For those just joining us, On the Download is a feature in which we sort through the riffraff of the digital universe to provide you with links to the best in legitimate, artist-approved exclusives. It’s instant gratification at its finest, minus the spirit-crushing regret and premium price tag. Have at…
James Murphy rescues intelligent dance music from the oblique, humorless IDM crowd, forging a canny, self-conscious blend of new wave nostalgia, skittering breaks and wry wit. (He did, after all, almost write for Seinfeld.) Murphy’s second full-length release is more luxurious than his debut, apparently the result of spending even…
Former frontman of the former British sense-band Pulp, Jarvis Cocker has been creating sexual narratives both desperate and weary since he was a teenager. It’s been 25 years of rock and pop equally shameless (always ready for the next bit of fun) and forlorn (when you think about it, this…
Directors Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez know a thing or three about music and the movies. Tarantino’s soundtracks have become pop-culture staples (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill), while Rodriguez is one of very few filmmakers who also score their own movies (Sin City is his best). Their latest, Grindhouse,…
It’s that time of year, kids. Easter has come and gone, Spring Break is but a mere memory, and now thoughts turn to tornados, bluebonnets and academic crunch time. To get you warmed up for final exams we offer you our Spring Pop Quiz, intended to sharpen your mental skills…
Brightblack Morning Light actually sees itself as some kind of rural commune. Its core members sport robes ‘n’ beads, call a teepee in the NorCal woods home, and claim to steer clear of “city babylons.” But there’s nothing at all hippie, trippy, or tribal ’bout the group’s sophomore effort. With…
Quite possibly the most warped double billing in recent memory, the pairing of Baltimore’s Arbouretum and North Carolina native David Karsten Daniels is a wonderful twofer of uncompromising intensity. Rites of Uncovering, Arbouretum’s sophomore effort is a literate, bluesy semi-masterpiece full of extended pieces that never overstay their welcome and…
Not to be confused with the psychedelic British trio from the late ’60s and early ’70s, Clouds, the latest from Cave In shredder and vocalist Adam McCrath, is a nebular array of rambunctious retro rock that combines the Raw Power of the Stooges with the Texas-sized boogie of ZZ Top…
Known primarily as a producer (Lucinda Williams, Robert Earl Keen, Ray Wylie Hubbard), singer-songwriter Gurf Morlix has quietly released three credible solo efforts but didn’t really discover his mojo until Diamonds to Dust, his newest effort. Filled with sharp, twisted lyrics and primal grooves, Diamonds is a treasure trove for…
Electric Six probably shouldn’t be taken seriously, because it’s obvious the bandmates themselves don’t: They go by pseudonyms like Dick Valentine and Rock N Roll Indian and rhyme the words “Taco Bell” with “gates of Hell.” The sextet from Detroit keeps a little of that city’s signature garage fuzz-guitar sound…
Treated like rock gods in the U.K., the Kings are, unbelievably, still only the prince’s footmen at home — despite two phenomenal records. Unfortunately, their latest, Because of the Times, is a disappointment, a record full of wandering sonic sketches that never really coalesce. Tracks range from vapid (“Charmer,” “Camaro”)…
Jesus is risen, bitches! Nothing commemorates the resurrection of our Lord and Savior like pastel-colored wicker baskets lined with plastic grass and filled with marshmallow chicks, chocolate bunnies and jelly beans. Here’s Your Official Easter Playlist. Jam it when you’re coming down from that sugar high in the waiting room…
Brooklyn’s Ratatat has beat-making down pat with their aptly titled sophomore record, Classics (XL). With more guitar parts than a Lynyrd Skynyrd reunion and enough samples to make Girl Talk blush, the duo, Evan Mast and Mike Stroud, create infectious, stadium-sized instrumentals that seamlessly bridge the barriers between electronica, rock…
With the deluge of product released both by the major and indie labels as well as the proliferation of the do-it-yourself aesthetic even among the slackers, there are bound to be a few gems left unfound, a handful of treasures left undiscovered, buried in the miscellaneous rack at the local…
A remastered reissue of an out-of-print underground hip-hop classic, Ruff Draft is the late, great J Dilla at a creative apex. It took him a week to turn the whole thing out, but that was more than enough time to unleash a maelstrom of lo-fi breakbeat jams that paid tribute…
Street Fame isn’t going to help Twisted Black convince anyone that his November conviction on drug-dealing charges was undeserved, as nearly every track refers to the pistol-packin’, lean-sippin’, double-crossin’ world of a Texas dope boy. But it should convince any doubters that the Fort Worth rapper deserves to trade in…
Mark E. Smith, the infamously scowling frontman for post-punk legends the Fall, is a literate, talented lout who simply cannot handle even a limited amount of success. Fall Heads Roll, last year’s surprisingly tight (and loud) collection found Smith taking a youthful bunch of scallywags and returning to past glories…
I hate the interview process, the whole thing,” says Ira Kaplan, guitarist and founder of Yo La Tengo, one of the most critically acclaimed and longest-lasting American indie bands. “But I’d be happy to talk about some movies I have seen.” Sounding more amused than annoyed, Kaplan, a former rock…
Paper Chase and Explosions in the Sky are two peas in an experimental pod. At least, that’s what it looked like at Monday night’s twin bill at the Granada Theater. In many ways, these two groups couldn’t be more different, but in others they mirror each other almost perfectly, though…
If you’re a regular reader of this section you’ve surely seen us sing the praises of Denton’s Current Leaves before. Unfortunately, last year’s Pastense is still essentially a limited CD-R release, a near criminal offense considering it might be the best platter of psychedelic country served up since the demise…
When vocalist/drummer Francis Mark moved from behind his drum kit to replace departing lead screamer Benjamin Perry, hopes were high that this Long Island quintet was going to delve further into the melodic side Mark brought to the band. The group’s latest effort, Holding a Wolf by the Ears, while…
For those hipsters out there who think Coldplay is too big to remain trendy, Guster might just be the band for you. Over the course of a decade, this Boston area band has built a surprisingly large grassroots following playing seemingly unassuming pop that reveals more with each listen. Ganging…
