Animal Collective

Live Review: Animal Collective at Cervantes'

Review: Animal Collective @ Cervantes

45 Second Reviews

Last Night...Crystal Castles, MM/DD/YYYY, and Picture Plane @ Cervantes

Live Review: UMS Day Two, Baker District

Yeasayer and Icy Demons at the Bluebird Theater

Yeasayer and Icy DemonsSaturday, November 29, 2008Bluebird TheaterBetter than: Flashbacks.Druggies, take notice: Yeasayer is a band you need to know. Between the trippy, hypnotic visuals provided by the lightball tree sculptures on stage and the wall-of-sound performance, this is a band that will he ... More >>

The Dead announces Denver date

Touring again for the first time in four years, the Dead will stop at the Pepsi Center May 7. The lineup features original members Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, as well as guitarist Warren Haynes and RatDog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti.A number of other shows were announced thi ... More >>

Shockingly, the Fray captures top spot at Twist & Shout

The Fray dominates Twist & ShoutOkay, clearly we're being sarcastic with that headline, for it comes as very little surprise that the Fray captured the top spot at Twist & Shout this week. We're not privy to the actual SoundScan numbers yet, but suffice it to say, we're eager to see if inter ... More >>

Last Night's Show: These Are Powers at Rhinoceropolis

These Are Powers, Extra Life, Bad Weather California, Zach Kahn, Masculine, Neon KnightsTuesday, March 3, 2009RhinoceropolisBetter Than: A show that doesn't feature gratuitous nudity on the rooftop of the venue. Ah, another chaotic night at Rhinoceropolis. The first of six groups to take the, uh, fl ... More >>

Last Night: Animal Collective at the Boulder Theater

Alexis Johnson Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 The Boulder Theater, Boulder Better Than: Most shows going through Boulder these days. Brooklyn's Black Dice opened this show in what has lately become their typical fashion. Long gone, I suppose, were the harsh, brutally abrasive textures of old, replaced by ... More >>

Animal Collective

Monday, May 21, Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom, 303-297-1772.

The Octopus Project

Thursday, May 18, Larimer Lounge, 303-291-1007.

Oblio Duo

Oblio Duo (Self-released)

Candy Claws

In the Dream of the Sea Life
Self-released

NPR's All Songs Considered weighs in on the best music of 2009

​Last time we checked, there's still a good four months left until the end of the year. Regardless, that hasn't stopped Bob Boilen and company from NPR's All Songs Considered from weighing in on the best music of 2009 (so far). Actually, check that -- the results, which were posted on the show's b ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of August 24, 2009

​As music critics, the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation, our latest feature. For the benefit of those who happen to be curious, we've compiled a list of ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of October 12, 2009

​As music critics, the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation, our latest feature. For the benefit of those who happen to be curious, we've compiled a list of ... More >>

Le Loup was essentially a solo project for Sam Simkoff that has grown into a band

​As music critics, the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation, our latest feature. For the benefit of those who happen to be curious, we've compiled a list of ... More >>

Beyond Playlist: Modeselektor Body Language Vol. 8

​Modeselektor Body Language Vol. 8 Get Physical Music On Modeselektor's Body Language mix, the duo show an inventive and exciting approach to track selection and mixing. It's not easy to pull together a set that includes everything from Missy Elliot and Busta Rhymes to Animal Collective, with ... More >>

The Dodos

Thursday, October 22, Bluebird Theater, 303-830-8497.

Freeloader: Win tickets to see the Dodos tonight at the Bluebird

Charlie Villyard​More Freeloader tickets. Today: The Dodos at the Bluebird. Heard of 'em? They're great. If you haven't, here's what Jason Heller had to say about them in this week's issue: Unlike their sonic brethren the Animal Collective on the East Coast, San Francisco's the Dodos keep it simpl ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of November 23, 2009

​As music critics -- and people who generally think about, talk about, listen to and make music -- the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to right now?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation. For t ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of December 1, 2009

​As music critics -- and people who generally think about, talk about, listen to and make music -- the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to right now?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation. For t ... More >>

