The Magnetic Fields

Cat Power at Ogden Theatre, 01/24/13

CAT POWER @ THE OGDEN THEATRE | 01/24/13 Cat Power -- better known as Chan Marshall and a Revolving Cast of Other Folks -- played a bizarrely unbalanced show last night at the Ogden. When it was good, it was transformative. When it was bad, it was hard not to feel a little sympathetic for the other ... More >>

Oliver Ackerman of A Place to Bury Strangers on the joys of creating Total Sonic Annihilation

A Place to Bury Strangers makes the kind of guitar rock that doesn't just carry melody but is rather a palpable, elemental presence in the room. From early on, the act drew immediate comparisons to My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain, the Cure and Big Black, as critics searched for adequate an ... More >>

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 >>

What's in your bag? Marc Jacobs, a master's thesis and more!

This week, Denver street style is taking cues from New York's Marc Jacobs, whose high-end fashion and leather goods are a symbol of luxury to people around the world. While the air here is hot and muggy, with sudden showers threatening the afternoons, Denverites keep pushing the style thermometer. ... More >>

Dandy Warhols, Cake, Fiona Apple among new shows, Alabama Shakes, Nicki Minaj top sellers

Here's what's hot this week in music on the Front Range: On the concert front, new shows from the Dandy Warhols, Cake, Fiona Apple and more were announced; Musketeer Gripweed, Hot Robots, and Broken Tongues got spins on local radio; and recent albums from the Alabama Shakes, Nicki Minaj, the Shins a ... More >>

Mile Highlights: Denver/Boulder area concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

Here's what's hot this week in music on the Front Range: On the concert front, new shows featuring Wilco, 311, Slightly Stoopid, Dukes of September and more were announced; Overcasters, Lumineers, Churchill and the Jekylls got spins on local radio; and recent albums from the Shins, E-40, Fun. and th ... More >>

Mile Highlights: Denver/Boulder area concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

Here's what's hot this week in music on the Front Range: On the concert front, new shows featuring Aerosmith and Cheap Trick, Pretty Lights, Tenacious D, Umphrey's Mcgee and more were announced; Overcasters, Lumineers, Churchill and the Jekylls got spins on local radio; and recent albums from the Sh ... More >>

Mile Highlights: Denver/Boulder area concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

Here's what's hot this week in music on the Front Range: On the concert front, new shows featuring Cypress Hill, the Fray, Kaskade and Mojo Nixon were announced; Lola Black, Fresh Breath Committee and the Autumn Film got spins on local radio; and recent albums from Bruce Springsteen, Andrew Bird, Fu ... More >>

Thrifty Astronaut

Apple-Eaters
Act So Big Forest/Woodstack Records

Review: Peter Gabriel at Red Rocks, 6/13/01

Peter Gabriel got all sorts of orchestral last night at Red RocksPETER GABRIEL at RED ROCKS | 06.13.11"The rain started to fall in earnest, and lyrics like "Be afraid of the cold" and "After me comes the flood" were punctuated with peals of thunder and the dance of lighting bolts on the distant hori ... More >>

JB Townsend of Crystal Stilts on the act's evolution and the influence of Velvet Underground

​A few years ago, Crystal Stilts (due tonight at Larimer Lounge), along with friends Blank Dogs, gained notoriety in the blogosphere for its reverb-drenched post-punk, which was notably different from everything that had been coming out of New York in the past decade.

In honor of Valentine's Day, we present you with fifteen love songs about... inanimate objects

​It's Valentine's Day, which means the entire Internet is abuzz with songs about love -- or if people are feeling particularly sad -- songs about hate. But what about those who prefer to spread their affection to other things, like inanimate objects? Well, there are plenty of those songs, too. ... More >>

A freezing-weather playlist, from Denver and beyond

​Fun fact you probably didn't know already: It's really fucking cold outside. How cold? Well, eleven degrees below zero at last check. This is hunker down with hot chocolate and delivery Chinese food weather. Work can wait until you don't need an ice pick and a Sherpa to navigate your neighbor ... More >>

10 things to do for $10 this weekend, December 3-5, 2010

Smile. You don't have to go broke this weekend.​We're here to help maintain your sanity and financial stability this holiday season with a couple movies, a photo show, dance parties, art and more. If you need some spots to blow off some steam after blowing two paychecks on stuff for yourself o ... More >>

Magnetic Personality

Aloe Blacc, Harry Nilsson, Kid Cudi fill 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 >>

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 >>

Denver does Denver, but who's doing the rest? A list of our five dream covers.

The act we've chosen for Magnetic Fields to cover is so obvious, it just might work.​With Denver Does Denver now safely in the rearview, we've been pondering what an expansion of the concept beyond the Colorado borders might look like. More to the point, we've been thinking about what some of ... 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 >>

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 March 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 >>

Moving Units: Sade grabs top spot at local stores again

​ While there weren't any clear winners across the board at local stores for the week ending February 21, Sade's Soldier of Love did grab the top spots at Independent Records and Twist & Shout for the second week in a row. Beach House's Teen Dream and Yeasayer's Odd Blood were also strong sell ... More >>

Moving Units: Spoon still strong seller at local record stores

​Although Spoon's latest effort, Transference, didn't have quite the pull it did the week it came out, it was still a strong a seller among local record stores for the week ending January 31. Magnetic Fields' Realism, released last week on Nonesuch had a decent debut, and Vampire Weekend's Contra ... 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 >>

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

Tuesday, December 1, Boulder Theater, 303-786-7030.

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of August 31, 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 >>

The Denver Boot: Hot IQs final show at Larimer Lounge

​Without question, Hot IQs, which took the stage for the last time this past weekend at the Larimer Lounge, made its mark on the Mile High City and will be sorely missed. Starting life as the Royal We, the outfit grew ably into its own as songwriters and left us with a slew of outstanding songs, f ... More >>

Women

Wednesday, March 25, Rhinoceropolis, 303-641-9809.

Live Review: Magnetic Fields at Boulder Theater

Thoughts on Five Songs While I Quietly Freak Out and Try to Work

Alan Parsons as Living History and Other Assorted Goodies

The Magnetic Fields

Distortion
Nonesuch

Monkey Business

Stung By Bees

Skylark Lounge

Merritt Plan

The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt follows an idiosyncratic blueprint.

Various artists

Old Enough 2 Know Better: 15 Years of Merge Records (Merge)

The Postal Service

Give Up (Sub Pop)

Best Public-Library Music Section

Schlessman Family Branch Library

That's a Wrap-Up

Backbeat writers sound off on a few of their favorite musical things from 2002.

Letters to the Editor

From the week of May 2, 2002

Kelly's Heroes

Kelly Hogan takes great songs by great artists and makes them her own.

Kelly Hogan & the Pine Valley Cosmonauts

Beneath the Country Underdog
(Bloodshot)

Oh, L'Amour

Magnetic Fields frontman Stephin Merritt is loving every minute of a new three-disc set.

Their Noise

After ten years, Superchunk and Merge Records are still working. But they are not working for you.

Got Milk?

Elephant 6's Neutral Milk Hotel books a room in Denver.

Playlist

PLAYLIST