Posts by Shane Handler

Although they sport a somber name, The Decemberists could be mistaken for taking themselves too seriously. Their show in support of their latest album Picaresque, at Higher Ground was certainly far from a frowner and had you thinking May. Although the band only has three official albums out, the crowd knew word by word the material and was seen singing triumphantly to lead singer Colin Meloy

In each of their larvae stages of the late 90

Sure, Mercury Rev shares the same hot shot producer of The Flaming Lips,
on The Secret Migration. Sure, lead singer Jonathan Donahue was even once a roadie for the Flaming Lips. And sure, Donahue even sings in the same childish wonder of Wayne Coyne, while narrating like Bob Ross, with words of “swirling clouds” and “green forests.” But does that mean that Mercury Rev is a Flaming Lips clone? No way.

Contrary to their album title, More Adventurous, Rilo Kiley’s performance was played straight, in true to album form for the sparse Saturday night crowd. Perhaps, a low key warm-up before opening for Coldplay on their national tour.

Damon Albarn calls Demon Daysa darker album than its predecessor, although it

Trey Anastasio, Trey Band, 70 Volt Parade, whatever you want to call it, it’s his signature style of groove/guitar rock again, just with a new supporting cast.

With Teeth, the first album in six years from Nine Inch Nails, proves the band name still carries weight. Trent Reznor

Some Cities holds an obvious departure from their prior two epic releases, as the eleven songs feature more live arrangements verse the overdub experiments of Doves past. Songs rooted in soul that haven’t been presented in Doves studio efforts illustrate a ray of country sun over their gray Manchester landscape.

Can you imagine Louis XIV going on tour with Ween? That would be as politically incorrect a duo as Larry The Cable Guy and Al Franken. On their new CD, The Best Little Secrets Are Kept, Louis XIV is more sexed up than Howard Stern interviewing Jenna Jameson at the Adult Video Awards.

Somewhere between The Chemical Brothers and the Pet Shop Boys, Fischerspooner interweave themselves within the Williamsburg art scene with robotic art-pop and ironic techno-melodrama.

Boston

What

It

What this Ryan Adams show lacked in professionalism, was made up for in raw, live spontaneity. It proved Adams is a rare artist who can get away with letting his mouth run and even throwing a few darts at his paying fans. With unlimited potential and boundless talent, he

Questions loses points for its mildly unoriginal content, considering Us3 were once breakthrough pioneers, the 14 track album mirrors different snippets in the soul/funk/R&B hits of the past decade – including of course two more “Cantaloop” remixes.

The third soundtrack in a surfing inspired film series which includes both “Thicker Than Water” and “September Sessions,

This time around, she may offer a few more casual, 70s radio rockers than normal, but there is still enough of her signature, heroin drone ballads meandering along to give it that eerie comfort she effortlessly creates.

You half expect M83, a French band named after a distant galaxy, to be R2D2
and C3PO dabbling in electronica. And I imagine the band felt the same way
landing in rural Burlington, Vermont. Playing on the heels of its third album, Before the Dawn Heals Us, which is making a considerable dent on the charts and having sold out two nights at New York City

Break out the wife beater and grab a cold one! Queens of the Stone Age have returned with another pack of their desert stoner peyote boogie go-go rock.

Murdocks sound like any Strokes, Hot Hot Heat, or Kaiser Chiefs already out there, but their brand of chaos trembles with a vital sense of urgency and aggression that demands to at least be heard, obeyed and absorbed.