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The Pistoleros Celebrate the Happiest of 25 Years with Silver

By Serene Dominic
Oct 28, 2017

"One morning, we just get an email saying 'time to do another record.'"
Can't Make It to FORM? Listen to This Free Festival Compilation Album Instead

By Ashley Harris
May 10, 2017

Featuring Omar Souleyman, Deafheaven, and more.
Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz Is Layered and Fascinating

By Mitchell Hillman
Sep 3, 2015

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...
John Coltrane's Landmark Album Giant Steps Turns 55

By Tom Reardon
Jan 22, 2015

View image | gettyimages.com For many music fans, jazz can be a riddle wrapped in a mystery. While we may enjoy it, we would never attempt to explain it. In fact, jazz may be the most "alternative" music there is, because most of our brains just don't work the way...
The Cigs: Defunct Tempe Rockers Peddle Mystery and Feces References

By Chase Kamp
Jan 8, 2013

A band with genuine mystery is hard to come by in the Internet age, but Tempe scrap-pop outfit The Cigs had it: Not much is known about the short-lived project, but last week, the band posthumously released its second full-length, Marble Red, on Bandcamp. The band started in January 2012...
Black One Gets a Little Help from His Friends on Latest Record, The Rise

By Anthony Sandoval
Nov 27, 2012

Phoenix-by-way-of-Tucson rapper Jaron Ikner is really over the whole, "me first mentality" in hip-hop culture. Long gone are the days of quality congregations of rappers like that of 90's supercrew Wu-Tang Clan, but it's something the Black One wants to change. Starting first with his latest record, The Rise, which...
New Phoenix Mixtape Pairs T.I., Lil Wayne, and E40 with Phoenix Rappers

By Anthony Sandoval
Nov 15, 2012

Rapper T.I. must have seen something he liked when he stopped by Phoenix this past weekend. His Atlanta-based record label Grand Hustle is showing Arizona some love with a new mixtape, The Phoenix Edition Mixtape. The 17-track release showcases some of the Valley's up and coming hip-hop acts including Yung...
DJ Dn3 and Rappers Random, Mouse Powell, and Mr. Miranda Celebrate Election Day

By Anthony Sandoval
Nov 6, 2012

Well folks, this is it. Election day is here and that means one thing: regardless of how you vote today, campaign season is over. Uncoincidentally, local hip-hoppers Random a.k.a Mega Ran, Mouse Powell, Mr. Miranda and DJ DN3, wrapped up their campaign tour a few weeks ago and as a...
Local Wizards' The Signal Blends Every Internet-Spawned Genre You Can Think Of (And It Rules)

By Chase Kamp
Oct 22, 2012

The weird-bearded wait is over: the new album by Tempe based-gaze project Local Wizards has arrived in sweet digital stream and neat-looking CD digi-pak format. Performed, recorded, and released entirely by 19-year-old Kendall Humbert, The Signal is a collection of amorphous dream-pop, understated space ballads, and cathartic synth rippers. See...
Phoenix Rapper FACES Is Aggressive and Confident

By Anthony Sandoval
Oct 16, 2012

Maybe west side rapper FACES chose his moniker because that's the place he's most comfortable: in the faces of listeners. Along with his partner in grime, producer/percussionist YAWNING BOY, recently dropped a new record that continues to showcase an abrasive style and staccato deliver. With an aggressive flow and slow,...
Download: Space Alien Donald's "Robot Rap" from New L.A./Phoenix Comp

By Jason P. Woodbury
Aug 1, 2012

See also: Space-Alien Donald (aka "The World's Oldest Gay Canadian Rapper") Opens New Venue Called Funny World See also: Treasure Mammal's Checkognize Is Seriously Funny See also: Treasure Mammal's SXSW Real Talk Diaries Ladies and gentlemen, meet Phoenix's ambassador to Los Angeles on Kingdom Mammalia's new L.A./Phoenix compilation Bringing it...
DJ John Blaze and PhoenixHipHop.net Team for New Mixtape

By Anthony Sandoval
Jul 31, 2012

See also: The Writer's Guild Release Song in Response to Dark Knight Rises Shooting in Colorado Local music website PhoenixHipHop.net has been an advocate of the Valley's hip-hop scene since its inception in 2009. Sticking to its promise to "help continue the growth of the Phoenix area's hip-hop scene by...
Span Phly Name-Checks Kissinger Samples The Doors on Spy vs. Spy Vol. IV

By Anthony Sandoval
Jul 17, 2012

See also: Span Phly Drops Third Free Album in Spy vs Spy Series See also: Phal Kilmer Talks Spy vs. Spy Collab, Set to Challenge in The Voicebox Battles Phoenix rapper Jose Alberdi, better known as Span Phly, continues his lyrical assault with the fourth release in his collaboration series,...
Tempe Band Vial of Sound Is Obsessed With Analog

By Anthony Sandoval
Jul 16, 2012

Tempe's Josh Gooday is obsessed: The 29-year-old collects and restores vintage analog synthesizers. "I started going to law school and spending all of my loan money on buying synthesizers, and it just started to get out of control," Gooday says. The habit eventually gave Gooday and his friends an unlikely...
Arizona Hip-Hop Duo Numbers Continue Chasing Paper with New Album

By Anthony Sandoval
Jun 11, 2012

Hip-hop duo Numbers are continuing to prove that they are a formidable force in the Arizona music scene with their latest release, Nerds Gettin' Paper: The Establishment. The Establishment is a follow up to last year's Attack of the Robots EP, and continues to show off emcee IP's linguistic mastery...
Meet The Devil's Daughters, Phoenix's New Sultry Rockabilly Sirens

By Anthony Sandoval
May 24, 2012

Arizona's rockabilly music scene has a new voice in Mesa's "devilish duet" The Devil's Daughters. Sultry sirens Mysti Moon and Lisa Mortensen are equipped with drop-dead stares and cool croons, and a swinging band to announce their arrival. Backed by drummer Leeroy Nelson, guitarist Shorty Kruetz, and stand-up bassist Tommy...
OFF!'s New Album Is 16 Minutes Long (And That Is a Good Length for an Album)

By Jason P. Woodbury
May 8, 2012

See also: OFF!'s Dimitri Coats Talks Phoenix Oil Theft Charges Years ago, I saw Nick Lowe (probably my favorite songwriter) at the Rhythm Room. Right before he played a devastating new song called "I Read a Lot," he prefaced it with a warning, saying something like "This is a new...
Span Phly Drops Third Free Album in Spy vs Spy Series

By Anthony Sandoval
Feb 24, 2012

In these cash-strapped days, music listeners can always do with a good free download. Since March 2010 local rapper Span Phly has been churning out a series of collaborative free-to-youn EPs. Spy vs. Spy Vol. 1 dropped first two years ago and featured LOST of The Council Productions, and Random...
Get a Piece of Inner Peace with Good Amount's True Self

By Anthony Sandoval
Feb 1, 2012

Have you opened your chakras and found your power animals yet? Well, you should. Maybe then we wouldn't have to write about all of these assholes that ruin our music-going experiences. If you're having a hard time quieting your mind long enough to find that inner peace, you can always...
Michelle Blades Streams New Album, Mariana Ahead of February Release

By Anthony Sandoval
Jan 13, 2012

It's been two years since Arizona transplant Michelle Blades' last album release. During that time the soulful singer-songwriter spent some time in Paris where she turned 21, and put in work on her new record, Mariana. The new album, which is scheduled for release on February 18, is currently streaming...

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