Award Winners

Jay-Z: King of the No. 1 album

Judged solely on his string of No. 1 albums, Jay-Z has accomplished the unexpected: he’s become bigger than Elvis.        Nick Krewen Special to the Star, Published on Fri Oct 30 2009 Judged solely on his string of No. 1 albums, Jay-Z has accomplished the unexpected: he’s become bigger than Elvis. With the Sept. 11 arrival of The Blueprint 3, Brooklyn-born rapper Shawn Carter scored his 11th straight chart-topper…


Matthew Good speaks from the heart

Matthew Good isn’t afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve.   SUPPLIED PHOTO West-coast musician and activist Matthew Good, 38, has a reputation for being outspoken about social problems. With ‘Vancouver,’ his eighth album of original material in 14 years, Good is true to form. Nick Krewen Special to the Star, Tue Oct 06 2009 Matthew Good isn’t afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve. On Vancouver, in stores…


Pearl Jam’s gem

Entertainment / Music Backspacer, the new album out today from Seattle rock icons Pearl Jam, finds the band in a dramatically different headspace.      Nick Krewen Special to the Star, Published on Sun Sep 20 2009  Backspacer, the new album out today from Seattle rock icons Pearl Jam, finds the band in a dramatically different headspace. Oh, the aggressive energy crackling of the speakers from such fist-pumping sonic blasters as “The…


Cooking Up New Themes

Nick Krewen GRAMMY.COM August 2005   Ate any good music lately? Starving for new challenges outside their proven abilities, recording artists are increasingly entering the kitchen to chase their next meal ticket: food and drink product lines. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, notably established pop, country, rock and R&B stars are offering edible commodities geared to any taste. You can start the day off with some links of George…


Blocking Writer’s Block

  Nick Krewen GRAMMY.com September 2004   Marshall Crenshaw feels the pain. Nineteen years ago, the New York-based singer-and-songwriter was in a state of panic when he vainly searched for inspiration to create the tunes that would eventually become his third album. The root of his anguish: writer’s block. “My confidence was shot and I felt kind of beset by circumstances beyond my control,” recalls Crenshaw of the agonizing days,…