Arts and Entertainment

Archives

Music Section

2009, Nov 12	Punk Doll	Amanda Palmer brings her lively “punk cabaret” to the State Theatre.	By Doug Rule
2009, Nov 12	Gift of Gab	Even if you've already heard much of the material, Kathy Griffin keeps you interested and engaged on her latest CD	by Doug Rule
2009, Nov 5	Ol' Blue Eyes	Michael Feinstein pays tribute to the legendary Frank Sinatra	By Doug Rule
2009, Oct 29	Pop Circus	For his newest album, Mika turns to George Michael for inspiration, while Basement Jaxx releases its best CD yet	by Doug Rule
2009, Oct 8	Seriously Sweet	Girlyman provides repeated delights with subtle meanings and sophisticated shifting vocal techniques	by Doug Rule
2009, Oct 1	Love Hangover	Barbra Streisand's latest is overly refined, excessively mild-mannered, quietly dramatic, and a bit indulgent	by Doug Rule
2009, Sept 24	Hit Parade	David Guetta's sure-to-please One Love is the highest-profile dance album to register in years	By Doug Rule
2009, Sept 3	Mess No More	With an album as good as I Look To You, you can't forgive Whitney Houston's past transgressions fast enough	By Doug Rule
2009, Aug 27	Classical Gas	Sandra Bernhard's new, humor-free album tries to present the erstwhile punk-rocker as a world music sensation	By Doug Rule
2009, Aug 13	Amped Indigo	Indigo Girl Amy Ray set to rock the Black Cat this Sunday.	By Doug Rule
2009, Aug 6	Sensitive Singers	Chris Garneau's new album is altogether more confident than his debut, while Jay Brannan makes covers his own	By Doug Rule
2009, July 23	Still a Thrill	Jody Watley brings her voice to the Birchmere	By Doug Rule
2009, July 16	Playing Safe	''Dirty King'' finds the previously balls-to-the-wall band The Cliks trying a little too hard to be soft and sweet	by Doug Rule
2009, July 2	D.C. Power Pop	Dance Party's pop-drenched rock inspires you to have fun, while Hotspur releases an immediately captivating album	by Doug Rule
2009, June 25	Beat Rock	The Black Eyed Peas' new album registers with as much impact and inspiration as any DJ-mixed dance compilation	By Doug Rule
2009, June 11	Crossing Over	Sweden's The Sounds enjoys making music that inspires love and devotion, while Dutch duo Anderson inspires sweetness	By Doug Rule
2009, June 4	New Heights	All of Ciara's 'Fantasy Ride' tracks have their appeal, inspiring you to move. It's all classy, cute fun	by Doug Rule
2009, May 28	Uncovering Ivri	The gay Israeli pop star opens D.C.'s Jewish Musical Festival	By Doug Rule
2009, May 28	Going Green	The drama has been boosted in Green Day's new album, which takes its cues from The Who, Aerosmith and Queen	by Doug Rule
2009, May 14	A la Mode	Dark, dour and marked by a steady drone, 'Sounds of the Universe' is the best Depeche Mode album since 'Violator'	by Doug Rule
2009, Apr 16	Being Boring	On their new album, the Pet Shop Boys sound like they're running out of ideas, musically as well as lyrically	by Doug Rule
2009, Apr 9	Strangely Enough	The debut solo album from Deep Dish's Sharam, is a bold, high-concept album, factoring in all shades of electronica	by Doug Rule
2009, Apr 2	Life and Love	Bob Mould looks back to give us a new set among his very best, while Tom Goss makes you feel nothing but love	by Doug Rule
2009, Mar 12	Wanted Woman	Kelly Clarkson's latest is everything you could want from the artist at this point in time. It's her best set yet	by Doug Rule
2009, Mar 12	SONiA's Splash	The founder of Disappear Fear makes a special appearance at Wolf Trap	by Doug Rule
2009, Mar 5	Limited Horizon	U2, The world's most popular band is back after more than four years with a new album that's directionless and disjointed	by Doug Rule
2009, Feb 26	Creature Feature	The experimental Beast sounds like little you've heard before, while Plushgun offers a synth-pop lover's dream	By Doug Rule
2009, Feb 26	Up from Down Under	Missy Higgins is finally on the rise in the states	by Doug Rule
2009, Feb 19	Mystery Man	Morrissey offers good music, bon mots and plenty of mystery, while a new compilation produces several gems	by Doug Rule
2009, Feb 12	Something Wicked	Wicked Jezabel throws a wicked fun Valentine's dance	by Doug RulePhotography by Todd Franson
2009, Jan 22	Enigmatic Pop	With support from his band, Antony Hegarty is fully immersed in his own craft, aware of his own unique talent	by Doug Rule
