Music | AAN.org

Soul Sonic Discoursenew

Quannum Projects co-founder Lyrics Born goes looking for the perfect beat.

Colorado Springs Independent | Bill Forman | 01-19-2011 | Profiles & Interviews

Black Tape For A Blue Girl Unspools, Then Winds Up As 10 Neuroticsnew

On the latest release from Black Tape for a Blue Girl, Sam Rosenthal uses narrative sketches and characters to explore salacious subject matter: S&M; furries; adulterers; exhibitionists; humiliation play; and anonymous sex.

Pittsburgh City Paper | Chris Parker | 01-18-2011 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: 10 Neurotics, Black Tape for a Blue Girl, Sam Rosenthal

David Banner & 9th Wonder's Death of a Pop Starnew

On Death of a Pop Star, Banner finally forgoes ignorant trunk rattlers to focus solely on poignant, politically loaded raps.

INDY Week | Brandon Soderberg | 01-18-2011 | Reviews

Tags: David Banner

Traces Hip Hop's Storynew

Paradise Gray has worn many hats since his early days as a gang member in the South Bronx: photographer; performer; collector; promoter; techie; and now, curator. Selections from his memorabilia are now at the August Wilson Center, exhibited as Hip Hop History: Highlights of the Paradise Collection.

Pittsburgh City Paper | Aaron Jentzen | 01-18-2011 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Hip Hop, August Wilson Center for African American Culture, Paradise Gray

Dean & Britta Revisit the Music of Galaxie 500new

Galaxie 500 played stark songs, where the simplest chords could cast a hypnotic spell and many songs ended with long, psychedelic guitar solos.

Pittsburgh City Paper | Mike Shanley | 01-17-2011 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Dean & Britta

Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker Display Their Indie Artifactsnew

It was on a whim roughly 25 years ago that a young David Lowery called up a friend at SST Records to see how SST had been promoting records that year.

Boston Phoenix | Matt Parish | 01-17-2011 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Camper Van Beethoven, David Lowery

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals: "III/IV"new

Unlike the laid back, singer-songwriter exercise Easy Tiger, most of III/IV’s songs turn up the volume and swerve into post-punk and classic-rock territories.

San Antonio Current | Michael Gallucci | 01-14-2011 | Reviews

Tags: Ryan Adams

Cake: Showroom of Compassionnew

Grunge may be dead, but Cake is still alive, serving up their first album of originals since 2004’s Pressure Chief.

San Antonio Current | Enrique Lopetegui | 01-14-2011 | Reviews

Tags: Cake

Loop Gurusnew

El Ten Eleven makes instrumental post-rock oddly listenable.

Colorado Springs Independent | Bill Forman | 01-14-2011 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: El Ten Eleven

Cary Ann Hearst Puts Her Stamp On Itnew

Cary Ann Hearst is among the half-dozen partners who run the local collective Shrimp Records. She's been busy this month packaging her new album, Lions and Lambs.

Charleston City Paper | Stratton Lawrence | 01-14-2011 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Cary Ann Hearst, Shrimp Records