At its peak, Stereolab was among the most distinctive combos on the planet. Throughout a succession of discs capped by 1996’s unimpeachable Emperor Tomato Ketchup, the act, led by multi-instrumentalist Tim Gane and beguiling French-born singer Laetitia Sadier, offered up an irresistible blend of electro-dabblings, twisted kitsch and left-wing ideology…
This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of Exene Cervenka’s arrival in Los Angeles and the fiftieth anniversary of the punk grande dame’s arrival on earth. To prove she’s still going strong, Cervenka has released a brand-new album with her “band,” the Original Sinners — made up of collaborator Jason Edge…
As evidenced by his last two albums — Pigeon John Dates Your Girlfriend and Pigeon John Sings the Blues! — Pigeon John is the kind of guy who talks about himself in the third person. Narcissism is not an unusual trait for a rapper — heck, Eminem’s entire career is…
The difference between Gilmore Girls and The O.C. is that the former’s too-fast-to-be-believed witty banter is obviously fueled by writers well versed in punk rock, whereas five minutes into the latter self-serving teen drama, no one over the age of 21 cares one iota for the misguided characters. Stole Your…
It’s one to thing to say that Band of Horses is influenced by Built to Spill, the Flaming Lips and the Shins. But there isn’t a single sound on Everything All the Time, the Seattle group’s debut, that doesn’t come from one of these three influences. Still, it’s a pretty…
Judging by the moniker under which he performs, Jackie-O Motherfucker leader Tom Greenwood isn’t interested in impressing middlebrow music lovers — but the collective’s name is only the most obvious example of his outsider tendencies. He founded the project circa 1994, and over the course of ten releases, he’s studiously…
Musicians who are fortunate enough to experience longevity in their careers are sweet on experimenting in order to keep themselves from losing interest and becoming completely sterile. This often upsets longtime fans who would prefer that each album simply sound like an extension of their favorite. Experimentation, however, is necessary…
A few years back, the Casualties were accused of punk-rock misconduct over a couple of cans of Aqua Net. Rumors were that the New York-based foursome had hired a personal hairdresser to pomp up its members’ cowlicks. Known for their three-foot-high Mohawks and Liberty spikes, the Casualties were easy to…
With an acronym that could either stand for Piece of Shit or Product of Society, P.O.S. sounds more ’80s hardcore throwback than hip-hop backpack. As it turns out, the latest MC from the Rhymesayers crew to bust out of the Twin Cities is a little of both. While rap-rock hybrids…
When you call the first song of your demo “The Band That Was Sad About Something,” you’re really asking for it, especially when the song itself is as majestically moping as Smashing Pumpkins’ Gish or Spacemen 3 on a glucose drip. But is Quadramess the subject of its own song?…
Japan’s electronic-music scene remains a fanatical one, with a long history of genre-defining artists who could hold their own with any of their U.S. and U.K. counterparts. Japan’s scene is a bit more self-contained, though, and few of those artists, if any, manage to cross over and find success in…
If anyone said, ‘You can have a time machine and travel to play with any band ever,'” declares Machine Gun Blues guitarist Josh Terry, “I’d probably go back and play with the Spencer Davis Group.” Terry and his cousin Aaron Collins, who fronts Machine Gun Blues, have been making racket…
There are plenty of reasons why singer-songwriter Ben Taylor might seem cranky. Perhaps he doesn’t like conducting interviews from his tour bus. Maybe he’s lost patience with one of his companions, a Jack Russell terrier (it belongs to tourmate Tristan Prettyman’s percussionist) that’s eager to escape the vehicle by any…
Good teachers learn from their students — and Utah Phillips is the best. For fifty years, the California-based folksinger and activist has crisscrossed America via hopped trains and hitched rides, absorbing songs and stories to pass along to all who would listen. But it hasn’t been a one-way street. While…
All hail Jurassic 5! They were a breath of fresh air, bringing pleasure and fun back to the type of hip-hop listened to by indie-rock fans. But they did not come alone — and the group that came with them, the Black Eyed Peas, has turned from a fun bit…
It’s been six years since the Greyboy Allstars brought their blend of jazzy funk to the masses. Formed and produced by DJ Greyboy in San Diego in 1993, the Allstars dropped a couple of studio albums and a live effort before embarking on separate solo endeavors. Most notable was onetime…
Kreator. The name alone sounds like someone’s trying too hard to be hard, doesn’t it? Kreator is hard, though, and has been for over twenty years. Yeah, the act’s moniker is kind of cheesy, but Kreator knows a thing or two about kicking ass. Cue up these German thrash-metal kings’…
Jimmy Page could have written and performed the entirety of Black Is Beautiful — the debut disc by L.A.’s Rolling Blackouts — with his left pinkie. But that doesn’t mean the quartet’s cocktail of riffs and struts doesn’t rise to the top of today’s polluted rock-revival reservoir. Minus the shtick…
The men of Little Brother have set a difficult task for themselves — to find an audience for intelligent tunes in a hip-hop world that celebrates the likes of “Grillz,” a song that praises overpriced dentures. (Coming soon: Efferdent for Rappers! Guaranteed to remove plaque without damaging jewels or gold…
Female singer-songwriters are a dime a dozen these days, multiplying like mogwai: Sprinkle a little water on them and suddenly they’re everywhere. Worse, they all want to be just like Joni Mitchell, Ani DiFranco or Aimee Mann! Maybe that’s why the truly talented singer-songwriters of today stand out so dramatically…
Chris Soucy sure keeps a packed schedule. Besides having played guitar for everyone from Aubrey Collins to Sally Taylor, the Longmont resident is currently a member of the Sixers, the backing band for Massachusetts-based songwriter Stephen Kellogg. Kellogg’s not a big name yet, but that’s not a surprise: His latest,…
Like a trip to the dentist without that minty fresh feeling, Orthrelm leaves you aching, reeling and confused. The experimental rock of D.C.-based guitarist Mick Barr and drummer Josh Blair translates the minimalist approaches of twentieth-century avant-garde composers such as Steve Reich, Terry Riley and Philip Glass into the context…
