Author Archives: amelia

On the Merits of Modern Pop (in which I deconstruct Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” in a foolhardy attempt to prove that it is good)

Posted on November 20, 2012 by amelia

Once, in an interview, I asked a Beatles expert whether he listened to any modern Top 40 hits. “They’re fun, they’re great to dance to, but there’s not a lot of meat there, in my opinion,” he said, citing the … Continue reading →

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A Show I Went To: Lucius

Posted on May 4, 2012 by amelia

It’s next to impossible to tell the two lead singers of Lucius apart. And that’s clearly their intent. I don’t mean physically. In that respect, they are opposites: Holly Laessig the tall, long-necked ectomorph to Jess Wolfe’s compact curves. Both … Continue reading →

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The Ballad of Lizzy Grant

Posted on February 28, 2012 by amelia

A version of this article also appears on kevchino.com   I’ll admit it, I was late to the party on this one. By the time I got around to Googling her name, Lana Del Rey’s album had already dropped, her … Continue reading →

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Sax Attack!

Posted on February 4, 2012 by amelia

  Saxophone. In the context of rock or pop music, it is largely presumed to be a thing of the past. When we hear “saxophone,” we think Bruce Springsteen, Kenny G, or, most damningly, “the ‘80s.” (It’s easy to blame … Continue reading →

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Best Of: 2011

Posted on December 26, 2011 by amelia

This year, along with all the other writers at indie music blog kevchino.com, I was charged with compiling a list of my 15 favorite albums of 2011. Ordinarily I like making lists, a.k.a. arbitrarily ranking things. But it seemed unjust … Continue reading →

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Pop Music Over-Analysis: Country Songs

Posted on December 16, 2011 by amelia

It seems fitting that my first blogpost in three-and-a-half months should have a shocking confession. I’d hate to let my nonexistent readership down, so here it is: I love country music. Country music, as a general category, gets a bad … Continue reading →

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Of Lake Street Dive and Nachos

Posted on September 1, 2011 by amelia

We’ve all heard it said, at some time or another, about a great bar, or a vintage clothing store, or a hole-in-the-wall diner that serves the best nachos in town: “this city’s best-kept secret.” You might think it’s a good … Continue reading →

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Who Knew

Posted on July 21, 2011 by amelia

A version of this review appears on kevchino.com. You Won’t: Skeptic Goodbye In a city like Boston, where aspiring singer/songwriters are a dime a dozen, it’s hard to stand out. For every Joan Baez or John Mayer, there must be … Continue reading →

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En Garde!

Posted on July 2, 2011 by amelia

  (A version of this review appears on kevchino.com.) Buke and Gass: Riposte When you pop the new album from Buke and Gass into your CD player—or, more likely, upload it onto your iTunes—don’t be afraid to crank it. The … Continue reading →

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It Feels Good to Feel Bad

Posted on June 29, 2011 by amelia

(A version of this review appears on kevchino.com.) Timber Timbre: Creep On Creepin’ On In a musical landscape throbbing with the nostalgic pulse of synthesizer and other lovingly reappropriated pieces of pop—think Lady Gaga’s homage to Madonna on “Born This … Continue reading →

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