Archive: 2008

I’m not gonna sit here and tell you The Special is the second coming of Bitches Brew, but I have no qualms declaring it the best new jazz album in years. The left coast-based Mitch Marcus Quintet produced a seven-song odyssey that defies genres and busts through labels; the end result is a spectacular album […]

We’re just waking up after a long night of watching the results from Super Tuesday roll in. Barack Obama may have split delegates with Hillary Clinton, but he clearly has the support of the anti-establishment rock star crowd. Bright Eyes, M. Ward and members of the Grateful Dead all played benefit concerts for Obama, while […]

Six years after sprouting as some hippie jam fest, Bonnaroo has blossomed into the best festival this country has to offer. Despite the barrage of new festivals threatening their market share, AC Entertainment and Superfly Productions continue to put together the best lineups.

Where else can you see such a diverse lineup of the best artists from music’s past, present and future. This year we have Levon Helm, Phil Lesh and Robert Plant representing Team Fiesty Vet; The Raconteurs, Kanye West and My Morning Jacket as the current purveyors of the good stuff; while The Felice Brothers, Vampire Weekend, MGMT, !!! and Back Door Slam offer a taste of where we’re going.

(NME and the Associated Press both reported Led Zeppelin will headline the event, but the Bonnaroo site doesn’t have them on the bill. Yikes, sweet work there, fellas. That “d” is a “z” — Lez Zeppelin will be in Tennessee.)

The one thing that sticks out from looking at this year’s lineup is just how many acts they’ve booked. Where else can you see so many of the top touring acts in the country at one location? The 2008 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival takes place in Manchester, Tennessee on June 12 – 15. Tickets go on sale soon, and if you’re expecting to go, we’d buy ’em early this year.

Enough of the prelims, read on after the jump for the full lineup…

E has said that some of his best songs sometimes don't make that final cut for LP's. This collection not only proves him right but leaves hope there are still some more trinkets lying around waiting to be discovered.

Tapes ‘n Tapes will hit the road this spring in support of their upcoming album, "Walk It Off," which is set for release on April 8th. After select appearances at SXSW, they will start the tour in their hometown of Minneapolis on April 10th and continue their way across the country throughout April and May. […]

The famed guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, died today (February 5). He was thought to be 91. The yogi, who was born Mahesh Prasad Varma in India, died at his home in the Dutch town of Vlodrop, apparently of natural causes. "He died peacefully at about 7 p.m.," a spokesman for the Transcendental Meditation movement told […]

Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch has launched a full-service film distribution company in New York City. Oscilloscope Pictures is the result of an expansion of his film and music production facilities in the city, and he hopes that the operation will be run like an indie music label, David Fenkel, former Vice President of ThinkFilm and […]

On the full mend from shredded vocal chords following six months of tours in the U.S. and Europe with Blonde Redhead, Modest Mouse, Kings of Leon, and Secret Machines, Brandon Summers had the chance to chat with Glide about their latest record.

The much anticipated first round of artists including headliners has been announced for Bonnaroo 2008 being held June 12-15 in Manchester, TN.  Pearl Jam, Metallica, Kanye West, Jack Johnson are amongst the headliners with an always interesting eclectic lineup that includes: Robert Plant & Allison KraussPhil Lesh & FriendsMy Morning JacketAllman Brothers BandRaconteursWillie NelsonDeath Cab […]

Famed treadmillers OK Go spent the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans recording with funky soul tromboners Bonerama, and the five-song benefit EP comes out, appropriately, today. Read on after the jump for details on the Fat Tuesday iTunes release, and tune in next Monday when Bonerama and Damian Kulash from OK Go perform one of the songs on Letterman…

Our good friend Luke Sacks offers an out-of-towner preview of Wilco’s upcoming five-night stand at the Riviera in Chicago, which takes place on February 15-20 A previous commitment — okay, a work business trip — will prevent me from attending any of the five special Wilco shows in Chicago next week where the band will […]

Our good friends over at the wonderful Art Decade mp3 blog must be on the same wavelength this week. I woke up yesterday singing three separate Rick Danko songs at once (that triumvirate dominated by When You Awake); and, just my luck, Art Decade’s got the cure for my Tuesday Danko Blues. Stream Solo Ricky: […]

Nearly every mention of Trey Anastasio’s name over the past year has been attached to negative news, so we’re glad to report some good red news. The former Space Antelope co-founder — sorry, old habits die hard — shared the story of his rise and fall, as well as a brand new tune, with a […]

You may be well familiar with the bands featured in this section, but Some Dude from Hits from the Blog wants to ensure there’s No Jambandfan Left Behind…

You know how they say that Christopher Columbus didn’t really discover America he just “encountered” it? Well that’s sort of how I feel about how I came to start listening to the music of Okkervil River.

How I can really lay claim to discovering a band that has been releasing albums (and I’m sure touring relentlessly) since late last century? I first encountered this Austin-based act some time last summer when every music reviewer was drooling over their latest offering, The Stage Names, a wordy, bombastic album with ruminations on the daily life of someone who happens to be in a rock band.

The reviews piqued my interest, but it wasn’t until I caught their performance on Conan that I knew they’d be my latest musical obsession. The song they played was big, brawny and cluttered with sound; it seemed like they could fall apart at any moment, but somehow lead singer Will Sheff’s vocals came in and tied it all together. Read on after the jump and take a listen to their cinematic tales…

Magnetic Field fans will find Distortion a must hear, but curiosity seekers should see it as a free art opening – stop by and decide for yourself whether to linger or jet.

Yahoo is dropping its subscription music service and replacing it with Rhapsody America as part of a broad strategic partnership announced by the two companies today. As part of the deal, Yahoo will exclusively promote Rhapsody on its site and integrate the service into Yahoo Music, though the two companies are still finalizing details on […]

Okkervil River have announced a spring tour that will consist of headlining shows and some with The New Pornographers. Pre-sale begins this Saturday, Feb 2 for the dates with The New Pornographers through Ducat King (http://thenewpornographers.ducatking.com). Tour Dates April 5 Dallas, TX Granada April 6 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone**April 7 Bloomington, IN Buskirk-Chumley Theater**April 9 Toronto, […]

Arcade Fire and Fox TV could become involved in a lawsuit, after it is alleged that the network used their music to soundtrack an advert without permission. The band’s song ‘No Cars Go’ was used in an advert for the NFL which was aired during the halftime show of the Super Bowl last night (February […]

Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews have been announced to headline the fifth annual Kokua Festival in Hawaii. The pair will perform at the Waikiki Shell in Honolulu on the island of Oahu, on April 19 and 20. It will be the first show in the state for Dave Matthews, who will perform an acoustic set […]

Iron & Wine has announced some April headlining dates behind last year’s "The Shepherd’s Dog" LP. The singer and his eight-piece touring band (which includes percussionists Chad Taylor from The Sea and Cake and Benny Massarella of Califone, former Wilco keyboardist Leroy Bach and Calexico’s Paul Niehaus, among others) kick things off April 9 in […]