Los Angeles folk-rock band He’s my Brother, She’s my Sister fronted by brother and sister Rob and Rachel Kolar, have been a consistent staple in the Los Angeles music scene for the past three years.
It’s a strong diversion from the tenacity of his MMJ work, but not the complete 180 degree turn into the wild that plagues some artists’ solo outings. With all these creative energies and restless thoughts hounding at James, we should expect further like-minded explorations in the years to come.
No one knows how long the indie-folk moment The Lumineers are spearheading will stay aflame but with performances, and sold out shows like this audiences will likely be able to see a progression and hopefully a maturation from the jam-based folksy energy into something more.
Here are a few things you need to know about Matt Pond and his latest release, The Lives Inside the Lines in Your Hands. For starters, he is now just Matt Pond and not Matt Pond PA. Second, his new album is essentially a pop record by way of the singer-songwriter tactic of wearing his heart on his sleeve about relationships. Finally, it is a pleasant release, but there isn’t a ton of variety here.
Bad Religion brought their crisp, concise, relentlessly melodic punk sound into the studio for the 16th and possibly final time on True North, and it's no major knock on the veteran band that the album doesn’t sound drastically different from their first album.
The legendary Ziggy’s name now adorns a new, larger space on the outskirts of downtown, and fans flocked to see the first Umphrey’s show in the Camel City since April of 2003. It also happened to be the 10th anniversary of the band’s first show with drummer Kris Myers, so a celebratory vibe prevailed even during the band’s birthday hangover.
The Brooklyn-based country rock trio The Lone Bellow is making some waves with their debut self-titled album, and it is easy to see why. Zach Williams, Kanene Pipkin and Brian Elmquist have created a nifty little record that will soothe your soul or help you drown your sorrows, depending on your preference. They make either choice sound appealing and you’ll want to experience it again and again.
Playing three shows in as many days, the New Orleans outfit the Stooges Brass Band was giving the Big Apple a taste of the Big Easy. The January 12th set at Brooklyn Bowl was short, funky and too the point.
This may not change the world of folk/pop music, but through McKeown's deft hand at flirting with different genres, all against the backdrop of solid songwriting, Manifestra holds its own in her discography and is a great step forward for her.
Creedence Clearwater Revival, as befits their increasingly storied history (and John Fogerty's ever-growing solo career), has been the subject of more than a few reissues, but there is no more enlightening cross-section of their recordings than The Ultimate Collection: Greatest Hits and All-Time Classics.
