April 2007

Event Reviews

Cold War Kids

Cold War Kids, riding a tsunami swell of buzz off of their debut album Robbers & Cowards, was a sure-to-sell-out event (and it did) that no self respecting music fan in Orlando- esspecially Jen Cray- would have been absent from.

Gym Class Heroes

Stale beats? Flat lyrical punchlines? It's a safe bet Chris Catania wasn't amongst the fans excitedly singing... wait, no, texting Gym Class Heroes' praises to all their friends stuck at home.

Joshua Radin

You don't have to be a hippie in flip flops to enjoy a good folk rock performance, as Jen Cray discovered when heading downtown to see songwriter Joshua Radin.

Lucinda Williams

Lucinda Williams may very well be one of the great American songwriters, but -- as Jen Cray discovered -- being an amazing artist doesn't always promise an awe-inspiring live show.

Maria Taylor

Maria Taylor brought her dreamy indie pop to Orlando and the fans came out. Jen Cray was one of the hundred or so who came out for a mid-week, late night show.

Of Montreal

Of Montreal have taken their glam rock traveling circus show on the road, and after frontman Kevin Barnes Full Monty stunt in Vegas recently the band's Orlando stop was packed with fans as well as curiousos. Jen Cray was front and centered for this fully clothed event.

Rockstar Taste of Chaos Tour

The 3rd annual Rockstar Taste of Chaos Tour once again set down roots deep within Orlando's Tinker Field. Jen Cray spent a gorgeous day in the sun with The Used, 30 Seconds To Mars, and a handful of up and coming bands.

Snow Patrol

The Snow Patrol tour was as much about opening acts Ok Go and Silversun Pickups as it was about the Irish headliners. Jen Cray was among those lucky enough to score a ticket to the sold-out event.

Features

The Case of the Missing Guitar Heroes

How can a band record one of the most influential tunes in rock history, perform for 47 straight years, sell at least 75 million albums and not be in Cleveland's Hall of Fame? Lifelong fan Steve Stav examines this baffling rock 'n' roll mystery in his essay on the legendary Ventures.

Interviews

Illinois

Pennsylvania's best-kept secret, a little band called Illinois, is about to go out on a large-scale U.S. tour with The Kooks. Their EP is one of Jen Cray's latest mailbox treasures, so she called up singer/songwriter Chris Archibald for a chat.

XBXRX

Speaking with vocalist Vice Cooler and guitarist Steve Touchstone of the undefinable trio of XBXRX, Jen Cray got them to talk about the brilliance of Kill Rock Stars, recording with Ian Mackaye and Steve Albini and how their live shows have resulted in permanent scarring.

Music Reviews

Muisc O

Ono (Yoko)

Open Your Box (Astralwerks). Review by Ben Varkentine.

Music A

Abner Trio & Man At Arms

Abner Trio & Mat At Arms (Joyful Noise). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Music B

Jessica Bailiff

Feels Like Home (Kranky). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Bambix

Club Matuchek (Go Kart). Review by Jen Cray.

Eric Bibb

Diamond Days (Telarc). Review by Sean Slone.

Blood Vessels

Blood Vessels (Teenage Heart Records). Review by Carl F Gauze.

Haley Bonar

Lure the Fox (Afternoon). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Bossa Nova Beatniks

End Civil Twilight (Free 4 Music BMI). Review by Carl F Gauze.

Brats On The Beat

Ramones For Kids (Go-Kart). Review by Jen Cray.

Brightblack Morning Light

Brightblack Morning Light (Matador Records). Review by Matthew Moyer.

Richard Buckner

Meadow (Merge). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Music C

Isobel Campbell

Milkwhite Sheets (V2). Review by Aaron Shaul.

David Allan Coe

Penitentiary Blues (Shout! Factory). Review by Matthew Moyer.

Music D

David Karsten Daniels

Sharp Teeth (Buhanan). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Charity Daw

Juvenilia (Grout Enterprises, Inc). Review by Carl F Gauze.

Days Off

The Jamming In The Scene EP (Make Or Break Records). Review by Brittany Sturges.

The Dead Bodies

Mr. Spookhouse's Pink House (Quite Scientific). Review by Aaron Shaul.

The Dead Pets

Too Little Too Late / Revenge of the Village Idiots (Village Idiot Records). Review by Carl F Gauze.

Dear And The Headlights

Small Steps, Heavy Hooves (Equal Vision). Review by Jen Cray.

The Detroit Cobras

Tied And True (Bloodshot). Review by Jen Cray.

Dir En Grey

Marrow of a Bone (Warcon). Review by Jen Cray.

Music E

Elliott Brood

Ambassador (Six Shooter). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Emmure

Goodbye To The Gallows (Victory). Review by Jen Cray.

Everybody Else

Everybody Else (The Militia Group). Review by Jen Cray.

The Exeter Popes

Snow, Mountain, Geisha (White Shoe). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Music F

Fishbone

Still Stuck in Your Throat (Sound In Color). Review by Jen Cray.

Foreign Islands

Restart Now (Deaf Dumb + Blind Recordings). Review by Ben Varkentine.