Tom Waits top seller at Twist and Shout

​Apparently there was a bit of a fight between Tom Waits' Glitter & Doom Live and Susan Boyle's I Dreamed a Dream last week at Twist & Shout, and fortunately, Waits, who turned sixty yesterday, was the victor. Blakroc, the Black Keys' new hip-hop project, came in third, while Them Crooked ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of December 7, 2009

​As music critics -- and people who generally think about, talk about, listen to and make music -- the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to right now?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation. For t ... More >>

The Music Industry's 11 Saviors of 2009

As with every year since 2001, the music industry in 2009 was kept barely alive by a ratag crew of baffling one-offs, mediocre hit makers and a few cameos from the dead. If dollars are votes, we have some weird taste in representation. In backwards order, this year's 11 saviors of the establishmen ... More >>

Top Ten Songs of the Decade

This band had a leg up on everyone else for top song of the decade.​Radiohead? Arcade Fire? Interpol? The Strokes? The White Stripes? Animal Collective? Yeah, we've heard of 'em. For us, though, there was a much more intriguing, compelling batch of bands that weren't -- for the most part, anyw ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of December 21, 2009

​As music critics -- and people who generally think about, talk about, listen to and make music -- the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to right now?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation. For ... More >>

Freaky Friday: Tuesday religious mania edition

​Welcome to the final Freaky Friday of 2009. And yes, we know it isn't even close to Friday, but like all of you, we will be far too busy nursing a wicked hangover Friday to come anywhere near a computer. That being the case, we couldn't resist bringing you this final bit of freakiness a few d ... More >>

Backbeat writers weigh in on the year's best national releases

​Welcome to the final Freaky Friday of 2009. And yes, we know it isn't even close to Friday, but like all of you, we will be far too busy nursing a wicked hangover Friday to come anywhere near a computer. That being the case, we couldn't resist bringing you this final bit of freakiness a few d ... More >>

Rodrigo y Gabriela top seller at Twist and Shout

​Rodrigo y Gabriela's 11:11 claimed the top top spot at Twist & Shout, while Phoenix's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix came in second for the week ending January 3. Them Crooked Vultures' self-titled debut and Tom Waits' Glitter and Doom Live grabbed the third and fourth spots, while Tom Petty's Live ... More >>

Boris top seller at Wax Trax

​Japanese-based Boris grabbed the top spot at Wax Trax with its psychedelic opus Boris At Last - Feedbacker, while Saviours' Accelerated Living, which was released in October on Kemado, came in second. Radio 1190's Local Shakedown Vol. 3, meanwhile, continues to be a strong seller and nabbed the t ... More >>

Animal Collective: The Movie. The Soundtrack. The Trailer.

In case you were unaware, the darlings of the music industry have decided a regular music album wasn't enough and moved into the visual arena. Yep, America's favorite eukaryotic organism-themed band, Animal Collective, has teamed with filmmaker Danny Perez to make what it's coining a "visual album" ... More >>

The Antlers

Saturday, February 13, Ogden Theatre, 303-830-8497.

Deferred Hat Tip: Belle & Sebastian's Dear Catastrophe Waitress

There's probably a specific type of hell for people like me: I who can name drop a Belle & Sebastian song off the top of their head, can toss their songs onto mix tapes, have owned the majority of their catalog for several years without ever once even thinking about the possibility of maybe listenin ... More >>

What are Jay-Z's 99 problems? We know a bitch ain't one.

​ It's well known an this point that Jay-Z (appearing tonight at the Pepsi Center with Sound Tribe Sector 9, Trey Songz and Young Jeezy) has 99 problems, and a bitch, most certainly, ain't one. Curiously, though, until now, no one's really taken a hard look at just what Hova's 99 problems are ... More >>

Fang Island

Monday, April 26, Larimer Lounge, 303-291-1007.

