"Rock journalism is people who can't write
interviewing people who can't talk
for people who can't read."
(Frank Zappa)

Stars (pt 2): In the right time — and in their right space

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...
Julian Koster: Some other lovely reality intruding into ours

Julian Koster: Some other lovely reality intruding into ours

Julian Koster — member of Neutral Milk Hotel, The Music Tapes, and contributor to The Olivia Tremor Control and Elephant 6 — reminds me a little at times of Ralphie from A Christmas Story (even though he’s exponentially sweeter, incapable of manipulation and clearly, neither tortured nor neurotic). When he talks...
Sebadoh: Welcome back Barlow

Sebadoh: Welcome back Barlow

Risen from the dust of an early Dinosaur Jr, Lou Barlow, with Eric Gaffney and Jason Loewenstein became Sebadoh in 1986. Not seeking approval and unwilling to withhold, they let loose their simultaneously furious/disinterested lo-fi rock with a series of wonderfully weed-induced records: The Freed Man, Weed Forestin’, The Freed...
Courtney Taylor-Taylor: 43 minutes with one singular Dandy Warhol

Courtney Taylor-Taylor: 43 minutes with one singular Dandy Warhol

My preparation for an artist interview typically involves a ton of Google-ing, much Rdio-ing, and the composing of a series of questions that will help me to tell a story – be it about struggle, the satisfying result of hard work, or a romantic quest to create something of permanence....
James: Still in it for the madness

James: Still in it for the madness

40-somethings everywhere hold British band James close to their hearts, having joyfully (and often drunkenly) sang along to their anthemic classics, Come Home, Sit Down, Born of Frustration, Laid, Say Something and She’s a Star during the 80s and 90s. Formed by Mancunian friends Jim Glennie (bass), Paul Gilbertson (guitar),...
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Guards usher in new year with preview of 'Nightmare'

Guards usher in new year with preview of ‘Nightmare’

New York trio Guards have surprised fans with a teaser of their second single from their upcoming album, In Guards We Trust, due February 5th on Black Bell Records. Entitled Nightmare, the punchy new single (snippet below) follows the previously released, uber-melodic, Coming True.  
Oh happy days: 5 albums we can't wait for in 2013

Oh happy days: 5 albums we can’t wait for in 2013

Have you read your fair share of Top-Whatever lists this December? Now that we’ve all established Japandroids’ Celebration Rock was awesome, let’s shut the door on 2012 and take a look at five albums we’re hotly anticipating in 2013: 1. Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, We The Common / Release date: February 4,...
Peace on, etc: A Christmas Q&A with E4RTH

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

‘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...
Because Christmas is coming: 'The Water You Walk' by WHY?

Because Christmas is coming: ‘The Water You Walk’ by WHY?

WHY’s “loosely Xmas-themed track” entitled, The Water You Walk, will appear as the B-side to the band’s forthcoming Waterlines 7-inch.” The wintery, woodland clip is directed and produced by Erika Ochoa. ___ WHY? on tour in 2013 02-08 – Cincinnati, OH – The Taft Ballroom #$ 02-09 – Cleveland, OH – The Grog Shop #$...
Help kids in need by watching Hey Rosetta's 'Carry Me Home'

Help kids in need by watching Hey Rosetta’s ‘Carry Me Home’

Taken off Hey Rosetta’s debut holiday EP, A Cup of Kindness Yet, “Carry Me Home” and its companion video below weave a common sentiment of trying to get home for the holidays. In the true spirit of the holidays, XM Canada will donate $10,000 to Kids Help Phone — an anonymous phone and online counseling service...
'Falling Snow' and wintery wonderment: A Christmas Q&A with Graph Rabbit

‘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

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...
Holy spit take! The Knife announce new album for 2013

Holy spit take! The Knife announce new album for 2013

“Music can be so meaningless. We had to find lust. We asked our friends and lovers to help us.” —Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer Swedish sibling duo, The Knife, have announced that new LP, Shaking The Habitual, will be released on April 9th, 2013 via Mute. This is their first album in seven years,...
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