2009, Jan 8	Smart Dance	Bimbo Jones is primed and ready to bob heads and shuffle feet, while Lula's music is dark, dry and a little dull	by Doug Rule
2009, Jan 1	The Year in Music	The year was a good one for pop music, and most of the treasures came from unexpected corners	by Doug Rule
2008, Dec 18	Ring Leader	As her new album 'Circus' proves, Britney Spears knows just what it takes to turn us on, to keep us falling prey	by Doug Rule
2008, Dec 4	Bathhouse Blues	Sacha Sacket and Matt Alber make music with a gay sensibility, informed as much by Broadway as rock and blues	by Doug Rule
2008, Nov 27	Musically Gifted	R.E.M., Sarah McLachlan, even Hilary Duff and the New Kids offer up sets perfect for this year's holiday season	by Doug Rule
2008, Nov 20	Destiny's Adults	Beyonce isn't quite the independent woman she once was, while Michelle Williams is far too cool and timid	by Doug Rule
2008, Nov 6	Think Pink	Pink continues to charm her way through her cauldron of anger and impatience, while Lady Gaga offers nothing new	by Doug Rule
2008, Oct 23	Magnum Opus	With 'Paperboy' Morel delivers a tour de force -- an album you'll be playing nonstop for a long time to come	by Doug Rule
2008, Oct 9	Fading Dream	Jennifer Hudson's debut is the result of a budding, insecure artist who's as unsure of herself as any 'AI' finalist	by Doug Rule
2008, Oct 2	Happy Phase	Where folk-rocker Ani DiFranco once stormed, she's now more apt to swing, while The Veronicas tend to make one ill	by Doug Rule
2008, Oct 2	Lovelorn Lads	Soft Complex makes gloomy but rousing rock in the Britpop mold	by Doug Rule
2008, Aug 28	Jazz Singer	Robin McKelle whips up a magical jazz album with timeless appeal, while Judith Owen takes a dated trip to the '90s	by Doug Rule
2008, Aug 14	New Classic	Nico Muhly	by Doug Rule
2008, Aug 14	Faraway Lands	There's something sweet and charming about Kerli, while Delta Goodrem comes across as a pale version of Celine Dion	by Doug Rule
2008, July 31	Mann Power	The famously moody singer-songwriter is in an unusually playful mood on her accomplished latest album	by Doug Rule
2008, July 31	Folk Iconography	Janis Ian playing at the The Birchmere	by Doug Rule
2008, July 17	Slacker Sensibilities	On his new album Beck succeeds in making short songs with wide appeal, but he still sounds like a loser.	Doug Rule
2008, July 10	Goddamned Great	The most sensitive of gay singer-songwriters youâ€™ve ever heard, Jay Brannanâ€™s first album is a bold, brilliant debut	by Doug Rule
2008, July 3	The Other Wainwright	Martha Wainwright is a gifted singer-songwriter who is quickly emerging as a purveyor of her own style of music	by Doug Rule
2008, June 26	Katy's Shame	Katy Perry offends the gay sensibility, while the gay-steeped music of Hercules is too smart for its own good	by Doug Rule
2008, June 19	Falsettoland	Offering soaring pop that gets as much life from keyboards as from guitars, Coldplay serves up its best album yet	by Doug Rule
2008, June 12	Night Light	On her new dance album, Cyndi Lauper branches out beyond what we've heard before, with moderate success	by Doug Rule
2008, May 29	Pretty In Punk	'No, Virginia' is the best set yet from Dresden Dolls; Heloise & Savior Faire make you want to have fun	by Doug Rule
2008, May 22	Summer's Day	Donna Summer makes a big return with an appealing new album, while Carrie Bradshaw's return inspires a notable collection	by Doug Rule
2008, May 15	Sweet Love	On her strong and satisfying new album, Robyn exhibits an endearingly sassy personality hinted at a decade ago, plus Britain's Estelle	by Doug Rule
2008, May 8	Resonating Voice	Eric Himan comes to town to promote his latest album	by Yusef Najafi
2008, May 1	Candyland	Madonna's 'Hard Candy' is filled with tart and tangy musical confections you'll savor for a long time to come	by Doug Rule
2008, Apr 24	High Flying Bird	A sequel to Mariah Carey's comeback album of three years ago, 'E=MC2' is not as good as the blockbuster original	by Doug Rule
2008, Apr 24	Cuckcoo for Coco	Coco Zhao to perform his stylized jazz at Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre	by Will O'Bryan
2008, Apr 17	Spirit Lacking	Leona Lewis' 'Spirit' is too derivative to inspire much cheering, while Lizz Wright is the kind of singer we need to hear more of	by Doug Rule
2008, Apr 10	Marketing Faith	You don't have to be a cynic to realize the new greatest hits set from George Michael is little more than a marketing gimmick	by Doug Rule