Lil Slugger brings their comic book to life at Rhino

Tom MurphyGood Old Fashioned Sinners delving into some good old fashioned sin.​ Lil Slugger • Hot White • Good Old Fashioned Sinners 05.22.10 | Rhinoceropolis Evidently, this was some sort of reunion show for openers Good Old Fashioned Sinners, or perhaps just a coming out of hibernation ... More >>

Sorry, Amnesiac, you were way ahead of us

​ I was fifteen when I heard Radiohead's OK Computer for the first time. This was shortly after seeing "Karma Police" on MTV and knowing I had to have the album right away. Like Pablo Honey, OK Computer was straightforward enough for my undeveloped palette, but the band had also gotten notice ... More >>

The tranquil beauty of Roger, Roll's ambient pop is as soothing as it arresting

​ I was fifteen when I heard Radiohead's OK Computer for the first time. This was shortly after seeing "Karma Police" on MTV and knowing I had to have the album right away. Like Pablo Honey, OK Computer was straightforward enough for my undeveloped palette, but the band had also gotten notice ... More >>

Now on a major indie, Ariel Rosenberg upgrades his abstract, lo-fi, 8-track aesthetic

​ I was fifteen when I heard Radiohead's OK Computer for the first time. This was shortly after seeing "Karma Police" on MTV and knowing I had to have the album right away. Like Pablo Honey, OK Computer was straightforward enough for my undeveloped palette, but the band had also gotten notice ... More >>

Gauntlet Hair at the Larimer Lounge

​ I was fifteen when I heard Radiohead's OK Computer for the first time. This was shortly after seeing "Karma Police" on MTV and knowing I had to have the album right away. Like Pablo Honey, OK Computer was straightforward enough for my undeveloped palette, but the band had also gotten notice ... More >>

Analog Space presents a special screening of Animal Collective's Oddsac at the Meadowlark

Mario Zoots/Modern Witch​Ah, looks like we're finally going to get around to screening Oddsac, Animal Collective's twisted take on cinema verite (see trailer after the jump), thanks to the lovely chaps from Analog Space and their esteemed counterparts at Research & Development, who will be tre ... More >>

Kría Brekkan on múm, Animal Collective and Uterus Water, her latest album

​Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir was part of the popular Icelandic dream pop group múm, which she fronted with her twin sister Gyða. Before leaving the band in 2006, Valtýsdóttir, also known by her stage name Kría Brekkan, performed on the 2005 Animal Collective album Feels. A talented mul ... More >>

Interpol, Animal Collective, Eminem and the Heads top sellers this week

​While there weren't any clear winners across the board at local record stores for the week ending September 12, !!!'s Strange Weather Isn't It made it into the top ten at Albums on the Hill and at Wax Trax. Elsewhere, Interpol's self-titled album, released last week on Matador, took the top s ... More >>

Five artists begging to be riffed on by the new Beavis and Butthead

​We're sure you've heard by now that Beavis & Butthead, the staple of '90s-era MTV, is returning in a new series to help break up the monotony of the reality-show based programming choices on the network. While MTV hasn't yet officially confirmed what the NY Post reported two months ago, they ... More >>

Soundgarden cheats its way to a Platinum release: Here are five more bands that could use the boost

​ Soundgarden was just certified Platinum for sales of its best-of album, Telephantasm (which, incidentally, has the worst cover art of the year, beating out Hurley by a long shot) generated in one day. On the surface, this sounds like one hell of an accomplishment, until you read the fine pr ... More >>

Free music: Two and a half hours' worth, from one-man shoegaze-cum-folk-act Irene's March

​Local one-man shoegaze-cum-folk-act Irene's March, aka Jeff Minter, has decided to drop a 268-megabyte bomb on our ears right before Thanksgiving. The collection, titled Awakenings, spans three volumes and includes 38 songs recorded over five weeks. All together, it clocks in at over two and ... More >>

Gauntlet Hair's "Keep Time" video will scare the crap out of you -- or at least really creep you out

​To celebrate the release of its new, self-titled record, Gauntlet Hair (confirmed as the headliner for the Larimer Lounge's New Years Eve show) has dropped a video for the album's lead track, "Keep Time," and despite Halloween having come and gone, this sucker will still scare the bejeesus ou ... More >>

Moon Tides plays January 7 at the hi-dive

​To celebrate the release of its new, self-titled record, Gauntlet Hair (confirmed as the headliner for the Larimer Lounge's New Years Eve show) has dropped a video for the album's lead track, "Keep Time," and despite Halloween having come and gone, this sucker will still scare the bejeesus ou ... More >>