The Kinks

Ten sad, strange and sexy Christmas songs

It's less than a week until the fat man in the red suit shimmies down the chimney, and we've already heard "White Christmas," "All I Want For Christmas Is You" and every other traditional song you can think of at least a thousand times since Thanksgiving. But there are a few songs out there, well-wr ... More >>

Ten essential albums of the 1960s

If someone wanted to learn more about the sixties, but didn't know where to start, these are the albums we'd recommend. While they aren't necessarily the best selling, or the most critically acclaimed, they are certainly the ones that float to the surface all these years later, providing a rough blu ... More >>

Five best songs from the Summer of Love

Forty five years ago, the western world was forever changed by an overwhelming groundswell of youth rebellion known to history as the Summer of Love. There are countless factors that caused this tsunami of bohemia to sweep the globe -- everything from economics and the end of World War II to LSD and ... More >>

Calling all mods: Mods Mayday at the Skylark Lounge

It's difficult to say exactly what "mod" means in 2012. Even when the movement reached its zenith in London in the early '60s, the definition wasn't clear: not quite hippie, not quite punk, not quite English, yet not quite American, either. Inventing a sort of bohemian dandy aesthetic, the mods wore ... More >>

Tonight: The Strange Boys at the Hi-Dive

​A rambunctious throwback to that time when The Kinks were first birthing some of the truest rock and roll in existence, the Strange Boys have been creating their own jangled jams for almost a decade. Guitarist and vocalist Ryan Sambol sounds slightly brattier than Ray Davies ever did (in a go ... More >>

Earth, Deca, DeVotchKa, Mogwai, Hindershot, Warsaw and Adele 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?" 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 >>

Pretty Lights, Ween and Jay-Z filled our playlists this 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 >>

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 >>

Cee Lo Green's inescapably charming (and shamelessly profane) kiss off tops our playlists

​As people who think about, talk about, listen to and make music, the most persistent 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 lis ... More >>

Beside Rick Ross and Big Boi, we're all listening to completely different stuff this 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?" 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 >>

Erykah Badu, Brian Eno on our playlists this 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?" 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 >>

Danielle Ate the Sandwich, Otis Taylor and Trace Bundy 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 >>

Nathaniel Rateliff, Sleigh Bells and Bruno Mars top our playlists this 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?" 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 >>

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 >>

B.o.B., Bop Skizzum, Tommy Metz and The Pirate Signal 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 March 8, 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 >>

Five albums that should be made into movies instead of American Idiot

There are rumors floating around that the Tom Hanks owned Playtone production company may be discussing the possibilities of turning Green Day's American Idiot (the musical) into a movie. This is, without a doubt, the worst possible news we could feasibly imagine. We're picturing a kind of Garden ... More >>

The Weekend Showdown: We're hanging out with The Jim Jims

​We would hate for you to miss out on all the awesome that happens every weekend in our fair city, so we've decided to run down five of the best shows in one easy-to-swallow post, with video and audio. Tell us -- and the rest of the world -- what we missed in the comments. This week, Larimer ... More >>

Over the Weekend: The Buckingham Squares at the Mercury Cafe

Tom MurphyThe Buckingham Squares​ The Buckingham Squares • Receiver Voodoo Stingray • The Nuns of Brixton • 03.13.10 | Mercury Cafe Maybe actually wearing nun habits as part of the stage costume is a gimmick, but for The Nuns of Brixton, it left an impression. As the name implies, the ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of February 8, 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. ... More >>

This Just In: Black Eyed Peas, Ray Davies, Twiztid shows announced

​Quite a few shows announced this week that will be going on sale this weekend: The Black Eyed Peas, who just added another trio of Grammys to the three they already have, bring their E.N.D. World Tour to the Pepsi Center on Saturday, March 27. Ludacris and LMFAO open the show. Tickets for the tou ... 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 >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of December 14, 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 >>

Introducing Recast, our latest feature in which we appoint ourselves as soundtrack supervisors of an existing film

​Movie soundtracks have the ability to create mood and atmosphere in an interesting way when utilized properly. Changing or adding to a soundtrack is a way to create a completely new experience. Blade Runner is one of the greatest science fiction movies of all time but the soundtrack has always fe ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of October 19, 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 5, 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 ... More >>

Over the weekend: Green Day at Pepsi Center

Billy Joe Armstrong engages the crowd (Aaron Thackeray)​Green Day, Franz Ferdinand Pepsi Center Saturday, August 15, 2009Better than: Hanging out with eleven-year-olds at an indoor recreation center. The members of Green Day and their crew tried with all their might to summon the spirit of an old ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of August 3, 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 al ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top five spins for the week of May 11, 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 al ... More >>

Westword Music Showcase 2006

Be there or be square!

Westword Music Showcase 2005

The Message

Looking Glass

Stop Your Sobbing

In the wake of September 11, Ray Davies reconsiders his past and looks to the future.

Year-End Close-Out

We've got 1998's best albums in stock, but they're going fast.

Playlist

LETTERS

YULE'S GOLD

THE GOOD, THE BAND AND THE UGLY CHRISTMAS ALBUMS FOR 1994.

COME TOGETHER--AGAIN