It’s no surprise that a songwriter as legendary and prolific as Frank Black, aka Black Francis, aka Charles Thompson, needed to put out a greatest hits record. Undeniably one of the hardest working and original musicians on earth, the man is a songwriting machine. Frank Black’s greatest hits CD set titled Frank Black 93–03 is only on 2 CDs. Disc 1 is composed of 22 tracks spanning 9 albums and disc 2 contains 9 various live tracks. If I had...
(Last month I explained how the punk rock explosion of the late 70s shaped my musical taste for years to come. It wasn't just that I developed a liking for loud, aggressive music, although that did happen. The early days of punk were notable for a broad experimentation, and I grew to love and search for that innovative spirit. This month I'm going to explain how a change in my living, and therefore musical, situation caused me to open my...
If UNKLE had some master plan to lure me into listening to their latest album War Stories by packaging the promo in a sweet cardboard envelope with images of monochromatic Joshua trees and skeletons on the cover, it worked. Let’s face it, it gets pretty old getting yet another janky promo with no artwork. James Lavelle made quite the effort on this latest album, the first on his Surrender All label. And hot damn, what an album. First off, compulsory...
“It is only just begun/…don’t forget to close your eyes” singer/songwriter Rose Kemp advises and comforts in the opening track, “Little One” – a fair, and thoughtful, warning to the listeners not knowing what is fast approaching. “How long is this? Will I fall asleep?” Kemp hails from Bristol, England, home to many working artists of all mediums. Growing up around her parents’ folk-rock project, Steeleye Span, she found her voice and talent at an early age while performing alongside...
When I first spoke with Lou Barlow, it was under very different circumstances than the second time around. The last week of February in 2003 found the singer, songwriter and bassist contemplating what was to happen next as, with the record of the moment, The New Folk Implosion, in the can for a new label and a national tour looming, he was trying to figure out if he was where he wanted to be as he walked up the streets...
It is possible to compare the recording studio to a painter’s canvas—both are tools used to record and preserve the artist’s ideas, tendencies, and, well, art. The main difference, though, is that musicians rarely own a studio whereas a painter without a canvas is simply a person with ideas. Booking studio time is costly and can be seen as a hindrance; the time spent on recording is limited to the amount of money one is willing to spend, or even...
For all of those worried that all their favorite Independent bands were slowly selling out their sound for fancy cars and soundtrack deals (I’m looking in your direction The Shins); rest assured: Indie-Pop is alive and well, particularly in the hands of Philly rockers, The A-Sides. Forming in 2002 and releasing their debut album, Hello, Hello, in 2005, they have been on and off the radar ever since. Most recently, The A-Sides will be gearing up for the release of...
The minute I received the Kemado Records compilation Invaders, released early last year, a song blasted in my ears that made me feel like it was 1987 again, when metal actually meant something. The first notes of “Circle of Servants Bodies” is metal at its finest, but the thing I couldn’t figure out was, why doesn’t this sound like anything else? They didn’t copy anyone, they just played hard—REALLY hard—Metal, with a sense of originality that basically says, “We don’t...
There were so many outstanding moments on this year’s Vans Warped Tour. The mere fact is that this is our first Vans Warped Tour and we had no idea what to expect. However, not only did Warped Tour meet our expectations, it completely surpassed it. I think the single greatest aspect about the tour is that there were so many great bands that I have listened to for some time and finally had the opportunity to meet them, and hang...
Buck 65 was on the tip of everyone's tongues in 2005 with his critically acclaimed record, This Right Here is Buck 65, a collection of songs from 5 previous works, that was lauded by critics. While Buck 65 found great success in America, his label V2 was on it's last leg and following his record's release, they folded. While waiting to get through the music business red tape, he made a record with revered band Tortoise (which saw no American...