As tents were packed up and an unfortunately garbage-strewn field was being cleared, the emptiness of Carson Creek Ranch after a weekend of truly psychedelic proportions could have been a sad scene, but midst hastily making plans to return next year we now have a moment of calm to think of all the new music
Hearing the phrase “Austin Psych Fest” might generate images in your mind of tie-dye wearing or hula-hoop dancing folks longing for the age of Woodstock. While a few attendees could be pigeon-holed as such, the festival draw was much more defined by its members’ affected stillness. Heels tapped and people swayed, but jumping and dancing
In a town that generally still seems to be navigating the musical hangover of SXSW, Austin Psych Fest is a welcome respite for those who aren’t ready for the festival living to be over. Instead of the apparent relentless and overcrowded feel that dominates during the former, Austin Psych Fest is a niche experience for
There are certain buzz words that appear over and over again in album reviews: fuzzy, crunchy, dreamy, maturing, etc. They’re not genres, necessarily, but they’re words used to almost categorize a band’s sound down to Kingdom-Phylum-Class-Order-Family-Genus-Species status. They let you know exactly what you’re getting into before you even open the CD or, as is
London and Seattle might have an unspoken agreement between the drizzly cities that when natives of the two cities meet, presumptions of shallow and surficial friendliness can be cast aside and everyone will know that they’re all having a good time and enjoying the fact that the other one exists without making any physical or
Los Angeles is a big city with big talent and to move there for music is a risk and a half – or so I hear. With faith in toe, the boys of Faulkner were up to the challenge and it seems to be a risk well taken. Faulkner is the collaborative project of a
It might not have come up in conversation with every person I’ve ever met, but I feel fairly confident when I assume that at least 96% of people I’ve met in my life have at least heard of Bob Dylan, at least. For a new band to be touring with Bob Dylan, then, must be
In the heart of the grunge homeland, the great Pacific Northwest, grunge ain’t dead – it’s just evolved. Olympia, Washington’s Milk Music released its debut full-length album, Cruise Your Illusion, on April 2 and with it has channeled the Ghost of Northwest Grunge Past (along with a few others genre ghosts, actually). Up until this
Another weekend passes and to no shock of mine, I found myself at the Black Lodge yet again. This time it was for Seattle based band, Night Beats, who graced its hometown with what I feel I can now say with some authority, the best show the Black Lodge has put on recently. Not only
Wavves has a new album out and its reputability is perhaps debatable. You might think that Wavves has simply produced another set of beach (not surf) rock songs happily suitable for any real life poppy event. Or you might think that Wavves has, in fact, progressed and created an album that’s on message with the