AltWeeklies Wire
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart Combine Ambition and Consistency on New Albumnew
Imagine if angst hadn't blanketed the alternative music of the late 1980s and 1990s -- and a bright earnestness had been the core impulse instead. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart exist at the heart of that alternate reality.
Tucson Weekly |
Eric Swedlund |
04-15-2011 |
Reviews
Akron/Family Creates Multiple Stories Through Multiple Versions of its Newest Albumnew
Like everything else about Akron/Family, Akron/Family II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT sprawls all over the place.
Tucson Weekly |
Eric Swedlund |
04-06-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Zevious Transitions from Acoustic Jazz to Electrified 'Punk Jazz'new
The New York City avant-garde jazz trio Zevious is barnstorming the country, bringing spiky, assertive electric jazz to listeners who are hungry for adventurous music.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
04-05-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Naim Amor: Dansonsnew
Naim Amor's signature French-and-English mix of jazz, pop and rock shifts toward the tropical on his latest album, a 12-song set that conjures a long afternoon of breezy tranquility.
Tucson Weekly |
Eric Swedlund |
03-28-2011 |
Reviews
Tags: Naim Amor
Sharon Van Etten: Epicnew
Heartbreak can make prisoners of songwriters, trapping them in a whirlpool of doubt and misery. And whatever good intentions or poetic talent that existed at a song's inception can get swept away as the hard edges of truth are worn down by self-pity.
Tucson Weekly |
Eric Swedlund |
03-25-2011 |
Reviews
Tags: Sharon Van Etten
Soft-Rock Apocalypsenew
Don't let Dan Bejar's pop textures distract you from his aggressive lyrics.
Tucson Weekly |
Jarret Keene |
03-25-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Dan Bejar
Wye Oak: Civiliannew
With their third album, the Baltimore-based team of vocalist and guitarist Jenn Wasner and drummer-keyboards player Andy Stack creates a dramatic dynamic, challenging the conventions of folk rock.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
03-22-2011 |
Reviews
Growth Experience: Papercuts with Young Prismsnew
For the new album, Papercuts moves out of the bedroom and into the studio.
Tucson Weekly |
Eric Swedlund |
03-15-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Papercuts
Ferrodyne: St. John's Daynew
From a critical viewpoint, you might worry if a band is recommended purely because its members are nice people, which is how more than one trusted musical adviser introduced me to Ferrodyne.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
03-15-2011 |
Reviews
Tags: Ferrodyne
Owning Her Universenew
Terri Hendrix continues producing fine music while raising awareness about epilepsy.
Tucson Weekly |
Jim Lipson |
03-14-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Terri Hendrix
Moody and Sweetnew
Gwyneth and Monko's country-folk tunes feature touches of edgy rock.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
03-03-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Gwyneth and Monko
The Fool and the Heronew
A Hawk and a Hacksaw features an accordion -- and you'd better respect it.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
02-28-2011 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: A Hawk and a Hacksaw
Sic Alps: Napa Asylumnew
As with labelmates Magik Markers, Oakland, Calif.'s Sic Alps treads such a very fine line between ramshackle, lo-fi scuzz and effortless pop melodies that it's endearing, impressive and fun to guess where things will go next.
Tucson Weekly |
Brian Mock |
02-28-2011 |
Reviews
Tags: Napa Asylum, Sic Alps
Ebsen and the Witch: Violet Criesnew
As a study in atmospherics, Violet Cries works.
Tucson Weekly |
Sean Bottai |
02-28-2011 |
Reviews
Tags: Ebsen and the Witch, Violet Cries
Mark Growden: Lose Me in the Sandnew
Inspired by the musical vibe in Tucson, Bay Area musician, composer and singer Mark Growden employed an all-star lineup of country and blues players from the Old Pueblo to record his explosive new album.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
02-28-2011 |
Reviews
Tags: Mark Growden
