CD Reviews
New band Stag is making some serious noise in the Pacific Northwest by way of their energetic live shows. The quintet of Steve Mack (vox), Ben London (guitar/vox), Lincoln Barr (guitar), Rob Dent (drums) and Pete Nordstrom (bass) successfully break down the barriers of power pop and interject a unique
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You hardcore twangers have been waiting a year — and now it’s finally here. Wintergrass 2009 kicks off Feb. 19 at the fancy Hotel Murano, and runs until Feb. 22. That’s right, four days to get your twang on. Now in its 16th year, the festival has become one of the
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After last year’s dismal Labor Day festival, I didn’t have high expectations about Bumbershoot 2008, but entered the gates armed with a press pass determined to take in all I could with a positive attitude. While I wasn’t disappointed, I sure the heck was glad I didn’t have to plop
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Not neo-soul, not urban, and not contemporary R&B, the Next Movement is authentic R&B akin to such legendary Motown units as the Temptations and the Four Tops. The Chicago vocal group formed in 1971, and while they never reached the height of their more famous contemporaries, they have been laying down
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If you attend this show, bring your earplugs as Mothers Anger might cause hearing loss for a few days after their gig if you don’t. The Michael Davis (MC5 bass player) -endorsed Israel duo are pretty hardcore as they mix punk, garage and classic rock for a bombastic timbre that
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When I was first asked to write about Ron Jeremy for the music section, I asked, “The porn star?” With the typical ’70s porn soundtrack thumping in my brain, I questioned, “Is he going to sing, dance, MC?" Who knows. Maybe all three. Who knew he was more than a big,
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Make it stop. I clicked on The Devil Wears Prada’s MySpace page and was assaulted with a wash volume that shoved me back in my chair. The Devil Wears Prada — no, not the movie or the book, the metal band — defines hardcore. With machine gun drums, nasty guitar
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Some bands just make you feel happy even if the message is depressing. Akin to the Shins, the Dimes evoke feelings of a jovial nature by way of lush harmonies and jangly guitar riffs. Whether by accident or design, the band possesses a Brit-pop timbre that is Fab Four comparable.
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I’ve always said if you think Kenny G is jazz, then you don’t know jazz. While not an expert on the genre, I know the basic elements. I know that real jazz doesn’t incorporate synthesizers and most definitely doesn’t use an electric bass. It’s just not done. Real jazz is
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Vince Brown is no stranger to string swing fans in the Northwest. As a part of the Tune Stranglers, Hot Club Sandwich and the duo Red and Ruby with LaVon Hardison, Brown’s nimble fingers have delighted audiences for more than 30 years. Beginning tonight, the guitarist/banjoist/ukulele-ist will host Swing Set
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Some artists wallow in their past accomplishments while others flourish and continually push their creativity. It’s a gamble, and the results are always chancy when changing direction from a proven formula. Northwest singer/songwriter Carrie Akre has reinvented her sound on more than one occasion, and the appraisal has been a
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With a dual guitar assault, rambunctious rhythms, and fever pitched vocals, the Shackeltons take the punk attitude of the Clash and combine it with shades of garage, grunge, and hard-core for a sound which is familiar and fresh at the same time. The Chambersburg, Penn., quintet of Mark Redding (vocals),
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Blues is alive and well in the 21st century, and while there might not be any bluesmen left from the cotton fields of the Mississippi, thanks to a batch of young musicians who are dedicated to keeping the genre alive, the sound of the Delta can still be heard like
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Something about this time of year — it makes plaid cool. It makes fiddles cool, too. The Celtic Music’s Voyage to Appalachia: Highland Health and Holler, featuring Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas, Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill, and Bruce Molsky, arrives at the Pantages Theater Thursday. Cool. Having been recognized
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There’s a fine line between a totally sappy love song and an intelligent portrait of a relationship. Not many singer/songwriters can pull it off, but Tacoma’s own Matt Coughlin has the ability to wear his heart on his sleeve without making me want to puke. Originally from Belgrade, Mont., Coughlin
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I consider myself a music nerd, so comparing bands is generally pretty frickin’ easy. Still, every so often, a band stumps me and I need to admit defeat. Such is the case with Mismatch who play Café Diallo Saturday. While it’s hard to peg these guys, I’ll give it a
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Want another sub-genre of rock music? Thought so. Chamber pop. Chamber pop incorporates orchestral movements with catchy hooks and lo-fi rock. Some of the best known Chamber poppers are Flaming Lips and Thievery Corporation. Some lesser known groups who fall into this elite category are Stars, Saint Etienne and the artist
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If you’ve never heard of the neo-traditional country artist Iris Dement, you’re not alone. She has cut only four albums in the past 15 years, has received sparse airplay and has remained a country cult-favorite. Dement didn’t start writing songs until she was in her mid-20s, but after sharpening her
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The first time I heard Devo was on KISW in 1979 with a cover of the Rolling Stones “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” and I thought, “What the fuck is this noise?” But the more I heard it, the more it grew on me. Even though I never became obsessed with
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Do you love the Grateful Dead? Do you enjoy supporting the arts? Then put down that burrito — we have a show for you. Dark Star Orchestra will grace the Pantages Theatre on Thursday, Sept 27 with its unique interpretation of the Dead’s music on their DSO Rex Caravan Tour.
