Jess Harvell’s thought-provoking Idolator piece on the nature of the hype machine beast has left me a little wary (at least today) of contributing to the instant deification (followed by the subsequent de-construction) of yet another promising young band. So I’ll keep it simple. Besides, I’ve written about the Parson Redheads before once or twice […]

I’ll try to keep this short. God knows at this point, it probably looks like Def Jux has been paying my rent for the last 36 weeks (in actuality, it’s only been 12). But the truth is, in a year where “underground” hip-hop has produced more good albums than at any point since its glory […]

      If I were the Besnard Lakes I’d probably be convinced that Los Angeles was cursed. It’s bad enough that the city of Angels spawned the celebutante Cerberus of Hilton, Richie, & Lohan. But to add insult to injury (or as we say in LA, to fake tan on top of a sunburn) […]

Last week, I had the chance to talk to Bjorn Yttling from Peter Bjorn & John for a piece I wrote in the Arizona Republic. It was an interesting interview for more than just my decision to ask who would win in a hypothetical Battle of the Bjorns between him, Bjorn Borg or Bjorn Ulvaeus. […]

Before it descended into a hell-fire of Yung Berg, Lloyd, and partying like a rock star, local “urban” station Power 106, used to play more than just hip-hop & R&B. Eclectic DJs used to throw weird old funk and club records into the mix, making you just likely to hear “Nothin’ But A G-Thing” as […]

Just trying to keep track of the music world in 2007 can give you a splitting migraine. Bands pop up seemingly out of the ether, hit next-big-thing status in a matter of weeks and then appear on your kid brother’s Myspace page a mere four weeks after that. Vampire Weekend are the latest of the […]

I’ll spare the long-winded review of the National show. I’ve made my thoughts on the band clear on one, or two, or three occasions. They’re a very good band with an even better live show, so it really shouldn’t come as much a surprise that the El Rey was packed to the gills with fans, […]

Photo by Carlie Armstrong The Hollywood Bowl is probably the best venue in the world. Yes, I’m aware that you can’t prove those types of statements, just as I’m also aware of the probability that there are probably a half dozen other places on earth, equally as fantastic. But for all practical purposes, the Bowl […]

It’s fitting that the Electric Soft Parade named themselves after The Doors’ “The Soft Parade” especially considering the record was the band’s most variegated, as Morrison & Co. tried on a mish-mash of styles from jazz to acid rock to the blues to R&B. Of course, “The Soft Parade” was one hot mess, and I […]

Inside the clean lines and warped angles of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown LA, Stones Throw kingpin Peanut Butter Wolf, Beat Junkie J. Rocc. and ex-J5’er Cut Chemist stood in a spot normally reserved for the LA Philharmonic. Strange territory for the the local legends, who along with trip-hopper Amon Tobin, were among […]