AltWeeklies Wire
Tooth & Nail’s Latest Cover Boy, a Grammy-Nominated Seattleitenew

Rural Appalachia is not generally regarded as a breeding ground for the arts, but it was in a house on a hillside in the West Virginia woods that Jordan Butcher cut his teeth as a rock-'n'-roll designer.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
01-25-2010 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Jordan Butcher, Tooth & Nail
Former Seattle Weekly Editor Aja Pecknold’s a Fleet Foxnew

As the paper's former clubs editor, Aja Pecknold churned out blurbs for The Short List, maintained her "Behind the Scenes" column, and penned some lively features. She now serves as point person for all things Fleet Foxes.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
01-04-2010 |
Profiles & Interviews
Maas Media: How a Local Filmmaker Rediscovered Seattle’s Soulnew

As co-producer of the breakout indie hit Humpday, Jennifer Maas had the good fortune of attending Sundance and Cannes this year. She also put the finishing touches on a film of her own, Wheedle's Groove, wrapping up five years of documenting Seattle's forgotten soul scene.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
12-28-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
How a Designer Found a Niche Packaging Music in Something You Can’t Downloadnew
Byron Kalet has been applying the basic conventions of popular song—rhythm and tone—to an audio magazine he calls the Journal of Popular Noise. Recently, he released Residential, a collection of tracks by Foscil that is limited to 300 copies.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
12-07-2009 |
Music
No Subject is Sacred for Vic Chesnutt, Including JFK's Sexploitsnew
All great artists are misunderstood in one way or another. When Vic Chesnutt is considered at all, it's often as a tragic figure whose past missteps continue to haunt him. But throughout his work a salty sense of humor can be found alongside much tenderness, rage, and self-doubt.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
11-30-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
The Cave Singers Craft Songs Underground, After Cereal, in Seattlenew
"Living together makes it so we can play music together more than most people in bands probably do," says guitarist Derek Fudesco. That sense of ease and unhurriedness is the glue that holds the Cave Singers together as a band, and can be heard on their latest record, Welcome Joy.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
10-19-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Welcome Joy, Cave Singers
The Stark Folk of Tiny Vipers is Not for Everyonenew

Jesy Fortino writes dark, contemplative songs that require serious focus from a listener. Actually, these songs (which she records under the moniker Tiny Vipers) don't require focus so much as they slowly entangle the listener like tentacles, pulling you in tight 'til you're left with no choice but to pay close attention.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
07-20-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Shane Tutmarc Heads South to Search for His Soulnew
With his pencil-thin mustache and bowler hat, Tutmarc looks like he could be the star of a 1930s European film. But when he opens his mouth to sing, out comes a brass twang halfway between Dwight Yoakam and a young Steve Earle.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
06-15-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Light in the Attic Releases the "Sgt. Pepper's of French Music"new
Seattle-based Light in the Attic Records has become the first label to release Serge Gainsbourg's Histoire de Melody Nelson in the United States. Knowing this, the question is: Why didn't anyone else ever think of doing it?
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
04-06-2009 |
Music
Raphael Saadiq Sees No Need to Update the Old R&B Playbooknew
Raphael Saadiq just wasn't made for these times. Then again, maybe he was. Out of step he may be, but not out of touch.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
03-09-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
How Classical Composer Nico Muhly Became an Indie-Rock Darlingnew
And learned to hate Sasha Frere-Jones.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
08-19-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Seminal Seattle Grunge Group Green River Reunites for a One Nightnew

Eight months ago Mark Arm, current Mudhoney front man and Sub Pop warehouse manager, e-mailed his old friends Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, Alex Vincent, Steve Turner, and Bruce Fairweather to see if they'd be interested in bringing their now-legendary band Green River together for Sub Pop's anniversary.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
07-15-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Unlikely Pairing of Earth and Jeese Sykes Bring Ambient Doom Metal and Roots Music Closernew
Since Sykes and Earth front man Dylan Carlson met, the individual styles of both Earth and Sykes' band, Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter, have begun to resemble each other.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
06-30-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Wolf Parade Brings Order to Its Packnew

Where once Wolf Parade's top dogs walked divergent paths, their new album finds them working together with brilliant results.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
06-17-2008 |
Reviews
Flight of the Conchords' Special Deliverynew
Walking the line between tribute and mockery is easy; just use a Kiwi accent.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
04-28-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews