Grinderman: Grinderman 2

Artist: GrindermanTitle: Grinderman 2Release date: September 14Label: Anti-Most of the indie rock I’ve heard this year (well over 200 records and counting, with 11 weeks to go in this series) is really pretty toothless. Even the harder-rocking stuff, with its big drums or wall-of-sound guitars or garage-rock aesthetic, seems relatively…

Roger Waters Denies Part of His Show is Anti-Semitic

The Anti-Defamation League is speculating that part of Roger Waters’ show The Wall is anti-Semitic, according to Spinner. The ADL is concerned with the production aspect of his live performances of “Goodbye Sky Blue” because images of Stars of David and dollar signs were used in the same series of…

Swans: My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky

It is rather easy to see Swans are not dead with My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky. The album opens up with a nine-minute opus “No Words/No Thoughts,” that creates an atmosphere that feels like Gira and co. never really took those 14 years off…

The Vaselines: Sex with an X

Artist: The VaselinesTitle: Sex with an XRelease date: September 14Label: Sub PopIf you’re a small-time indie band looking for an opinion leader to lift you from obscurity, you can do no better than Kurt Cobain. That’s the position Scotland’s The Vaselines found themselves in when Nirvana covered a couple of…

Early Listening: Kings of Leon – Come Around Sundown UPDATE

There is perhaps no band as celebrated as they are reviled these days than Tennessee rockers Kings Of Leon. Always the lightning rod of controversy, Kings Of Leon broke new ground with their commercially viable 2008 release Only By The Night. That album brought the band a Grammy for the…

Jam Band Charity: Deadheads and Phish Phans Focus on Giving

Hardcore fans of jam bands are a very giving, as are the bands they support. The Grateful Dead recently donated some band memorabilia to a charity auction, while Phishheads/Phans (call them what you will) have raised and distributed over $1 million for charity organizations started by fans of the band.The…

John Lennon’s Birthday Events Planned for Musical Instrument Museum

John Lennon’s 70th birthday would have been October 9 and Phoenix’s Musical Instrument Museum has planned events to mark the occasion.The museum houses the Steinway Lennon used to “Imagine” — not the fancy white grand piano people remember, but a more modest brown Steinway pictured right — which is one…

Rascal Flatts Catches Kisses at Cricket Wireless Pavilion

Rascal Flatts​Country stars Chris Young, Kellie Pickler and Rascal Flatts packed Cricket Wireless Pavilion last night, as fans came out for a night of music under the stars. The Rascal Flatts inspired excitement, lust and prayerfulness during the show, and here’s a round-up look of what fans thought of the…

MTV President Leaves Network

Longtime MTV president Tony DiSanto is leaving the network, according to Variety.DiSanto is moving on to pursue a role as an independent program producer on primetime reality series.He’ll be sticking with MTV through the end of the year to help with the transition process for his replacement, who will likely…

Sara Bareilles Rocks It at Marquee Theatre

@TSIKA9Sara Bareilles​Sara Bareilles is one of those artists you just can’t help but love. The singer-songwriter proves pop doesn’t have to be trashy by keeping her clothes on and putting the focus on her music and her interaction with fans. Bareilles played piano and guitar at her show at Marquee…

John Legend & The Roots: Wake Up!

Artist: John Legend & The RootsTitle: Wake Up!Release date: September 21Label: ColumbiaThe new collaboration between neo-soul singer John Legend and ace hip-hop band The Roots is a lark dressed up as an important record, given the source material, mostly cover tunes from the Civil Rights Era.Fans of John Legend and/or…

Part of Your Tax Dollars are Paying For Military Marching Bands

If there’s one thing our country is good at, it’s not knowing how to properly allocate our spending money. After hearing about America’s big budget for military marching bands, NPR wanted to know just how much tax payers are collectively throwing down for these guys.It turns out that the Marines…

Bright Eyes Records Song For Arizona Boycott Group

Bright Eyes has recorded a single for the group of musicians boycotting Arizona. “Coyote Song,” can be bought for $2 here if you want to support people boycotting our state. Or you can give money to people actually working in to make a difference on the ground in Arizona by…