Words by Vicki I'm not a casual concertgoer. I've been known to say that I'm fine with hanging out in the back of the crowd, only to find myself pushing my way to the front as the band takes the stage. In the weeks leading up to a show, I usually make a point to study up on the bands and familiarize myself with their material. I like being able to recognize the songs as they're being played, and I want to get as much out of the experience as possible. [...]
We may not be knights, but we've spent plenty of nights debating bands and records, and what we have to show for it today is this here roundtable. The Shins are, at this point, an indie institution, bursting forth from relative obscurity to mainstream-ish adoration, undergoing lineup changes at frontman James Mercer's behest, spawning side projects (well, side project), and all the while soundtracking our breakups, seasonal depressions, self-affirmative comebacks, and general emotional developments/devolutions. Where better to look now than tomorrow, and the Port of Morrow , more specifically. We have our thoughts, you have yours, and [...]
It's that time again, friends, time to gather around the table and share our thoughts on certain special albums. The subject this time is Sharon Van Etten -the woman, the myth, the legend. Alright, there's nothing really mythical about her but she is a legendary woman, and her newest album, Tramp , is released and ready for listening and debate. We have all eight of our writers contributing their thoughts here. Dig in, explore our opinions, and share your own in the comments! Sharon Van Etten / Serpents [...]
Photo by Emily Shur Words by Vicki Something that's always thrilled me about music is its ability to transcend words, and yet still convey the meaning they hold. Sure, I may never know what Jonsi of Sigur Rós is saying, but that's not stopping him and his band from making powerful, moving music. The same is true of any talented musician singing in a foreign tongue. Take Mexican singer-songwriter Ximena Sariñana . Though she's often singing in Spanish, her meaning is [...]
It's that time of year to look back on the past 12 months and say "what the hell happened to the last 12 months?!". It's also that time of year where us music bloggers and self-proclaimed critics take the time to put together some Best Of lists for your reading pleasure. They don't really mean a whole lot and you can love 'em or leave 'em, but it seems like the right thing to do to sum up the year in preparation of the next. This year we're featuring personal lists from all of our fantastic writers. [...]
[The New Classics is a reoccurring segment in which we examine our favorite indie releases that are bound to replace our parent's "classic rock" stash hidden in the attic or the basement. These aren't reviews, these are unedited testimonies and opinions about why we love what we love. Can we get a witness?] Words by Vicki Album: Troubadour Artist: K'Naan Released: February 24, 2009 Label: A&M/Octone Producers: Gerald [...]
Words by Vicki If the name didn't already give it away, Grouplove is a happy, hippie band. The duo of Hannah Hooper and Christian Zucconi met in New York in 2009, and traveled together to an artists' residency program on the Isle of Crete. While there, they met the other three members of the band (Sean Gadd, Ryan Rabin, and Andrew Wessen) and enjoyed their own personal Bon Iver cabin-in-the-woods moment, secluded away from friends and family with music creation the only item on their agenda. They [...]
Words by Vicki If the name didn't already give it away, Grouplove is a happy, hippie band. The duo of Hannah Hooper and Christian Zucconi met in New York in 2009, and traveled together to an artists' residency program on the Isle of Crete. While there, they met the other three members of the band (Sean Gadd, Ryan Rabin, and Andrew Wessen) and enjoyed their own personal Bon Iver cabin-in-the-woods moment, secluded away from friends and family with music creation the only item on their agenda. They [...]
Words by Vicki Artist: Real Estate Album: Days Released: October 18, 2011 Label: Domino If you're super into indie music, or anything, really, it helps to have friends who share your obsession. I'm lucky to have several, one of them being my friend Annie D. Annie wrote me an e-mail on March 25, 2010 (Gmail won't let me forget), telling me I should come with her to see this new band, Real Estate , at Pitt's Public Health Auditorium. I don't [...]
Rachael Yamagata, with Mike Viola / Club Café / Saturday 11.05.2011 / Doors 8:00 / $18 Words by Vicki I think Rachael Yamagata might be spying on me. That's my only explanation for how much I can relate to her music; it seems like somehow, some way, she knows what I'm going through and then puts it into song. Her three full-length albums cover a wide spectrum of emotions, and there's always something that matches my mood. Her smoky voice sings with the [...]
