After catching a somewhat condensed set by Disturbed at last year's Rockstar Mayhem Festival, I realized a few things about the band. First of all, they are all incredibly talented musicians and about as tight a band you will ever see live. On top of that, singer...
Given that Blackie And The Rodeo Kings’ core lineup has been stable since the band’s formation and those core members have enjoyed lengthy, celebrated solo careers, the fact that there are still a few people out there reading this note and wondering to...
The lasting impact that a musician makes on pop culture is almost impossible to gauge at a certain point because, when you really think about it, eventually a trait or approach once considered to be a signature characteristic to a particular artist’s sound...
Following a break-up album is never an easy task, and when its one as painfully heartfelt as Bon Iver's debut darling For Emma, Forever Ago, the charge is doubly difficult. Where do you go after you've poured out your heart on your first album? For Justin...
A rat is something we all feel is unwanted in our life. We would scream “rodent!” and throw bricks. A mouse on the other hand has a completely different feeling for us. We all grew up with a mouse on our television with big black ears almost as big as its...
To all good things, an end must come and, for Geoff Berner, Klezmer Mongrels marks the conclusion of a three-year journey that has found him winning audiences in the most unlikely of ways. Immediately after unveiling his unique brand of punk-looking, trad-informed...
After covering three big arena shows during the last month of 2008, it was time to get back to my roots. I may have turned 40 less than a month ago, but there is still something very appealing to me about a hot, sweaty, loud venue packed full of metalheads. And maybe...
It’s been thirty years now since Howlin’ Wolf died and, in the decades since his passing, no one has matched the raw vocal power that he commanded. Wolf could punch listeners in the guts and wind them with just one syllable of course, but it was when he...
Can a leopard actually change his spots? With the proliferation of splinter celled bands and “super groups” that have appeared over the last few years (The White Stripes begat The Raconteurs, both The Bastards and The Transplants have wormed their way out...
Portland's Dead Trees burst onto the scene last year with the deliciously shambling Fort Music EP, a ragged morsel of guitar-pop crumpet that winked knowingly at the Beatles and the Clash while delivering big-chorus fun and grimy, vintage amp sounds aplenty. King...