AltWeeklies Wire
Classy Reunionsnew
The New York Dolls and Gang of Four return to rock. The Phoenix interviews the Dolls's David Johansen and Gang of Four's Hugo Burnham.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
05-10-2005 |
Profiles & Interviews
Conversation Pieces: Tori Amos in Song and Otherwisenew
The quirky diva discusses her new CD, her new book, her many frames of reference, terrorists and orange knickers.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
04-11-2005 |
Profiles & Interviews
Legendary Parts: The Slint Legacy Becomes Realitynew
Slint has reunited for a tour. When they called it quits in 1991, that wasn’t headline news. Over the next dozen years, however, they would take on a legendary, almost sacred status.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
03-23-2005 |
Profiles & Interviews
Killing Time: Ike Reilly Assassination is America's Best-Kept Secretnew
Critics have had a hard time deciding whether the Ike Reilly Assassination are the best bar band in America or, more potently, a vehicle for a gifted songwriter to fuse the wise-ass ramblings of Dylan with the lovable underachiever fight songs of the Replacements.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
03-11-2005 |
Profiles & Interviews
Independent Spiritsnew
Getting to the roots of Ani DiFranco's Knuckle Down: the strong-willed singer-songwriter talks about relinquishing a bit of independence.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
02-03-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: Ani DiFranco, Knuckle Down
From the Political to the Personalnew
Politics and music mixed this year in a way that reviewer Matt Ashare hasn't seen since he bought Let Them Eat Jellybeans (Alternative Tentacles) during the Reagan presidency and sang along to "Jesus Entering from the Rear." And against his better judgment, it made him care about the world beyond his iPod headphones in a way that he hasn’t in some time.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
12-29-2004 |
Reviews
Beyond Morphinenew
Sandbox reveals just how much there was to Mark Sandman -- the full experience included everything from the minimal instrumentation of Morphine to his larger configurations with a full horn section, guitar, four-string bass, and keyboards.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
12-10-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: Mark Sandman, Sandbox
Legendary Artists' Works Come Out Againnew
With the holiday spirit in mind, we offer a sampling of some of the more interesting sonic and visual treats that are hitting the racks this year.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
12-10-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: Various Artists, Various Titles, Crooked Rain Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus Another State of Mind, Join the Dots: B-sides and Rarities The Clash, London Calling Pavement, Matador at Fifteen Old Enough to Know Better: 15 Years of Merge Records Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection The Cure
Nirvana-Shaped Boxnew
With the Lights Out gets at the music behind the myth. Not merely a greatest-hits package or retrospective, the new box set is a revealing look inside the musical mess that was Nirvana.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
12-03-2004 |
Music
Tags: Nirvana, With the Lights Out
Black is Backnew
The Pixies' leader talks about the break-up, the reunion, and the band's return to Boston.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
11-29-2004 |
Profiles & Interviews
Big Nothingsnew
If bleakness blankets singer-songwriter Elliott Smith's posthumously released CD, that doesn't mark a major change in tone from his previous albums.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
11-22-2004 |
Music
The Sun Shines on R.E.M.new
Michael Stipe talks about how R.E.M. regained its footing as the enigmatic yet accessible pop band that made the journey from indie-rockdom to major-label stardom.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
10-28-2004 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: r.e.m., Around the Sun
Borough Boysnew
Even in this election year, the Beastie Boys seem reluctant to let their playful guards down. The Boston Phoenix does its best to draw the amused and amusing Adam Horowitz out of his Beastie Boy shell.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
10-19-2004 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Beastie Boys, NA
Johnny Ramone: 1949-2004new
Johnny Ramone was the guitar player who without uttering a word showed all the other punks how to do it.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
09-24-2004 |
Music
Political Notesnew
Music has played an important role in every American election since George Washington waltzed into office.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
09-10-2004 |
Politics
