The pairing of Daft Punk and The Rapture is one of those genius moves of billing that might be best understood by underpaid music writers who have nothing better to do than think about these things. On the one hand, you've got The Rapture—one-time skronky...
Vegas is obviously the capital of debauchery and awesome stories that trail off midway through with sheepish grins and awkward glances. But apart from The Killers and Frank Sinatra, you'd be hard pressed to name any music that's associated with Sin City that...
Hands down, the best cupcakes are fun-fetti cupcakes. You know, the ones with the little neon colored flavoring balls? And fun-fetti frosting is even better. It is my sincere belief that fun-fetti cupcakes are the food analogue to Animal Collective. Crazy? Yes. Weird?...
Bill Callahan, formerly a.k.a. Smog, a.k.a. , is taking to the highways and byways of America this fall in support of Woke on a Whaleheart, his latest album on Drag City. The tour is his first sans moniker, and will be opened up by renowned acoustic guitarist Sir...
Self-proclaimed “Flower Punkers” The Black Lips just announced a new record and a huge-ass tour, beginning the day after their September 11th release of Good Bad Not Evil (Vice). Their 5th album in 4 years, these Atlanta-natives are nothing short of...
Every generation has a band that is perhaps too complicated to fully comprehend, but once you take a step back and allow the vivid soundscapes to envelop your body and seep into your veins, it begins to make sense. Sigur Ros is one of those bands. Being a fan for...
1993. High school parking lots, headphones, closed bedroom doors—Smashing Pumpkins were everywhere the disaffected youth needed them. Notebooks bore the long, skinny heart logo and guitar teachers taught simple, memorable songs like “Disarm” and...
There was nary a distortion pedal in sight. The evening was clean and crisp like a boot camp bunk—except, of course, for Rob Crow's formidable beard. Perhaps it was said beard that needed all the room that The Grove of Anaheim provided. And provide room it...
I have to be cautious with my wording when I recommend Gogol Bordello to friends. Foremost, I have to make sure they understand the extreme matter-of-fact tone that I use when I say they are undoubtedly the greatest live act currently performing. Certainly, I could...
Of all the events of my life that have led me to be the audiophile that I am, none was more shaping than a week of summer camp in which my counselor mentioned to me that I should listen to the new Radiohead album, OK Computer. This was mid-July 1997. Since my counselor...