Michael Abernethy

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Former British Punk Rocker Finds His Soft Side

By Michael Abernethy | January 23

Paul Weller Illumination 3 Stars Twenty-five years ago, The Jam ignited the British punk and new wave scene on the strength of Paul Weller's incendiary lyrical rants. Since that seminal band's demise, Weller has gone on to create music that is just as inspiring, if somewhat less thrilling. Illumination, Weller's accomplished new album, proves that the singer/songwriter finally has found his niche in soft, soulful rock. The touchstone is the bluesy tinge of 1993's superb Wild Wood, which brought Weller back to the forefront of British music.

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American Foreign Policy Focus of Film

By Michael Abernethy | January 16

As the nation holds its breath over conflicts in Iraq and North Korea, documentarian Eugene Jarecki believes that America should question the role of U.S. foreign policy now more than ever. With his film "The Trials of Henry Kissinger," Jarecki aims to shed light on the secretive past of the former national security adviser and contemporary U.S. policy while encouraging citizens to voice their concerns about international affairs.

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Amos' 'Walk' Across America Tells Universal Story of Tragedy, Hope

By Michael Abernethy | November 7

Tori Amos Scarlet's Walk

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Petty Barrages Industry With Shocking Assault

By Michael Abernethy | October 24

Tom Petty The Last DJ 3 Stars You can't please everyone all of the time. This philosophy rings true on Tom Petty's new album, The Last DJ, which is by turns a slap in the face to corporate radio and his fair-weather fans. Throughout the ballad-heavy song cycle, Petty attempts to break down the same evil music industry that he worked so hard to break into in the '70s. But money-hungry label executives won't be the only ones disappointed in The Last DJ.

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Spoon Proves It's All About the Music

By Michael Abernethy | October 3

Spoon Cat's Cradle Sept. 25, 2002

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Spoon to Dish It Out at the Cat's Cradle

By Michael Abernethy | September 25

It's unusual that you hear a rock band crediting sleep for its success. But Spoon, which hits the Cat's Cradle tonight, isn't the usual rock band. Sleep, says frontman Britt Daniel, fuels Spoon's most adventurous endeavors. "Sometimes it seems like I get my best ideas right when I'm about to fall asleep," Daniel said. "I guess you sort of let go of your conscious mind but you're still hearing that sort of creativity going."

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Unnatural Writing Drags Down 'Rosmersholm'

By Michael Abernethy | September 16

The program for The Open Door Theatre's performance of "Rosmersholm" states that the play is one of the least likely Henrik Ibsen plays you'll ever see. With its complex historical conceits and mind-numbingly wordy script, perhaps the Open Door Theatre company should have left well enough alone. "Rosmersholm" gains what little dramatic momentum it has from the idea that the past can influence the present and future. In the play, everyone is haunted by his own peculiar past and struggles to find a peaceful life.

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Coldplay Triumphs Over 'Yellow' With Heartfelt Release

By Michael Abernethy | September 12

Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head 4 Stars It's not fair that "Yellow" is Coldplay's only hit to date. There were other, better songs on Parachutes, such as "Shiver" and "Don't Panic," that deserved equal attention. So why should a band as serious and well-meaning as Coldplay be remembered for an obsessive love song about stars, skin and bone? With the dazzling A Rush of Blood to the Head, Coldplay returns, sans the fluffiness of "Yellow," to amaze with its spirit, ability and ambition.

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Spoon Survives Rock Abyss With Research-Worthy Release

By Michael Abernethy | August 29

Spoon Kill the Moonlight 4 Stars Some albums warrant investigation. But only great albums require research. Spoon understands the science of rock 'n' roll, where listening isn't a pastime, it's required study. In researching the band's new album, Kill the Moonlight, the bass-heavy, reverb-laden soundscapes offer the listener completely different messages through headphones, cars and stereos. The new focus on guitarist/vocalist Britt Daniel's angular melodies and the band's masterful control of space between notes clearly reveals a band in top form.

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Stagnant 'Scorpion' Battles With Bad Acting

By Michael Abernethy | April 25

"The Scorpion King" 2 Stars "The Scorpion King" should have been a throwback to the B-movie hey-day of Arnold Schwarzenegger's "Conan the Barbarian" flicks. Unfortunately, the end result of The Rock's first headlining film falls far short of those campy treats. Instead, audiences are served up something more akin to a two-hour episode of UPN's "Hercules."