The Traveling Wilburys: The Traveling Wilburys Collection
The fact that the Traveling Wilburys even happened is what will be remembered most about the group, less so the songs they wrote together.
Evan Sawdey
Evan Sawdey started contributing to PopMatters in late 2005, and has also had his work featured in publications such as Entertainment Weekly, SLUG Magazine, YardBarker, The Daily Dot, and many more. He has been a guest on HuffPost Live, RevotTV's "Revolt Live!", and WNYC's Soundcheck (an NPR affiliate), was the Executive Producer for the Good With Words: A Tribute to Benjamin Durdle album ( available for free), and wrote the liner notes for the 2011 re-release of Andre Cymone's hit 1985 album A.C. (Big Break Records), the 2012 re-release of 'Til Tuesday's 1985 debut Voices Carry (Hot Shot Records), among others. He is the co-founder and host of The Chartographers, a podcast for pop music nerds, and previously hosted PopTalk for PopMatters. He currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. You can follow him @SawdEye should you be so inclined.
Assessing Their Performance: The Burnside Project Legacy
Burnside Project had audience members screaming their quirky electropop lyrics back at them one moment and shrugging the next. Here, Burnside Project's rise and fall is documented, culminating in a free download of their unreleased private masterpiece.
Stream Burnside Project’s Unreleased Masterwork (Premiere)
Burnside Project were ahead of their time, mixing indie rock aesthetics with electronic wondermint. As part of Bar None's 30th anniversary, you can download their long-lost masterwork for free.
Phil Collins: No Jacket Required / …But Seriously / Testify / Going Back
Featuring No Jacket Required, ...But Seriously, Testify, and Going Back, this set doesn't hold up nearly as strongly as one would expect (yes, even counting Jacket).
Edgar Winter: The Definitive Collection
The Definitive Collection features the big singles, the lost classics, and so many more facets to the Edgar Winter tale that time has mostly forgotten.
20 Questions: Beyond the Wizard’s Sleeve
The skull-masked DJs have made a name for themseves with melodic, emotional dance remixes. Now, after a decade of scant singles and comps, their insanely diverse debut finally arrives.
The Avalanches: Wildflower (take two)
After 16 years, the hype for another Avalanches album is inescapable, and Wildflower drowns in comparisons. On its own, however, it's a joyous ray of sunshine with an identity all its own.
Various Artists: Boombox – Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro and Disco Rap 79-82
None of the artists on this in-depth Soul Jazz compilation went on to achieve Bambaataa levels of fame, but nearly 35 years removed, that early hip-hop flavor remains as fresh as ever.
Pointer Sisters: Greatest Hits (Expanded Edition)
Despite its title, this Greatest Hits comp deftly mixes radio smashes with lesser-known album cuts to paint a picture of a group burgeoning on pop stardom, but stops just a breath before they got there.
’10 Cloverfield Lane’ Just Goes to Show: It Could Be Worse
This is a fascinating if not always successful experiment that makes you realize there are far worse films to be locked in an underground bunker with.
Capable of Anything: An Interview with Ben Folds
"I think most of the gold was mined out of [rock music] probably in the '60s -- and then I think since then you're just mining for dust now."