Sundressed- “Beck And Call” It seems that with every passing release Sundressed just gets better and better. Sundressed will release their second EP this year through Take This To Heart Records on October 23. The Same Condition is following quick on the heels of Dig Up A Miracle released last…
In 2012 I wrote a Phoenix New Times article about the perfect heavy metal soundtrack for football season—but it wasn’t focused on all the cliché songs that you hear over and over again on the field, from Drowning Pool’s “Bodies” to Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle.” Sure, heavy…
Every Wednesday is Heritage Hump Day! That’s because every Wednesday from now to the end of the year or before someone really big stops us, Heritage Hump Records (a temporary subsidiary of Onus Records) and New Times will be bringing you a limited edition collector’s item of a much beloved…
The Valley of the Sun didn’t always have skate parks. For many years, finding a good place to drop in and have some fun was both a challenge and a somewhat noble quest for riders of all ages. According to Rob Locker of local skateboard and record company AZPX, when…
Summer concerts in Phoenix aren’t exactly the most glamorous things in the world. If you’re indoors, you’re dealing with an overworked air conditioner and a sweaty walk to the parking lot. Outdoor concerts are great, if you’re the type of person who likes dancing in saunas. But that hasn’t stopped…
I never in a million years thought I would be prompted to write about Miley Cyrus. Still, when one of the most successful pop singers of the current era drops a 23-song double album for free, it piques my curiosity. To be honest, I am not familiar with her previous…
We’ve gotten through the worst of it, Phoenix metalheads. The VMAs, relentless pop-country touring bands, and, oh, the relentless heat. We’ve still got some triple digits in September, no doubt, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. And since it’s still waaay too hot to figure out…
The members of indie folk band Dear Jerome don’t mind being one of the softer-sounding acts taking the stage at such venues as Tempe Tavern, Rips Ales & Cocktails, or Pho Cao. In a rock scene in which amped-up instruments sometimes overshadow vocals, the male-female dynamic via singers Brandon Jensen…
The long-running instrumental duo El Ten Eleven credits Peter Hook for sparking a new direction on the band’s eighth album. El Ten Eleven has opened numerous shows for Hook, the founding bassist of New Order and Joy Division, and his son Jack Bates. At one point, Hook told El Ten…
Raheem Jarbo has been living with split personalities since 2007. That’s when he started releasing hip-hop as Random, a socially conscious rapper trying to spit his version of truth to power, and Mega Ran, his video game rap- and nerdcore-based alter ego. With Jarbo’s newest record, RNDM, dropping on September…
Every Wednesday is Heritage Hump Day! That’s because every Wednesday from now to the end of the year or before someone really big stops us, Heritage Hump Records (a temporary subsidiary of Onus Records) and New Times will be bringing you a limited edition collector’s item of a much beloved…
The blues has always been about regionalism. While feeling, intent, and themes consistently overlap the form, there’s no denying the particular impact of an artist’s surroundings. Forceful Chicago blues will never be mistaken for gritty Texas blues, just as the breezy West Coast blues style stands alone from the rollin’…
Every Wednesday is Heritage Hump Day! That’s because every Wednesday from now to the end of the year or before someone really big stops us, Heritage Hump Records (a temporary subsidiary of Onus Records) and New Times will be bringing you a limited edition collector’s item of a much beloved Phoenix band that walked…
The Musical Instrument Museum announced the first details of its second annual MIMFest today. Ozomatli, Victor Wooten, Martha Redbone, and more will headline the diverse lineup, which will include local bands as well, such as Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra and the Sugar Thieves. In total, the two-day festival (Saturday, November 7, and…
For all the songs that have been written about the sun and its subsequent sunshine, the star that sustains life on this very planet is finally making its place in the music video industry thanks to Minneapolis indie-ground hip-hop legends Atmosphere. While their single “Sunshine” was released eight years ago, this…
“We’re not critiquing against God. We’re critiquing against man. That’s one of the most fundamental differences with the critics… when you start going into the mainstream, there’s a lot of talk about God, and that is not exactly what we’re talking about here.”—Nameless Ghoul, interview with New Times, October 23,…
Independent artists have it hard. They are not only competing with the pristine sounds of pop radio, they also have to handle burden of supporting a career. It can be a daunting task, especially in the crowded world of hip-hop. Some believe that the culture is dying in a cesspool…
Mitchell Hillman listens to more local music than just about anyone in the Valley. He presents his picks for best new music in his column, Right Hear, Right Now. The Oxford Coma – “When The Levee Breaks” In covering the local beat, I don’t get many opportunities to write about…
Every Wednesday is Heritage Hump Day! That’s because every Wednesday from now to the end of the year or before someone really big stops us, Heritage Hump Records (a temporary subsidiary of Onus Records) and New Times will be bringing you a limited edition collector’s item of a much beloved…
What sort of things is left to be said about a founding member of a band called Slime and the Boobytramps after his untimely death? Raucous stories of house party destruction? Outrageously worded inappropriate jokes meant to offend? Self-described shitty tunes meant to clear the room? Well, yeah, all those…
It’s been a really weird year for Robbie Pfeffer. As frontman and lyricist of scuzz-funk five-piece Playboy Manbaby, the guy is someone you’d expect to be a little weird. After all, this is a band that writes wacko songs called “Falafel Pantyhose” and sings about minivans, neck tattoos, and “Pulsating…
Perusing dobro player and music producer Jerry Douglas’ résumé should make you tired. He’s long been regarded for his superb mastery of the kind of acoustic guitar that features a metal resonator built into its body. It’s a talent he’s not afraid to use; the man is busy. In addition…
