Music, music, music. That's what "Mojo" is about, and ALL it's about. If you're looking for info on pop stars' latest paramours, or rants about the government, look elsewhere. This magazine is a sleek, polished, well-informed music magazine that focuses on the core of what people listen to.
"Mojo" covers all the bases with information about rock (present and classic), country, R&B, alternative, punk, and a speckling of other types. In-depth, professional articles -at least one big one, and a number of smaller ones, interviews and analysis alike. Not to mention, of course, the wealth of reviews and concert reports.
Unlike many music magazines, "Mojo" focuses both on the past and present. Present: Norah Jones, Outkast, Ryan Adams, Flaming Lips, Strokes and David Bowie. Past: Led Zeppelin, Elvis, Ramones, the Beatles (naturally!), Pink Floyd, Nirvana, and so forth. They also take a hard look at up-and-coming new bands and performers, without letting hype get in the way. They balance out respect for rock's illustrious past, while acknowledging the worth of new bands and music.
As an extra bonus, nearly every issue of "Mojo" comes with a CD firmly attached to it. For example, one was a collection of classic blues songs that have since been covered by everybody from Jimi Hendrix to Aerosmith to the White Stripes. It's the icing on a cake that is already sweet on its own.
"Mojo" is music-lover's Bible. One thing it isn't: it's not people who love trends and celebrity. It's a solid, ultra-informative collection of info about every kind of good music under the sun. A winner.
If you are a fan of a certain genre of music,be it mainstream pop, punk or hip-hop, there are at least a few magazines to cater to your taste. The rarity is a magazine that caters to the all-around pop music fanatic, and Mojo Magazine tops that obscure list.
This is a pricey publication, but well worth the money. Since discovering the magazine several years ago, I have been amazed at the diversity in the cover features alone: The Beatles, ABBA, Frank Zappa, Kate Bush, The White Stripes, Michael Jackson, Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols, Madonna... there is something for everybody's taste, and plenty for people with a wide range of musical taste.
Cover features inside, I am always amazed at the space they give to performers and/or bands that have a small cult following. I especially enjoyed the piece they did on The Incredible String Band several years back. As they usually do when covering a group's history, the Mojo writers do not shy away from the friction and low points involved in the band's career. No tabloid trash-talking or finger pointing, just good solid journalism; showing the strengths that makes an icon's popularity endure, and the bumps in the road that ended the ride.
The reviews of CDs are plenty, and I often find myself discovering something new to add to my collection. You'll find reviews of pop, punk, folk, blues, country, classic rock, you name it! I also find the reviewers to be a lot more open minded when reviewing albums, which is a welcome holiday from the plethora of snobbish music critics who go out of their way to trash good efforts.
Mojo, in my humble opinion, is top of the music mags. If you are an over all pop-culture fan like I am, and are always on the lookout for something new to add to your collection, then Mojo Magazine should be a key resource in your database!
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Hands down, Mojo is the most well-written, informed magazine concerning popular (not pop) music published today; covering rock & roll, rhythm & blues, country...I'm talking the vintage stuff. A fat wealth of information without the pandering BS and hype contained in nearly ALL comparable U.S. publications. Reviews are well-informed and referenced, interviews and articles are well-researched and do not insult the intelligence of either the reader or the subject. Ever wanna' know what went on in the studio with Alex Chilton and The Replacements? Did Johnny Cash really set a mountain on fire? Mojo usually does a couple of massive feature articles on popular and/or influential bands of the past,plus short interviews with personalities (ever wonder what Tony Blair listens to when he gets up in the morning?), a few hundred record and concert reviews, new releases, UK club dates. Makes Rolling Stone and SPIN look like the TeenBeat rags they truly are. Well worth the price. The only thing the US produces that comes close is MAGNET.
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Actually, it deserves 4.5 stars. This is a Brit magazine that offers great articles that cover classic bands' tales as much as keeping you tuned in to the latest waves of musicians, from Americana to Blues to Brit Pop. There's at least one excellent, long article per issue which will tell you more about bands you thought you knew about than any magazine published in USA (check old issues for Dylan's or Pink Floyd's, for instance).
If you are old enough to remember Rolling Stone when it concerned itself with musicians and other artists creating new boundaries for popular art, rather than catering the current, pathetic BritneySpear-NightmareMachine ... you would enjoy Mojo. Tip: you can get any single issue at B&N, Borders or Tower Records for the same amount, that way if you don't like it you won't have to mourn 100 bucks.
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If you are one whose definition of rock music is fairly elastic and whose taste in rock music is eclectic, then I recommend Mojo Magazine to you. I haven't read all magazines relating to music of course, but of those I have, Mojo does the best job covering the music scene today. Its approach is fresh and its appeal wide.
Unlike some of the other music mags around, it is one that the whole family can read and probably find something musically meaningful to each. Its writers, whose taste in music is broad, approach music without allowing personal prejudices to color their articles. They can find as much merit in a new Nick Cave CD as they do in a new Bert Bacharach effort, if the music is worthwhile and they do it without gushing. A recent issue highlighted Bob Dylan, Marianne Faithfull, and Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols each of which certainly appeal to different audiences.
The thing I like best about Mojo is that each issue comes with a CD featuring various artists doing whatever type of music that is the focus of the month's lead article. The CD really adds value and has me anticipating the next one. I never thought I'd like the Sex Pistols, but when I heard the feature CD of songs that influenced them, I understood their music a lot better.
You might get a better deal on the magazine than is offered here if you go to the bookstore, find the magazine, and look for an insert bearing a special offer. That's what I did. Whatever way you decide to try the magazine is up to you, but I'd be surprised if you didn't find it informative, enjoyable, and money well spent.
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