Matt Hanson

Television Review: “Everybody’s in L.A.” — Could Use Some Tweaking

May 22, 2024
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If the show had its format tweaked a little bit, it might hit a sweet spot: somewhere between “The Daily Show”’s investigative reports and Conan O’Brien’s zanier segments.

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Blues Album Review: Gary Clark Jr.’s “JPEG RAW” — Branching Out in New Directions

May 15, 2024
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Gary Clark Jr.’s “JPEG RAW” could be seen as an orchard whose far-reaching sonic branches — nurtured by the rich, fertile, and ancient soil of the blues — stretch into jazz, hip hop, and funk.

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Concert Review: The Flaming Lips — Still Keeping the Pink Robots at Bay

April 26, 2024
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“Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” was the only record of the Flaming Lips that I knew in any real depth; it turns out that the band’s live show was  heartwarming, a buoyant and visually exuberant experience.

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Album Review: Cindy Lee’s “Diamond Jubilee” — A Hidden Jewel

April 17, 2024
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Cindy Lee’s “Diamond Jubilee” is nothing if not immersed in its own inner world. That’s part of its complexity, its strength, and its beauty.

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Book Review: “Dom Casmurro” — A Dark and Delicious Postmodern Enigma

February 6, 2024
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This brilliant novel is not only out to subvert narrative expectations, but to undercut the act of reading itself.

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Book Review: “Such Kindness” — American Quicksand

December 30, 2023
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Don’t underestimate the elemental power of a story that takes the reader inside the mind and heart of a good and decent man caught in a helpless situation.

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Rock Album Review: The Rolling Stones’ “Hackney Diamonds” — Closer to Zircons

December 4, 2023
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The group’s first record of new material in well over a decade, “Hackney Diamonds” isn’t quite a bad Rolling Stones record but it’s decidedly not a good one.

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Punk Rock Album Review: The Replacements — “Tim” Redux

October 23, 2023
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These new mixes and remixes of the source material, outtakes, and scintillating live cuts show how The Replacements were one of the greatest bands to ever not care much about being one.

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Rock Album Review: Joe Strummer Live At Acton Hall — Clash Fans Rejoice!

September 17, 2023
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Joe Strummer is clearly having a ball that night, in fine form: cracking jokes and proudly announcing his bandmates.

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Rock Album Review: The Zombies’ “Different Game” — Still Impressive After All These Years

May 14, 2023
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Maybe The Zombies are not quite as elaborately visionary as they used to be, but after all this time that is no great sin. And Colin Blunstone and Ron Argent’s breathy but soulful voices have held up magnificently.

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