AltWeeklies Wire
Sprial Stairs Dishes on His New Album and Pavement's Hyped Reunionnew
Five years after the last Preston School of Industry album was released, Scott Kannberg is ready to present his fans with an album full of material that sounds nothing like his previous bands' output. He's back to being Spiral Stairs, but this time, there's not as much to joke about.
San Diego CityBeat |
Dryw Keltz |
10-14-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Sunny Day Real Estate's Dan Hoerner Leaves a Quiet Life to Play Rock Star Againnew
For Hoerner, a Spokane resident and native, this isn't just a reunion tour. It's a visit to a past life -- a life buried under births and deaths, under 9-to-5 jobs, long-gone fame and quiet anonymity.
The Inlander |
Leah Sottile |
10-08-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Toubab Krewe Branches Out with New Instruments and Geographic Influencesnew
In some ways, Toubab Krewe may actually come closer to giving us a sense of West African music than any Putumayo production. In fact, you could say they're the real deal, were it not for what some ethnology snobs might consider a cultural-appropriation problem: The band hails from Asheville, N.C.
Tucson Weekly |
Linda Ray |
10-07-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Onstage, the Demure Sallie Ford Becomes a Brassy, Magnetic Sirennew
Before and after a song, Sallie Ford is just a 22-year-old girl from North Carolina who likes music. The person Sallie Ford becomes in between -- in the full speed and inertia of a song -- is remarkable.
The Inlander |
Leah Sottile |
10-07-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
While Their Peers Rake in Reunion Tour Cash, The Jesus Lizard Says It'll Be One and Outnew
While the rekindled friendships and passions have been something the entire band has thrived on, frontman David Yow warns that those hoping for more shouldn't expect a prolonged presence.
San Diego CityBeat |
Paul Saitowitz |
10-07-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Andrew Bird Has Many Talents, but Have You Heard Him Whistle?new
Bird's whistling is the shining diamond embedded in the gold band of song he's been developing since he played a sideman's role for the Squirrel Nut Zippers in the '90s.
Charleston City Paper |
Bryan Reed |
10-07-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Is Kurt Vile a Lo-Fi Schizo Prodigy or the Most Important Man in American Music Today?new
When Gerard Cosloy signed Kurt Vile to Matador Records, he issued a press release declaring the Lansdowne native "one of the more important figures in American music circa 2009."
Philadelphia City Paper |
A.D. Amorosi |
10-06-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Hopi Reggae Artist Casper Lomayesva Brings Redemption Songs to the Desertnew
Because of a shared resistance to tyranny, reggae is wildly popular among Native Americans -- from the Seminole Tribe of Florida to the Hopi of Arizona.
Phoenix New Times |
Niki D'Andrea |
10-06-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Dialing Down the Distortion Works Out for Asobi Seksunew
Change is good, but sometimes the subtlest changes yield the most satisfying results. Consider Asobi Seksu’s most recent album, Hush.
The Georgia Straight |
John Lucas |
10-05-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Asobi Seksu, Hush
How Did Drew Cohen Go from a Hip-Hop DJ to Mayer Hawthorne, Soul Man to the Stars?new
Blame it on the times; honky hip-hop's blunt delivery just doesn't seem as likable as a nerd who looks like a Nixon campus-campaign volunteer -- complete with black frames, cardigan sweater, skinny tie, high-water cuffs and all, crooning comfortably in a Pharrell-falsetto against a backdrop of a double chin and double-digit unemployment.
Metro Times |
Hobey Echlin |
09-29-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Lil Jon Talks 'Crunk Rock,' Pitbull and Fine Winenew
Don't make the mistake of thinking rapper/producer/all-around Svengali Lil Jon is a buffoon. The man behind the blinding grills and creatively shocking lyrical allusions to sex is a shrewd businessman and songwriter who swirls the winds of pop into his own entertainment hurricane.
Miami New Times |
Arielle Castillo |
09-28-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
TV on the Radio's Kyp Malone Finds Himself With Solo Projectnew
With a lion's mane of hair concealing his head and face, Kyp Malone is easily the most recognizable unrecognizable member of TV on the Radio. He also comes across as the most reserved of the five-piece, which isn't to imply that Malone has nothing to say. Quite the contrary.
The Portland Mercury |
Mark Lore |
09-25-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
A Dirty Job for Goodie Mobnew
With Cee-Lo back in the fold, Atlanta's Goodie Mob returns to salvage the real Dirty South.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Maurice Garland |
09-22-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Two Jersey Boys Called Spider Bags Find a New Chance in North Carolinanew
Goodbye Cruel World, Hello Crueler World, the second album by Spider Bags, is a glorious mess. Each of its 10 tracks feels as if it fights from beneath a haze of distortion or gasps for air underneath a tide of tape hiss.
INDY Week |
Grayson Currin |
09-18-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Dear 'Diary': Sunny Day Real Estate Returnsnew
Judging from the band's beaming comments, this current reunion -- all original members, all old songs -- feels like a sincere gesture, and while it's hard to ignore the nostalgia and historical revisionism of it all, it's just nice to have Sunny Day Real Estate back in our lives.
The Portland Mercury |
Ezra Ace Caraeff |
09-18-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
