Sadly, the Dark Horse still hasn't received a proper collection of his work. This album (one of a string of half-hearted EMI releases) includes a handful of songs considered by many to be some of his greatest, but offers them as "2009 digitally remastered" versions that either a) poop on the Spector-produced originals or b) poop on the Harrison-produced versions. more ›

Deer Tick, or John McCauley, has fast made name for himself with a series of self-released records as well as 2007’s War Elephant on Jana Hunter’s Feow! Records. McCauley was raised in Providence, Rhode Island where he decided on a career in music at an early age, recording and even touring by the time he was in high school. McCauley’s voice demands attention, his songwriting shines through, and his work falls somewhere between Bright Eyes and Wilco. And he turned 21 last year. We caught up with McCauley recently to understand what exactly makes Deer Tick tick. more ›

Our Indieroke night returns this Tuesday to The Mohawk. What started out as a one-off fling with rock stardom has turned into a monthly gathering of like-minded folks craving that fleeting moment of exhilaration. If you haven’t made it to one yet, we strongly recommend getting there in a timely fashion to get your name and song on the list early…and often. (You know who you are!) We will have multiple song list books going forward to ease that pain. more ›

When Built By Snow contacted us via MySpace to share their love of The Beatles and Weezer, we were admittedly intrigued by what these local lads are capable of. It’s not everyday we get a message from an act about having the same two favorite bands as us. Noise, Built By Snow’s debut EP, appeared in our mail in due time and we discovered a talented act with catchy tunes that land somewhere between The Rentals and Ozma with a dash of Weezer mixed in. more ›

You wouldn’t necessarily think the squeaky-clean world of power-pop and dirty, dirty metal have a great deal in common, but they do share a few similarities other than loud guitars. Writers and fans of metal often rate metal in terms of its “heaviness,” as if how sludgy, powerful, hard, or just “metal” an artist is works as a sure-fire way to judge their output. Even when picking and choosing between different types of metal, the... more ›

Although Hoot Nights and Tribute shows tend to occur frequently, Saturday’s extravaganza at Ruta Maya promises to trump all with an extensive lineup of local talent set to cover a variety of tunes recorded (or released) in 1967, known otherwise as the Summer Of Love. Get there early, even if the music does only start at the respectable time of 4:20 p.m. Full lineup below but we have to mention some of our favorites --... more ›

Sure, Harry Nilsson's birthday isn't actually until Friday. And some of you probably don't even know who he is. But neither of those things should stop you from partying at the Alamo tonight in honor of the late great songwriter, Grammy Award winner and all-around brilliant guy. If you're familiar with Nilsson, we obviously don't need to sell you on his wonderfully diverse and inventive pop music. But if you're not sure who he is,... more ›

It takes a special artist to bridge the gap between The White Stripes, My Morning Jacket, and Norah Jones, and apparently M. Ward is that man. Ward has opened for all of these acts in the past two years, and has somehow managed to appeal to all of their audiences. His wonderful album Post-War met with universal acclaim upon release, ending up on best of '06 lists from The Onion, Paste, The Guardian, and... more ›

If you survived the Deliverance-esque Ikea parking lot this weekend, and didn't get shot trying to get yourself a PS3, you deserve to spend even more of your hard-earned cash on records. Here's what you can find on the shelves at fine local establishments like End of an Ear or Waterloo today. Sufjan Stevens Songs for Christmas (Asthmatic Kitty) Featuring five discs worth of holiday music spanning the course of five years, tinsel used... more ›

It's the Saturday Hatha instructor at YogaYoga South, or the rocker guy with spikey hair at Walgreens. It's one of the Lone Star Rollergirls, or your favorite downtown gallery owner. more ›

You are a self-professed Daniel Johnston obsessive. Can you remember when you first heard about Daniel Johnston? I was a college radio DJ [in New Jersey], and word was trickling up from Austin, Texas, through this underground network of people--before there was an internet—through fanzine culture. I was reading a lot of fanzines, which was an underground publishing network. Word was trickling up through this network of a few hundred people around the country from... more ›

Last last fall, while still living in New York, we stumbled out of Webster Hall after a particularly excellent show put on by Muse. Intoxicated equally by the half dozen drinks we'd slammed down while Matt Bellamy and his cohorts rocked out onstage and by the sense of promise that hung, suspended aloft, in the chilly autumn air, we were more than a little giddy. Enough so that, when navigating the sea of promoters and hopeful two-bit bands who invariably deluge any venue exit with flyers, stickers, and sampler CDs, we actually ended up accepting a random album from some dude who'd distanced himself from the rest of the crowd. We tossed the CD - simply titled "Locksley" - into our stereo upon getting home, expecting more of the throwaway dreck that it almost always is. And were absolutely floored. more ›

One of our favorite albums this year is Of Montreal's The Sunlandic Twins, a rollicking, silly LP bursting with brilliant pop melodies and perfectly synchronized vocals. The album all but eschews pretense, which we find altogether refreshing given today's overabundance of self-righteous, haute-couture-on-a-disc indie pop-rock. This might be because Of Montreal have been around since, well, forever: starting in the mid-90s with Bar/None and the now-defunct Kindercore Records, their discography has grown steadily on a yearly basis. more ›

Fans of Devendra Banhart take note: There has been some buzz developing over Young God’s newest band, Akron/Family and their recent self-titled debut. Well, tonight they are bringing their unique sound to Emo’s. They will be performing double duty as they are also the backing band for Michael Gira’s Angels of Light. We hear the boys put on quite a show, so everybody go get your freak-folk on. more ›

Long before we had to suffer through the bumbling speeches, disingenuous double talk, war mongering and religious-right pandering of George W. Bush, Americans enjoyed two terms of prosperity under the leadership of one of the smartest, slickest and most controversial presidents of the 20th century. Historians and citizens alike may remember President Bill Clinton for his extraordinary successes, think first president to balance the budget in 30 years, or they may remember him for his public failures, think health care. But, undoubtedly, his legacy will live in the minds of many due to his private mistakes which, unfortunately, became part of one of the ugliest political battles in recent history. Regardless of his place in history, no one can deny the powerful story of a boy born into the most humble of beginnings in Arkansas only to become a 6-term Governor of Arkansas and 2-term President of the United States. more ›