AltWeeklies Wire
Kristopher Hull Tries to Bring Classical Music to the Streetsnew

Armed with a full-size upright piano, a repertoire of Chopin's etudes and nocturnes, and his nerves, the 33-year-old pianist planned to storm Miami Beach's Lincoln Road, guerrilla-style.
Miami New Times |
Arielle Castillo |
04-28-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
The Kickdrums May be Hip-hop's Next Big Beatmakersnew
And they work out of a closet in Avon, Ohio.
Cleveland Scene |
Gus Garcia-Roberts |
04-28-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: hip-hop, beatmakers, 50 Cent, M.O.P., Alex Fitts, Matt Penttila, Ray Cash, The Kickdrums, Verbal, Young Wazzie
The Music Industry's Format Warsnew

CD sales are down, vinyl and download sales are up, and record labels are doing the math.
Chicago Reader |
Miles Raymer |
04-28-2008 |
Music
The Breeders Make a New Splashnew
The box-office returns of the Pixies reunion apparently roused the sleeping ambition of bassist and Breeders mastermind Kim Deal.
The Memphis Flyer |
Werner Trieschmann |
04-25-2008 |
Reviews
The California Music Project Fights the Decline of Music in Schoolsnew
No Child Left Behind nearly ushered music education out of existence, and the negative effects emerged quickly. But the nonprofit organization is pushing back, armed with a new CD, California Music Project Vol. 1., featuring Jack Johnson, Beck, Dwight Yoakam and Ben Harper.
Metro Silicon Valley |
David Ma |
04-24-2008 |
Music
How an Indie Rocker Became a Hardcore Reggae Boosternew

Ian Jones spent years in D.C.'s indie-rock world. Then he met Claudius Linton in Jamaica, and has since released two albums by the obscure artist.
Washington City Paper |
Aaron Leitko |
04-24-2008 |
Music
Holsey Turner: Kansas City's Newest Unknown Rapper on the Risenew

On his debut, Who's the New Guy?, Turner sounds like a cockier version of Lupe Fiasco.
The Pitch |
Nadia Pflaum |
04-23-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
The Ballot, Not the Bulletnew

Oakland hip-hop political activist Chuck Johnson hopes voter tallies can cut down on death tallies.
East Bay Express |
Eric K. Arnold |
04-23-2008 |
Music
Hot Chip Battles Boredomnew

Felix Martin admits that the latest album, Made in the Dark, is an odd listen, full of jarring juxtapositions, unexpected dynamic shifts, and general weirdness, but the percussionist offers no apologies for that.
The Georgia Straight |
John Lucas |
04-21-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Meet Juno MacGuff's Musenew

An unlikely Hollywood hit spotlights the songs of unlikely singer-songwriter, Kimya Dawson.
Westword |
Michael Roberts |
04-21-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Were Kanye and Beck Separated at Birth?new
Both have made careers of reveling in their otherness and chameleon-like savvy, establishing a presence on multiple platforms before doing so became an industry necessity.
Seattle Weekly |
Karla Starr |
04-21-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Better at Video Games than Piano?new
It could be your ticket to a career in music.
Chicago Reader |
Miles Raymer |
04-21-2008 |
Music
Cadence Weapon Follows His Own Rhythm to the Topnew
Amid building buzz for his sophomore effort, Afterparty Babies, the Edmonton MC/producer talks about growing up weird and getting ahead in the loaded game of Canadian hip-hop.
Montreal Mirror |
Scott C. |
04-18-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Afterparty Babies, Cadence Weapon
Coachella by the Numbersnew

Any critic can blather about which bands to see. What if we poke out the critical eye and instead consult our all-seeing Third Eye -- which conjures solid numbers, statistics, pie charts and bar graphs and turns the ephemeral joys of music into cold, hard data? What constitutes -- numerically -- musical hotness in the USA in 2008?
L.A. Weekly |
Randall Roberts |
04-18-2008 |
Concerts
Cat Power vs. Elf Power: Let the Battle Begin!new
In this corner: A feisty creature who overcame onstage freakouts and alcoholism to let herself be seduced and emboldened by soul music! And in the other corner: A six-strong troupe of lo-fi lovers whose musical stylings seem to have sprung from a lysergic sugar cube in a fairy forest!
San Diego CityBeat |
AnnaMaria Stephens |
04-16-2008 |
Music