AltWeeklies Wire
Jackie Greene Finds Life Among the Deadnew
The rootsy singer-songwriter -- formerly a big fish in the relatively small pond of Sacramento who now lives in San Francisco -- has had great things expected of him since he was a solo troubadour fresh out of high school.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Blair Jackson |
04-09-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
RatDog: Alive and Gratefulnew
RatDog's formula is much like the Dead's: play a different set list every night, switch it up each time you return to a city, and keep the fans excited and anticipating what you'll pull out.
Charleston City Paper |
Stratton Lawrence |
04-09-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Yeasayer Breaks Throughnew
On All Hour Cymbals, the band mashed sounds that shouldn't have ever been dumped into the same pot. But it worked, as the band received bundles of press all along the blogosphere and invites to various festivals around the globe.
Chicago Newcity |
Tom Lynch |
04-09-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: All Hour Cymbals, Yeasayer
Head of Femur: In Plain Sightnew
The Chicago band went through a bit of a reinvention a couple years ago when the band decided to strip down the elements it was most known for -- the endless barrage of instruments on stage, horns to strings to whatever else -- and go with the bare essentials.
Chicago Newcity |
Tom Lynch |
04-09-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Great Plains, Head of Femur
England Gets The Gossipnew
Beth Ditto's queer/weight activism should be applauded, but one worries that the singer's sudden celebrity rather ignores her day job.
Willamette Week |
Jay Horton |
04-09-2008 |
Reviews
Emily Katz: Like Cat Power Before the Molenew
Katz -- named after Simon & Garfunkel's "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" -- fronts local folk ensemble Love Menu, a group built around her lyrical songwriting and stunningly rich voice.
Willamette Week |
Michael Mannheimer |
04-09-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
American History Xnew
The L.A. icons mark the spot when punk broke in Southern California.
San Diego CityBeat |
Jim Ruland |
04-09-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Shelley Short Quietly Saves Country Musicnew
Rather than waxing naively cute, a la Jenny Lewis, or idiotic, Short encapsulates much of what makes old-school Nashville country great: a showman's charisma, credible melancholy and close geographical ties.
Willamette Week |
Amy McCullough |
04-09-2008 |
Reviews
Colin Meloy is a 21st Century Troubadournew
The Decemberists' frontman covers Sam Cooke, wishes for chickens, brings family along for the ride.
C-Ville Weekly |
John Ruscher |
04-09-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
She & Him Beats Modernity Back with a Bit of '60s Popnew
The project, which pairs M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel, doesn't succeed because it's innovative or unexpected. It's just two souls in love with good ol'-fashioned pop music, and that love gives Volume One a warm glow to wrap around yourself on a chilly night.
C-Ville Weekly |
John Ruscher |
04-09-2008 |
Reviews
The Dirty Projectors Blaze a Path Less Travelednew
First conceived in New Haven, Conn., Dave Longstreth's namesake went through many permutations before settling in Brooklyn as an elemental two guitars-bass-drums quartet.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Max Goldberg |
04-09-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Rise Above, The Dirty Projectors
Diplo Moves into a Mausoleum & Starts a Charitynew
Diplo's new nonprofit Heaps Decent aims to bring attention and equipment to music-making kids in less fortunate areas of the world.
Philadelphia City Paper |
A.D. Amorosi |
04-08-2008 |
Music
Tags: Diplo
Al Matos' New Age Klezmernew
The longtime klezmer enthusiast takes his beloved music to the masses.
New Times Broward-Palm Beach |
Jonathan Cunningham |
04-08-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Looking Back at the Life and Legacy of Mikey Dreadnew
Like most tales of triumph and tragedy, the life, career, and untimely passing of the reggae pioneer at age 53 will live on long beyond his time on earth.
New Times Broward-Palm Beach |
Jonathan Cunningham |
04-08-2008 |
Music
Tags: Mikey Dread, Reggae
Buxton Unveils a Stunning Albumnew
A Family Light is great highway music, big sky songs that are cinematic in scope.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
04-08-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: A Family Light, Buxton
