Crystal Castles

Top Five Must-See Shows In Phoenix This Week

There isn't a Coachella this weekend, so far as I can tell -- neither a real Coachella nor The Real Coachella, which honestly seemed like a better time. That leaves us, globally, with a notable shortage of people listening to music in weird outfits and from strange campsites. These five shows might ... More >>

Matt Anderson, What Are You Listening To?

Matt Anderson The local comedian performs at Monkey Pants Bar and Grill at 8:30 pm, Thursday, January 31. Follow him on Twitter @MattAnd3. When you put your key in the ignition, what station would play right now? I am an FM guy because I'm the poorest of them all. So, probably between 94.5 KOOL-FM ... More >>

Five 2012 Albums for Enjoying The Apocalypse

Let's face it, the Mayan Calendar thing is kind of silly, but I'm still obsessed with it because I often ruminate on The End. It's an important scenario to consider, no matter how unlikely, because it makes us ask the Big Questions and wonder how meaningful/meaningless our lives truly are. One of m ... More >>

Lymbyc Systym @ Yucca Tap Room

Literal Band Names: Radiohead, Black Keys, Meat Puppets, and More

There are some weird band names out there, so we let our imaginations go wild to envision what some of these names would literally look like. We chose Radiohead as our jumping off point because love them or hate them, the band is playing at Jobing.com arena tonight, and it's sure to be one of the ... More >>

Tumblr of the Week: Awesome Girls in Bands

http://awesomegirlsinbands.tumblr.com/​Even though I'm an awesome female, I'm not particularly girly. I prefer male vocals when I listen to music, I think women's sports aren't very important, and I can't stand feminists.But I still think it's important to recognize some truly great famous female ... More >>

Sticky Fingers @ Bar Smith

Lollapalooza Unveils Lineup: Eminem, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Muse

​Lollapalooza has revealed an absolutely killer lineup for its 20th-anniversary show, according to Consequence of Sound.Eminem, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, and Muse are at the top of this summer's impressive bill. Other big names scheduled to perform include My Morning Jacket, Deadmau5, A Perfect Circ ... More >>

Info Leaked About Britney Spears' New Album

​An internal Jive Records memo that contains information about Britney Spears' upcoming album has been leaked, according to Rolling Stone.The memo stated that Britney's album will be released on March 15. It also revealed collaborations with Dr. Luke and Max Martin.The majority of the information ... More >>

15 Good Songs You Might've Missed in 2010

Peter Storch​I listened to more than 3,000 songs in 2010, so I was asked to come up with a list of the best of the year. But you've probably heard "Swim" by Surfer Blood and "Boyfriend" by Best Coast and "Helicopter" by Deerhunter and "Hustle and Cuss" by the Dead Weather, so I came up with a ... More >>

Girl Talk: All Day

​Artist: Girl Talk Title: All Day Release date: November 15 Label: Illegal Art Whether sample-happy mash-up act Girl Talk is "good" or "not good" and whether you "like" or "dislike" Girl Talk are completely irrelevant to any discussion regarding Girl Talk. The only things I care about when it ... More >>

Tierra del Fuego: Queen of the Rendezvous

​Artist: Tierra del Fuego Title: Queen of the Rendezvous Release date: December 11 Label: Scapular Winging Through pure happenstance, I witnessed this local band, Tierra del Fuego, on Saturday night play as they played to a small but appreciative crowd at Trunk Space. It just happened to be t ... More >>

Odds 'n' Sods: Helmet, Michael Franti & Spearhead, The Charlatans, Small Black, and more

​It's amazing how much music is released in a year. I've listened to nearly 270 records in their entirety this year, yet I still have a huge stack of unlistened CDs on my desk, several unlistened digital downloads in my iTunes, and a lengthy list of high-profile stuff I never got a chance to h ... More >>

Mini Mansions: Mini Mansions

​Artist: Mini Mansions Title: Mini Mansions Release date: November 2 Label: Ipecac One of the biggest musical curveballs of the year has to be the debut record by the Southern California trio Mini Mansions. I say it's a curveball because I wouldn't have guessed such a Beatles-esque display o ... More >>

The Parting Gifts: Strychnine Dandelions

​Artist: The Parting Gifts Title: Strychnine Dandelions Release date: November 9 Label: In the Red Last week, I didn't have many good things to say about the new record from Kanye West. This morning, a white co-worker walked into my office and said, "I read what you said about Kanye West. Whe ... More >>

OFF!: First Four EPs

​Artist: OFF! Title: First Four EPs Release date: November 23 Label: Vice Records In 2010, few things seem more ridiculous than a punk supergroup anchored by two guys who made their most indelible marks on American punk rock nearly 30 years ago. But, damn, OFF! pulled off an unlikely feat, ma ... More >>

