via Consequence of Sound Brilliant debut albums can be both a blessing and a curse. While they firmly establish an act’s credibility, they can also create pressure to live up to yourself on the next release. Many lesser artists are not able to live up to the hype and enter the dreaded “sophomore slump.” Father … Read more
All photos by Agatha Donkar Last night a friend said to me that the Head and the Heart were at the best when they could feed off the crowd; that was certainly the case during their sold-out Raleigh show last night, playing to a crowd that might have been more excited to see the band … Read more
via Sub Pop “Just a little bored in the USA Save me, white Jesus!Bored in the USA“ Josh Tillman can do no wrong. Since establishing his sardonic folk-rock alter ego Father John Misty with 2012’s Fear Fun, Tillman has kept busy by touring extensively, making weird whiskey ads, helping soundtrack “True Detective,” and releasing his … Read more
via Rolling Stone Father John Misty continues teasing his new album with the kaleidoscopic video for his latest single, “Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins).” Enjoy this trippy morsel of pop bliss below:
Last week, Baltimore’s Beach House (Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand) casually released their new single “Myth” and label Sub Pop confirmed that Bloom, the duo’s fourth LP, would be released on May 15th. Bloom will arrive amidst a swell of anticipation building from Beach House’s utterly amazing 2010 LP, Teen Dream, and some interesting statements … Read more
Last Friday, many music fans in Saint Louis (and really, across a number of states) experienced a minor meltdown when the recently announced Mumford and Sons show at The Pageant sold out in approximately fifteen minutes, amidst speculation that the majority of the tickets went not to fans but to vicious scalpers. I, myself, was … Read more
Speakers Rating: 91/100 Fleet Foxes clearly know their sweet spot. Rather than pulling a 180 or switching things up with any degree of significance, the Seattle sextet nestled themselves deep into their rich, velvety folk-rock comfort zone for the recording of their second LP, Helplessness Blues. This approach has yielded a consistent, impeccable record that … Read more
“Lord have mercy on my rough and rowdy ways…” The Seattle six-piece The Head and the Heart has absolutely floored me with its endless wallops of poignant lyrical punches in one single five minute song. “Down in the Valley” is perfectly reminiscent of that Northwestern indie-folk sound that’s been well harvested over the past five years … Read more
Way back in 2008, Fleet Foxes sneaked into our lives, unexpectedly dropping the list-topping, self-titled debut LP on all of our asses and shaking up the indie music world in the process. No one realized the band’s level of crossover potential until it was upon us, and looking from these 2011 eyes, it could be … Read more
Is the American South the global epicenter of chillwave? Georgia’s Ernest Greene AKA Washed Out (along with South Carolina’s Toro y Moi) is certainly making a compelling argument with the release of the lead single, “Eyes Be Closed” from his upcoming debut LP Within and Without (July 12th on Sub Pop). Building on the coruscating … Read more
Blitzen Trapper is back! The Portland quintet just recently confirmed that its sixth studio album, American Goldwing, will be released on September 12th – the third release for the ever-brilliant Sub Pop Records. Full of the introspective and striking storytelling that countless critics have fallen in love with, Blitzen Trapper considers subjects ranging from falling … Read more