Eric Allen
Bio
I'm a music journalist, blogger and crate digger. I began writing about music during college and again as a freelancer. Links to my published pieces can be found on my music blog at: popmartzoo.com and/or follow me on Twitter:@popmartzoo
Stories (37/0)
Deliberating the Go-Go’s Vacation on its 35th Anniversary
After a six-week run atop Billboard’s 200 album chart with the multi-platinum debut album Beauty and the Beat, all-girl rock group the Go-Go’s hurriedly released the follow-up sophomore effort, Vacation. Echoes of previous singles “We Got the Beat” and “Our Lips Are Sealed” could still be heard across radio airwaves when “Vacation” became the band’s third hit single in the summer of ’82. The bubbly title track was the first-ever cassette single and was accompanied by its vivid and playful music video, which revealed the band members hamming it up while pretending to be highly skilled water skiers.
By Eric Allen7 years ago in Beat
Tori Amos Delivers First Glimpse Inside Native Invader with “Cloud Riders”
Prolific singer-songwriter Tori Amos recently surprised fans by releasing “Cloud Riders,” the first taste of her upcoming album, Native Invader. The introspective new single ponders a turbulent relationship and decrees her unbendable desire to survive its storminess.
By Eric Allen7 years ago in Beat
Donna Summer: “I Feel Love”
It's been 40 years since the world first heard the future of music when “I Feel Love” by Donna Summer shocked us into a new sonic awakening. The electronic masterpiece — composed by Summer along with Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte — was the foundation for what was to become known as electronic dance music. Whether you loved or loathed disco, “I Feel Love” commanded everyone's attention and became a dance floor anthem during the summer of 1977. At the time, no one had previously heard anything like it. It's hypnotic melody, combined with an irresistible synthesized bass line and pulsating dance beat was musical nirvana. Summer’s sensual vocal delivery was the icing on top of the cake as she perfectly conveyed the euphoric essence of the song’s timeless and universal message of love. The first lady of love had struck gold (and platinum) again and delivered another game-changing record every bit as earth-shattering as her breakthrough hit, “Love to Love You Baby.”
By Eric Allen7 years ago in Beat
Vinyl Rewind
With the contemporary renaissance of vinyl record collecting, now is the perfect time to dive into Vinyl Rewind. Not only has renewed interest in the vinyl record format become more popular since the 1980s, but interest has also made the Internet ubiquitous with numerous music blogs and websites discussing the enduring format. Among the most noteworthy and enjoyable I’ve found is Vinyl Rewind, which is hosted by wax enthusiast Eric Callero, aka the Vinyl Geek.
By Eric Allen7 years ago in Beat
Prince: Purple Rain (Deluxe Expanded Edition)
In 1984, Prince became a household name when his popularity soared into the stratosphere upon the release of his film debut and its accompanying soundtrack, Purple Rain. Eventually selling over 25 million copies to date, Prince’s sixth studio album concurrently served as a full-length release of new material as well as underscored his dramatic first appearance upon the silver screen.
By Eric Allen7 years ago in Beat
Memories of Old and AM Gold (Part 3)
Often reflecting back upon the days when AM radio ruled the airwaves with infectious bubblegum earworms and Casey Kasem’s weekly American Top 40 countdown, I remember prime time television also provided a moderate source of musical entertainment with series such as The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, Tony Orlando and Dawn, Donny & Marie, and The Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. Show. Additionally, late night programming provided the rock-oriented Midnight Special and Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert for the hard-core music enthusiasts who were dedicated to stay up past midnight.
By Eric Allen7 years ago in Beat
Memories of Old and AM Gold (Part 2)
As a child during the late 1960s and 1970s, the magical world of music caught my attention immediately, but outlets to find musical sources were extremely limited. My ears were always thirsting to hear something new, thus I would gravitate towards any form of media that related to my affinity for music. The next toy I acquired on my musical quest to further my pre-pubescent musical experience was the GAF View-Master. This was my very first experience into the world of 3D. The device was nothing fancy in and of itself, but the three-dimensional round discs allowed me to “view” some of my favorite shows at will, which was an impossibility back then. It enabled the opportunity for me to watch stills of the Partridge Family, the Monkees and the Brady Bunch on demand, often playing their records as a soundtrack in the background and pretending I was attending a concert. This was yet another attempt to immerse myself into the world of some of my favorite musical artists. The Partridge Family and The Monkees always featured music, which was the most important element of the shows to me, but The Brady Bunch began to incorporate music as well. Yes, The Brady kids dabbled in music with record albums and musical variety television specials, and I had to seize any limited means possible to allow musical access.
By Eric Allen7 years ago in Beat
Memories of Old and AM Gold (Part 1)
Whenever summer rolls around, it annually evokes fond memories of youthful days I’d eagerly spend counting down until the school year would finally end. The anticipation of long, lazy summer days, extended car rides, and family vacations was always palpable. That was the era of AM radio hits which often turned into road trip sing-alongs which served as a much needed reprieve from being cooped up for hours on end in the car. I’m referring to a time when portable electronics were almost non-existent and the only access to music was the standard AM radio that came factory installed in the family owned American automobile. Back then, everyone mostly subsisted on the familiar sounds of the most popular Top 40 radio hits of the day, unless you were lucky enough to have the infamous 8-track tape deck, which did NOT include fast-forward or rewind options.
By Eric Allen7 years ago in Beat
The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper Celebrates 50 Years of Veneration with Exquisite Box Set
It was 50 years ago today when the Beatles unleashed what would become the band’s seminal masterpiece, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The album was a sonic work of art in 1967, forever changing the landscape of what could be achieved in the recording studio. It’s hard to imagine now, but back then, no one had heard anything remotely close to the conceptual revelation that was encapsulated on the fab four’s eighth studio effort.
By Eric Allen7 years ago in Beat
Remembering Donna Summer
I find it hard to believe the five-year anniversary of Donna Summer's passing is already upon us. Ever since she shockingly succumbed to cancer in 2012, I've honored her memory often by revisiting her incredible body of work. I’ve tried to celebrate her spirit by listening to her music and keeping her memory alive, especially on the anniversary of her death.
By Eric Allen7 years ago in Beat
Harry Styles: Harry Styles
What do you do in your spare time while on hiatus from one of the world’s biggest-selling and most successful boy bands? When you’re Harry Styles you use that time wisely by dropping a debut album so commanding that it makes you an instant rock star. If you disregard preconceived notions concerning boy bands, as well as stop trying to decipher if lyrical subtexts may or may not allude to Taylor Swift, you will hear the emerging talent of an undeniably credible solo artist.
By Eric Allen7 years ago in Beat
Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 2
James Gunn has compiled another bang-up soundtrack for his highly-anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The upcoming space adventure is the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the sequel to Gunn’s surprise summer blockbuster of 2014. Here again with Awesome Mix Vol. 2, the songs featured were precisely hand-picked by Gunn and strategically placed throughout the film, serving to underscore the script as a subtle, but dynamic cast of supporting characters. Awesome Mix Vol. 2 is an eclectic assortment of mostly well-known tunes, and happily in its own unique way, just as marvelous as its predecessor Awesome Mix Vol. 1, which went on to sell a whopping 2.5 million copies worldwide. The brilliant second soundtrack album features 14 tracks, including the amusing “Guardians Inferno,” co-penned by Gunn and film score composer Tyler Bates. During a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Gunn revealed some enlightening specifics as to how and why he chose the significant songs for the upcoming film’s final cut.
By Eric Allen7 years ago in Beat