AltWeeklies Wire
This Little Undergroundnew
In this new reality, the Middle East is in the global spotlight like never before. Although American awareness of the region is at a zenith, our view of it continues to be slanted, narrow and impersonal. All the more reason to thank whoever it is you worship for a film like Heavy Metal in Baghdad, the provocative new Vice Films documentary.
Orlando Weekly |
Bao Le-Huu |
06-26-2008 |
Music
Rebirth Brass Band's Drummer Hopes to Train Another Generation of Local Musiciansnew
Derrick Tabb's Roots of Music is an independent year-round music program for New Orleans children.
Two Queer Legends of Indie Rock and Queercore Look Backnew
Pansy Division's Jon Ginoli and Camper Van Beethoven's Victor Krummenacher got together recently to talk about the way it was, coming out in the repressed 1980s and coming into their own experientially, politically, and musically in 1990s San Francisco -- each, as Krummenacher puts it, a "gay guy suddenly in Candyland."
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Kimberly Chun |
06-25-2008 |
Music
No Travel Visa Required on This Global Music Voyagenew
Every week, new music shows up in my mailbox from around the globe, and most of it is stuff I think audiophiles around these parts need to hear. This week: England Prince Fatty, Calypso Gold and John McKinstry.
New Times Broward-Palm Beach |
Jonathan Cunningham |
06-24-2008 |
Music
Halftime Report: Examining the Most Buzzed About Albums of the Yearnew
Taking stock of some of the top releases thus far (Al Green learns to Lay It Down), flops (Trina is not Still Da Baddest), and annoyances (Mariah Carey — nobody but Nick Cannon even cares anymore), here's a look at some of 2008's most talked-about albums.
New Times Broward-Palm Beach |
Jonathan Cunningham |
06-24-2008 |
Music
Bill Bentley Creates Website for Boomer Music Fansnew
April marked the launch of Sonic Boomers (www.sonicboomers.com), a website Bentley hopes will serve as something like Pitchfork for the older set, or maybe something like No Depression on the web.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
06-24-2008 |
Music
Major Labels Could Learn a Thing or Two About File-Sharing from Lil Waynenew
Lil Wayne's Tha Carter III, which came out June 10 on Universal subsidiary Cash Money, was one of the most anticipated albums of 2008, even though the sheer amount of material Wayne has already released in the past year -- including dozens of web-only tracks and several album-length mix tapes -- threatened to try his fans' patience as well as overload their hard drives.
Chicago Reader |
Miles Raymer |
06-24-2008 |
Music
Your R. Kelly's-been-acquitted Mixtapenew
It's become reasonable to suspect that if you're rich enough or famous enough, there's little you can be put in prison for. Combine the two, and you couldn't be convicted if you wanted to -- even if you committed your crime on videotape.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Brian McManus |
06-23-2008 |
Music
Sub Pop's Twentieth Anniversary Spurs Denver's Unlikeliest Band Reunionnew
The Fluid was the first group based outside the Pacific Northwest to ink with Sub Pop, the indie that served as the launching pad for what became known as the grunge sound; as such, it became a key component of a musical revolution that helped define the late-'80s/early-'90s rock era.
Is Hipster Metal for Assholes?new
Lately, like scores of other music critics, I've been getting into some "hipster-metal bands," so named because guys like us listen to them. Real metal dudes hate people like me. And that certainly includes D.X. Ferris, my co-worker and author of a new book about Slayer's Reign in Blood, which is apparently some sort of classic metal album.
Cleveland Scene |
Michael Gallucci and D.X. Ferris |
06-20-2008 |
Music
How US Terror Policy is Ruining Your Summer Concert Seasonnew
Summer concert season has just begun, but some of your favorite acts won't be coming to a city anywhere near you -- they'll be stranded in visa purgatory.
Boston Phoenix |
Jason O'Bryan |
06-19-2008 |
Music
Where's This Year's Song of the Summer?new
After Gnarls Barkley raised the bar, we're still waiting for this summer's hook-filled hit. And Walter Meego has my vote.
New York Press |
Greg Burgett |
06-19-2008 |
Music
Air Guitar Tips from Bjorn Turoquenew
Team U.S.A. is touring 24 cities, looking for rockers who can compete in the national finals in San Francisco and the world championships on Finland's Kuusisaari Island. Here's how to be one of them.
Willamette Week |
Casey Jarman |
06-18-2008 |
Music
Airness Achieved at Minneapolis Regional Air Guitar Championshipnew
What is "airness," and how does one know when "airness" has been achieved?
City Pages (Twin Cities) |
Andrea Myers |
06-18-2008 |
Music
Jeremy Goody Shifts Gears to Keep Pace with a Changing Industrynew
The wannabe Depeche Moder turned accidental rap producer turned improbable Latin jazzman has become a figurehead in the East Bay recording industry without ever getting real name recognition.
East Bay Express |
Rachel Swan |
06-18-2008 |
Music
