fun. is the project of Nate Ruess, late of The Format, having teamed up with ex-Anathallo multi-instrumentalist Andrew Dost and Steel Train's Jack Antonoff. Don’t call it a supergroup – call it superpop with a tad of mutual admiration society.
When a band has survived for 25 years, they have free reign to call their own creative shots. In that case, give Yo La Tengo all the artillery they need. Aside from their guitar freak-outs they’ve always won a heart with the twee crowd , courtesy of “autumn sweater,” and their “Sonic Youth Lite hush hush” songs.
Remember when the Arctic Monkeys first broke onto the scene in early 2006 and it was too easy to call them another buzz band? Put them on a Spin cover and pretty soon you’ll find them in the $3.00 used CD bin with The Bravery and Kasabian. The Sheffield, England based rockers have returned with Humbug, their third album since their ’06 breakthrough, which gives the boys a revised launching pad for their punkish guitar riffs and Alex Turner’s creative evolution.
Where prior releases focused the band and its chops, Some Assembly is geared towards song-craft and collaborators, from David Grisman’s tinkling mandolin on “Cold Coffee” to Bela Flecks’ lively banjo on “Edges.”
Described as part hippie love-fest and musical traveling circus, one look at the cover photo of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros’ Up From Below and you’ll rightfully agree with the description. If that correlation doesn’t ring true, go to the band’s homepage and check out the image of the ten or so band members holding hands in a tribal type dance circle and you’ll come to fathom that there is more than just music to this collective.
Formed in 1985 in Minneapolis with Mark Olson (acoustic guitar and vocals), Gary Louris (electric guitar and vocals), Marc Perlman (bass) and Norm Rogers (drums), The Jayhawks were sorely one of the most under-rated bands of their era.
With “80’s synth-pop” being all the rage these days amongst the hipster elite, it’s surprising that Tears For Fears haven’t generated more buzz amongst the Urban Outfitter set. Instead, their show at the Celebrity Theater brought out an aging 40 something crowd to soak in the new-wave sounds of Orzabel and his musical partner – Curt Smith.
8-year old Ryan Bingham sounds like a smoky roadhouse, complete with white whiskers and gnarly Marlboros enabling him to sound years beyond the tender late 20's.
With half undecipherable melodies, half indie pop, Dirty Projectors mash up a style that reflects the work of Deerhoof, capturing a disjointed knack of melody that is otherwise fascinating and pretentiously artsy. At first listen, you’ll probably want to run to the more “welcoming” sounds of Wilco..
Unfortunate for those that despise hearing anything to do with Dave Matthews Band and his musical duffle of summer-time fun, but a new DMB album seems to always hit around #1 on the charts – such as the case here with this latest effort – Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King.