The Four Level

Stars From Aircraft (Breakbeat Science). Review by Ben Varkentine.

Music H

Micah P. Hinson and the Opera Circuit

Micah P. Hinson and the Opera Circuit (Jade Tree). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Holy Molar

Cavity Search (Three One G). Review by Carl F Gauze.

The Husbands

There’s Nothing I’d Like More Than To See You Dead (Swami Records). Review by Matthew Moyer.

Music I

Ignore

Happiness Not Yet Won (Acoustic). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Indigenous

Chasing the Sun (Vanguard Records). Review by Tim Wardyn.

Music J

Joanna

This Crazy Life (Geffen). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Music K

King Britt

Deep and Sexy 4 (Wave Music). Review by Ben Varkentine.

Kings Of Leon

Because Of The Times (RCA). Review by Jen Cray.

Music L

D.S. Lionfire

Jerusalem: A Symphonic Saga (Self-Released). Review by Aaron Shaul.

The Lookyloos

You're Looking Very Beautiful Man (Lather Records). Review by Carl F Gauze.

Lullabye Arkestra

Ampgrave (Constellation). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Lunch With Beardo

Surrealistic Picnic (FDH Records). Review by James Mann.

Music M

Maher Shalal Hash Baz

L'Autre Cap (K). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Mando Diao

Ode To Ochrasy (Mute). Review by Jen Cray.

Mason Proper

There Is A Moth In Your Chest (Dovecote). Review by Jen Cray.

Midnight Movies

Lion The Girl (New Line). Review by Jen Cray.

My Flea Circus

Fancy Feast (Fairy Factory). Review by Carl F Gauze.

Music N

Nekromantix

Life Is A Grave & I Dig It!!! (Hellcat). Review by Jen Cray.

Music O

Oblivion Ensemble

Seraphim Hallucino (Malignant Records). Review by Carl F Gauze.

Music P

Parasites

Retro Pop Remasters (Go Kart Records). Review by Carl F Gauze.

Plain White T's

Every Second Counts (Hollywood Records). Review by Brittany Sturges.

Please

Broken Little Songs (Self-Released). Review by Kyrby Raine.

+44

When Your Heart Stops Beating (Interscope Records). Review by Tim Wardyn.

Robert Pollard

Normal Happiness (Merge). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Music R

The Ratchets

Glory Bound (Pirates Press). Review by Jen Cray.

Rodrigo y Gabriela

Rodrigo y Gabriela (ATO). Review by Jen Cray.

Music S

Savage Aural Hotbed

The Unified Pounding Theory (Innova Recordings). Review by James Mann.

She Wants Revenge

She Wants Revenge (Geffen/Flawless Records). Review by Matthew Moyer.

Silversun Pickups

Carnavas (Dangerbird). Review by Jen Cray.

music S

Smoosh

Free to Stay (Barsuk). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Music S

Sodastream

Reservations (Hausmusik). Review by Aaron Shaul.

The Summer Obsession

This is Where You Belong (Virgin Records). Review by Brittany Sturges.

Music T

Tiger Lou

Until I'm There/Days Will Pass 7" (It's a Trap!). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Triclops!

Cafeteria Brutalia (Sickroom). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Music U

U2

18 Singles (Universal Island). Review by Sean Slone.

Music X

XBXRX

Wars (Polyvinyl). Review by Jen Cray.

Music Y

YpsiSongs

YpsiSongs (Cerberus). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Print Reviews

Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in Fifties Animation

Marshall Presnell is transported back to an age of sugary plastic heat when thumbing through this new retrospective of postwar animation and cartooning.

Every Day Is Saturday

A great music town relies on a lot of talented people. In San Francisco, Peter Ellenby takes the pictures that let people know what they missed at the club last night, grace CD booklets or illustrate articles. Sometimes rock photographer, Bob Pomeroy tells you all about the book and photos.

Factory Records: The Complete Graphic Album

Before the Design Republic, before even 4AD's Vaughan Oliver / v23, there was Peter Saville and Factory Records. The history of music and design is filled with intersections, and Matthew Moyer considers none to be as seminal as this.

Modern Masters Volume 10: Kevin Maguire

The talent of comics artist Kevin Maguire is nothing to bwa-ha-ha about. Shaun Corley gives us the rundown on the latest edition of the Modern Masters series, which runs down Maguire's career.

Owly: Just a Little Blue

Diabetics beware: Owly's sweet nature and silent do-gooding is not to be taken lightly. Not even black-hearted Matthew Moyer could insulate his frozen countenance against Andy Runton's warm, thick lines.

We the Media

We the Media deals with the rising trend of grassroots citizen journalism and how it affects everyone, from the public to the media. Journalism student Brittany Sturges reads on.

Screen Reviews

Grindhouse

Like kids let loose in a candy store, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez have again indulged themselves -- and their legions of fans -- with another dose of mayhem. This time around, it's a two-fisted tribute to '70s exploitation and car chase films. Steve Stav eases his '69 Dart into a reserved slot at the drive-in for a review of Grindhouse.