Did you know that August is National Eye Exam Month? It’s a 31-day period in which doctors strongly encourage you to get your vision checked. And you’ll want to follow their recommendations this time because the musical artists out this month are ones that either tweaked their sound or added elements that don’t usually mix. The good news is that all of their tinkering is creating great music. As a result, these new artists are worth downloading onto your iPod. Continue Reading »

Indie rockers My Morning Jacket continue to leave selling-out for ticket sales. Their songs are seldom played on the radio, never on MTV and yet ten days after their latest album Evil Urges was released, tickets to their Radio City show were gone in only 22 minutes! Continue Reading »

Photo by: Kevin Tachman

¡Atención! ¡Aviso! Liking Coldplay no longer means you are girly -so, amigos continue raising your chest at poetry and Sex & the City then settle down and listen to the new album, Viva La Vida. If you do, your bravado will remain intact because this time the band has changed their tone. Continue Reading »

Summertime gives everyone an excuse to buy new music. Besides the onset of vacations that often include long drives in the car, summer is also the time many new artists debut their music. This year is no different. Here area handful of emerging artists whose music is stirring up the airwaves. Their sound is innovative and worth the time it takes to download them onto an iPod. So get their music now before you pack up the Prius and head out to the beach house. Continue Reading »

DUG THAT?:Duffy

In a parallel universe Duffy and Amy Winehouse were best friends and had sleepovers where they’d do each other’s hair and listen to Phil Spector albums. As Amy took to huffing the hairspray and slipping off to the great warm fuzzy, Duffy cleaned up the curlers and studiously took in the music.  The point of this musing is not that I want to have a pajama party with Amy Winehouse and Duffy (hmmm….does Amy have a healthier sister?) Continue Reading »

Whether you prefer jazz or rock and roll, indie or underground, rap or hip hop, summer time means a summer music festival extravaganza in the U.S. All across the country, two-, three- and four-day events host dozens of famous (and not-so famous) musicians and bands for the enjoyment of anyone who has enough cash to attend. This year’s summer festival line-up is impressive, to say the least, regardless of where in the country you want to go.

Late in the year, the Voodoo Experience will grace New Orleans over the weekend before Halloween, a three-day event that starts on Oct. 24. Started in 1999, this summer festival is all the rage for southerners who enjoy great music. The 2008 lineup hasn’t been fully disclosed just yet, but headliners will include Stone Temple Pilots, Nine Inch Nails and R.E.M. In the past, greats such as Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Eminem and Sum 41 have graced the stage at Voodoo. Continue Reading »

Summer music festivals are a large part of American culture and expose consumers to new types of music as well as other arts. Some festivals are small with just one stage, while others are held at major parks and boast up to five stages with dozens of performers. Regardless of your tastes, it’s easy to find a summer music festival to enjoy. Continue Reading »

DUG THAT?: Young Knives
In the seemingly endless litany of bands emerging from the UK’s “I’m sophisticated and literate, but damn I rock” pool, it’s the Young Knives’ turn to be the “It” band. With a sound as sharp as their moniker and tracks like “Up All Night” and “Turn Tall” shaking back sides and brain cells, the Young Knives have arrived with amps in tow.

Time and talent will decide if the Young Knives have staying power, but their sound has been burnished through a very cutting lineage. (Couldn’t resist the pun) Continue Reading »

With music that ranges from the retro to the intensely personal, these hardworking performers are ready to break out in May.

With summer just around the corner and the outdoor concert season kicking into high gear, here are some hardworking musicians and musical groups that appear ready to make their mark in the month of May: Continue Reading »

On a Saturday evening in late February 2008, a Brooklyn-based rock quintet called The National performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s beautiful Howard Gilman Opera House. The show, in a word, was spectacular. Sporting anywhere from five to fifteen musicians on stage at a time, The National displayed their brand of mellow, brooding chamber rock in a way that felt anything but mellow or brooding. Electric, intense, and huge are just a few of the adjectives that feel more appropriate.

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