Matt & Kim: Sidewalks

​Artist: Matt & KimTitle: SidewalksRelease date: November 2Label: FaderI suppose I should mention up front that I didn't like Tears for Fears in 1985 and I still don't 25 years later, even in a nostalgic sense. So it stands to reason that I have little use for Matt & Kim in 2010.It's not t ... More >>

Elvis Costello: National Ransom

​Artist: Elvis Costello Title: National Ransom Release date: November 2 Label: Hear Music I really wish it weren't the case, but I'd have to file the new record by Elvis Costello under "For Completists Only" (of which I'm sure there many when it comes to Elvis Costello fans). If you heard hi ... More >>

The 88: The 88

​Artist: The 88Title: The 88 Release date: September 28 Label: Rocket ScienceWhat do you do if you're a band like The 88? You're top-flight songwriters and musicians, you get your songs placed in all kinds of big-name TV shows and high-profile TV commercials, you tour the country opening ... More >>

Warpaint: The Fool

​Artist: Warpaint Title: The Fool Release date: October 25 Label: Rough Trade The musical path taken by L.A. foursome Warpaint is well trodden -- but this kind of ultra-moody, sort of experimental, Joy Division-indebted music is usually plied by men. But Warpaint is a quartet of women, and in ... More >>

Celine Dion Gives Birth to Her 2nd, 3rd Children

Celine Dion gave birth to twin boys over the weekend, according to Billboard. Despite having just popped out more kids and, ahem, getting old, Dion is still booked for a three-year concert stint in Las Vegas. Oh, and her nine-year-old son will be a teenager soon. Actually, speaking of old peop ... More >>

Screaming Females: Castle Talk

​Artist: Screaming Females Title: Castle Talk Release date: September 14 Label: Don Giovanni Back in the day, I'd hate to miss a good show (I'm still not happy that my parents wouldn't let me drive to Kalamazoo one Monday night to see Scratch Acid and Big Black play, ditto the time I couldn't ... More >>

Kings of Leon: Come Around Sundown

​Artist: Kings of LeonTitle: Come Around SundownRelease date: October 19Label: RCAI think it's funny that people are getting all bent out of shape over the supposed "selling out" of Kings of Leon, saying their new record sucks worse than that sucky one that sold a bajillion copies a few years ago. ... More >>

Grinderman: Grinderman 2

​Artist: GrindermanTitle: Grinderman 2Release date: September 14Label: Anti-Most of the indie rock I've heard this year (well over 200 records and counting, with 11 weeks to go in this series) is really pretty toothless. Even the harder-rocking stuff, with its big drums or wall-of-sound guitars or ... More >>

Nothing Not New: Podcast #9

​Welcome to our latest podcast, in which Martin Cizmar and I play some new music and about it, too. On today's program, we discuss the merits of such bands as Wavves, Arcade Fire, The Budos Band, Jimmy Eat World, and local superstars Snake! Snake! Snakes!Here's the playlist:Jaill -- "The Stroller" ... More >>

Odds 'n' Sods: Cowboy Junkies, Winnie Cooper, Grieves, Shelby Lynne, and more

​Holy crap, only five-plus months left of Nothing Not New. I gotta get to a lot more new(-ish) releases. Let's roll . . .Cowboy Junkies -- Remnin Park: Who knew these dour Canadians were even still around? Remnin Park is a concept album inspired the Timmins' family month-long sojourn to China. Out ... More >>

Authority Zero: Stories of Survival

​Artist: Authority ZeroTitle: Stories of SurvivalRelease date: June 22Label: Suburban NoizeI have a friend who's a native Phoenician and longtime fixture in the Valley punk scene, both as fan and musician. He loves West Coast punk, thinks Southern California spawned the best of the best punk, espe ... More >>

13 Must-Hear Songs from the First Half of 2010

Dum Dum Girls​Today marks the halfway point of Nothing Not New. That means I've listen to nearly 140 records in their entirety in the first six months of 2010. Just another 140 or so to go before I can retreat to the familiarity of my record collection.To recognize the occasion, the Up on the Sun ... More >>

Foals: Total Life Forever

​Artist: FoalsTitle: Total Life ForeverRelease date: June 22Label: Sub PopThough I disagree with a commenter on one of my posts this week (Shawn from excellent local music blog Electric Mustache) about the merits of electro-punk Sleigh Bells, I agree with him that S.B. are a band that you either l ... More >>

