I don’t actually think the mixtape will save us all–promise. But discounting the obscene glut of product that has plagued us in the mixtape era, I do think it’s pretty win-win for artists and consumers. Particularly since rappers (and non-rappers) are stepping up their game and evolving beyond the simple arithmetic of written “freestyles” over […]

In what’s shaping up to be annual tradition, I trekked to New York City to catch My Morning Jacket’s New Year’s eve show (see 2007 edition). While this year may not have topped the astral peaks of their Fillmore stand, it was my favorite performance of recent vintage. I know a lot of people are […]

The Hold Steady are one of the few contemporary bands whom I really consider myself a fan of. While I don’t think their latest, Stay Positive, hits the same rarefied heights as Separation Sunday or Boys and Girls in America, it remains another impressive effort from one of the best and most divisive groups in […]