Paul Robicheau
Composer Steve Lampert wrote “Zigsaw” at the request of saxophonist Noah Preminger, whose group recorded it for one of 2019’s most provocative albums.
For all the teen-pop trappings, however, there is an old-fashioned sensibility to Rex Orange County’s music.
So, after three original albums (plus a re-imagining of Joni Mitchell’s Blue) that fell short of wide acclaim, perhaps it was only a matter of time for them to think big.
While Samantha Fish shines with her guitar work on the new album, she impressed more with her singing live.
Nearly halfway into the set, Twigs finally turned to Magdalene, which casts an empowering light on Jesus Christ’s female companion — and stands among 2019’s best albums.
Tool is going to remain relevant as long as the band can still effectively unleash its nightmare-ish delights for fervid fans.
To hear a 13-piece ensemble of this caliber, doing justice to these great songs, was simply hard to beat.
These are songs that have forged a life of their own across eras.
David Byrne and the band has clearly made a home out of the Emerson Colonial, working out tweaks in what has evolved into an extremely tight, invigorating show.
Apart from predilections turned into marketing hooks, both ZZ Top and Cheap Trick know how to rock as a base instinct – and that also hasn’t changed since they first burst to fame in the ’70s.
Arts Commentary: The Last Laugh — Stephen Colbert, Comedy, and Cultural Resistance