Words by Vicki. Video by Julie Van Wassen. Let's get something out of the way upfront. I'd be lying if I said tUnE-yArDs was new to me (though I'm not lying when I say that band name is really annoying to type.) And yeah, that makes this the second "new to us" piece in a row I've done where I already knew of the band for a while. But in this case, I really can't imagine writing about any other artist. See, I've been abroad on a business trip in India [...]
Words by Vicki. Video by Julie Van Wassen. Let's get something out of the way upfront. I'd be lying if I said tUnE-yArDs was new to me (though I'm not lying when I say that band name is really annoying to type.) And yeah, that makes this the second "new to us" piece in a row I've done where I already knew of the band for a while. But in this case, I really can't imagine writing about any other artist. See, I've been abroad on a business trip in India [...]
Langhorne Slim & The Law, with Matrimony / Mr. Small's / 10.04.2011 / 8:00 / $13 Words by Vicki I don't watch a lot of music videos nowadays, besides the Lady Gaga extravaganzas, but I was first introduced to Langhorne Slim via music video. Watch, and meet me on the other side: Langhorne Slim , "Restless" . Intrigued? I certainly was, and not just by the weird log dude, but by Mr. Slim's rough, scratchy voice and [...]
Words and photos by Vicki Earlier this year, when I was debating whether or not to attend Bonnaroo (this is the last time I'm going to talk about Bonnaroo—I think) I ultimately decided to go because of the value. I see a ton of shows every year and spend lots of money on tickets, so paying $230 for my four-day pass to constant concerts at Bonnaroo was a steal. Plus, I figured that when these artists came through town on their respective tours, there'd be no pressure to buy a ticket to [...]
Words by Vicki / Photos by Julie Van Wassen When I bought my ticket to Foster the People back in June, there was a definite buzz surrounding the band. In the weeks leading up to the show, every time I listened to mainstream radio for more than 10 minutes, I inevitably heard their single, "Pumped Up Kicks." During this time, the band, made up of Mark Foster, Mark Pontius, and Cubbie Fink, toured relentlessly, hit the festival circuit, and made appearances on late night TV. Then they were nominated [...]
Words by Vicki Sometime last October, I was at Brillobox, watching a friend's band finish up their set. They were the opening act that night; the headliner was called Twin Shadow , and I'd never heard of them. I wasn't really interested in hearing this band, but it was cold outside and there was PBR nearby, so I stayed to watch Twin Shadow take the stage. A quick hello and introduction from their Freddie Mercury-esque frontman, and POW — Twin Shadow unleashed a burst of noise [...]
Words by Vicki Sometime last October, I was at Brillobox, watching a friend's band finish up their set. They were the opening act that night; the headliner was called Twin Shadow , and I'd never heard of them. I wasn't really interested in hearing this band, but it was cold outside and there was PBR nearby, so I stayed to watch Twin Shadow take the stage. A quick hello and introduction from their Freddie Mercury-esque frontman, and POW — Twin Shadow unleashed a burst of noise [...]
Vicky Cryer is a new electronic supergroup from Los Angeles. The band features Alex Carapetis (Nine Inch Nails), Dominic Howard (Muse), Mark Stoermer (The Killers), Ray Suen (Flaming Lips) and Jason Hill (Louis XIV). Read more »
Your pre-Carmageddon options: ► Talk to the animals? How about singing to them? Hands (pictured) and Abe Vigoda head up an eight-band lineup tonight for Music in the Zoo: Local Scene Night at the L.A. Zoo. The show is something of an open house-meets-picnic at the zoo, with the evening featuring two bands apiece on four different stages. Also playing: HoneyHoney , Kitten , Big Search , the Allah Las , Mini Mansions and Pollyn . More info and set times here [...]
With his band Louis XIV in the deep freeze after three albums and thousands of miles of touring, singer-guitarist Jason Hill needed a change. The San Diegan moved to L.A., bought a house in Laurel Canyon, built a recording studio he calls "Ulysses" and retreated to "a life of staying at home and making records," he says. As new tunes began to take shape — not unlike Louis XIV's material, songs about love, sex and their related currency — Hill called upon friends old and new to help out with the project. And Vicky Cryer was [...]
Draw Us Lines
Totally Fuzzy
Buzz Bands
Azealia Banks - '1991' [Listen]
THE MASTERSONS — BIRDS FLY SOUTH
