Archive: 2011

2007’s personality-driven Marry Me and the production-forward Actor have been rounded out by Strange Mercy’s maturity, honesty and skill to make a solid, progressive and enviable career trilogy that showcases Annie Clark’s talent, innovations and development as an all-around artist.

Soundtown Music Festival held in Somerset, WI August 19th and 20th, 2011.

For an artist so deeply in touch with her musicianship and songwriting, it’s important for the listener to cede some control and go along for the ride. If Carlile has proven anything since her debut in 2005, it’s that she’s fully capable of taking her audience on a journey that remains firmly and fondly affixed in their minds.

Merge has reissued Superchunk’s landmark 1994 album Foolish, and it’s available now on CD, LP, and digital download. Foolish has been remastered for this reissue and will feature some different album art and extensive liner notes by drummer Jon Wurster. The deluxe reissue will also include the following bonus material: The Clambakes, Vol. 6: One in a Row, a […]

The Weezer Cruise, curated by Grammy® Award-winning group Weezer, sets sail this January 19-23, 2012, going from Miami to an “island in the sun,” Cozumel, Mexico. The music festival-at-sea, which features Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, Gene Ween and Dave Dreiwitz, Wavves, The Antlers, Yuck, Free Energy, Boom Bip, J. Mascis, Lou Barlow, Keepaway, Ozma, The Nervous […]

Alex Botwin has been a busy man.   Just turned 27, the former bassist for the young, thriving live dance music trio Pnuma, has since evolved into something of a modern day renaissance man.

Hopscotch Music Festival, Raleigh, NC – Sept. 8-10, 2011.

The whole production envelops, from the layers of perfectly produced instrumentation to the quiet, emotional vocal performances, Father, Son, Holy Ghost has it all. 

Still Right Here fits nicely into her catalogue and reminds listeners why Melissa Ferrick is such a venerable force in the music industry, and, despite some missteps, it’s a fine work from a wickedly gifted artist.

Railroad Earth, in conjunction with Pet Projekt, has put together a three-night Halloween Weekend extravaganza in Placerville, CA for the inaugural Hangtown Halloween Ball! The glam-camping event will take place at the beautiful El Dorado County Fairgrounds on October 28th- 30th and will feature a stellar line-up of some of the nation’s hottest touring acts, […]

The result of a‘two songs per band member’ ideology, HEARTBEATS AND BRAINWAVES,that latest from Electric Six  is due out on October 11, 2011 via Metropolis Records. The band will be hitting the road this weekend on its Hello, Destructor!!!! Tour, starting in its home state of Michigan and wrapping around the US. Heartbeats and Brainwaves […]

On Wednesday, September 21 at 8:00pm EDT, Wilco will perform at the Ed Sullivan Theater as part of the CBS live concert webcast series "Live on Letterman." Here’s how to tune in: – Watch the concert live or on demand at cbs.com/late_night/liveonletterman – Listen to audio live on participating radio stations (click here for a […]

Mike Patton, moved by the Paolo Giordano novel The Solitude of Prime Numbers and having contributed music to the movie of the same name, has created a 16-track release that boasts some of the most contemplative and stirring music of his multi-faceted career with Patton describing the release as a personal "sonic departure."  The album, […]

You would think St. Louis and not Helsinki would be the backyard of The Latebirds, but alas they seem to nail a gorgeous, deliberate Americana style on the opening title track of Last Of The Good Ol' Days could be mistaken for a Jeff Tweedy solo track and not a seasoned Finnish-cana outfit. The bombast at the close might not be to everyone’s liking, but it seems to gel nicely. Meanwhile the sweet roots pop of “Among The Survivors” shines with its tight rhythm section and barroom keyboards.

Recording with The Combo makes all the difference in the world in the presentation of John Hiatt’s songs. A craftsmanlike composer schooled in Nashville, Hiatt may forever skirt a pro-forma approach to songwriting, but the unified punch of this band brings realism to his material and his performance on Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns.

The Hopscotch Music Festival is only in its second year, but the event already feels like a tradition.  That’s partly due to the undeniable uniqueness of the festival, and partly to the huge cache of local bands that take part, thus drawing out local music fans by the busload.  During Hopscotch, the lucky locals are happy to show the weekenders just how brightly Raleigh’s music scene, and the city itself, can shine.  With so many amazing venues taking part, and the ever-increasing variety of other diversions downtown, the weekend becomes one big make-out session with the capital city.

Life is good® is excited to announce that musicians from the Boston Pops have signed on to play at the 2011 Life is good Festival. World-class musicians from the Pops’ string and brass sections led by guest conductor Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) will join Brandi Carlile and The Levon Helm Band for portions of their […]

Universal Music Group and The Rolling Stones are pleased to announce the release on November 21, 2011 of the re-mastered, expanded, Super-Deluxe, Deluxe and Digital editions of Some Girls, the groundbreaking album which introduced the music of the Rolling Stones to a whole new generation of fans. Justly considered one of the finest works by […]

With the October, 18, 2011 release of Sing In My Meadow, Cowboy Junkies continue an ambitious schedule of four releases over an 18 month period, collectively titled "The Nomad Series." The latest collection of songs, follows the critically acclaimed Renmin Park (2010) and Demons (2011). Renmin Park was inspired by Timmins’ two-month stay in China […]

As the frontman and main songwriter of Yes, Jon Anderson has simply changed music forever—at least, he's changed the landscape of music that tries to break ground, music that strives to explore ideas not bound to the confines of popular radio. Unfortunately, the last few years have been somewhat unkind to Anderson.