AltWeeklies Wire
A hardworking redneck rapper like Yelawolf can't get nowherenew
On his own, Yelawolf crossed into the realms of pop, R&B and party music just fine. But when Eminem unveiled the first single from Yelawolf's debut on Shady Records, the album that followed was a mixed bag of half-baked attempts at branching out.
INDY Week |
Brandon Soderberg |
11-14-2012 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Yelawolf
The instructive joy of artist-led labelsnew
Little labels started by musicians work because they understand the music industry and its oft-diminishing margins.
Beloved Binge's Pocketsnew
They might've left town for a while, but Pockets proves Beloved Binge kept pace with Durham.
Tags: Beloved Binge
Some Army's Second EPnew
Within a modest 29 minutes, this six-strong Carrboro outfit synthesizes shoegaze and indie-pop sounds; despite their far-flung touchstones, these songs still feel distinctly Southern in execution. (self-released)
Tags: Some Army
The Old Ceremony's Fairytales and Other Forms of Suicidenew
As a whole, this is the most convincing collection in The Old Ceremony's catalog, proof that the past, present and future of this veteran ensemble remain exciting. (Yep Roc)
Why Girl Talk's Unlikely Career is a Big Dealnew
Gregg Gillis is doing something traditionalists angrily claim isn't music—and then making a living off of it, all without charging for his records.
The Evil Tenors' Peach Fuzznew
Peach Fuzz finds Durham's Nathan White breaking in a new sound and a new personality, adapting to unfamiliar surroundings and figuring out how to fit in.
Tags: The Evil Tenors
The surprising perseverance of psychedelianew
Unyoked from its tie-dyed connotations, psychedelia is right in tune with a world where surrealism and high-definition realism have become the norm.
Tags: psychedelia
The Rise of Intricacy in Indie Rock's Female Voicesnew
The past few years have seen complicated, virtuosic singing—previously confined to big-label product—come to define female artists breaking new ground.
Simple Music Video Series: American Aquarium's "Jacksonville" and "Northern Lights"new
When asking BJ Barham of American Aquarium about his then-recent recording session with Jason Isbell, an immediate smile came over an otherwise exhausted face: "Fucking amazing!" Not much more needed to be said.
INDY Week |
Dan Schram |
08-27-2012 |
Profiles & Interviews
American Aquarium's Burn. Flicker. Die.new
"Pretty soon I'll hit bottom, but at least I've enjoyed the ride," BJ Barham sings during "Harmless Sparks," which rests in relative peace at the middle of American Aquarium's new album. (Last Chance Records)
Can reissues stretch fans too thin?new
As ever-frank heavy metal critic Kim Kelly recently wrote, "Quit reissuing things. Not everything is a fucking 'classic.'"
Tags: Album reissues
Spider Bags' Shake My Headnew
At its foundation, Shake My Head is a collection of straightforward bar-rock songs. Walking (well, staggering) rhythms lend a vintage R&B swing behind overdriven guitar lines that mine '70s rock and pop.
Tags: Spider Bags
Oulipo's Primitive Waysnew
Primitive Ways sounds like the next step of an almost great band, drunk on possibilities but still learning how to present them.
No Eyes' No Eyesnew
No Eyes' self-titled EP is like a Texas psych-rockin' longhair in the midst of getting his mop snipped into a neat London bowl, but some loose ends still await their trim.