2008, Apr 3	Jazzy Fare	Yvonne Johnson tickles the ivories at M Street Bar & Grill	by Doug Rule
2008, Mar 27	The X Spot	Frisky Kylie Minogue serves up music custom-built for gay dance clubs, while Moby wallows in a moody, morose swamp	by Doug Rule
2008, Mar 20	Good Stuff	After a 16-year absence, the B-52s has never sounded better, proving they're still tops in the party-rock business	by Doug Rule
2008, Mar 13	Chamber Pop	Liam Finn's solo debut is an impressively raw, low-fi collection of 14 songs enveloped in gauzy guitars and dense arrangements	by Tim Swoape
2008, Mar 13	Sweet Licks	Kaki King's impressive new album finds her focusing on melodies and lyrics, while Missy Higgins improves on previous output	by Doug Rule
2008, Mar 13	Bitch Session	A musical sensation returns to Iota Cafe	by Yusef Najafi
2008, Mar 6	Malfunctioning	Janet Jackson's new album is sullied by inane interludes and embarrassing lyrics, while Atlas Sound leaves you befuddled	by Doug Rule
2008, Feb 21	Striking Gold	Goldfrapp has never sounded more engaged as on The Seventh Tree, an album every bit as sensual as the duo intended	by Doug Rule
2008, Feb 14	Bittersweet Valentine	Jazz singer Felicia Carter coming to Twins Jazz	by Doug Rule
2008, Feb 14	Shadowland	For all its strengths, k.d. lang's new album is not as great as hoped, while Sheryl Crow's is her best album yet	By Doug Rule
2008, Feb 7	Writing Lessons	Michelle Burleson takes music seriously (with tongue-in-cheek)	by Yusef Najafi
2008, Jan 31	Musical Therapy	Bob Mould's potent new album boasts dark and dour lyrics couched in pithy, tuneful anthems that have the power to move you	by Doug Rule
2008, Jan 24	Exorcizing Demons	Nicole Reynolds' new album is steeped in regret, betrayal, and loneliness, with a dash of hope and romanticism	by Tim Swoape
2008, Jan 17	Buzz Down Under	Sia's latest deserves the wider exposure it's promised to get via Starbucks; Newton-John's live DVD could use a jolt	by Doug Rule
2008, Jan 17	Farm Fresh	Folk singer Nicole Reynolds	by Yusef Najafi
2008, Jan 10	Retrograde	An influence and precursor to Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones is a great artist worth getting to know on her own terms	by Doug Rule
2008, Jan 10	Rising Star	DC singer-songwriter Tom Goss releases 'Rise'	by Yusef Najafi Photography by Todd Franson
2007, Dec 27	Mature Mary	A perfect blend of stirring old-school soul and angsty hip-hop, Mary J. Blige's 'Growing Pains' is her album yet	by Doug Rule
2007, Dec 27	Pop Maestros	Who navigated 2007's morphing, multi-media musical landscape most impressively? Annie Lennox tops the list	by Doug Rule
2007, Dec 20	Friend of Judy	Rufus Wainwright's song-for-song recreation of Judy Garland's 1961 comeback concert goes beyond flattery to outright idolatry	by Tim Swoape
2007, Dec 13	Christmas Candie	Transgender flutist, Candie Cramer, releases new Christmas CD	by Will O'Bryan
2007, Dec 6	Drag Queen Instincts	Celine Dion doesn't take many risks on her latest album, but you just might like it anyway, while Scissor Sisters goes visual	by Doug Rule
2007, Nov 15	Red Carpet Reflex	Duran Duran's latest won't stir much attention on the red carpet, while Seal makes his most appealing album yet	by Doug Rule
2007, Nov 15	Songs of Hope	Jason and DeMarco at NOVAM'S 'Concert of Hope'	by Yusef Najafi
2007, Oct 25	Mass Impact	Four years after 'Bare,' Annie Lennox casts off her desperate pleas and returns with a powerful, message-rich masterpiece	by Doug Rule
2007, Oct 4	Melissa Warming	As fired up as she may be about the state of the world, an older, wiser Etheridge doesn't need help cooling down	by Doug Rule
2007, Sept 20	The Good German	Moving away from airy trance, Paul van Dyk subtly but surely solidifies his sound while JES moves to the foreground	by Doug Rule
2007, Sept 6	Diva Dude	Jason Walker's new album should generate several club hits, but it's not as enjoyable or as consistent as his debut	By Doug Rule
2007, Aug 23	Hey Hey So So	Junior Senior's comeback is more noteworthy for the music than the lyrics, if you can get past the cute bits	by Doug Rule
2007, Aug 9	Out of Date	Thelma Houston's first album in nearly two decades is not what we hoped would result after having to wait so long	by Doug Rule
2007, Aug 2	Saving Grace	Mandy Moore turns lyricist and gives us hope with her latest, while Hilary Duff shovels in the baby food pop	by Doug Rule
