Ah, vinyl. There’s a certain bent appeal and romance in the mental image of a grooved, black disc spinning on a turntable. The debate regarding which medium sounds better (records vs. compact discs) may never be solved as there are convincing arguments on both sides, but like John Cusack said in High Fidelity—“fetish items are not unlike porn” and Magnificent Sevens Records exists to cater to that group of audiophiles who get a thrill out of a record’s warmer, truer...

For those that know the band or have even a passing knowledge of the American underground music scene that came around in the 1980s, there is a portion of the Butthole Surfers’ history, recorded output and lore that is incredibly tantalizing. The backstory goes like this: formed in 1981, Austin’s Butthole Surfers gradually built a cult following on the strength of spectacularly orchestrated (not necessarily on purpose, mind you) and wilfully perverse live performances (outlined in dripping Technicolor in Michael...

Sea Wolf will celebrate the arrival of his long-anticipated debut LP, Leaves in the River (Dangerbird Records), with a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Tuesday, September 25, day of release. The revered storyteller, along with band, recently returned from a second stateside jaunt alongside Silversun Pickups and will embark on a tour with Nada Surf later this fall. Before heading out, the L.A. locals have been tapped to perform their orchestral indie pop alongside French superstars Air, at The Greek...

Oakland, California’s Sleepytime Gorilla Museum teeter into the theatrical prog while still resting in everything from near-classical compositions to chug-chugging metal anthems, and then retreat back into softly spoken studies into “black math” (where 1+1 is, in fact, 0) and the Futurists vs. the Unabomber. Drummer/percussionist Matthias Bossi and vocalist/guitarist/etc Nils Frykdahl thought it commodious and eye opening to welcome Ground Control on the SGM bus (a converted mid-80s full length complete with a sleeping area,...

"Retreat! Retreat!" somebody shouted, and followed by several other people. No, it wasn't an order, but it's a song title from 65 Days Of Static, the band from Sheffield, England who made their way to Bottom Of The Hill, San Francisco. It's probably 65 Days Of Static's most well-known song, thanks to its air share on MTV2. 65 Days Of Static has been hailed as the new Mogwai with their soft-loud, crescendo sound. What sets them apart from other imitators...

While certainly not the best-known member of indie rock assemblage Broken Social Scene (otherwise the “BSS presents” tag probably wouldn’t be appended to the disc), Kevin Drew attacks his content on Spirit If… like he has something to prove. In a sound best described as a host of ghosts in the machine clamoring to be heard, Spirit If… erupts with bracing drums surrounded on all sides with ambient and often comforting complimentary instrumentation that turns propulsive on a second’s notice....

Our good buddies Anti-Flag have a new single, "No Paradise," available to hear exclusively on their MySpace, and a new EP called A Benefit For Victims of Violent Crime which was inspired by a personal tragedy affecting bassist Chris #2's family this year. Not only is this EP an emotional catharsis, but more importantly the proceeds will be going to the Center for Victims of Violence and Crime, a national organization dedicated to assisting families affected by the tragic loss...

There’s something archly bizarre about watching The Flaming Lips play at the zoo to a 9000-plus crowd in their hometown of Oklahoma City. Every time the cameras capturing the show pan back to see the audience from behind the drum kit, it looks like what might be the biggest and most celebrated cult band in the world is playing in a corn field. Surely if a plane passed over the concert, it would have looked strange too; under a halo-shaped...

“I started to doubt that I could even write at all,” Jose Gonzalez says with a reserved laugh as we speak about his new album, In Our Nature. “When I decided to stop touring, I went home in November and decided to stay home until I had the second record finished. And as soon as I started going to the studio on a daily basis, I realized why I liked music, why I liked playing music, because I almost forgot...

Gogol Bordello. The name itself, in the punk rock community, has come to be synonymous with maniacal frenzy, otherworldly roots, thunderous shows, and a message of revolution in amongst all the complainers. Everyone who finds themselves attending a Gogol Bordello show will be struck dumb by the amount of energy, both on stage in the band and rampant through the crowd, which is likened to a rush of adrenaline that simply has a life of its own. It is safe...