Top Five Phoenix Music Stories of the Week

The news waits for no one — at least that’s what we read somewhere — so it’s perfectly understandable that you, the reader, might have missed out on a musical tidbit, breaking news about your favorite venue, or one of our rants. So enjoy this digest-style sampling of some of…

Suzanne Gwyn, What Are You Listening To?

Suzanne Gwyn Gwyn is the owner of Bake Goods by Suzanne and sous chef of Culinary Mischief. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? Either 101.5-FM or 108.0 KMLE-FM. What’s the first album you bought? Shaun Cassidy, Born…

H2O’s Poppy Major Label Debut, Go, Has Aged Very Well

I have a theory: The first album you listen to by one of your favorite musicians ends up being one of your favorite releases by said band, regardless of how it was received by critics or fans. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but who hasn’t ever had to…

Advice to Every New Band: Stop Putting Out Albums

Take it from these non-failed musicians: Don’t put out that album. By Daniel Hopkins Ask a Failed Musician is a new column from our sister music blog at Dallas Observer, in which Daniel Hopkins helps struggling musicians make sense of their careers and offers advice. Whether or not it will…

Within These Walls Festival Celebrates Hardcore

That last Bon Iver record was all right, you know? I mean, it’s not going to blow the mind of anyone familiar with their mom’s record collection, as it simply recycles the best stuff from Phil Collins and Bruce Hornsby records and kind of makes it sound Radiohead-y. But there…

Red Hot Chili Peppers Teach It’s Okay For Tastes to Change

I cannot stand the Red Hot Chili Peppers. And that’s why I love ’em. I should explain: These days, I think the band’s tepid blend of funk, punk, and alternative rock conveys none of the highlights of those forms. I think it’s pretty much bland porridge. I didn’t always think…

Amanda Palmer’s Dark Cabaret Is a Screaming Good Time

“I don’t know if it’s necessary, but I do know what feels right at the moment, and sometimes the song just calls for a bloodcurdling scream,” Amanda Palmer says by phone from Red Hook, New York, in reference to several sonic outbursts on her new album, Theatre Is Evil. “It…

Take Cover: The Captives Cover The Cure

See also: Take Cover: Fate of the Galaxies Cover The Cure Robert Smith is a weird dude– his disheveled hair and smeared red lipstick make his appearance as recognizable as his vocal style. It was only natural for Tom Laman, vocalist of The Captives to include some theatrics in his…

Hydra Head Records: A Personal Recollection

Gary Copeland, courtesy of TorcheTorcheSee also: Packrat, Boyfrndz, and Feuding Fathers Help Make Math Rock Look Easy See also: Henry Rollins Won’t Tell You Who to Vote For (But He Really Thinks You Should Vote) See also: Keith Morris of OFF! On That Time The Band Got Arrested For Taking…

Jeffrey Wiles, What Are You Listening To?

See also: Douglas Proce, What Are You Listening To? See also: Ryan Gaumont, What Are You Listening To? Jeffrey WilesThe stand-up comedian performs at the Hidden House in Phoenix Wednesday, September 26 at 9 p.m. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station…

DJ Filthy Flip on Why He’s A One Man Wolfpack

See also: Collective Chaos on Misconceptions About Scottsdale DJs See also: Pilots on Their Airplane Shtick, Harry Potter Obsession, and Busting Into the Local DJ SceneBy his own admission, Filthy Flip still has plenty a lot to learn about the world of EDM. The fresh-faced local DJ is a relatively…

Fiona Apple Knows the Secret’s in the (Obsessive) Details

Like any great artist, Fiona Apple is uncompromising in pursuit of her muse. Her vision is exceptionally personal and uniquely her own. Beyond intimate, it runs to the brink of claustrophobia. Most confessional songwriters wear their hearts on their sleeves; Apple pulls the still pumping mess out of her chest…

Pretty Lights Assemble an Intricate Puzzle

In the two years that Derek Vincent Smith, the man behind dance music juggernaut Pretty Lights, has been tirelessly working on his new record, yet untitled, his genre, EDM, has blown up into a international phenomenon. Two years — that’s equal to 14 in both EDM production and dog years,…

Green Day, The Sword, Dethklok, and More Just Announced Shows

See also: Green Day’s New Song “Epic as F*ck”? Not Even Close. See also: Throwback Thursday: Green Day’s DookieWhen I was told by my editor to allow some room for a Green Day blurb, my first thought was “How awesome! It’s like getting to write about how a former love…