Nothing Not New: Podcast #7

​Music editor Martin Cizmar and I are back with a new podcast. We've got new 10 songs and Martin's musings on his favorite record from the grunge era. Here's what's in store from podcast #7. Crystal Castles: "Empathy" Sleigh Bells: "Infinity Guitars" The Cool Kids: "Strawberry Girls" Ariel P ... More >>

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Mojo

​Artist: Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersTitle: MojoRelease date: June 15Label: RepriseHow many of you have acts that you'd never call yourself a fan of, would never buy one of their records, or pay money to see in concert, yet recognize that the acts have been around for so long and written songs ... More >>

Odds 'n' Sods: Delta Spirit, Stereo Total, The Tallest Man on Earth, The Cringe, The Dig, and more

​Let's clear off the desk, shall we?Stereo Total: Baby Ouh! -- This band on the Kill Rock Stars label is a multi-lingual new-New Wave boy-girl band with songs sung in English, German, and French. It's quirky with a capital "Q" and not nearly as charming as it thinks it is. Still, most songs are un ... More >>

Crystal Castles, Against Me!, and Blitzen Trapper; June 8 Was a Record-Release Bonanza

Twittenemies and Online Nemeses, New Record Releases, and More in This Week's Issue

Elycia Marie: Martin Cizmar's internet nemesis.​This week's music feature is an explanation of the strange series of events that made Elycia Marie, the girlfriend of Malcolm in the Middle child star Frankie Muniz, who plays drums for a Phoenix band, the Twitter nemesis of music editor Martin Cizma ... More >>

What's Selling: Zia Records Tempe

​Though school may be out for the summer, Tempe kids shopping at Zia Records manage to stay turned on to all that is new.They're still all over the Deftones latest record, and Sleigh Bells sneaks in at the number four slot even though not everyone on our staff is as enthused about this release. Ha ... More >>

Crystal Castles: "Vietnam" (Lightsoverla Remix)

​Song: Crystal Castles' "Vietnam" (Lightsoverla Remix)Context: It's been 40 years and one day since the Kent State shootings. 

Vampire Weekend Set to Release Follow Up to Contra Before the Year's End

Vampire Weekend.​So it seems that even though Vampire Weekend's critically acclaimed, (by nearly all music critics except our very own Jay Bennett,) Contra came out just this January, the plan is that they'll have another recording out before the year's end, according to TwentyFourBit.Their frontm ... More >>

Crystal Antlers

Perez Hilton Allegedly Beat Down By Manager, Crystal Castles Beat Down Security, Jack White and Jimmy Page Diss 'Guitar Hero"

Electric Mustache: Woods coming to Phoenix Idolator: Crystal Castles: Still Brawlin' NME: Jack White and Jimmy Page diss 'Guitar Hero' video game Pitchfork: Radiohead/Wilco/Marr/Finn Supergroup Benefit Album Details Revealed Rolling Stone: Perez Hilton Reportedly Assaulted By Will.i.am's Manager So ... More >>

Coachella Lineup Officially Announced

Coachella's 2009 official lineup is officially out -- as of 3:15 this morning, says Michael Lopez. Here it is: Girl Talk, Crystal Castles, The Knux, Fleet Foxes, Lupe Fiasco (that's, in order, five of my 10 favorite records of 2008) plus The Black Keys, Late of the Pier, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Gasligh ... More >>

Coachella Artists Start Leaking

The first batch of bands for the hottest music festival around, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, has been leaked. Confirmed Artists: the Killers, the Airborne Toxic Event, the Bug, Buraka Som Sistema, Crystal Castles, Drop The Lime, Fleet Foxes, Flying Lotus, Girl Talk, the Hold Steady, ... More >>

Round Up: Best Of Our Best Of Lists

Happy New Year! Up on the Sun and Phoenix New Times have had a lot of lists for you over the past month. Like, more than we can count. Just in case you missed some, here are a few of our favorites:Phoenix's best records of 2008: The best 10 records released in this town last year, including Kinch,  ... More >>

The Best Album of 2008? Sorry 'Science,' I Go With Girl Talk

Can an album comprised solely of samples really be an artistic achievement? Honestly, I'm a little bit torn about naming Girl Talk's Feed The Animals the best album of the year. After all, it is a record made up entirely of mashups, so, strictly speaking, there's not a note of new music in this ba ... More >>

Minibosses, The Advantage, and sBACH Prove Video Game-Influenced Music Isn't Just Playing Around

Let's Get Physical

Hardy lads bring dance tunes to Trunk Space. Really.

Crystal Castles

Crystal Castles
(Last Gang) 

Nuts and Volts

Elektric company jacks up the power at Burn