If you read my review of the Court Tavern show last week, you might remember that one of the opening bands was the oddly named Ball of Flame Shoot Fire (from here on out known as BoFSF), from Brooklyn. I said that they were weird, but in a creative way, and that they eventually won
The Albertans released their second full-length album, New Age, yesterday, and through my five back-to-back-to-back listens, I grooved and nodded and thought that these must be Sufjan Stevens‘ poppy, edgy siblings. This Canadian quintet, formed by a fateful convening of the five Albertan-bred musicians in Vancouver, brings a sound more rock than pop, but
Some things are better when combined with an unlikely mate: peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup – heck, even gin and juice. But these are just a few American examples of quirky combinations. To broaden our palates, both culinarily and musically, we must take a page from our international artisans. Enter
Jodeci, the early ‘90s naughty boys who were such fiends they had to be straightjacketed, and R. Kelly, whose raunchiest songs paled next to his real-life freakery, look almost angelic in comparison to Overdoz. Borrowing Ty&Kory’s updated definition of the R&B genre (“Raw & Bangin’”), Inglewood, California, hip-hop/funk group Overdoz’s latest album, Live For, Die For,
I’ve been talking a lot about the Brooklyn-based rockers Old Monk recently. If you couldn’t tell from my review of the wonderfully eclectic show at Cake Shop (which, it turns out, Old Monk organized!), or from my rave review of their set at Union Hall, they’re one of my favorite live bands out there. But
In the past few years, the electro-pop that ruled the late ‘80s has been making a comeback. For better or worse, this trend has continued into 2011 with groups putting their own spin on the genre, except with an indie edge. Adventure’s new album, Lesser Known is one of these. Adventure’s acclaimed debut album was
Wiz Khalifa had samurai sword-sharp marketing tactics long before he had the kind of weight major label money carries. Gritty and grimier than the bright poppiness of his latest, very cuddly radio cut, “Roll Up,” and the glittery free-fall of his breakout mixtape, last spring’s Kush and Orange Juice, Cabin Fever seems an attempt to
Maybe the crowd, a crew of mostly sweet-faced, postpubescent hip(hop)sters, had a hard day at college. Maybe the acts’ bourbon-and-coke styles just happened not to coalesce as expected. Maybe it was just one of those Wednesdays. But Troubadour‘s billing last night of DaVinci, The 87 Stick Up Kids, Free the Robots, and Freddie Gibbs with
Innerpartysystem released their EP, Never Be Content today, and with it came a six-song dance party. Never Be Content brings the club or rave party from the outside into your eardrums. The songs are fused with a new life, of sorts, that you would be surprised to expect from a band that was once considered
Darlings’ grungy garage rock brings back some 90s nostalgia, with that kind of attitude that is lackadaisical yet sounding effortlessly put together. Their simple-yet-extremely-catchy hooks got stuck in my head almost immediately. The first song off their new EP, Warma, titled “Dont’ Be So Hard on Yourself” may bring to mind the catchy boy/girl harmonies