Archive
Heartless Bastards hit the mark with confident Arrow
In articles about Erika Wennerstrom, singer and leader of the Heartless Bastards, the term “shy” crops up time after time. Whether meeting people at a party or fronting her band before a cast of thousands, Wennerstrom’s first…
Trent Dabbs and Amy Stroup take us back to the lighthearted music of the 50s and 60s
In times of joblessness and Standard & Poors downgrades worlwide, Sugar + the Hi-Lows have created a lively, playful album. “With the climate of everything right now – with the economy – you could write the most…
Human Again is Ingrid Michaelson's strongest release yet
Ingrid Michaelson has made a career of being emotional, quirky and waltzing to her own drumbeat. Her lyrics have ranged from lovey-dovey and witty to heartbroken and sharp as a knife, all while singing in a voice…
All the Usual Shearwater Stuff (Birds, Animals, Excellence) Spun In a More Positive Direction
On Animal Joy, Shearwater has mustered up its most absolutely cheery work to date. Now, before fans assume the worst, we all know that the bar for cheeriest Shearwater music is pretty damn low. And Animal Joy,…
The Little Willies give a refreshing take on country classics
Full disclosure: I have a pretty serious crush on Norah Jones, so I’m going to do my best to be unbiased here. The Little Willies are an excuse for some great musicians to get together and play…
In America Give Up, Howler belts a familiar sound
What is it about critical thinking nowadays that we compare the latest and greatest band (or fad or leaning) with one in recent memory, when it’s always more complicated than that? Yeah, I know, I do it…
The Beautiful View tries to blend bands’ qualities, but ends up lumpy
The Beautiful View, a four piece from Chula Vista, CA (which translates to “Beautiful View” — see what they did there?), promotes its new album as a mixture of “traditional rock genres from Blondie and even Duran…
Blindingly polished Scrillex EP increases commercial appeal yet diminishes his artistic charm
To paraphrase Princess Leia, Help us, Skrillex, you’re our only hope. And by we, I mean people who want electronic music to be taken seriously by North Americans at large. Use your superpowers for the forces of…
First Aid Kit mends together Swedish sensibilities with Americana in Lion's Roar
I know what you’re thinking: What do Sweden and Nebraska have in common? Funny you should ask. There’s climate for one, as the two share similar summer (July average 75) and winter temps (January average 23). Nearly…
Hats Off to Chevelle for making consistently good music for more than a decade
It’s one of my longest-lasting musical relationships. I first found out about Chevelle when I was a freshman in high school, and while my tastes have evolved a bit since my Linkin Park days, I still dig…