Posts by Jake Giles

[rating=8.00] Within the span of three studio albums, one being a holiday collection, Kacey Musgraves established herself as sharp-witted, sincere, and assured. Her brand of country music recalls the storytelling glory days of the 90s; characters live and die in her songs, holding up mirrors to themselves and thereby to those of us following their […]

[rating=7.00] A lot has changed for Brandi Carlile since she released her last album, Bear Creek, in 2012. Professionally, she left her major label deal with Sony for a new home on Dave Matthews’ ATO Records. Personally, she’s married and has a child. Perhaps the biggest change, though, can be found in Carlile’s music. For […]

When Paloma Faith looked out into the audience during her last world tour, she didn’t like what she saw. “I felt like everybody was just staring at me the whole time, and I felt like they weren’t really enjoying themselves,” said Faith via phone with Glide. ”So I thought I should celebrate life a bit […]

[rating=7.00] Basically, Betty Who grooved on to the scene last year with her varsity jacket and Chuck Taylors and hasn’t stopped moving. Although radio has yet to latch on to Who and her bombastic brand of 80s-infused anthems, reputable music blogs and Tumblr tweens alike have celebrated her unabashed approach to songwriting and melody. After […]

BANKS is an artist with incredible control over her voice, ranging from alien falsetto to raging ferocity, who will only continue to grow and stretch her muscles, as was evident during her sold out show at the Independent in San Francisco this week.

Being tasked with exploring Tori Amos’ discography is like a friend pressuring you to binge watch a show with over five seasons. So if you’ve borrowed your way through all 14 of her albums, here’s a list of 14 songs you may have skipped over, missed completely, or that deserve a closer listen.

The most immediately recognizable difference between Angel Olsen’s debut album and the follow-up, Burn Your Fire For No Witness, is an exhilarating confidence woven through each song. The tremendous benefit of Olsen’s newfound poise is an inviting, personal album that encourages subsequent spins and features songs you want to explore.

To ease the burden on the audience of remembering her name, Conway introduced herself as “the girl in the red pants.” This was fine for the anxious members of the sold out St. Lucia show at San Francisco’s The Independent.

Aims takes an introvert and thrusts her into extroverted waters. In a live setting, a few of the songs from the new record lacked the epic trappings they wore in the studio. Still, this tour shows Teng at her most musically adventurous.

After six years, Griffin returns with a masterclass in folk she’s dubbed American Kid, a record which explores life and death in a way that shows considerable candor and heartfelt honesty.

Charmer doesn’t grab you by the throat and drill its message into your head; rather, Aimee Mann asks you to have a seat in her office, while you witness her playing psychiatrist to individuals (people she knows? herself?) who need an objective opinion with a healthy dose of reality. Listen closely, and you might even hear Aimee Mann diagnosing you.

In an era where the single already sounds like the remix, the songs released from Garbage’s fifth album thus far are unapologetic in the muddy, grunge-tinged pop that we love to associate with them. Perhaps unclassifiable initially, maybe this is Garbage finally telling us if you need to call it something, call it Garbage?

If the reception at this show was any indication, she’ll find familiar faces at the next gig, Chicago and beyond.