AltWeeklies Wire
The Mantles Keep it in the Family and Create a Cali Pop Classicnew
Fueled by friendship and romance, the Mantles are relaxed enough to enjoy absurdity, whether it arrives in the form of a shirtless dude in a Yoda mask or entails playing the role of "psychedelic band" and "mid-tempo downer" at a sweltering garage rock party where people are doing cannonballs into a pool.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Johnny Ray Huston |
09-16-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: The Mantles, indie pop
Despite Shoegaze Sound and Forlorn Name, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are a Joy to the Earsnew
Stifle your groans and suppress that grimace. Sure, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart may be the most emo-ish band name in history. And, yeah, their Belle & Sebastian-esque cover art and cutesy band members are as twee as kittens sliding down rainbows. So, what does that make them -- tweemo? Thankfully, no.
San Diego CityBeat |
AnnaMaria Stephens |
09-16-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Seattle Rapper D. Black Trades Rhymes for Religionnew
Most musicians with a brand new album would probably spend a Friday night at clubs or music venues, either playing a show or promoting their record. But Black isn't interested in any of that. In fact, he's ready to give up rap entirely.
Seattle Weekly |
Jonathan Cunningham |
09-14-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Chuck's Wagon Makes Australia Safe for Alt-Countrynew
Chuck Stokes learned to love American country-rock the old fashioned way, through a Wyoming construction worker who earned extra money skinning and gutting animals.
Colorado Springs Independent |
Bill Forman |
09-10-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Groundation Jams on More Than Just Reggaenew
For over 10 years, frontman Harrison Stafford has led his spiritualized reggae ensemble from their earliest days in the northern California scene through a world-wide musical journey that continues to aim far.
Charleston City Paper |
T. Ballard Lesemann |
09-09-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Death-Metal Pioneers Obituary are Content to Crush Eardrums at Medium Speednew
Brothers John and Donald Tardy (vocals and drums, respectively) formed the band under the name of Xecutioner in 1985 -- they weren't old enough to vote when they recorded their songs for the Raging Death compilation, released in 1987.
East Bay Express |
Jarret Keene |
09-09-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Prozac Enemas: A rare chat with Weennew
Despite last year's joyous release of an incredible live show from 1992 (Live at The Cat’s Cradle, 1992), all those early years when Ween consisted of Dean and Gene -- two young, talented and hilarious Pennsylvania kids -- and a drum machine seem like ancient history.
Weekly Alibi |
Adam Perry |
09-08-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Ween
Franz Ferdinand Fires Backnew
As matches made in heaven go, Franz Ferdinand and Green Day are nowhere near the top of the list.
The Georgia Straight |
Mike Usinger |
09-04-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Band of Skulls Gets Stripped Down to the Bonenew
For the members of England's Band of Skulls, finding their unique collective voice was a question of trust.
The Georgia Straight |
Mike Usinger |
09-04-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Anders Parker on His New Digs, Albumnew
The singer/songwriter dishes on his move to Burlington and the unusual creative process behind Skyscraper.
Seven Days |
Dan Bolles |
09-04-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Skyscraper, Anders Parker
Vanila Ice: Keepin' It Surrealnew
Vanilla Ice talks about reality TV, his new record and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Las Vegas Weekly |
April Corbin |
09-04-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Busdriver's Rapid-fire Raps Take Aim at Pretty Much Everyonenew
Too intelligent and inventive to resort to Weird Al Yankovic parody, Busdriver's more inclined toward irony and derision, along with wicked wordplay and a healthy dose of self-awareness.
Colorado Springs Independent |
Bill Forman |
09-03-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Elephant 6's The Circulatory System Returnsnew
Talking to Will Cullen Hart is like talking to a tape collage. It is sometimes hard to sort out what is medication, what is self-medication, what is Hart, what is something else.
INDY Week |
Jesse Jarnow |
09-03-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
The Secret Life of Cass McCombsnew
A whispered recluse content in the shadows, McCombs doesn't want to talk about himself. Ever. The roving folk singer politely requests that listeners focus less on his (alleged) prickly persona and more on his craft.
The Portland Mercury |
Ezra Ace Caraeff |
09-03-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Catacombs, Cass McCombs
Obituary: In the Pocketnew
The death-metal pioneers are content to crush eardrums at medium speed.
Tucson Weekly |
Jarret Keene |
09-02-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Darkest Day, Obituary
