Peace on, etc: A Christmas Q&A with E4RTH
Almost exactly two years ago, when blizzards were hitting hard in Brooklyn, New York, songwriter/producer Alan Astor conceived of E4RTH. Feeling the isolating weight of his city buried under so much snow, Alan took refuge in his apartment and wiled away the hours by the warm glow of the digital nature scenes of BBC’s Blue...
‘Good Light’ and Emmylou, too: A Christmas Q&A with Drew Holcomb
Described as a Tennessee-born, bourbon-drinking, book-collecting Eagle Scout with a Masters in Divinity from Scotland’s University of St Andrews (producing a dissertation on “Springsteen and American Redemptive Imagination”), Drew Holcomb of Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors personally introduces himself to Talk Rock To Me by talking 2012 — the year that gave birth to Another Neighborly Christmas...
‘Falling Snow’ and wintery wonderment: A Christmas Q&A with Graph Rabbit
Graph Rabbit is easily one of 2012’s most gorgeous surprises. Introducing their light-as-air LP Snowblind in early October, duo Austin Donohue and Shy Kedmi create distinctly delicate yet sonically complex songs — like Only Fields and Make It Stop — that effectively (almost magically) transport listeners to whimsical otherworlds. Austin spoke with us last month about...
All-day drinking and tickets to The Boss: A Christmas Q&A with MYSTYRYS
Adam Slater [guitar/vocals], Sagar Patel [drums] and Jon Clifford [bass/vocals] are the experimental psyche-pop act, MYSTYRYS, who’ve spent most of this year crafting a sometimes raucous but always rompin’ sound in in an array of London rehearsal spaces. Citing Women, early Liars and post-punks, Red Krayola as influences, the band have released two EPs in...
Fort Lean: A place of thoughtful, sound construction
Brooklyn musicians Keenan Mitchell (Vocals, Guitar), Zach Fried (Guitar), Will Runge (Keyboard, Guitar), Jake Aron (Bass), and Sam Ubl (Drums) are the architects of Fort Lean — a band officially established in 2011. On a foundation of equanimity, they have worked slowly but steadily, building Fort Lean with blueprints outlining honesty and sincerity. Rejecting facades...
All is calm, all is bright: A Christmas Q&A with Tess Henley
It’s safe to assume that it was her mother — a professional singer — that gave Tess Henley her natural ear for music. It’s equally safe to assume that it was her dad — a record collector — who honed that ear by schooling Tess on iconic rockers like The Beatles, Tower of Power, and Steely Dan. In that spirit...
Don they now their gay apparel: A Christmas Q&A with Faded Paper Figures
Considered a best-kept secret in indie-electronic music, Faded Paper Figures — R. John Williams (vocals, guitar), Kael Alden (synths, guitars, bass, drums, machines, trumpet, violin) and Heather Alden (vocals, synths, piano) — released their third album, The Matter, back in October. Its pulsing combo of skittering synths, pop-y beats, daring energies and thoughtful lyrics earned high praise from New York...
Stars (pt 2): In the right time — and in their right space
Having always envisioned big — nay, huge — things for themselves, Stars went from being a breezy Belle & Sebastian-inspired quartet to a full-fledged five-piece colorfully playing outside the lines of formulaic indie rock. From their first serendipitous meeting and early recording sessions, through their short-lived rock star period and the strains of a morphing music...
Good tidings he brings: A Christmas Q&A with Josh Doyle
With over a decade of music-making experience under his belt including a notable stint as the front man of UK band The Dumdums, Josh Doyle is reaping the rewards of a slow but steady approach and some well-earned friends in high places: His eponymous solo album (released back in October) is the result of sessions with...