CD Review: The Weeknd — Thursday

The Weeknd Thursday OVO/XO By Justin Lyons Though some of the mystery surrounding Canadian act The Weeknd (aka Abel Tesfey) has subsided, he still has enigmatic qualities that make Thursday enticing.  While the down tempo production from Doc McKinney & Illangelo continues on most of the new tracks, The Weeknd examines a broad range of […]

CD Review: Hercules and Love Affair — Blue Songs; Playing Aaron’s Amphitheatre, August 23

Hercules and Love Affair Blue Songs Moshi Moshi Records By Al Kaufman Hercules and Love Affair never got memo issued some 30 years ago that simply stated, “Disco is dead.” This is a band that likes its music to pump and thump and bump. Listen to “Answers Come in Dreams” and listen to what can […]

CD Review: Muppets — The Green Album

Muppets The Green Album Walt Disney Records By Jeremy Frye Kermit and his crew have certainly been around in the last decade, but your local multiplex has been Muppet-free since 1999’s Muppets From Space. Actor Jason Segal considered this a grave injustice and made it his personal mission to get The Fuzzy Pack back on […]

CD Review: The War on Drugs — Slave Ambient; Playing The EARL, October 13

The War on Drugs Slave Ambient Secretly Canadian By Al Kaufman Much like Beck is essentially a folk rocker with ambient tendencies, so too are Philadelphia’s The War on Drugs. The band’s 2008 debut, Wagonwheel Blues, was more of a straight ahead rock and roots affair. Then Kurt Vile left the group for his rather […]

CD Review: The Features — The Wilderness; Playing The EARL, August 26

The Features The Wilderness Bug Music/Serpents And SnakesBy Justin Lyons Murfreesboro, Tenn.’s four-piece outfit The Features show their maturation since 2008’s Some Kind of Salvation.  On their third album they ditch a horn section that never seemed right in favor of  driving rhythms and howling guitar. The resulting effect is much darker on The Wilderness, […]

Live Review: Drive-By Truckers and Centro-matic at Georgia Theatre, August 12

By Micah McLain Drive-By Truckers brought along their “soulmate band” Centro-matic for a sold-out two-night stand to celebrate the triumphant return of the Georgia Theatre this past weekend. There was an overwhelming sense of excitement and awe that was shared by everyone lucky enough to be in attendance Friday night. The opportunity to see two […]

Live Review: Gillian Welch and David Rawlings at the Georgia Theatre, August 14

By Scott Roberts; Photos by Sue Volkert Most successful bands seem to possess at least one secret weapon – a dynamic front person; a flashy lead guitarist­; pyrotechnics – that allows them to stand out from the myriad acts vying for our entertainment dollar. Singer-songwriter Gillian Welch, in addition to her own impressive arsenal, has […]

Picture Book: Death Cab for Cutie at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, August 11

By Catrina Maxwell Indie crossovers Death Cab for Cutie played to a sweaty but energetic crowd of giddy fans on Thursday night. The band played a packed set that saw them try out some new tracks from their latest release, Codes and Keys, including the “VH1 Storytellers”-featured song “You Are A Tourist,” which was warmly […]