2007, July 26	Cute Sister Act	With their fifth album, Tegan and Sara are wearing their novelty a little bit thin	by Doug Rule
2007, July 26	Transcendental Rock	The Clicks' all-queer debut album is fierce, ferocious and fun	By Doug Rule
2007, July 12	Chemical Reaction	The Chemical Brothers new set finds them having mellowed a bit, adopting warmer, friendlier, funnier textures with more appeal	by Doug Rule
2007, July 12	Heartbreakers	Lez Zeppelin	By Yusef Najafi
2007, July 12	Gay Guitar Slingers	Eric Himan, Tom Goss to perform as part of 'Out With It' at Sully's U Street Tavern	by Doug Rule
2007, July 5	Bad Girl	With her new album, Rihanna proves herself to be the new bad girl of our good-pop dreams	by Doug Rule
2007, June 28	Soft Sell	Marc Almond survives a near-fatal accident to record an album as gay and as good as pop music gets	by Doug Rule
2007, June 14	Rainbow Rock	Cyndi Lauper gathers an eclectic assortment of colleagues for a musical marathon designed to advance gay rights	by Doug Rule
2007, June 7	Past Present	Ultra Naté 's latest is appealing but not nearly as exciting as its first hit, while Armand Van Helden taps into his past	by Doug Rule
2007, May 31	Gay and Yiddish	Lorin Sklamberg of The Klezmatics brings his gay sensibilities to the Yiddish group	by Doug Rule
2007, May 31	Over The Rainbow	Taking jazz to a whole new gay level: Dave Koz coming to Merriweather Post	by Doug Rule
2007, May 24	Popera	Rufus Wainwright disappoints but still manages to stun, while Erasure's latest suggests the duo should take a break	by Doug Rule
2007, May 17	Listen Up	Former Cranberries lead singer, Dolores O'Riordan, makes a welcome return with her first solo effort	by Yusef Najafi
2007, Apr 12	Looney Tunes	Mika's flamboyant sound is well-worth savoring, while the Klaxons produce tunes too boring to warrant repeat listenings	by Doug Rule
2007, Mar 29	Soul Provider	Powered by the sounds of R&B and jazz from decades past, Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black' is a refreshing and addictive album	by Yusef Najafi
2007, Mar 15	Harmonic Convergence	Girlyman band bringing harmony to Jammin' Java in Vienna, VA	by Doug Rule
2007, Mar 15	Femme Virtuosos	Lucinda Williams's love lashings to her ex power her latest, while Mara Levi creates smart pop in a class all its own	by Doug Rule
2007, Mar 1	Mister Sister	Scissor Sisters comes to DC's 9:30 Club	by Sean Bugg
2007, Feb 22	Modern Makeovers	Erin McKeown spans pop genres with humor and grace in equal measure, and Sondre Lerche offers endless musical pleasure	by Doug Rule
2007, Feb 15	Grand Ole Boys	Erasure's new live country-tinged album, recorded at the former home of the Grand Ole Opry, is a revelation	by Doug Rule
2007, Feb 8	Funny Valentine	You'll love every minute of 'A Date With John Waters,' but there can be no more 'amour' for Belinda Carlisle	by Doug Rule
2007, Feb 1	Better Late	'Not Too Late' showcases a slightly grittier Norah Jones, while 'Lush Life' rediscovers a gay jazz great	by Doug Rule
2007, Jan 25	Sunny Cynic	Lily Allen is the latest and quite possibly the greatest U.K. songstress to have a go in the U.S. in recent years	by Doug Rule
2007, Jan 18	Love Hangover	Diana Ross is telling us she's not going, but she's not likely to stay, as her new album is stuck in a time warp	by Doug Rule
2007, Jan 11	Flower Power	Emilie Simon creates visual, nature-loving electronic songs, while Jennifer O'Connor performs solid folk-rock that moves you	by Doug Rule
2006, Dec 14	Hollaback Gwen	Gwen Stefani's second album may not be the sweet, carefree escape her debut was, but you'll happily flee to it anyway	by Doug Rule
2006, Dec 7	Beautiful Balloon	Forget Rufus Wainwright (for now) -- gay singer-songwriter Gregory Douglass has released this year's best lush pop album	by Doug Rule
2006, Nov 30	Scatter Pop	The latest album from Brit-popper Robbie Williams is just like the singer: slightly flawed, yet feisty and fun	by Tim Swoape
2006, Nov 16	Homo Hop	There's no reason why gay rapper Cazwell shouldn't succeed as the next novelty party act, plus Lady Sovereign	by Doug Rule
2006, Oct 26	Cold Comfort	Chris Thile transforms personal loss into an outstanding album of bluegrass, but Jonny Lang's latest founders	by Tim Swoape
2006, Oct 19	Sultry Soul	With her debut, Alice Smith is bringing sultry back to R&B, while Persephone's Bees goes to the 'Underworld'	by Doug Rule
