“We know you built your life around us…but we had to change some,” Colin Meloy admits freely on the mostly tongue-in-cheek opening track of his band’s seventh album. It has been nearly fifteen years since The Decemberists’ first release, and in order to survive this long as a quirky indie project, change was unavoidable. Whether […]

  Anya Wassenberg

You know how your parents tell you to get a real job – meaning, something like a doctor or a lawyer and not as a musician or artist? Lily Lambert forestalled all parental criticism by going for both. After successfully obtaining that law degree, the Irish-Welsh singer/songwriter headed for New York City to pursue her […]

  Anya Wassenberg

Sometimes everything just comes together at the right time, as it seems to be unfolding with Scottish punk duo Hello Creepy Spider (Matt Johnston, Stef Watt), whose album I Don’t Wanna Die In A Fire was just released May 12. With the frenetic energy of early punk releases, the duo takes their inspiration from bands […]

  Vincent Perretti

It’s been three years since we heard from Jenn Wasner & Andy Stack. 2011’s Civilian wasn’t necessarily a major commercial but it found success after The Walking Dead featured its titular track. However, in those three years, those two found something special in their sessions together leading up to Shriek and oh how grateful we should be. The project […]

  Nick Christophers

The place was packed with pretty girls lining the bar and guys in loose jeans nursing their beers. It was Friday night so everyone was out to let loose and take in some good old rock “n” roll. The music was blaring even from outside the famous Bitter End, the same Bitter End that hosted […]

  Anya Wassenberg

April 2014 with Mounties Band and James Younger Vancouver’s The Zolas have built a cult-like following across Canada that’s grown over two CD releases, the most recent of which – Ancient Mars (2012) – was produced by Chuck Brody (Wu-Tang Clan). They’ve been on the road in support of it ever since, including a trip […]

April 22, 2013- Drake Underground After failing to talk my way into the Drake Underground, I reluctantly bought a ticket from a young enterpriser for 100% markup—and couldn’t be happier that I did. The rafters rang last Monday as yours truly bore witness to the liberation of folk music from itself. Opening the bill is Twin […]

  Joe Modzelewski

A solo project by ex-P.S Eliot member Katie Crutchfield, Waxahatchee has released her second album, Cerulean Salt on Don Giovanni Records.  Her first release American Weekend received high critical acclaim in 2012 and she’s already back with another album, but this time sounding just a little more polished and confident. Cerulean Salt is a perfect album […]