Sophomore years suck. The sparkling shiny newness the world carried Freshman year has worn off, yet you’re not advanced enough (say, Seniority status) to just give the authorities the finger and walk. No, you’re stuck in jaded misanthropy, knowing just enough to avoid the soda machine that steals your quarters and the jock table, but not enough to really advance yourself. I’m referring to the world of music, of course. Sophomore albums have the bad habit of leaving a sour...

“Are you the guy with the food?” It’s a beautiful Sunday night in Philadelphia and Laura and I are on surprisingly animated South Street that reminds me of a more subdued Las Vegas strip. Over the years, I’ve heard that South Street has gone downhill; that the shops and the visitors have gone to a more relevant and hipper spot, but tonight at least, that doesn’t seem to be the case. The point is that we’re outside of the Theatre...

When last we heard from Pink Mountaintops, the band had released Axis Of Evol and looked like the only band with the sand to try and wrest the championship of 'underground genius' from Microphones/Mount Eerie visionary Phil Elvrum. Axis certainly made the band seem like an able contender – the sound was bigger, more polished and breathtaking as a result when stacked against Elvrum's indie-informed and obviously budget tape recorded fare – but, for reasons that have never really become...

It could be the international side of my blood, but I feel an instant connection to men with facial hair. Weird, I know. Yet still I will announce it for the reason that you all must know that rocking a stylistic facial hair design that Marc Romboy is often seen touting is quite a task to take care of. Respect Marc. Respect. Marc has been in the music scene for over a decade, bringing us music from Monchengladbach, Germany. Over...

The unfortunate truth of the music press is that it is often a very narrow passageway through which the same information is passed to the public via a multitude of outlets and the resulting coverage – no matter how innovative or celebrated it might be – is really only a case of variations on the same theme with the only difference being the rhetoric that appears between point A and point B. It gets difficult for interview subjects to regurgitate...

When last we heard from Pink Mountaintops (but not from mastermind Stephen McBean, he's stayed visible with Black Mountain along with a variety of other endeavors), they had just released Axis Of Evol and looked like the only band with the sand to try and wrest the championship of 'underground genius' from Microphones/Mount Eerie visionary Phil Elvrum. Axis certainly made the band sound like an able contender – the sound was bigger and breathtaking stacked against Elvrum's indie-informed and obviously...

There's no arguing that The Tragically Hip have remained Canada's most enduring musical export since Up To Here launched the group to the top of the rock pile in 1989, but it would be hard to contend that the band hasn't made some questionable artistic turns in the years since. After the lights went out and the cord was cut on the Phantom Power album cycle in 1999, The Hip knocked their fan base squarely on its ass with the...

I have a very interesting relationship with Bloc Party. When they first hit the scene in 2004 with “Helicopter” and “Banquet,” I was all about them because I was a DJ and these cuts ruled the dancefloor—and still do. But, since I was so focused on their upbeat jams, I didn’t really pay much attention to the rest of Silent Alarm. I know, it’s sad and stupid, but that was the deal unfortunately. And when A Weekend in the City...

I have a good vibe every time I'm told an artist is playing at The Music Box. It's so much fun to have every type of way to see an artist in one venue. Upper-level seats with good cushions, large up-front dance floor and an outdoor upper balcony, which happened to be turned into what was intended to be the after-party once the concert was over. When I first arrived at The Music Box, I was wondering who would be...

Even as NOFX kicked off their tour in October last year, the path was already set, the band simply hadn't had the time to start walking it. The songs for a new album were written and ready to go, it was just a matter of squaring away a little bit of time to sit down and get the job done; but that doesn't mean that singer “Fat” Mike Burkett wouldn't talk about what his band had in the pipe for...