Authors: Allison Shephard
Review: Agnes Obel – Aventine
Sweet as dark chocolate, Agnes Obel combines sultry yet poppy chamber instrumentals with whimsical vocals that make the Danish singer/songwriter’s sophomore album an absolute delight. … read more
Review: Agnes Obel – Aventine (Deluxe Edition)
Agnes Obel = Joanna Newsom + Feist / Ane Brun … read more
Review: 7sleepers – Self-Titled
7sleepers = Stars of the Lid x Soundgarden + Brian Eno … read more
Localized: Book on Tape Worm
“This kind of started as an accident,” vocalist/guitarist Scott Shepard says. “I used to play in a lot of rock bands. Then I started writing a bunch of sad songs and didn’t really plan on playing them for anybody.” The group gained attention from local music venue Velour, and acquired cellist Ciera Black after an
Bonkers for Banzai: Anime Banzai 2013
The last panel I went to was “Mega Man: Powered Up!” and was by far the most heated panel of the three. Things got a little out of control when a man dressed in a full-on My Little Pony jumpsuit stated that Mega Man would always be superior to Zero, because supposedly they keep bringing Zero back, while Mega Man is a constant, which caused the other members of the audience to simultaneously start yelling that they agreed or disagreed with this guy’s theory, and why he was right or wrong. … read more
From Dylan to Modernity: An interview with of Montreal’s Kevin...
“Every creative decision I make happens organically and I don’t question it. I don’t think, ‘Is this good for my career or bad for my career? It’s whatever I’m just naturally interested in and just sort of driven to do, in a way. I don’t really question it,” says Barnes. It is Barnes’ avid interest in the world and lack of musical inhibition that has allowed of Montreal to experiment with a spectrum of different sounds and ideas that would make most musicians jealous. It is this kind of unbridled passion for life and music that makes of Montreal so unique. … read more
Dawes @ Eccles Center 11.30
Opening with “Most People” from their 2013 album Stories Don’t End, lead singer/guitarist Taylor Goldsmith flawlessly captured every member of the audience both young and old with an epic yet interesting guitar solo, which set the tone for the rest of the show. … read more
Small Black @ Kilby Court 04.01 with Snowmine
A kid next to me had his ear literally pressed to the speaker, screaming “SMALL BLACK I LOVE YOUUUU!” until his voice cracked, occasionally pausing to sit on the ground with his head between his legs, shaking his head in awe. There was the teenage couple fully making out beside me, and a sweet lesbian couple slow-dancing with each other. It surprised me to see everyone’s vastly different reaction to the music, with some people chilling out, some flipping out and some sharing tender moments with their significant other. … read more
Musical Humanism: Channeling the Catharsis with William Fitzsimmons
It doesn’t take a genius to recognize that William Fitzsimmons has a solid grasp on what it means to be a human being. In fact, he’s dedicated most of his life so far to exploring the human condition. Drawing from his personal life and experiences helping others has rendered him capable of understanding and communicating deeply personal lyrics in a way that is not only unique but collectively relatable. … read more
WIlliam Fitzsimmons @ The State Room 05.13 with Ben Sollee
I left feeling relaxed and emotionally renewed. I can’t remember the last time I felt so many different feelings over such a short amount of time, and I can’t think of any other situation where I would actually be happy about experiencing such a vast array of emotions. All I have to say is this: William Fitzsimmons will make you experience complex feelings you didn’t even know existed, and I mean that in the best possible way. … read more