Archive: 2014

The most immediately recognizable difference between Angel Olsen’s debut album and the follow-up, Burn Your Fire For No Witness, is an exhilarating confidence woven through each song. The tremendous benefit of Olsen’s newfound poise is an inviting, personal album that encourages subsequent spins and features songs you want to explore.

On May 13th, Tori Amos is set to release her brand new studio album, Unrepentant Geraldines on Mercury Classics/Universal Music Classics in the US. Unrepentant Geraldines is pop/rock in both content and feel and is a change in pace from Amos’ most recent releases.

After a long drive to New England, during a snowstorm no less, the Wild Feathers landed at Brighton Music Hall. They shook off the cold and delivered a foot stomping, harmony rich and rollicking set for a near-capacity crowd. The band didn’t waste any time during their set. The band hit the dimly-lit stage and […]

Bonnaroo has announced its 2014 lineup with a lineup on headliners that might be met with more mixed reactions than any lineup of theirs to date. Some of the other headlining names on the list include Elton John and Lionel Richie, two classics who will be making their first ever trip to the muddy Manchester […]

Photos by Marc Lacatell of Arctic Monkeys performing at the Agganis Arena in Boston, MA on February 6, 2014.

There are artists like Damien Rice that immediately conjure a level of cinematic lust atop narrative acoustic guitar, that invites you in and keeps you listening throughout the entire song cycle.  Peter Brady Adams is one of those artists.  The film composer turned singer/songwriter  released his fifth solo record The Mighty Storm, February 4th on […]

Seven years ago, almost to the day, Texas-born bluesman Johnny Winter appeared in this Vermont venue, largely looking and playing like a shadow of his former self. It was only on the very last song of the evening, his signature rendition of Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited,” that the albino man came alive to the extent […]

HOWLIN RAIN LIVE RAIN, the first-ever official live album by Howlin Rain, will be released April 28 by Agitated Records in UK/EU and April 29 by Silver Current Records in North America and the rest of The World. Recorded live in various locations on the 2012 worldwide tour for The Russian Wilds, the live 2XLP […]

Band of Skulls will embark on an extensive North American tour this spring. Tickets will go on-sale this Friday, February 21. Additionally, in March, the band will perform special shows at SXSW as well as L.A.’s Belasco Theater and Brooklyn’s Warsaw. See below for full details. The North American shows are in celebration of the […]

Do to the Beast, the first new album from The Afghan Whigs in 16 years, will be released worldwide via Sub Pop Records on April 14th in Europe and April 15th in North America. The album features the lead single “Algiers.” The  official video for “Algiers,” directed by Phil Harder on location in Agua Dulce, just northeast of Santa Clarita, […]

Every so often you hear a band that truly surprises you in the most delightful kind of way. Some weeks back I came across an album from a little band out of Alabama called St. Paul and the Broken Bones. Instead of the catchy, upbeat hook that bands often use to establish their presence on […]

Devo guitarist Bob Casale died Monday, his brother and band mate announced Tuesday. Casale was 61. He was known by fans as “Bob 2” since he played alongside guitarist Bob Mothersbaugh, the brother of Devo co-founder Mark Mothersbaugh. “As an original member of Devo, Bob Casale was there in the trenches with me from the […]

[rating-6.00] Scott H. Biram’s newest release on Bloodshot Records (his fifth for the label) contains his usual mix of raw hill country blues and folk with splashes of punk and metal a pretty unique combo. Nothin’ But Blood rolls out over 10 tracks plus a few bonus gospel cuts as Biram is equally at home […]

There is something to be said when you pull up to a 19,000 plus seat arena and feel excitement to see a band that you love. But what if that amazing band is just one man? How could one man possibly fill all of those seats? How could one person rule a genre of music […]

Photos by Billy Briggs of Justin Timberlake at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN on 2/9/14

Arcade Fire are pleased to announce Dan Deacon and Kid Koala will be joining them as support to help kick-off the Reflektor Tour in North America. Deacon and Kid Koala are slated to open the inaugural nine dates of a massive tour that will span North America, South America and Europe throughout 2014. A listing of confirmed […]

Dreams can come true. They can at least for those wishing to be stuck inside a 1980’s movie soundtrack. With a sound that seems straight out of a John Hugh’s movie, Jean-Philip Grobler and his band St. Lucia delivered a night of ‘80’s-inspired dreamy dance-pop for the first of two sold-out crowds at LA’s El […]

If I asked you to name a Styx song, I bet within two seconds you could spout one off: “Renegade,” “Lady,” “Crystal Ball,” “Blue Collar Man,” “Too Much Time On My Hands.” Still touring, still selling out venues large and small, Styx was an iconic band of the 1970’s that remains still relevant in today’s […]

I decided to take a little time off from the pile-up of additional projects (like this column) during the holidays, un-clutter my schedule, & try to catch up on life.  While it is good to be back, I believe it was a wise move.  The majority of us working in the music biz are self-employed, […]