Miles Davis

Take the Middle Passage

Despite off-screen drama, the Tribe Called Quest documentary is phenomenal

Top five Pulitzer-worthy music memoirs

Nothing, to our way of thinking, is more captivating than the true story of very real struggle. We all have these little musical fantasies, strumming our Fenders in the dark of our apartments, listening to a little Miles Davis or Johnny Cash.

The National, Bassnectar, Sleigh Bells, the Slits filled our playlists this past week

​As people who think about, talk about, listen to and make music, the most common question we encounter is, "What are you listening to right now?" Whether you're looking for recommendations, trying to get a feel for our individual sensibilities, or are just curious, we've compiled a list of al ... More >>

Ryan Bingham, Arcade Fire, Git Some top sellers at local stores

​Ryan Bingham, who won an Oscar for his theme song to the film Crazy Heart, claimed the number two and four spots at Albums on the Hill and Twist & Shout with his new album, Junky Star, released last week on Lost Highway. Arcade Fire's The Suburbs and the Black Keys' Brothers, meanwhile, cont ... More >>

Chie Imaizumi

A Time of New Beginnings
Capri

The Chain Gang of 1974, Jónsi, Wire Faces and more top our weekly playlists

​As people who think about, talk about, listen to and make music, the most common question we encounter is, "What are you listening to right now?" So whether you're looking for recommendations, trying to get a feel for our individual sensibilities, or are just curious, we've compiled a list of ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of April 5, 2010

​As people who think about, talk about, listen to and make music, the most common question we encounter is, "What are you listening to right now?" So whether you're looking for recommendations, trying to get a feel for our individual sensibilities, or are just curious, we've compiled a list of ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of January 4, 2010

​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. F ... 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 >>

Cool Prospects

​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 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 >>

Beyond Playlist: Black Eyed Peas and more

The Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) (Interscope) For the most part, the critical intelligentsia has looked askance at the Peas' latest due to its backburnering of the hip-hop style on which the act was founded, as well as the presence of more party-hearty exhortations than consciou ... More >>

Beyond Playlist: Green Day and more

Green Day 21st Century Breakdown (Reprise Records) The five years since the release of American Idiot, an album so strong that most critics didn't believe the Green Day crew had it in them, have only added to the burden of expectations for 21st Century Breakdown, as Billie Joe Armstrong and pals ... More >>

Beyond Playlist: Doves and more

Doves Kingdom of Rust Astralwerks It's not exactly a mystery why Doves remain more popular in the U.K. than on these shores. After all, the band's music tends toward denseness, not instant accessibility -- and Jimi Goodwin and the brothers Williams, Jez and Andy, feel that brevity is highly overr ... More >>

The Gaslight Anthem

Wednesday, November 12, Fillmore Auditorium, 303-830-8497.

Thirteen Denver locales that are probably haunted -- or at least should be

Wednesday, November 12, Fillmore Auditorium, 303-830-8497.

Live Review: Steely Dan at Red Rocks

Wednesday, November 12, Fillmore Auditorium, 303-830-8497.

Last Night...Return to Forever @ Paramount Theatre

Wednesday, November 12, Fillmore Auditorium, 303-830-8497.

Beyond Playlist: Joni Mitchell and More

Wednesday, November 12, Fillmore Auditorium, 303-830-8497.

Waterloo Ice House

An Austin institution opens a new location in Louisville.

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Tower of Power Holds Its Charge

Three decades on, the Oakland ensemble still knows what is hip.

Moutin Reunion Quartet

Saturday, June 23, Dazzle, 303-839-5100.

Westword Music Showcase 2007

Saturday, June 16

Bob Dorough

Thursday, January 18 and Friday, January 19, Dazzle, 303-839-5100.

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Critic's Choice

Stanley Jordan

Critic's Choice

Dave Holland

Grachan Moncur III

Mosaic Select: Grachan Moncur III (Mosaic)

Exploring the Future

Veteran jazz player Herbie Hancock searches for new frontiers.

Taking Flight

Legendary drummer Roy Haynes sings Bird's praises while creating his own legend.

Ingram Marshall

Kingdom Come/Hymnodic Delays/Fog Tropes II (Nonesuch); Different Rivers (ECM)

Critic's Choice

Squarepusher

Ripple Effect

Ken Burns's Jazz remains controversial. But its effect on album sales is difficult to dispute.

Cultural Stew

Danilo Perez rocks the Boulder Theater, while a local girl makes good at the Grammys.

Hit Pick

Hamster Theatre

Critic's Choice

Patricia Barber

Chemistry Set

Chicago outfit Isotope 217 approaches jazz through the scientific method.

Night & Day

February 11 - 17, 1999

Wooley Thinking

February 11 - 17, 1999

The X Files

Punk-rock guitarist turned Nation of Islam minister Jamal Muhammad is still angry--and not just in black and white.

Thrills for the week

Punk-rock guitarist turned Nation of Islam minister Jamal Muhammad is still angry--and not just in black and white.

Shorter Over the Long Haul

Faced with the tragic death of his wife, saxophone titan Wayne Shorter chooses life.

Thrills for the week

Faced with the tragic death of his wife, saxophone titan Wayne Shorter chooses life.

Playlist

Faced with the tragic death of his wife, saxophone titan Wayne Shorter chooses life.

MASSIVE ATTACK, BOULDER STYLE

Faced with the tragic death of his wife, saxophone titan Wayne Shorter chooses life.

SWEET AS JAM

Faced with the tragic death of his wife, saxophone titan Wayne Shorter chooses life.

PLAYLIST

Faced with the tragic death of his wife, saxophone titan Wayne Shorter chooses life.

THRILLS

Faced with the tragic death of his wife, saxophone titan Wayne Shorter chooses life.