Sam Cooke

Here's what we're all listening to right now: What's on your playlist this week?

Music is life. Or at least it is for us. When we're not writing about it, we're thinking about it, talking about it or listening to it. These are the things that were in heavy rotation for us this week. What are you listening to? What should we be listening to? C'mon now. Sharing is caring. Don't ho ... More >>

Denver's ten best jukeboxes

More and more, you've probably noticed an influx of Internet jukeboxes, the kind that offer a seemingly endless assortment of songs, cropping up in bars. But there are still a handful of spots rocking old school CD jukeboxes that require a bit of taste-making. Here's the ten best, including this yea ... More >>

Playing cover songs is a sign of creative fatigue

There's nothing wrong with cover songs. In fact, before Sam Cooke and the Beatles shifted the established paradigms, singer and songwriter were two entirely separate professions. And there's also nothing wrong with a musician recording a cover album in the twilight of their career (Johnny Cash's Ame ... More >>

The twelve best shows in Denver this weekend

Ah, yes, what a, uh, super weekend we have on tap. Welcome! You made it! Not only is the big game going down, but the weather is supposed to be favorable with a high in the fifties and there is an abundance of music to look forward to -- so much so, in fact, that we've expanded our picks this week t ... More >>

Brent Cowels and Tyler Kellog of You Me And Apollo on the influence of soul and Motown

You Me And Apollo from Fort Collins started out as the solo project of Brent Cowles when he was seventeen. Over the course of the last handful of years, Cowles has turned what was essentially a bedroom recording project into a full-fledged band. In 2011, Cowles released Cards With Cheats with a nasc ... More >>

You Me & Apollo brings its lush, emotional pop to the hi-dive

Backbeat's top five spins: This is what we're listening to this week. What's on your playlist?

As people who think about, talk about, write about, listen to and make music, it shouldn't be surprising to find that the most common (and mutually favorite) topic of conversation among us is the same: "What are you listening to right now?" Stick a quarter in us, and, boy, wouldn't you know it, off ... More >>

Why the Obama campaign might want to rethink continuing to use U2's "City of Blinding Lights"

There's no question that the President -- in town this evening to debate Mitt Romney -- is a huge music fan. From quoting Sam Cooke during his '08 acceptance speech to randomly singing Al Green verses during a fundraiser to citing Stevie Wonder as being responsible for his marriage, Obama is far and ... More >>

My Morning Jacket's Jim James on the idea of letting fans tweet the songs they want to hear

See Also: My Morning Jacket at Red Rocks, 8/3/12 - 8/4/12 Having formed in the late '90s, Louisville, Kentucky's My Morning Jacket has continued to evolve over the course of six studio albums. At the same time, the band has managed to hang on to that reverb-drenched magnetism that fueled its first ... More >>

Denver's ten best jukeboxes

Just as music collections say a lot about people, a jukebox can do the same for a bar; it often reflect the place's personality. A lot of times, variety is key to a well-stocked jukebox, and 3 Kings Tavern, this year's winner in the Best of Denver, had that with balls, to boot. Here's a look at the ... More >>

As Black History Month comes to a close, we reflect on the influential Sounds of Blackness

Black History Month 2012 has been a doozy. Beginning with the tragic and shocking death of Don Cornelius to dealing with equally troubling news of Whitney Houston's passing as the month wore on. Most interesting about this time is the ways in which the music healed us. When Whitney died, DJs played ... More >>

J. Michael Melton, exec chef of Zydeco's, on destroying candy bars and shi*tin' and spittin' up

Lori Midson​ J. Michael Melton Zydeco's 1730 Wynkoop Street 303-293-2887 www.zydecosdenver.com This is part one of my chat with J. Michael Melton, exec chef of Zydeco's. Part two of our interview will run in this space tomorrow. I got the gift of the Southern double name," drawls J. Michae ... More >>

Denver Bicycle Cafe gets in gear on 17th Avenue

Denver Bicycle Cafe, which rolled onto the scene on November 22, is the town's first bikecentric coffeeshop, combining food, drink and a little bike grease. "Business has been steady," says Jessica Caouette, one of the owners. "We're still just getting to know the neighborhood. It's been nice and s ... More >>

Review: Varlet at Larimer Lounge, 11/26/11

VARLET AT LARIMER LOUNGE | 11/26/11One of the high points of this show was when Lilly Scott said we would be taking a break from the pre-recorded readings from Naked Lunch that opened the show and filled in the silences between songs for a nice older song. And rather than incongruous, Varlet's rendi ... More >>

