Features

Song: Wolf Parade, “Ghost Pressure”Context: Listening to the #1 record of the week at Stinkweeds…

The interwebs is aflutter with talk of “digital drugs” today after Gizmodo found a hilarious video from a newscast where outraged Okie worry their children are getting high with the help of special tonal Mp3s that alter brainwaves to induce a state of narcotic-like ecstacy.It’s a gateway, they claim. It’s…

According to PopEater and British tabloid The Sun, (don’t you just love gossip first thing in the morning?) California prison inmates are warning Lohan that her time in the pen may be tougher than she expects. The Sun reported, “‘Everyone will want a piece of her. It will make them…

This 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. Who was the real star of the show at Saturday night’s Kings of Leon concert? What…

This week’s music feature is on Bobby Brown’s “comeback” with the Heads of State show. This is after he’s had time to reflect on his many years of substance and alleged spousal abuse. In the end, the man fancies himself an entertainer. But just how compelling is he these days?We…

Bobby Brown would really appreciate it if you’d go see the Heads of State show on July 16 at the Celebrity Theatre. Seriously, he’d really like the opportunity to perform for you — personally. Whatever you may think of Bobby Brown — as the former Mr. Whitney Houston, as a…

You’ve probably noticed: There are a lot of festivals. It doesn’t matter that not all are rousing successes (look at the rampant cancellation of dates for the reborn Lilith Fair) or that some are scrapped completely (San Diego’s Street Scene is taking the year off, just as Tempe Music Festival…

Silversun Pickups has done quite well over the past couple of years, tapping into the sounds of Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine to build its own successful alt-rock kingdom. Last year’s Swoon continues to spawn hits, so the band has embarked on a headlining tour. We caught up with…

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, especially in the scene’s…

Phoenix indie-rockers Snakes! Snakes! Snakes! are getting a lot of buzz around their new self-titled EP, which came out on iTunes Tuesday. You can hear the first single, “The Mountain Fire,” below — it reminds me a little of The National’s older stuff.The band’s CD release show is scheduled for…

Internationally successful multi-platinum recording artists Local band Jimmy Eat World’s next album, Invented, is set for release on September 28. The announcement came this morning via the totally-annoying-but-sadly-not-yet-obsolete-technology Twitter: “@jimmyeatworld Our new album “Invented” will be out September 28, 2010 #passiton #fb”What exactly the #passiton and #fb tags are for…

David Liebe Hart an oddball ventriloquist/musician who got some play via Adult Swim’s Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job! is coming to Trunk Space Friday.I’m not sure I can describe his act in any way remotely comparable to what the above video demonstrates. Musician/performer Adam Papagan joins him on…

[jump] Will the real Slim Shady please stand up? We get it, M.I.A. — you’re less than pleased with the recent claims that you are less than authentic. Maybe if your lead single didn’t just plain suck like “Born Free” does, then maybe people would back off a bit. At least…

Walk into any Hot Topic store, and you’re bound to be bombarded with an array of band T-shirts that have different band names on them but tend to look all the same. If you’ve ever thought, “I could make a way better shirt” before, now’s your chance to put your…

Song: Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse, “Dark Night of the Soul” (featuring David Lynch) Context: It may have only gotten a B+ from Jay Bennett, but Danger Mouse’s long-awaited collaboration with the late Mark Linkous gets an A+ in my book. It’s a well-crafted and multifaceted album filled with sonic gems, particularly…

Depending on whom you ask, hipsters either provide salvation or ruination to dive bars. When fashionable types latch onto a particular hole-in-the-wall, they tend to bring a ton of additional drinkers wielding disposable income. At the same time, all the attention can erode a dive’s cool factor and turn it…

Artist: Danger Mouse & SparklehorseTitle: Dark Night of the SoulRelease date: July 13Label: CapitolThe “lost album” of Gnarls Barkley’s Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse (a.k.a. the late singer-songwriter Mark Linkous) was finally officially released today after more than a year in legal limbo. A cast of thousands (including Iggy Pop, Suzanne…

The dollar may not go as far as it used to (especially in these tough economic times), but the Blooze Bar’s Tumbleweed plans on stretching the $4,600 jangling around in his pocket as far as it will possibly go. That’s the exact amount that was generated by a pair of…

Song: Glacier Saints, “The Devil” Context: The Seattle-based male/female duo will be filling the Trunk Space with their haunting indie-electro tunes and soulful singing later tonight. Lady Lazarus, Hug-of-War, and Michelle Blades will also perform. (Click here for more details). 03 The Devil by Glacier Saint…

According to NME, Jason Bonham, former drummer for Led Zeppelin and son of John Bonham, the band’s original drummer, said that Zep came close to reuniting and playing new material — without lead singer Robert Plant, that is. Apparently Bonham, along with John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page had worked together for…

Call it vapid, call it superficial, call it genius: whatever you think of MTV “reality” show The Hills, the program’s managed to make its mark on the music scene. Thanks to star Audrina Patridge’s cushy “job” at Epic Records, as well as castmates Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port’s work at…

Crazy For You is scheduled to be released July 27 via Mexican Summer.UPDATE: If you didn’t like the link provided by Urban Outfitters (or just don’t want to associate with them) then you can hear the entire album at Wichita Recordings. Too lazy to click that link? Fine, I’ll embed the damn…