AltWeeklies Wire
Everyday Sunshine looks at Fishbone's wild ridenew
Fishbone was wildly popular in the alternative rock scene 20 years ago. A new doc tells the tale.
Charleston City Paper |
T. Ballard Lesemann |
02-07-2012 |
Profiles & Interviews
Sleepy Vikings make their Southern fuzz-pop trippynew
Florida band Sleepy Vikings' gothic, neo-psych music received its first widespread airing with They Will Find You There, a nine-track album they released last May. The disc is a keenly textured but propulsive set.
Charleston City Paper |
Chris Parker |
02-01-2012 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Sleepy Vikings
Elise Testone's American Idol Debutnew
Charleston singer Elise Testone's first appearance on American Idol was nearly a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment. But she delivered a performance which wowed the judges even if it didn't wow the editors.
Charleston City Paper |
Chris Haire |
01-19-2012 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: American Idol, Elise Testone
Flannel Church creates Hampton-ized gospel-funknew
There's a buzz about Flannel Church, a newly formed power-trio featuring drummer Duane Trucks, bassist Kevin Scott, and blues guitarist Gregory "Wolf" Hodges. All three bandmates have connections via Col. Bruce Hampton.
Charleston City Paper |
T. Ballard Lesemann |
01-09-2012 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Flannel Church, Shane Pruitt
James Brown adds a touch of heart and soul to the holidaysnew
On James Brown's Funky Christmas, the big standout is "Let's Make Christmas Mean Something This Year," a slow-burning ballad powered by bold, Supremes-like backing vocals. Most of it is driven by Brown's nostalgic storytelling.
Charleston City Paper |
T. Ballard Lesemann |
12-22-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
The Funky Education of Stereo Reformnew
Greenville-based trio Stereo Reform calls their music "dance-a-funk-a-rock-a-tronic," a mix that falls closer to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Average White Band than today's teeny-bopper divas.
Charleston City Paper |
Stratton Lawrence |
12-20-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Stereo Reform, dance-a-funk
The Greyhounds are a Dynamic Duonew
The Greyhounds recently released an EP titled Spring Training. Compared to some of their funky material from the 2000s, the new stuff is more spare and sparse, but the element of soul remains intact.
Charleston City Paper |
T. Ballard Lesemann |
12-15-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Sadler Vaden Lands Gig with Drivin' N Cryin'new
One year ago, Sadler Vaden was super busy with his longtime rock trio Leslie. These days, when the guitarist and songwriter talks about his band, he's referring to veteran rock group Drivin' N Cryin'.
Charleston City Paper |
T. Ballard Lesemann |
12-15-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
The Explorers Club issue a rave-up series of suitesnew
If today's youngsters are infected with irony, an evening with the Explorers Club might just be the antidote. With a sound lifted straight from pop radio hits of the '60s and '70s, the Charleston band crafts its songs as if punk never broke.
Charleston City Paper |
Paul Bowers |
12-07-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: The Explorers Club
Danielle Howle has a woodsy state of mindnew
Danielle Howle's melodic and spirited folk-rock has always had a raw and earthy flavor, but it was never what fans or critics would describe as "swampy." .
Charleston City Paper |
T. Ballard Lesemann |
11-29-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Danielle Howle
Dropping out with the Chocolate Dropsnew
It's been an eventful year for the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Around the same time the neo-traditional string band learned of their Grammy Award nomination, co-founder Justin Robinson announced his departure from the band. His decision shadowed nearly everything that happened this year.
Charleston City Paper |
Chris Parker |
11-28-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Carolina Chocolate Drops
Run Dan Run are Mad Pop Scientistsnew
Run Dan Run's Normal is a dynamic, moody collection with a solid full-band sound. Songwriter Dan McCurry and his troupe reach far beyond their initial efforts in the early days.
Charleston City Paper |
T. Ballard Lesemann |
11-17-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Jorma Kaukonen Doesn't Hesitatenew
Whatever the source of his boundless endurance, guitarist Jorma Kaukonen shows no signs of slowing down — even after a career that's led him from legendary San Francisco acts Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna to a long run as a solo artist.
Charleston City Paper |
Stratton Lawrence |
11-16-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Jorma Kaukonen
Remembering Jack McCraynew
Jack McCray left us a wealth of knowledge, a physical archive, stories, memories, advice, and blessings. He was a visionary who realized his visions -- not by "magic," but by hard, tiresome, selfless work.
Charleston City Paper |
Leah Suárez |
11-16-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Darius Rucker's Latest is a Love Letter to Charlestonnew
It's always ideal to chat with big-time musicians when they're relaxed and undistracted by fans, agents, or immediate performance obligations. When City Paper met with Darius Rucker two weeks ago at Chucktown Music Group's downtown office, the songwriter beamed with cheerfulness. It was the eve of the Pro-Am Jam, a collaborative post-golf tournament benefit concert at the Daniel Island Club hosted by Rucker's Hootie and the Blowfish bandmate Mark Bryan.
Charleston City Paper |
T. Ballard Lesemann |
11-10-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
