What opportune timing Cage The Elephant (or rather, their record label) has. After the announcement came down that Jack White would be embarking upon another side project apart from The White Stripes and The Raconteurs (for those that don't know, it's called Dead Weather and also features members of The Kills), Cage The Elephant's self-titled debut – which has been out in Europe since the middle of 2008 – finally sees release in North America. As “In One Ear” rolls...
Ever have one of those moments when you thought you heard something but, because the context and surroundings in which you heard it just seemed so far off, your brain recoiled and you disregarded it as being a figment of your imagination? Listening to The Birth is something like that. Walking in, you know that Stardeath And White Dwarfs is a band comprised of former members of the Flaming Lips' road crew and the voice involved belongs to Wayne Coyne's...
PJ Harvey and John Parish took the stage in grand style with Harvey appearing barefoot in a flowing black gown and the band wearing dark suits and hats. The stage was set with the drums and keyboards to the right and left respectively leaving a large open area in the center for Harvey to dance around during the performance. This tour is not only in support of their album A Woman A Man Walked By but also drew heavily from...
Minutes after making my way past the hipster kids and pushing my way to the front of the stage, I found myself surprised as the lights dimmed and Dexy and Chris Valentine, who go by the name of Magic Wands, walked out onto the stage. Not only did I not know that they were on the bill, but I knew absolutely nothing about them. But, fortunately it only took about half of their first song before I was intrigued, and...
Why am I such a late-comer to things? Am I stubborn or just out of it? “It” being the so-called “loop,” of course. How so? Well, I’ll refer to my favorite example, which is that I just now got into Crass, and I’m twenty-seven. Twenty-seven! Adding to this, I first heard Animal Collective last year when I decided to pick up Strawberry Jam after, sadly enough, reading the stellar review on Pitchfork, of all places. This is particularly baffling to...
Gliss is like the Petri dish lovechild of shoegaze greats, alternative rock fire-starters, maybe even some dancey hipster DJs and most definitely includes a dip in the gene pool of the psychedelic pop rock of the 1960s. In their latest release, Devotion Implosion, some tracks scream Pablo Honey while others stand as clear spawns of Psycho Candy with an overall adoption and simultaneous adaptation of Siamese Dream. Sprinkled with a little Crimson & Clover over and over, this sophomoric effort...
Sure, you’re reading work from an amazing socialite from Los Angeles. We’re of the best in the world. We have an actor for a Governor. We have palm trees, expensive houses and one of the best coasts in the world. (Eat it, Dubai.) As far as the music scene, we know more than say, Suzie from Alabama. All she knows is how to make a great kicker-can-fried-chicken dish. How low-class. I’m taking this time away from talking to gorgeous women...
There's something to be said for consistency. Since the split of Uncle Tupelo occurred and Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy went their separate ways fifteen years ago, Tweedy's Wilco has released a series of critically lauded records that have found that band treading consistently further from their No Depression roots into new and fascinating territory while, outside of a keeping-up-with-the-Joneses solo effort from Farrar (check out Thirdshiftgrottoslack – it's not bad), his endeavors in Son Volt have remained in line...
Maybe I'm simple or maybe I'm not much of a fan, but has anyone else ever noticed how stylistically wayward Dave Matthews' music has been on an album-to-album basis? Granted, there have usually (and 'usually' is the operative word) been a few common sonic elements that factor in – there is often a horn section appended to the band, Matthews always sings with that characteristic 'Southern Man' twang and Tim Reynolds often waits somewhere in the wings with his guitar...
Someone wise (I think it was Jim Brickman) once said that, if you're going to do anything, do one thing and do it really well. It's such a simple sentiment, but one that so few musicians ever heed; out of some twisted sense of artistic growth or fulfillment, a band will discover a method of operation that makes them household names only to mess with it until no one cares anymore. It's a sad fact, and the list of acts...