Back in 1996, DJ Shadow dropped his groundbreaking, and critically acclaimed debut Endtroducing…. The album, made up entirely of samples, featured snippets of everything from A Tribe Called Quest to Nirvana
While their hometown was in the midst of Irene-mania this past weekend, The Strokes were overseas, where they served as one of the headliners at the Reading Festival in England.
Pavement honcho Stephen Malkmus released Mirror Traffic with his band The Jicks on August 23. On Tuesday, the group visits Jimmy Fallon and on September 20 in Detroit will kick off
Dancing Barefoot recalls many events that may already be familiar to fans of Smith’s career and readers of NYC music history. But the author does bring a deeper insight to the artist’s motivations and a great deal of much-needed perspective on the era in which she blossomed.
Death Cab has perfected the nuance of seductive annihilation. “I Will Possess Your Heart”, “Cath” and “Long Division” stroked the membrane, while “I Will Follow You Into The Dark” was a mesmerizing lullaby with Gibbard standing on the stage alone with his acoustic guitar, pouring his soul out on a blue-lighted stage. Even then, he could not stand still. At times, like on “We Looked Like Giants” and “The Sound Of Settling”, it was like he was an ADD moth teasing a flame.
Nashville’s Caitlin Rose first appeared on the radar of music critics this year with the release of her debut full-length album Own Side Now, out September 27th on ATO Records.
“There are the things that haunt my mind: The blurred relationship of good vs. evil, ghosts, and the lessons and stories of history….. I’d like to think that this isn’t an exhaustive list,” says Montreal based artist Chris Velan on the vast inspiration of lyrical themes found in his songs. His latest recording Fables For Fighters (NewSong Recordings/Fontana North) is influenced by a range of influences spanning David Byrne, Randy Newman, Neil Young, West African music and reggae that can be summed up best as “smart pop/folk song-smithing.”
Oftentimes hype way exceeds the result, but in the case of the Avett Brothers, it really is a act you have to see and experience for yourself, because you sincerely won’t regret it. Here’s to next year’s West Coast tour!
JEFF The Brotherhood is Jake and Jamin Orrall of Nashville, Tennessee, owners of Infinity Cat Recordings. The bare bones duo, just guitar and drums, played 230 shows last year and were hailed by Spin magazine as one of the “must see” acts at this year’s South by Southwest. Their new album, We are the Champions, is eleven tracks and a short 35-minute. It’s packed with jagged scuzzed-out guitar riffs that hop between Weezer style chunky rhythms, sharp, classic rock swagger, and blasts of powerful punk power.
One of the biggest stories in the world of music this year is undeniably the public return of Jeff Mangum. The reclusive Neutral Milk Hotel front man, who has performed
