AltWeeklies Wire
Kanye's Latest is a Singular Testament to Indescribable Sufferingnew
Thematically, 808s and Heartbreak plunges deeper into West's usual neuroses (insecurity, spiritual unease, and the difficulties of celebrity). The death of his mother and a relationship fissure have brought these concerns into sharper focus.
Windsurf's Beach Blanket Disconew
The pair's newly released debut, Coastlines, evokes the carefree surf 'n' sand lifestyle its title suggests, with echoing synths, dubby basslines, and lush songs that stretch out to luxurious lengths.
SF Weekly |
Jennifer Maerz |
11-19-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: coastlines, Windsurf
The Knux: From Street Warfare to Soirees with Socialitesnew
Krispy Kream and his brother Rah Al Milio have morphed from Cajun survivalists to Hollywood up-and-comers, becoming the toast of the underground rap scene in only a few years.
SF Weekly |
Ben Westhoff |
11-13-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Lyrics Born, the Bay Area Mavericknew
If you were looking for a short description of Tom Shimura's more famous alter ego, Lyrics Born, this oughta do it: high-performance, low-key.
SF Weekly |
Eric K. Arnold |
10-16-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Frisco Freakout Makes a California Scenenew
Our state may be flush with wild guitar tamers, but the factors cementing a true sonic landmark -- connections among bands, clubs, and labels defining a specific sound -- are lacking in the Bay Area.
Banned in the UK: The Ghosts in Agent Ribbons' Atticnew
With its satin headbands, lacy-collared dresses, and affinity for bluesy ballads, Sacramento duo Agent Ribbons is a modern band yearning for an old-fashioned era.
SF Weekly |
Jennifer Maerz |
10-02-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Davila 666 is Puerto Rico's Answer to the Black Lipsnew
Disparate patches of Radio Birdman, the Dead Boys, and rudimentary jangle pop are all threaded onto the album, the charms of which are multiplied by the fact that Davila 666 sounds like it was recorded live at a basement birthday party.
Tags: Davila 666
Hair Metal Fantasies Realized at Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Campnew
It was barely 10 a.m., and '80s rock stud Kip Winger was winking at me for the second time as he played bass. He was making me blush profusely.
The Cataracs Have the Fans, Lack the Lyricsnew
For all the group's musical and marketing savvy, when they open their mouths, their words are equivalent of cheap pickup lines: passable for getting your foot in the door, I guess, but hardly charming for guys who seem performance savvy.
SF Weekly |
Jennifer Maerz |
08-06-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: R&B, The Cataracs
Motley Crue Stages a Motley Crue Broadway Musicalnew
The band's new album, Saints of Los Angeles, is a song-by-song chronicling of the members' days of debauchery, from coming up on the Sunset Strip to their various failed centerfold romances.
Mission Creek Music & Arts Festival Shrinks But May Still Delivernew
The arena-sized festival isn't the only music event feeling a crunch in these difficult economic times. San Francisco's Mission Creek Music & Arts Festival, the 12-year-old multimedia happening, is markedly smaller in 2008.
Soundwave's AudioBus Series Offers Road Trips with San Francisco Composersnew
Alan So, artistic director of the experimental music festival Soundwave>Series, decided to have a portion of this year's Move>Sound theme on an AudioBus, a stage that moves to the rhythm of traffic lights and stop signs.
N.E.R.D. Shows All Technique and No Soulnew
Human emotion cannot be created using ProTools.
Liz Phair Returns From 'Guyville' Exilenew
By rereleasing Exile in Guyville and taking it on the road, she's allowing her fans to revel in that time when she crystallized the experience of taking bad boys to bed.
Bands Fume Over Bounced Checks from Bay Area Indie Music Festivalnew
The main promoter behind the inaugural event has yet to pay almost half the talent that performed there last year, including the headliners. These artists have made repeated attempts to contact the company, locally based 3 Udders Productions, without getting a cent.
