Netflix unearths the humanity of Pop queen Kylie Minogue’s journey in eponymous documentary
"I found myself in the wilderness for years" – said Aussie pop queen Kylie Minogue as she had to reconcile her quest for artistic respect with the undeniable commercial disappointment that was her 1997 album "Impossible Princess" and her being dropped from the...
Ivy has the crowd eating out of the palms of their hands at Sony Hall in New York City
Any commentary about the musical centerpiece of this article necessitates an acknowledgment of me being under layers of ignorance and coming to terms with it. First, as a child of the mixtape generation (living in Mumbai in India at the time) in the 90s, I was...
Michael: The challenge of biopics and our perennial need for binary simplicity
In the last two weeks, the pure entertainment sphere of the social media world has been home to two divergent narratives surrounding the release of the new Michael Jackson biopic. Critics across the board have hurled incredibly harsh reviews at the movie accusing its...
The Midnight celebrates the soundtrack to a subculture at the Brooklyn Paramount
Date: April 24, 2026 Venue: Brooklyn Paramount ( New York City) Tour: Time Machines Tour "So there was kind of a movement without a soundtrack?". British television host Jonathan Ross asked New Wave act Spandau Ballet (famous for timeless classics such as "True" and...
The Tower on Highway 198: Journey’s “Raised on Radio” at 40
By guest writer Debby Meadows On a stretch of Highway 198 in Hanford, California, a small radio station building still stands in the center of the San Joaquin Valley, easy to miss unless you’re familiar with the area. It is the kind of place that does not ask for...
“Alone in Roma” by Paco Versailles is 2026’s first great pop single
The chronically hopeless romantic in me has always been fascinated by cross-cultural romantic relationships. The contrasting backgrounds of the individuals should be an insurmountable impediment to their survival and yet many of these relationships are proof of...
Netflix’s Take That is an entertaining mix of new reveals and missed opportunities
“I wanted a copyright” - says Gary Barlow, the undisputed frontman of Manchester boy band Take That in Episode 1 of the 3-part Netflix documentary titled “Take That”. This one vocalized ambition, alone, encapsulates most of why Take That (now in their early 50s)...
Veteran Artists and Bands returning with new music in 2026
In the context of our article published last year titled “Veteran Artist returning in 2025”, the year was somewhat underwhelming in that most artists or bands listed in that article did NOT end up releasing full-length albums at all in 2025. Hence, I run a non-trivial...
Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Perimenopop is playful, defiant, and dazzling
By guest blogger Kaushik Chakravarthy Perimenopop - let's pause on that for a moment and reflect why a pop artist would choose a title so unsexy, so unglamourous, even a little uncomfortable. Precisely because Sophie Ellis-Bextor, at 46, wants to push those very...
Saint Etienne’s final album “International” is a bittersweet joy
By guest blogger Jakeyfw What an emotional exercise, reviewing Saint Etienne’s 13th official – and final – album! When my CD copy of “International” arrived a day early in the post, I hesitated before opening it, knowing I would be listening to a new Saint Etienne...
Funny how time flies – “Songs From the Big Chair” by Tears For Fears turns 40
“Funny how…… time flies!” - the final lyric/ line of the Tears for Fears hit single “Head Over Heels” could not hit any harder than it does today on the 40th anniversary of their sophomore global hit album “Songs from the Big Chair” - the duo's (featuring Roland...
Veteran artists and bands returning with new music in 2025
The annual post on “Veteran artists returning with new music in the upcoming year” has been somewhat of a tradition for us. In view of this, I sincerely apologize for writing and publishing this as late as I have. Two overseas vacations back to back can create a pile...
