Here’s what some critics say about Dave Longstreth and the rest of Dirty Projectors: Although vastly complex, some of their work is nearly un-listenable. It’s too busy, too demanding, or just flat-out too peculiar. Here’s what I say: That sort of talk is beyond stupid. Calling the Projectors’ work anything…
A few years ago, the great Alan Jackson and the incomparable George Strait, the true standard-bearers of tradition in contemporary country music, recorded a tune called “Murder on Music Row,” in which they blamed the suits in Nashville for killing traditional country music and offered this scathing refrain: “The steel…
Let it never be said that there’s never anything rad to do in Phoenix, especially since there’s an overabundance of awesome events going down this evening. Not only are Shane MacGowan and the Pogues visiting Tempe tonight, but the Monsters of Folk Tour will be hitting the Orpheum and Valient…
Maybe it’s just that we’ve run not one but two think pieces on the concept of and criteria for “supergroups” in the last month, but I became physically ill upon seeing the headline over The Arizona Republic’s review of U2’s show in Glendale last night.”Supergroup U2 delivers in Glendale,” it…
[jump] Granted, West isn’t exactly most people’s favorite person right now, especially after his little shit-fit at the VMAs this September. Then the news came that his “Fame Kills” Tour with Lady Gaga was no more, due to the fact that West needed to take a break from the limelight –…
How was last night’s U2 show at The University of Phoenix Stadium? Well, I slaved over a review here but why take a critic’s word for it when you can consult the twittersphere.And the Twittersphere says…. cdaukas: Traffic is bad. U2 is good. Almost there. So, yeah, that’s pretty much…
Local indie band Dear and the Headlights has been tapped to play a Red Bull Soundclash show with SoCal Rock/rap/reggae outfit The Dirty Heads on November 4 at Marquee Theatre. You can get a pretty good feel for the event from the above video or read this blurb from the…
Wow, has it really been two decades since The Black Crowes released their debut album Shake Your Money Maker? Just about, kids, that disc dropped in January 1990. Almost 20 years later, the Crowes are many things to many people, depending on when you came to their party: classic rock…
Electric Mustache: Video: Former Ghosts “Hold On”Idolator: Five Possible Conclusions To Draw From The Photos Previewing Chris Brown’s Forthcoming VideoIdolator: “Sexy Video” Poll Proves Once Again That People On The Internet Are Confused/ConfusingNME: Amy Winehouse ‘drug-free for a year’, says Mitch WinehousePitchfork: Yeah Yeah Yeahs Release iTunes Originals SessionRolling Stone:…
[jump] White stated, “I don’t know if Tom Waits and Bob Dylan are as authentic as I think they are. Perhaps they’re not.” The kicker to his comment came when he added, “Sometimes you start thinking that maybe Britney Spears or someone like that who’s doing exactly what they want to…
If you’re of those cats who’s more into apl.de.ap and Miss Fergalicious than The Edge and Mr. “Save the World,” make plans to be at Axis/Radius in Scottsdale after leaving Westgate, as will.i.am will be headline the official after-party with what’s sure to be a killer DJ set. (Who knows,…
It was early morning when I got the e-mail confirming my phone call with Dave Longstreth from Dirty Projectors. It was to be at 9a.m. my time, the following day. I went to work and went about my business as usual when it hit me. What does one ask the…
Cardiac Party is breaking up. Considering the Phoenix electro-pop outfit’s Teen Challenge was one of my favorite local CDs of the year, I’d say this is very unfortunate news, though if there’s any silver lining it’s that the band’s bassist Jason Woodbury may have more time to write the excellent…
Idolator: Ticketmaster Brokers A Criminally Vulgar Tie-In With Morrissey’s Upcoming ShowElectric Mustache: Photos: Elliott Brood, Matthew Reveles & Wooden Sky @ The Rhythm Room 10/14/09NME: Billy Corgan to give away new Smashing Pumpkings songs for freeNME: Boy George writes song about Amy WinehousePitchfork: Watch: The Deranged Kanye West/Spike Jonze Short…
Tucson’s Golden Boots is one of the finest indie bands in the state, as we’ve told you before. Unlike a lot of Tucson bands they also occasionally play Phoenix — which gives them a whole new level of cred in our book. It’s cool to see the band land the…
AKA: DJ Sol Martinez Current club night(s): FUSE Friday at Bar Smith is my main night right now. I’m gonna be opening up at Cream Stereo Lounge for Giant Wednesdays starting next week on the 21st. How did you get your start? When I was in high school, I first…
Did you happen to miss out on last weekend’s uproarious Tiki Throwdown at Tempe’s Yucca Tap Room? Still hoping to get lei’d? Then local band The Surfside IV have a deal for you. They’re gonna be involved with this Sunday’s Surf Rock Tiki Luau Party III at the Rhythm Room,…
Wait, repeat that: Were you considering not going to see Wavves at The Rhythm Room tonight? Really? I’m so sorry… that you’re a total fucking idiot.Admittedly, I’m sort of a Wavves fanboy at this point, having written a column kinda-sorta about the band that quoted one of their songs in…
Lady Gaga, that lightning rod of weirdness and pop music giant, has announced her new North American tour, appropriately dubbed “The Monster Ball.” It was a month ago when she and professional interrupter/gay fish Kanye West had announced their “Fame Kills” tour, picking Phoenix as their first stop. Well, “Fame”…
Yes, The Valley’s ever-fluxing, erm “format modifying,” station FM 103.9, better known as The Edge is still hosting those free Third Thursday concerts that brought acts like MGMT, The Ataris and Alien Ant Farm to the open-air mall Tempe Marketplace. Now a mainstay in Old Town Scottsdale’s Craftsman Court, this…
There are few relationships in music quite as strong as the one between power pop and its fan base. Sure, every genre of music has devotees who absorb everything they can, but at some point, the product of most such obsessions ends up in a cardboard box and passed over…
The headlines usually accompanying Nathan Williams, better known as Wavves, seldom have anything to do with his music, a low-fi blend of classic West Coast pop buried under layers of hiss and distortion. His drug-fueled onstage meltdown at Barcelona’s Primavera Sound Festival in front of a couple thousand people fanned…