2006, Oct 19	Smooth Operator	Madeleine Peyroux's songs are like treasures from a bygone era; Patricia Barber's 'Mythologies' is difficult but rewarding	by Tim Swoape
2006, Oct 5	Ball Breaker	With his latest Justin Timberlake has outdone himself, drawing heavily from '80s-era electro to fashion a future-pop sound	by Doug Rule
2006, Sept 28	A Cut Below	Scissor Sisters may have gotten mellow and melancholy, but they haven't forgotten how to appeal and entertain	by Doug Rule
2006, Sept 21	Sonic Enjoyment	Basement Jaxx create a widely and wildly appealing global-pop radio set, and Arling and Cameron create warm electro-pop	by Doug Rule
2006, Sept 14	Think Pink	Pink Martini brings the band's romantic, sweeping, fun music to DC	by Will O'Bryan
2006, Sept 14	Different Strokes	The Indigo Girls return for a tenth studio album that captures the organic spirit of Amy and Emily's live performances	by Tim Swoape
2006, Sept 7	Sister Act	Meg & Dia's create unobjectionable music of only above-average pedigree, while Tegan and Sara release a stripped-down DVD	by Doug Rule
2006, Aug 24	'Basics' Instinct	Christina Aguilera proves a woman can be sassy and classy, street-smart and sophisticated, and slutty and sappily married on 'Back to Basics'	by Doug Rule
2006, Aug 10	Vocal Discord	Carried away with dance culture's adoration of them, some DJs push aside the vocalists who give their productions an identity	by Doug Rule
2006, Aug 3	Name-Drop Pop	Under the Influence of Giants creates confident, swinging modern-day pop heavily influenced by the artists of yesterday	by Doug Rule
2006, July 27	Dress Up	Cult-faves New York Dolls make music that's just plain silly, while Hot Chip deserves mainstream attention	by Doug Rule
2006, July 20	Holiday Road	As smart and sophisticated as it is, Diana Ross's long-lost album of jazz covers, 'Blue,' never fully draws you in	by Doug Rule
2006, July 13	Spiritless Pop	Jason & deMarco were clearly not struck by good ideas for their latest album, but the Brand New Heavies have a new delight	by Doug Rule
2006, June 22	Heavy Pet	On 'Fundamental,' The Pet Shop Boys are more perturbed by the state of things today than they were in the past	by Doug Rule
2006, June 8	Sound Basis	ArtBear pushes the envelope of 'gay music' at Queering Sound	By Terrance HeathPhotography by Todd Franson
2006, June 8	Heart of Dixie	The Dixie Chicks make a triumphant return that offers no apologies for the controversies of the past	by Tim Swoape
2006, May 4	Punky Brew	Ariel Aparicio and Kevin Cahoon create punk rock that generates rebellious heat too hot for the mainstream	by Doug Rule
2006, Apr 27	Command Performance	Mexican folk singer Chavela Vargas wields her voice as an explosive weapon, while Gotan Project makes timeless tango	by Doug Rule
2006, Apr 27	Propulsive Pop	The Ark creates rock with a disco beat and a not-so-hidden message, while punk-propelled Grand National hooks you instantly	by Doug Rule
2006, Apr 13	Sturm and Twang	Bell and Clarke take a left turn into country to celebrate 20 years of Erasure, and score an unexpected acoustic triumph	by Doug Rule
2006, Apr 6	Happy at Last	Morrissey sounds happier than ever on his latest, and The Sounds sound catchy, cute and a little repetitive on theirs	by Doug Rule
2006, Mar 23	Honky Tonk	The Little Willies make you want to grab a partner and dance, while Sondre Lerche is an appealing diversion	by Doug Rule
2006, Mar 16	Carried Away	Carrie Underwood rides American Idol to the country charts, while Belle and Sebastian make music that makes feet move	by Tim Swoape
2006, Mar 16	Rebel Yell	With his new album, Ashley MacIsaac bursts forth as an edgy gay rocker who demands and deserves attention	by Doug Rule
2006, Mar 9	James Town	After decades in the studio wilderness, Etta James produces a playful album of eclectic covers that conveys her good mood	by Doug Rule
2006, Mar 2	Whip It Good	On 'Supernature,' Goldfrapp whips up sweet-but-icy sounds that compel you to dance, while Mylo is too soft-rock for dance	by Doug Rule
2006, Feb 23	Meditative Orbit	Listening to William Orbit's latest solo set, 'Hello Waveforms,' you can't help but be reminded of his past work with Madonna	by Doug Rule
2006, Feb 2	Alt-Rock Idol	Jason Collett is one of the best singer-songwriters recording, while Audio Bullys aren't the future they proclaim to be	by Doug Rule
