There are some bands that, as sticky-sweet as they are, have no obvious edge of cynicism or irony anywhere in their music and so, because of that, casting disparaging criticisms in the direction of any sound they make is akin to kicking a puppy – such actions...
There is both an up and a downside to being in a band with a distinct look and sound. On one hand, being unique means that your music and image are instantly synonymous with the name which ostensibly means that there is an instantly recognizable brand in play that...
While the term gets thrown around so much that its value has been diminished exponentially, Ani DiFranco has discovered what it truly means to have a “life-altering event.” Typically speaking, a life-altering event tends to be one that, when it...
When Nickelback released All The Right Reasons in 2005, they surprised detractors by spontaneously evolving beyond the regretful, hard-feelings driven and sexually degrading rock the made their name on and got reflective; looking inward as well as out and actually...
For a good half a decade, Belle & Sebastian made the kind of florid, ramshackle indie pop that hadn't been seen since the first few albums by the Smiths. While they didn't have a white hot guitar player, they did have an unerring sense of melody and...
Since appearing with Definitely Maybe in 1994, tabloids the world over have (in some cases) built empires upon the tempestuous sibling rivalry of Oasis’ brothers Gallagher and the exploits that such behavior has driven them to. Some of those stories – like...
It’s really unfortunate that Against Me! made the jump to a major label when they did, it meant that an exponentially larger group of people were able to bear witness to the band’s single greatest creative folly or – worse – became fans of the...
Since Joe Strummer‘s passing, the proliferation of greatest hits packages, movie soundtracks, compilations of dubious origin and other “treasures” that ostensibly pay lip service to The Clash has increased at a rate of about one and a half per year...
On a cold, San Franciscan Sunday night, TV on the Radio ruined at least one song for me. Jerks. I mean, seriously, I can’t be expected to listen to “A Method” again, without recalling the 12-piece instrumental orgy that took place on stage at the...
Coming out to the Hard Rock Cafe on a Thursday evening is kind of like the atmosphere of any other touristy/family restaurant with rock memorabilia on the walls. Chicken fingers, high chairs and cool drink coasters. But instead of a jukebox there is a somewhat decent...