UMS Travelogue: Mercuria and the Gem Stars, Zebroids, Bad Luck City, Piña Chulada and more

Tom MurphyMercuria and the Gem Stars​UMS on S. BROADWAY | 07/23-24/11An especially hot summer day made navigating various venues an enervating experience, not to mention the humid heat indoors at times. Nevertheless, it didn't seem to dampen anyone's spirits in performing the music, even in th ... More >>

Round two with Trattoria Stella's Valentino Ujkic

Lori Midson​ Valentino Ujkic Trattoria Stella 3201 East Colfax Avenue 303-320-8635 http://trattoriastella.squarespace.com This is part two of my interview with Valentino Ujkic , executive chef of Trattroria Stella. Part one of that interview ran yesterday. Favorite restaurant in America: K ... More >>

Josh Radin at the Boulder Theater, 2/28/11

​ JOSH RADINWith Laura Jansen and Cary BrothersBoulder Theater | February 28, 2011 "The Radin audience is an audience that loves music," said Laura Jansen in the middle of her opening set. And, I would add, chick flicks, even if, like me, they'd vehemently deny that under oath. But only the ... More >>

Tonight: Aloe Blacc at City Hall

​In an age where "vintage polaroid" is considered a look, Aloe Blacc's throwback style isn't much to write home about. But its not Blacc's retro-cool appearance that makes him stand out -- its his stunning, soulful voice and desire to mobilize social change through his music that deserves th ... More >>

Graffiti Black on his muses, inspiration and the four categories of Colorado hip-hop

​Hailing from Montbello, Graffiti Black is a 23-year-old producer, writer and graphic designer known for creating sharp and distinct sounds that are both vibrant and accessible. He flips familiar elements and samples with flair and an experienced ear. Artists such as Innerstate Ike, Mr. Midas, ... More >>

Ben Sollee

Friday and Saturday, December 18 and 19, Bluebird Theater, 303-830-8497.

As much as he loves being in Drag the River, Chad Price digs making music on his own

Suburban Home announces limited pressing of Drag the River anthology

​Drag the River has always been about giving fans the biggest bang for their hard-earned buck. If you ever stumbled into a bar that has a Drag record in the jukebox, for instance, you've probably noticed that if you select the last track on the album, you're treated to the entire album. Genius, ri ... More >>

One year ago today at the DNC: The New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya at the Fillmore Auditorium

Allen Toussaint.​This week marks the one-year anniversary of the Democratic National Convention, an event that made Denver the center of the media universe for several unforgettable days. To mark the occasion, we'll be offering selected flashbacks of Westword coverage. First up: An on-site cou ... More >>

Mile High Music Festival Q&A: Band of Heathens

Although acts such as Tool, Widespread Panic and the Fray are clearly the main draw at this weekend's Mile High Music Festival, it's support bands like Band of Heathens, slated to perform on Saturday, that demonstrate the prodigious depth of the fest's lineup. Boiling down Band of Heathens sound to ... More >>

From Akon to Usher, today's R&B is a shadow of its former self

Last Night: The New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya at the Fillmore Auditorium

Last Night: The New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya at the Fillmore Auditorium

Last Night: The New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya at the Fillmore Auditorium

Jamie Lidell

Monday, June 2, Bluebird Theater, 303-377-1666.

Jamie Lidell

Delegating Denver #28 of 56: Mississippi

This Just In…

The latest nightlife news.

Tifah

These believers prefer to be judged by their music, not their faith.

Beres Hammond

Thursday, January 11, Gothic Theatre, Englewood, 1-866-468-7621.

Everlasting Sounds

A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

Soul Asylum

Jamie Lidell

Aloe Blacc

Shine Through (Stones Throw Records)

Westword Music Showcase 2006

Be there or be square!

Nationalistic 2005

The rest of the planet generated some good CDs this year, too.

Brown-Eyed Soul

Backed by a talented cast of characters, Erica Brown is happy about the shape she's in.

Master Blaster

Hip-hop loyalist and rock-and-roll revivalist Cody ChesnuTT has guitar, headphones -- and will travel to the center of your brain.

Consumed

Bar Back

A World Apart

Heralded as new heroes of indie rock, the Shins shrug their way out of obscurity.

On the Records

Backbeat contributors reflect on the releases that helped them survive the year 2000.

You're So Vain

THRILLS

CRITIC'S CHOICE

SO FINE

THE MOST MEMORABLE ALBUMS OF 1994.

AFTER THE BOARDWALK

TED HAWKINS SINGS ABOUT A LIFE LIKE NO OTHER. HIS OWN.

THRILLS