2006, Jan 26	Personal Commentary	Duncan Sheik and Ryan Adams both return with intricate albums the reflect their talent, influences and life journeys	by Tim Swoape
2006, Jan 19	Minimal Effort	Breathy-voiced Sia's carefully constructed music is deeply haunted by human nature, while Mozez just puts you to sleep	by Doug Rule
2006, Jan 12	Swagger and Sass	Morningwood insists you give it attention now, while fellow hard-rockers We Are Scientists aren't quite so pushy	by Doug Rule
2006, Jan 5	High (and Low) Notes	From the brilliance of Offer Nissim to the drudgery of Daft Punk, the year in music had plenty of highs and lows	by Doug Rule
2005, Dec 22	Stocking Stuffers	t.A.T.u.'s latest is this seasons' perfect last-minute gag gift, while Imogen Heap creates adventurous, mostly uptempo pop music	by Doug Rule
2005, Dec 15	Older is Wiser	Terri Clark continues her fabulous run with 'Life,' while Gretchen Wilson succumbs to a stereotypical sophomore slump	by Tim Swoape
2005, Dec 8	Dance Upstarts	Jason Walker and Kirsty Hawkshaw take different paths to becoming a dance singer -- and both are succeeding	by Doug Rule
2005, Dec 1	Broadway Rhapsody	'Rent's soundtrack carries a punch, while 'The Producers' soundtrack is large, lush, campy and, at times, hilarious	by Tim Swoape
2005, Nov 17	High Note	Madonna moves beyond more recent stumbles, making sure you'll fall for her (or at least her music) all over again	by Doug Rule
2005, Nov 10	Time Again	Cyndi Lauper and Simply Red have both re-imagined past hits to great effect on their latest releases	by Doug Rule
2005, Nov 3	A La Mode	The more you hear of Depeche Mode's latest the less you'll like, while Midler's latest tribute is feverishly good	by Doug Rule
2005, Oct 27	Time Travel	Dolly Parton's latest album is one of her best, even though she minimizes her own remarkable achievements	by Doug Rule
2005, Oct 13	Spirited Songs	Linda Eder tackles a tribute to a vocal legend, while Tracy Chapman continues her musical crusade for social justice	by Tim Swoape
2005, Oct 6	Quirky Pop	The New Pornographers make pop music porn, and win out over Death Cab for Cutie as the 'it' alt-rock band of the moment	by Doug Rule
2005, Oct 6	Acoustic Evolution	Nickel Creek broadens their bluegrass horizons for a stellar third album that shows off the band's maturation	by Tim Swoape
2005, Sept 29	Electric Bell	Erasure's singer Andy Bell discusses his new solo album and an upcoming DJ tour	by Doug Rule
2005, Sept 29	Toni's Lib	Braxton sounds great on her latest, while the Pussycat Dolls make for unoriginal listening	by Doug Rule
2005, Sept 22	Fab Babs	With 'Guilty Pleasures,' Barry Gibb has once again created a Barbra Streisand album of immense pleasure	by Doug Rule
2005, Sept 15	Random Happening	Juliet's promising debut album delivers a lush, rocking dance music that likely serves to preview Madonna's next outing	by Doug Rule
2005, Sept 1	Merry Melody	Royksopp, a band with a chilly past and a name that loosely translates as 'puff ball' has created the warmest, best dance album in years	by Doug Rule
2005, Aug 25	Peters Principle	Bernadette Peters releases an oddity of nothing more than outtakes from a charity concert held nine years ago	by Doug Rule
2005, Aug 11	Youthful Exuberance	Natasha Bedingfield is a purveyor of beautiful, unapologetically optimistic anthems, while Esthero comes across as a bratty punk	by Doug Rule
2005, Aug 4	Rock Club	Bob Mould's first album in three years gives you chills, while Deep Dish's latest provides only occasional thrills	by Doug Rule
2005, July 28	Pop Stop	Erin McKeown and Feist, with their latest albums, have created a double-feature soundtrack for a leisurely summer brunch	by Doug Rule
2005, July 21	Chef's Best	Missy Elliott cooks up a first-rate feast with her latest, while Keyshia Cole churns out good, old-fashioned R&B	by Doug Rule
2005, July 14	Twin Peaks	Lesbian rock band, Tegan and Sara, to play at DC's 9:30 club	by Doug Rule
2005, July 7	Glamour-Puss	Producer Linda Perry does just about everything on the new album from Kelley Osborne, who just shows up to sing and take credit	by Doug Rule
2005, June 16	Rhythm Method	Nikka Costa sings every word like she means it on a refreshing funky and flowing new album	by Doug Rule
2005, May 19	Who's the Diva?	Offer Nissim's album is surprisingly strong, while Elkland's retro sound proves to be too much of a good thing	By Doug Rule
