JFJO enters an area that they previously let lay untouched. They stray away from their wild unruly live performances and move to a cohesion and maturity as a band. They bring highs to jazz that are virtually unheard of today while continuing to weave together solid song basses. The Sameness of Difference is filled with obvious stand outs.
Exasperating for the unassuming, Year of Meteors is twelve tracks of hypothesis and theories for those who are willing to reach the gratifying conclusion, you can judge a record by its cover: beautiful, lingering, and peculiar.
Photos by Andrew Francke of RAQ (with Al Schnier) at B.B. King’s in New York City, NY on 11.26.05
Not evolving into the mediocrity of Counting Crows, The Long Winters fall into the category of indie in the vein of more than one hit wonder bands Harvey Danger and Nada Surf, who are passionate and attentive about personal experiences yet have commercial appeal. Ultimatum becomes a genial sample for a band that isn
Nine Inch Nails has added new dates to its North American tour, which now extends to March 2006. The Trent Reznor-led act will take a two-month break after performance Saturday (Dec. 10) at KROQ Los Angeles’ Almost Acoustic Xmas show and resume touring Feb. 10 at University of Illinois
At just over 30 minutes, I Am a Bird Now is deceptively short; a beautifully concise effort that demands to be listened to in one sitting, and rewards the experience with a glittering sonic halo.
Scott McCaughey gets by with a little help from his friends, and that’s okay with us. For the seventh album from his chamber pop collective the Minus 5, the former Young Fresh Fellow has thumbed through his massive rolodex and come up with the kind of guest list indie rock wet dreams are made of: R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, and Glenn Kotche, the Decemberists’ Colin Meloy and John Moen, the Posies’ Ken Stringfellow, Sean Nelson of Harvey Danger and the Long Winters, singer-songwriter-author John Wesley Harding, alt-country chanteuse Kelly Hogan, and, why not, Ministry’s Bill Rieflin and Mott the Hoople
With his whispery vocals that a pin drop would overpower and a Dylan-inspired metaphor for every situation, Bartlett, who is the primary songwriter, spins ten tales of solitude and hopelessness in the big city that Nick Drake or Iron and Wine
Jamie McLean, known for his full-time gig with New Orleans’ funk bastions The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, is no one-trick pony, evident on his first solo release, This Time Around.
A look at some of the newest in underground releases
