriters. While he originally moved to Nashville to do more traditional songwriter fare, he soon switched gears and now makes exquisitely produced music that blurs the lines between electro-pop and R&B with…

    Read more

  • interview by Michael McCarthy I recently had the opportunity to hear The Incubus, the forthcoming, third album by Revival Records’ group Famous Last Words, which is due out on September 30th. I’m not a big fan of post hardcore bands, and I admittedly don’t know much about the scene, but when I love an album,…

    Read more

  • I caught Jenny Lewis live in Boston at the The Wang Theatre in Boston this past Tuesday night, 9/13/16. What a fantastic show. It was one of her 10th anniversary of Rabbit Fur Coat shows, Rabbit Fur Coat being her first solo effort. The album featured the exquisite Watson Twins on backing vocals and they…

    Read more

  • interview by Michael McCarthy When I decided to interview some people who weren’t musicians for Love is Pop, novelist Jay Asher was high up on my wish list. If an author can be a pop culture icon – and I certainly believe that they can – then Jay Asher is one of the biggest icons…

    Read more

  • interview by Michael McCarthy When I started Love is Pop there were a handful of massive artists that I hoped to someday interview and high up on that list was Sophie Ellis-Bextor, a gorgeous pop singer – and songwriter – from England. So, believe me when I say I am beyond excited to bring you…

    Read more

  • interview by Michael McCarthy Earlier this year I finally had the opportunity to interview Michael Sweet, lead singer and co-lead guitarist of Stryper, after wanting to interview him for 20 years since I started doing music journalism. During the interview, Michael revealed the probable title of his forthcoming solo album, One Side War. Well, that…

    Read more

  • by Michael McCarthy If you’re a big fan of singer/songwriter fare then you might already be a fan of Nashville’s Daniella Mason, whose touching song “Sleep” was posted on Youtube approximately five years ago and has since been watched over 26,000 times. It was followed up with such emotive songs as “Shade of You” and…

    Read more

  • Today I went to order Melanie Martinez’s killer art pop album Crybaby on Amazon and it was 18 and change. Noticed that it’s also available on cassette for 24 and change. This is ridiculous. I know some people feel nostalgic about cassettes and I actually ordered a new cassette deck today, so I kind of…

    Read more