In rock, there are several classic, iconic poses that have stood as visual emblems of the genre, that have sustained it for years. In this case, the cliché of a picture being worth a certain number of words holds true: The windmill pose of a guitar king—most perfectly personified in…
Since going solo from ’60s gospel-pop sensation the Staple Singers, Mavis Staples has never flowered into the dynamic performer many envisioned. Painfully retrofitted to odd genres (disco in 1979 and electro-pop in 1984) and backed by mediocre accompaniment, her solo career has been maddeningly sub par. Her re-emergence in the…
Young Jeezy is just that—young. Originally named Li’l J (actually, originally he was named Jay Jenkins), the Atlanta rapper has the deadly serious focus of a teenage phenom with his eyes on the prize. His music completes the nefarious circle of monetarily driven rap: Jeezy leaves the coy allusions to…
His dad, novelist Larry McMurtry, bought him his first guitar when he was 7, and his mother, an English professor, taught him how to play it, but even so, the acorn resides close to the tree. James McMurtry’s country-tinged roots rock is keyed to his facility with words, his insights…
It’s not easy for a 6-foot-7-inch singer to get overlooked, but such is the case for Bruce Robison. While the tall Texas troubadour has been releasing albums for more than a decade, he’s best known as a hit songwriter for Tim McGraw, the Dixie Chicks and George Strait. Or as…
Both the Twilight Sad and Aereogramme hail from Glasgow, and maybe it’s something in the water over there, but these two bands share a very similar sprawling guitar aesthetic. Although Aereogramme’s latest, My Heart Has a Wish That You Would Not Go, emotes the sentiments of that long-winded title throughout,…
Hailing from Brooklyn, Type O Negative is one of the few metal bands to dare to actually smile while performing, even though they are most commonly associated with the gothic-doom subgenre. Formed in the early ’80s, the band features singer Peter Steele, best-known for using a chain for a guitar…
Adult are indeed all grown up—a married couple from Detroit, whose latest album is entitled Why Bother?, which might not have been the best marketing decision, but hey, who looks at titles anyway? If you do bother, you should imagine Siouxsie Sioux (or maybe PJ Harvey) backed by some of…
Although antithetical, Placebo has often been called a glam version of Nirvana. The London quartet has been honing their blend of art and rock for over a decade and guitarist Stefan Olsdal sees a lot more in their sound than a simple (and oxymoronic) comparison to any one band. “I…
The KDGE-102.1 FM EdgeFest, age 16, a once-promising showcase of quasi-independent “alternative,” “modern” and “new” rock acts, died on April 15 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, following a courageous battle with cultural relevance. The EdgeFest premiered in 1992 with interesting and inventive bands such as the Sugarcubes and Charlatans…
For those just joining us, On the Download is a feature in which we sort through the riffraff of the digital universe to provide you with links to the best in legitimate, artist-approved exclusives. It’s instant gratification at its finest, minus the spirit-crushing regret and premium price tag. Have at…
James Murphy rescues intelligent dance music from the oblique, humorless IDM crowd, forging a canny, self-conscious blend of new wave nostalgia, skittering breaks and wry wit. (He did, after all, almost write for Seinfeld.) Murphy’s second full-length release is more luxurious than his debut, apparently the result of spending even…
Former frontman of the former British sense-band Pulp, Jarvis Cocker has been creating sexual narratives both desperate and weary since he was a teenager. It’s been 25 years of rock and pop equally shameless (always ready for the next bit of fun) and forlorn (when you think about it, this…
Directors Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez know a thing or three about music and the movies. Tarantino’s soundtracks have become pop-culture staples (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill), while Rodriguez is one of very few filmmakers who also score their own movies (Sin City is his best). Their latest, Grindhouse,…
It’s that time of year, kids. Easter has come and gone, Spring Break is but a mere memory, and now thoughts turn to tornados, bluebonnets and academic crunch time. To get you warmed up for final exams we offer you our Spring Pop Quiz, intended to sharpen your mental skills…
Brightblack Morning Light actually sees itself as some kind of rural commune. Its core members sport robes ‘n’ beads, call a teepee in the NorCal woods home, and claim to steer clear of “city babylons.” But there’s nothing at all hippie, trippy, or tribal ’bout the group’s sophomore effort. With…
Quite possibly the most warped double billing in recent memory, the pairing of Baltimore’s Arbouretum and North Carolina native David Karsten Daniels is a wonderful twofer of uncompromising intensity. Rites of Uncovering, Arbouretum’s sophomore effort is a literate, bluesy semi-masterpiece full of extended pieces that never overstay their welcome and…
Not to be confused with the psychedelic British trio from the late ’60s and early ’70s, Clouds, the latest from Cave In shredder and vocalist Adam McCrath, is a nebular array of rambunctious retro rock that combines the Raw Power of the Stooges with the Texas-sized boogie of ZZ Top…
Known primarily as a producer (Lucinda Williams, Robert Earl Keen, Ray Wylie Hubbard), singer-songwriter Gurf Morlix has quietly released three credible solo efforts but didn’t really discover his mojo until Diamonds to Dust, his newest effort. Filled with sharp, twisted lyrics and primal grooves, Diamonds is a treasure trove for…
Electric Six probably shouldn’t be taken seriously, because it’s obvious the bandmates themselves don’t: They go by pseudonyms like Dick Valentine and Rock N Roll Indian and rhyme the words “Taco Bell” with “gates of Hell.” The sextet from Detroit keeps a little of that city’s signature garage fuzz-guitar sound…
Treated like rock gods in the U.K., the Kings are, unbelievably, still only the prince’s footmen at home — despite two phenomenal records. Unfortunately, their latest, Because of the Times, is a disappointment, a record full of wandering sonic sketches that never really coalesce. Tracks range from vapid (“Charmer,” “Camaro”)…
Jesus is risen, bitches! Nothing commemorates the resurrection of our Lord and Savior like pastel-colored wicker baskets lined with plastic grass and filled with marshmallow chicks, chocolate bunnies and jelly beans. Here’s Your Official Easter Playlist. Jam it when you’re coming down from that sugar high in the waiting room…
