Ken Richardson

This Week
This Week in Music, April 23, 2013: will.i.am? yes.we.will
Ken Richardson  |  Apr 23, 2013

will.i.am: #willpower

New release (Interscope)

Has a hip-hop-related record ever opened as optimistically as this?

Good morning, welcome to the thing called life
Good morning, don’t you let it pass you by
We laugh, we cry, and then we dry our eyes
We fall, we rise, ready for another try
When life gets tough, remember, we were never born to die
When times get rough, remember, we were born to be alive

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This Week
In the wake of Record Store Day
Ken Richardson  |  Apr 19, 2013

Years ago, someone told me that 1,200 high school kids were given a survey. A question was posed to them: Have you ever been to a stand-alone record shop? The number of kids that answered “yes” was . . . zero.

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This Week
This Week in Music, April 16, 2013: Different drones for Flaming Lips
Ken Richardson  |  Apr 16, 2013

The Flaming Lips: The Terror

New release (Warner Bros.; tour dates)
Photo by George Salisbury

Telepathic surgery. Ego tripping at the gates of hell. I’ve allowed the Flaming Lips to take me deep inside myself and pull me far afield. But I can’t submit entirely to The Terror.

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This Week
This Week in Music, April 9, 2013: Paramore is less
Ken Richardson  |  Apr 09, 2013

Paramore: Paramore

New release (Fueled by Ramen; tour dates)

I’ll never forget my first encounter with Paramore. It wasn’t at a gig or on the radio. It came in the pages of a magazine: a backstage photo taken around the time of 2007’s Riot! And I have to be honest: My focus wasn’t on the band but on its singer, Hayley Williams. Underneath that flame of orange-red hair, with her head cocked elatedly to the side, she was laughing as if there was no tomorrow. Now that’s rock & roll, I thought, wondering if she (um, the band) sounded as full of youthful excitement as she looked.

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This Week
This Week in Music, April 2, 2013: The Band Perry makes The Album Killer
Ken Richardson  |  Apr 02, 2013

The Band Perry: Pioneer

New release (Republic Nashville; tour dates)
Photo by Robby Klein

Sophomore slump? Not here. As soon as the banjo on the opening track, “Better Dig Two,” makes room for some choice electric-guitar power chords before the two instruments dance together, it’s clear that The Band Perry has lost none of its charm or chops.

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This Week
This Week in Music, April 2, 2013: The Band Perry makes The Album Killer
Ken Richardson  |  Apr 02, 2013

The Band Perry: Pioneer

New release (Republic Nashville; tour dates)
Photo by Robby Klein

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This Week
This Week in Music, March 26, 2013: Welcome to the “Machines” of the Strokes and Depeche Mode
Ken Richardson  |  Mar 26, 2013

The Strokes: Comedown Machine

New release (RCA)
Photo courtesy of RCA

I had pretty much given up on the Strokes some time ago. The band’s early, early promise just wasn’t bearing fruit anymore. But here we have Comedown Machine, and waddayaknow, things would seem to be looking up.

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This Week
This Week in Music, March 26, 2013: Welcome to the "Machines" of the Strokes and Depeche Mode Page 2
Ken Richardson  |  Mar 26, 2013

The Strokes: Comedown Machine

New release (RCA)
Photo courtesy of RCA

I had pretty much given up on the Strokes some time ago. The band's early, early promise just wasn't bearing fruit anymore. But here we have Comedown Machine, and waddayaknow, things would seem to be looking up.

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This Week
This Week in Music, March 19, 2013: Justin Timberlake. Seriously. Page 3
Ken Richardson  |  Mar 19, 2013

Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience

New release (RCA; tour dates)
Photo by Frank Micelotta/Picture Group

“If Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin can do 10-minute songs, and Queen can do 10-minute songs, then why can’t we?”

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This Week
This Week in Music, March 19, 2013: Justin Timberlake. Seriously.
Ken Richardson  |  Mar 19, 2013

Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience

New release (RCA; tour dates)
Photo by Frank Micelotta/Picture Group

"If Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin can do 10-minute songs, and Queen can do 10-minute songs, then why can't we?"

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