The thought and popular image of those artists lucky enough to get to make music for a living is often greatly romanticized by those outside of the business. On the outside looking in, fans envision professional musicians as often leading a life of leisure as...
Who says that, after a career spent mining the sadder end of the emotional spectrum and winning healthy amounts of praise for it, changing creative streams is a bad idea? Sure, such moves might mean alienating that meticulously cultivated fan base, but Morrissey has...
The further that one gets from home, the more attractive a return must look. With Danger Mouse's help, Akron's Black Keys extended the scope of and possibilities for their incendiary alt-blues on 2008's Attach & Release to well beyond the points that...
Sometimes, even when a moment or event seems predestined to pass, it's still surprising because it plays out exactly as expected and without a single thing out of place. Two Tongues' self-titled debut is the epitome of that kind of moment; after first convening...
I thoroughly enjoy life a little bit more when bands like this come with full-on albums. You know when a small, very new and up and coming band pack a huge punch with their debut album you’ve got a good thing to have an ear-affair with. Sure, your true love may...
After suffering through six so-called "metal" bands during the previous 28 hours, I needed a dose of real metal more than the junkies across the street from my house need their methadone. Fortunately Meshuggah hit Slims' stage at precisely 10:26PM...
Some people are born with musical talent that is nurtured over time into something like brilliance. Others spend a lifetime working hard at achieving a level of ability that allows them to perform music outside of school amphitheaters and bowling alleys. Then there are...
In spite of the volumes of publicity paperwork in circulation earnestly stating the contrary, it would be difficult to say that there are many professional musicians who are actually working hard. The business has become an attractive life of leisure as established...
After so much evidence to the contrary, it would be difficult to say that there are many musicians working at a professional level who are really working hard. The business has become an attractive life of leisure to many working in it as they take progressively longer...
Portland's pop-rock-trio The Thermals announced a release date for their upcoming album on Kill Rock Stars, Now We Can See. Look for it to hit shelves on April 7, 2009. As an act of goodwill for their fans, they released the title track, "Now We Can See,"...