CD Review: Cee-Lo Green — The Lady Killer

CD Review: Cee-Lo Green — The Lady Killer

Cee-Lo Green The Lady Killer Elektra By Al Kaufman Was it gimmicky, stupidity, brilliance, or just plain arrogance to release a first single with a title that all but guaranteed no radio airplay? For Cee-Lo, it was clearly the latter two. “Fuck You,” like his monster hit with Gnarls Barkley, “Crazy,” is just too powerful […]

Live Review: Sealions, Metric at The Tabernacle, October 28

Live Review: Sealions, Metric at The Tabernacle, October 28

By Nick LeMay; photo by Perry Julien (julienphotography.com) Sealions opened for Metric Thursday, October 28 in an electronic spectacle that drew an understandably large and wonderfully dressed crowd. I’ve been to the Tabernacle more times than I can remember and I still found myself gazing at the ornate wonder of it’s ridiculous architecture. It seems […]

AMG’s MoogFest Wrap-Up: Part Two

AMG’s MoogFest Wrap-Up: Part Two

By Sam Parvin and Eileen Tilson; photo by John Thelan Four decades ago, before digital synthesizers, laptop computers, and smart phones put the tools for electronic music on desks and in pockets, there was the Minimoog, the pioneering, suitcase-sized synthesizer introduced in 1970. The nonprofit, Bob Moog Foundation is raising money to build a “Moogseum” […]

AMG’s MoogFest Wrap-Up: Part One

AMG’s MoogFest Wrap-Up: Part One

By Sam Parvin and Eileen Tilson; photo by John Thelan The timing was perfect for a drive through the Great Smoky Mountains, showcasing a fiery color palette of leaves and small, white farmhouses atop rolling hills.  Asheville, N.C. is at the end of the journey, which acts as the ideal canvas for the events of […]

CD Review: Black Mountain — Wilderness Heart; Playing The EARL, November 12

CD Review: Black Mountain — Wilderness Heart; Playing The EARL, November 12

Black Mountain Wilderness Heart Jagjaguwar By Al Kaufman Seventies’ rock will never die. At least not as long as folks like Stephen McBean are around. McBean has dabbled in everything from folk-rock to noise (with bands Jerk with the Bomb and Pink Mountaintops, respectively), but seems to have found a home with classic rock. Wilderness […]

CD Review: Never Shout Never — Harmony; Playing Center Stage, November 9

CD Review: Never Shout Never — Harmony; Playing Center Stage, November 9

Never Shout Never Harmony Loveway/Sire By Al Kaufman Christofer Drew, the brains and talent behind Never Shout Never, is a good hippie. He writes lyrics like, “So trade your guns and fire with dove/We fight for love, and peace will find us with harmony.” He even supports the American Community Garden Association by inserting paper […]

CD Review: One EskimO — All Balloons; Play Smith’s Olde Bar, November 2

CD Review: One EskimO — All Balloons; Play Smith’s Olde Bar, November 2

One EskimO One EskimO Shangri-La By Al Kaufman There is more to One EskimO than their breakthrough single, “Kandi.” Sampling from Candi Staton’s “He Called Me Babe,” the song is reminiscent of Primitive Radio Gods’ “Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand,” in which the B.B. King sample was better than […]

CD Review: Pigeon John — Dragon Slayer; Playing The Loft with DJ Shadow, November 9

CD Review: Pigeon John — Dragon Slayer; Playing The Loft with DJ Shadow, November 9

Pigeon John Dragon Slayer Quannum Projects By Giles Turnbull With a title like Dragon Slayer, you may be expecting one of two extremes. If your point of reference is stories of knights in shining armor, that would be swashbuckling songs of a hero vanquishing fire-breathing mythical monsters; if you turn to the Urban Dictionary, you’re […]