AltWeeklies Wire
For Eels, There's Life After Memoirnew
Customarily, a career retrospective and personal memoir come at the tail end of an artist's career. And despite Mark Oliver Everett's claims to the contrary, the book serves as a fitting bookend to his tumultuous career.
New York Press |
Doug Black |
03-27-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Eels
Meshuggah's Made in Swedennew
Meshuggah's one of several Swedish bands who have moved death metal past its butcher-shop chops.
The Portland Mercury |
Mike Meyer |
03-27-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Jeffrey Lewis Goes His Waynew
At his core, Lewis is an acoustic guitar-toting New York folkie wrapped in punk-rock values. Don't look or sound the part? So what? Indeed, in Lewis' perfect imperfections lie the roots of his charm.
The Portland Mercury |
Andrew R. Tonry |
03-27-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: 12 Crass Songs, Jeffrey Lewis
Jim White Has Finally Found What He Searched Fornew
There is a great deal of both liberation and ineffability on Transnormal Skiperoo, which is a welcome rebound from White's uneven 2004 album, Drill a Hole in that Substrate and Tell Me What You See.
The Portland Mercury |
Chas Bowie |
03-27-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Jim White, Transnormal Skiperoo
Stylistic Mish-Mashnew
While not everything works all of the time, Venus on Earth is heady stuff for discerning listeners.
Tucson Weekly |
Jim Lipson |
03-27-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Dengue Fever, Venus on Earth
Downbeatnew
BILL, the New England band fronted by Bill Gage, the vocalist with Down syndrome, is not what you expected -- no matter what you expected.
Boston Phoenix |
Ian Sands |
03-27-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Cody Dickinson's Ulterior Motivesnew
North Mississippi Allstars serve up a side of hill country blues.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Chris Parker |
03-27-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Jose Gonzalez, the Minstrel of Melancholynew
It's hard to imagine what an audience does during a Jose Gonzalez performance, especially when the club doesn't provide floor space or pillows to recline on. Calling his stark, spiraling ballads mellow would be an understatement; trancelike is far more accurate.
East Bay Express |
Matthew Green |
03-27-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: In Our Nature, Jose Gonzalez
Howlin Rain Finds the Link Between Punk and Bluesnew
At some point, trend-chasing music fans -- like those who embrace Vampire Weekend's self-described "Upper West Side Soweto" -- are going to have to struggle with albums like Magnificent Fiend and come to terms with exactly what makes the blues seem so frozen in pre-punk amber.
Washington City Paper |
Brent Burton |
03-27-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Howlin Rain, Magnificent Fiend
Kevin Costner Not Just Actingnew
Things are going mighty fine for Kevin Costner's side project, Modern West. The band goes back over 20 years when Kevin met actor/musician Coinman in L.A. during an acting workshop.
Charleston City Paper |
T. Ballard Lesemann |
03-26-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Modern West
Kimya Dawson's Solo Endeavor Stays Sweetnew
At first listen, the acoustic music of folk-pop singer/songwriter Kimya Dawson may seem childlike, sparse, and uncomplicated. After a few spins, however, her personable charm, positive vibe, and self-assured sense of intimacy are anything but kids' stuff.
Charleston City Paper |
T. Ballard Lesemann |
03-26-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Kimya Dawson
The Fleshtones Won't Go Quietly Into the Nightnew
More than 30 years into a career that's seen them laugh in the face of ridicule and spit in the face of imminent success, the Fleshtones are staging their own revival.
San Antonio Current |
Chris Parker |
03-26-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Take A Good Look, The Fleshtones
Can We All Agree Scott Weiland is a Tool?new
At a March 20 Velvet Revolver concert in Glasgow, Scotland, he surprised the audience -- and his band -- by announcing that this is VR's final tour.
San Antonio Current |
Gilbert Garcia |
03-26-2008 |
Music
Tags: Velvet Revolver
Dianne Reeves Makes Concept Albumnew
Dianne Reeves isn't generally thought of as a songwriter, but when it came to wrapping up her new album, she knew that the closing statement she envisioned had yet to be written. So she wrote it herself, with more than a little inspiration from her mom.
San Antonio Current |
Gilbert Garcia |
03-26-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Dianne Reeves, When You Know
The Wiggles are Bigger Than Jesusnew
Folks who don't have kids or who haven't yet gone down The Wiggles' road with their offspring often have a hard time understanding the band's appeal. But for those of us with Wiggles-crazed children, the answer is obvious -- this is your child's first rock band.
San Diego CityBeat |
Anders Wright |
03-26-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: The Wiggles