2005, May 12	Sound-a-likes	Ringside's catchy pop is to Maroon5 as Athlete's Brit-pop is to Coldplay	by Doug Rule
2005, May 5	Piano Power	Skott Freedman's album of covers fails to fully please, while Allison Tartalia creates boisterous music packed with ideas	by Doug Rule
2005, Apr 28	Fischer King	Fischerspooner learned its lesson from a messy debut and emerged with a flat-out fantastic follow-up	By Doug Rule
2005, Apr 21	Punk'd by Nostalgia	New Order and Daft Punk fall far short of the high bars set by their earlier works	By Doug Rule
2005, Apr 7	Folk Rockers	Folk-inspired rockers Eric Himan and Martha Wainwright are both best when at their angriest on their new release	By Doug Rule
2005, Mar 31	Rock Steady	Radio 4 is one of the best bands channeling three decades-old rock, while L.P. rocks with sincerity and power	by Doug Rule
2005, Mar 17	Mass Moby	'Hotel' showcases some of Moby's best music to date, while the abrasive Fannypack continues to offend just about everyone	By Doug Rule
2005, Mar 10	Hit or Miss America	On their latest releases, Vanessa Williams botoxes, Eliane Elias bossa novas, and Tori Amos loses much of her sting	by Doug Rule
2005, Mar 3	Cosmic Connections	The Thievery Corporation helps you get lost in your liberal imagination, while Monade is entirely forgettable	by Doug Rule
2005, Feb 24	Hipster Hits	LCD Soundsystem's debut is an undeniable achievement, while Greenskeepers succeeds in making silly party tunes	By Doug Rule
2005, Feb 3	Pop Pleasures	Nightbird proves to be one of ErasureÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s very best, while the former Baby Spice finds success in the solo ring	by Doug Rule
2005, Jan 6	Solo Style	Gwen Stefani creates a guilt-free guilty pleasure, while Gaelle Adisson leaves listeners swooning	By Doug Rule
2004, Dec 23	The Best and Worst Music of 2004	Green Day raised the bar for pop perfection, while George Michael lowers it on his way to retirement	By Doug Rule
2004, Dec 9	Underwhelmed	Dirty VegasÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ sophomore outing is a setback to dance music, while Swayzak proves the underground still reigns	By Doug Rule
2004, Nov 11	Blue-State Pop-Punk	Le Tigre mixes political anger with dance beats on its major-label debut, while Spalding Rockwell creates edgy erotic energy	By Doug Rule
2004, Nov 4	Bringing It Back	Despite years in absentia, Duran DuranÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s sound remains the same, Tears for Fears improves theirs	by Doug Rule
2004, Oct 14	Strike Zone	DC's own Morel crafts a perfect reflection of modern-day sentiment	By Doug Rule
2004, Oct 7	Red-Letter Day	Green DayÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s masterpiece will surely stand as the best rock album of 2004	by Doug Rule
2004, Sept 9	Sweet and Sour	GioiaÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s irresistible debut somehow slips under the radar, while Sweetback slips up on their sophomore set	By Doug Rule
2004, Aug 26	Broadway Baby	Barbara Cook is still at the top of her game	By Doug Rule
2004, Aug 19	Idol Fever	American Idol influences on today's pop music	By Doug Rule
2004, Aug 12	Tower of Bebel	Bebel Gilberto is lushly orchestrated, Ozomatli plods a familiar path to get a party started	By Doug Rule
2004, Aug 5	Smooth Pop	The Kings of Convenience update the 'Sound of Silence' while Phoenix updates the sounds of doctors' offices	by Doug Rule
2004, July 29	Canadian Import	k.d. lang's latest is an out-and-out phenomenal piece of work	by Doug Rule
2004, July 22	Cutting Edge	Scissor Sisters is the gay rock band we've been pining for	by Doug Rule
2004, July 22	Wigged Out	The B-52's return with kick-ass dance music	By Doug Rule
2004, July 15	Rattle and Hum	Melissa Ferrick thunders, but Miss Kittin loses her purr	By Doug Rule
2004, July 8	Over and Out	George Michael's newest tests our patience. Showtime expands our preferences with L Word and QAF soundtracks	by Doug Rule
2004, June 3	Group Notes	Music compilations to suit your next pool party	By Doug Rule
2004, May 27	Unheard Of	New releases from Nina Simone, Nellie McKay, Damien Rice, Richard X, and Candi Staton	By Doug Rule
2004, May 20	Magnum Opus	The return of Felix da Housecat and Armand Van Helden	By Doug Rule
2004, Apr 15	Damita So-So	''Damita Jo'' by Janet Jackson	By Doug Rule
