Ivan & Alyosha is a four-piece that began as a solo project for Tim Wilson a few years ago, quickly growing to include Ryan Carbary, Tim Kim, and Pete Wilson. I was at first intrigued by the blend of americana and indie rock and their traditional yet deeply thoughtful songwriting. But after I saw a
Agent Ribbons is a two- and sometimes three-piece all female band that defies categorization with the style and flair of true artists. They’ve been described by themselves and others as garage, cabaret, baroque pop, and vaudevillian punk, but none of those terms quite fit. With lyrics that run the gamut from thoughtful and reflective to
I watched several live performances of Truth and Salvage Co. on their YouTube channel before listening to their eponymous debut album (now available on iTunes), and I was immediately charmed by the six-piece Southern rock band’s ability to effortlessly nail four-part harmonies. The group consists of Scott Kinnebrew and Tim Jones on vocals and guitars,
The crowd was sparse but occasionally enthusiastic last night at Spaceland. The dimly lit room was adorned with sparkling wall curtains and a nonstop parade of projected laser shapes and flashing lights, but the vibe wasn’t quite enough to get the audience going. Preceded by Portland electronic duo Hosannas and local indie pop band Hands,
When I first searched for Chasing Kings online, I discovered a melancholy acoustic band that didn’t seem at all like the band I had heard so much about. Friends and colleagues alike raved about the group, but I was less than impressed by the songs that the group had posted on their site. I moped
I’ve been anxious to see Lord Huron ever since I saw a clip of their set at CMJ. They sounded like what would happen if Local Natives, Animal Collecive, and Paul Simon got together to write songs over drinks on a tropical island. Each song is a multilayered blend of guitars, summery beats and percussion,
Orange Peel Sunshine has undergone many lineup changes since their formation in 1999, but their output of post punk grunge rock is still as energetic and in-your-face as it ever was. In a market oversaturated with dream pop and shoegaze, the Dallas-based quartet dares to shake their fists at the dominant paradigm rather than
Don’t let the bunny bear fool you; this album was not meant for children. Released last week by Los Angeles-based trio Mini Mansions, the album (now available on iTunes) is a neat and tidy 12 song magnum opus in the form of an eponymous sophomore album. Upon first listen, I believed Mini Mansions to be
Walter Meego is a five piece synthpop band that sounds like of Montreal meets Islands meets Vampire Weekend. Last night at The Echo, they filled their headlining set with the kind of dreamy dance pop that’s so in vogue right now. They began the set wth a host of soft, bustling synth sounds, and then
How often do you hear a song that expresses a soul’s deepest, darkest wish? How often do two people share a stage with each other’s deepest, darkest wish? The answer is ‘always’ when watching JP, Chrissie, and the Fairground Boys. When I read that young Welsh musician JP Jones met rock legend Chrissie Hynde by