Ah, sweet Wowee Zowee. The difficult third album. The one that true blue Pavement-philes derive the greatest pleasure in championing: it’s neither the definitive classic (Slanted & Enchanted) as deemed by establishment rock journos nor the beloved-by-girlfriends, 120 Minutes mainstay (Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain). No, with its mixture of kaleidoscopic songwriting and generously baked jams, Wowee was destined to be embraced by a rare breed of snobbish rock fan, blaring from only the loneliest of dorm rooms in 1995 and...

The Cold War Kid’s debut full-length album Robbers & Cowards out on Downtown Recordings is more or less a compilation of songs found on previously released EPs. Singer Nathan Willett’s amazing vocal pitch and dexterity is probably the first thing you’ll notice as you make your way through this record. The second track on the album, “Hang Me Up to Dry,” will undoubtedly paralyze you with its overwhelmingly hooky bass line and vocal melody followed by the funky surf guitar...

In the weeks before the 2006 CMJ Music Conference, the annual music industry event which takes place in Manhattan every year, I have done possibly more research and preparation than I have for any other industry event in my life. Why? Well, I have decided that I want to “maximize my experience.” I have listened to clips of bands I never want to hear ever again, I have investigated MySpace pages, I have RSVP’d to promo reps and typed things...

Billed as a cultural exposé of sorts, encompassing the realms of music, art and fashion—the Be the Riottt festival, which took place at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in November, was never going to live up to its far-reaching intent, but it did put together a line-up that was pretty amazing. The top draw acts were a crazy mixture of the hip and the hip-hop: The Rapture, Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, Explosions in the Sky as well as The Clipse, Sage...

If turning something old into something new is what’s going on in music right now, then Toronto’s k-os is the man. His third record since 2003, and first for new label Virgin, clearly puts him as one of the most creative and talented musicians and producers in the game right now. The first track off 2007’s Atlantis: Hymns for Disco, “Electrik Heat – The Seekwill,” is yet another take on the “Funky Drummer” break, but there’s homage and a fresh...

“The original blueprint was to combine Carl Craig or early Warp records sounds with that of German groups like Kraftwerk and CAN,” explains David Best of UK’s newest innovation, Fujiya & Miyagi, about their 2007 release Transparent Things. “I like the fact that we can incorporate different styles into our music and it hopefully still sounds like us.” From the first note on “Ankle Injuries,” your ears perk up like when you’re driving down the freeway and you hear a...

Man, everything about The Rapture is fun fun fun! Plain and simple, feeling good is their straight-up agenda. It’s in their name, it’s in their lyrics, it’s in their sound, it’s in who they chose to open and it’s for goddamned sure in their live shows. The clarity of the band’s intentions means everyone shows up ready, willing and eager to stomp the shit out of the floor. It’s in the air before the lights go down—everyone in the place...

It’s sort of perilous to review The Knife’s stage show like any other quote unquote rock show because in many ways it comes off more as performance art than live music. Clad in head-to-toe face-obscuring costumes and standing in front and behind projection screens, there’s plenty to watch but not a lot being played live. That being said, the projections are brilliant and singer Karen Dreijer’s vocals come off pristine. While she hesitantly dances around the mic, her brother Olof...

Buzz darlings the Cold War Kids have taken it upon themselves to gain ridiculous amounts of frequent flyer miles in the month of January by booking themselves at weekly residencies on both coasts. Wednesday nights are in NYC, and Fridays in LA. Thursdays are for mainlining Nyquil and watching The Office. Go Team Karen! Dates are as follows: 1/05 (FRI) – Open Bookstore, LA 1/10 (WED) – Pianos, NYC 1/12 ( FRI) – Silverlake Lounge, LA 1/17 (WED) – Union...

GoldenVoice announced today that the 2007 version of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival will be expanded to three days–Friday April 27th through Sunday April 29th. Then, if that wasn’t enough live music, the Empire Polo Grounds will play host to an as-yet-unnamed two day country music festival the following week. Geez, three days? I think that if you camp in the parking lot the whole time, that constitutes a spirit walk. Then the Indian casinos have to give...