2004, Apr 8	Pin-Up Pop	Ari Gold, Matthew Duffy, and JC Chasez	By Doug Rule
2004, Mar 18	Queer Makeover	'Queer Eye' soundtrack sacrifice substance for style	By Doug Rule
2004, Mar 18	Expected Pleasures	Indigo Girls' new CD, ''All That We Let In''	By Tim Swoape
2004, Mar 18	Vacuum Vibes	Arthur Loves Plastic	By Doug RulePhotography by Michael Wichita
2004, Feb 19	Melissa Lite	Melissa Etheridge's ''Lucky''	by Doug Rule
2004, Feb 19	Independent Woman	Ani DiFranco's ''Educated Guess''	by Tim Swoape
2004, Feb 5	Body Language	Kylie Minogue	by Tim Swoape
2003, Dec 25	The Best and Worst Albums of 2003	Basement Jaxx, Beyonce among best of the year	by Doug Rule
2003, Dec 18	Self Made Musician	Eric Himan	by Randy Shulman
2003, Dec 11	Female Trouble	Nelly Furtado, Pink, and tributes to Dolly Parton and Hedwig	by Doug Rule
2003, Nov 20	Political Pop	Le Tigre's fun, feminist electronica	by Doug Rule
2003, Nov 20	Babs or Bette	Barbra Streisand falters with bland love songs, Bette Midler bats Clooney out of the park	by Doug Rule
2003, Nov 6	The Devil in Ms. Jones	Rickie Lee Jones sticks it to the administration with a fearlessly charming, politically bitchy new album	by John Murph
2003, Nov 6	Rent Controlled	New CDs from Dido, Gloria Estefan	by oug Rule
2003, Oct 23	Beat Boys	Danish duo Junior Senior is coming to Move Your Feet	by Doug Rule
2003, Oct 16	Siren's Lament	Cassandra Wilson's new album, Glamoured	by John Murph
2003, Oct 2	Mixed Blessings	Aretha Franklin's So Damn Happy	by John Murph
2003, Sept 25	Diva Fatigue	New music from Kevin Aviance, Becky Baeling, Sarah Brightman	by Doug Rule
2003, Sept 25	Growing Pains	Erykah Badu's new Worldwide Underground	by John Murph
2003, Sept 11	Mixed Memories	Remembering Patsy Cline	by John Murph
2003, Aug 21	Rap+Pop = Alt-Hip Hop	Black Eyed Peas, Jessy Moss	by Doug Rule
2003, July 31	Dumbing Down	Ricky Martin, Thalia	by Doug Rule
2003, July 17	Solo Modes	Dave Gahan and Martin Gore release new CDs	by Doug Rule
2003, June 26	Annie's Songs	Annie Lennox returns with joyless sentiments couched in beautiful music, while Fannypack goes on 'Cameltoe' alert, plus Liam Lynch	by Doug Rule
2003, May 29	Ambiguously Gay	Robbie Williams, Jay-Jay Johanson	by Doug Rule
2003, Apr 10	Cleared for Departure	Everclear	by Will Doig
2003, Mar 6	Composing Himself	Songwriter and musician Mark Walter Braswell	by Jonathan Padget
2003, Mar 6	Natural Selection	Ani DiFranco	by Will Doig
2003, Jan 30	Free and Clear	Skott Freedman, Five Way Friday	by Will Doig
2003, Jan 23	Feast Your Ears	Calexico	by Will Doig
2003, Jan 16	Soup's On	Refreshingly giddy, Queer Soup gags its inner-preacher and lets a wry sense of humor convey the message, plus Ani DiFranco	by Will Doig
2003, Jan 9	Mad About Musicals	Chicago, Man of La Mancha, La Boheme on Broadway, and more	by Jonathan Padget
2003, Jan 2	Music	The Best & Worst of 2002	by Will Doig
2002, Dec 12	Well Drawn	Badly Drawn Boy	by Will Doig
2002, Dec 12	Disconnecting the Dot	Dot Allison	by Will Doig
2002, Oct 24	Change to Spare	Beck	by Will Doig
2002, Sept 19	Inevitably Ani	Ani DiFranco's 'So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter'	by Will Doig
2002, Sept 5	Five Star Album	Andy Stochansky, Jimmy Fallon	by Will Doig
2002, Aug 22	Double Down	Tegan and Sara, Sing-Sing	by Will Doig
2002, Aug 8	Well-Deserved Break	Beth Orton's ''Daybreaker''	by Will Doig
2002, Aug 1	Fifth and Counting	Counting Crows, Oasis	by Will Doig
2002, July 25	Jailhouse Rock	Martha Stewart's ''Quiet Time''	by Will Doig
2002, July 18	Abstract Arto	'Invoke' by Arto Lindsay	by Will Doig
2002, July 11	Soul Salvation	Meshell Ndegeocello's 'Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape'	by Kara Fox
2002, July 11	Well-Trod Path	'Into the Woods,' 'Thoroughly Modern Millie,' 'Oliver!' and 'Wonderful Town'	by Jonathan Padget
2002, July 4	Thin Skinned	'The Eminem Show'	by Doug Rule
1999, Nov 11	Familiar Spice	Geri Halliwell's album, 'Schizophonic'	by Stuart Haggas(scanned document may contain errors)

More stories & features are available in the printed magazine. Stop by our office to pick up back copies from the last month: 1012 14th Street NW; Suite 209; Washington, DC

Archive Sections

Feature Story

Gauge

Arts and Entertainment

Domestic Partner

Community

Nightlife

Pride Guide

Post this to Facebook
& your other sites

Paragraph

[ TOP OF PAGE ]