The ten shittiest post-grunge bands

In the wake of the showerless grunge exfoliation of the early ’90s, a slew of post-grunge bands emerged with diluted ditties filled with watered-down lyrics, all seemingly revolving around suffering through romance. Based on the endless stream of crap these bands churned out, these test tube babies were clearly breastfed…

The ten best mixtape DJs of all time

Over the last decade or so, mixtapes have revolutionized the rap game and altered how marketing in general is approached. Not only have the rappers received substantial acclaim, the DJs have, too. Although there are numerous DJs — guys like Statik Selektah, Trap-A-Holics, DJ Khaled, DJ Scream, Big Mike, Nu…

Blue Roots Denver TV pilot filming at Lannie’s

Roots & Rhythm frontman James Speiser and KUVO DJ Erik Troe both know a few things about blues and jazz, so it’s no surprise that the two came up with the concept for Blue Roots Denver, a Denver-produced program that features local blues and jazz musicians. The pilot for the…

Jay Jaramillo gives back with the Mile High Sound Movement

Right now I’m between a rock and hard place,” declares Jay Jaramillo, who was recently laid off from his job at Denver Health. “And there’s a part of me that wants to take my music by the horns and just run with it.” That wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing…

Charles Bradley brings his scorching soul music to town

Prior to being discovered by Gabe Roth of Daptone Records, who released his superb 2011 debut, No Time for Dreaming, Charles Bradley spent a good chunk of his time impersonating James Brown in Brooklyn clubs. Bradley delved into some fairly dark themes on Dreaming, including heartbreak and the death of…

Matthew Moon

The hints of an epic journey are easy to find on I Am the Wind, the latest release from Matthew Moon. The record’s twelve tracks all speak of wanderlust; whether Moon is describing nature, deep spiritual transformations or personal relationships, the constant theme here is movement. No wonder, considering these…

Aakash Mittal Quartet With Ron Miles

Since the release of his 2008 debut, Possible Beginnings, alto saxophonist Aakash Mittal has grown considerably, both as a player and as a composer. He and his quartet have always fused Eastern Indian music and jazz, but on Ocean, which features trumpeter Ron Miles, Mittal pushes things forward with songs…

BurntMD

With The Green Invasion, BurntMD proves that he has most of the tangible tools needed to be a prime-time rapper: a distinctive, gritty voice; a seasoned flow that seems to change every few lines; constant intensity; and detailed, mostly well-written lyrics with unexpected rhymes and schemes. He’s even earned the…

Goer

Goer returns from a brief hiatus with a more contemplative, polished approach to its cavernous, post-Radiohead, lo-fi electro-indie pop. The percussion work on opener “Fill Your Cravings,” for instance, incorporates more jazz and trip-hop than the frenetic style found on previous EPs Cove and Like Minds. The use of delay…

The ten best rap producers of all time

Even though rappers and producers share a symbiotic dependence on one another, there’s been an ongoing debate in rap music about who plays the most pivotal role: the one providing the words or the one providing the music. While the MCs obviously get the most shine, would Guru’s words have…