Built to Spill have been performing for 18 years and have seven studio albums to their credit, the last five on a major label, Warner Bros. They’ve received all sorts of critical plaudits, too. The last thing you’d have expected from the veteran indie rockers was to go on the…
If Gorillaz ever took themselves completely seriously, would it spell doom for their infectious virtual-band whimsy or make for some iconic, classic postmodernism? Originally just a playful side project for Blur frontman Damon Albarn, the animated quartet captured creative lightning in a bottle with the hip-hop-infused synth pop of 2001’s…
You can’t keep a good pseudo-metal band down. So it goes with the Deftones, whose new album, Diamond Eyes, follows a disastrous mid-career detour that nearly derailed their shit permanently. It all started in 2008, when founding bassist Chi Cheng suffered massive brain damage in a car wreck, rendering him…
Here’s a summary of nearly all the too-long-didn’t-read reviews you’ll see of Sufjan Stevens’ electro-beat-y new album, The Age of Adz: “He’s not doing the state thing anymore. Something about the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. This album is weird. Where’s the banjo?” Sure, most critics will throw around big words and dance…
THURSDAY 21 27th Avenue Bar: R&B Thursdays (old-school R&B) Afterlife: Spice Thursdays (dubstep, electro, breakbeats, hip-hop) Airia Nightclub: Ladies Night with DJ Circle, & D-JR (hip-hop, Top 40, remixes, house, electro) AZ88: Josh One (rare groove, urban funk) Bar Smith: UK Thursdays* Finale with Hulk (Claw & Richie August), J-Paul,…
Artist: Kelley StoltzTitle: To DreamersRelease date: October 12Label: Sub PopSan Francisco’s recent resurgence in the world of garage-y indie rock (Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Fresh & Onlys, Sonny and the Sunsets) is probably in some part due to the work of Kelley Stoltz, who’s been dabbling in mid-fi ’60s-influenced…
Song: Weezer, “The Good Life Context: I’m loving the re-issue of Pinkerton. They say my promo copy is water-marked, so I’ve resisted the temptation to upload one of the extra cuts myself. But, trust me, it’s worth buying. Weezer – The Good Life by jhowlett…
T his week, New Times ran a list in our print publication highlighting some of the most interesting posts published at Up On The Sun over the past week. Here are links to those posts. Is selling two minutes of silence the weirdest thing Thom Yorke has ever done?What are…
It’s a lighter load for this week’s incoming shows — mostly due to the fact that we had two different sets of incoming shows last week. That’s not to say that there aren’t some doozies amongst this week’s announcements, though. For those fans of old-school hip hop, we have EMPD making…
Anyone who happens to hang out at Giligin’s in Scottsdale on the weekends should automatically have an interesting story to tell. Por que? Because of Chuey the Rock ‘n’ Roll Midget, that’s why. (For instance, how many of your tales of memorable nightlife exploits include the phrase “…and then the…
The Fall’s frontman Mark E. Smith allegedly threw a bottle at Mumford & Sons at a festival in Dublin last month, according to NME.Way to get aggressive, Mark. And for what? It turns out he simply didn’t like the way Mumford & Sons played during their sound check. Smith also…
How’s this for a cool video to kick off a rainy Wednesday: Joey Burns of Tucson’s critically-acclaimed experimentalist alt-country outfit Calexico gives National Geographic magazine a tour of his town.He plays a song in Solar Culture, takes the crew by Cafe Poca Cosa and talks about the spirit of community…
Caitlin CronenbergLIGHTSSome musicians like to drink, party and hang out with groupies while they’re on tour. For LIGHTS, a spunky little 23-year-old Canadian who has played on Vans Warped Tour and with Owl City, playing World of Warcraft is the perfect way to unwind. And the electro pop singer hopes…
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…
Quick reminder: Indie Bowl, the annual charity bowling event featuring Phoenix scenesters rolling for the benefit of Local First Arizona, is this Sunday. There’s a veritable who’s who among the teams at the Psyko Steve sponsored event: The Rogue Bar, Hard Rock Cafe, Lost Leaf, Snake! Snake! Snakes!, Gospel Claws,…
Song: Jay-Z – Justify My Thug (Flaming Lips Mix)Context: This was the last song on The Black Album I still had rated below three stars on iTunes — before I heard this. The Flaming Lips have announced they’ll be playing The Soft Bulletin in it’s entirety on New Year’s Eve…..
Brooklyn band Atomic Tom thought incorrectly when their latest video would be just another blog post, according to Billboard.Atomic Tom performed their song “Take Me Out” on their iPhones three times while riding a New York City subway. The concert was intended to be a publicity stunt, and considering most…
Locals were all about supporting hometown musicians this week at Revolver Records.Phoenix experimental improv rockers Sun City Girls came out on top at with their latest release.Indie darlings Belle & Sebastian were pretty trendy too, as were New York chamber pop musicians Antony & the Johnsons and the psychedelic Japanese…
A judge on Iron fucking Chef. Just look at him. What the fuck happened to this band? What the fuck happened to Caleb Followill? I sure as shit don’t know, but I give up.Since Kings of Leon were first embraced by UK fans, who lead them down this terrible path,…
Artist: The Extra LensTitle: UndercardRelease date: October 19Label: MergeIn “Cruiserweight,” John Darnielle (best known for his work with The Mountain Goats) sings “I get better as I get more worn down.” You’ve gotta love anyone growing old in the rock ‘n’ roll game who can make such a statement — and…
Song: Sarah McGuinness, “Mama Can You See Me Now”Context: This song if off the soundtrack to Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story, which McGuiness wrote and produced on her own. 02 Mama Can You See Me Now (Original Version) by Matthew Walker…
Remembrance Day is Britain’s version of Veteran’s Day. It’s not on November 11, though, it’s observed the second Sunday of November. Well, actually it’s observed on 11/11, too, but just a little. Also, it’s not to be confused with Memorial Day, or with Britain’s version of Memorial Day, which is…
