independent thoughts on indie rock, alternative, and indie pop music
Michael Kiwanuka has a powerful voice and an unmistakable sound; since the 2012 release of his breakthrough debut, Home Again, he has become one of the most prominent and inspirational singer/songwriters of the past decade. Home Again was a masterpiece of soulful folk blues, but since then, his sound has developed into a blend of... Continue Reading →
The night was cool, but the vibes were psychedelic and warm--the fractured alt-pop beats of Motopony carried the last show of their tour into history at The Goodfoot in Portland Sunday night. After three openers roused the intimate crowd and riled them up for their headliner, Daniel Blue and his eclectic group stole the night;... Continue Reading →
After two full days of music and exuberance, the final day of this year’s Shaky Knees Music Festival came, and it ended up being the hottest, as well as my favorite day of the three. We began our Sunday at the Piedmont Stage to catch Whitney, a band that wowed audiences and critics alike with... Continue Reading →
At the Main Stage on an overcast Saturday, Nashville southern soul revivalist Anderson East jumped straight into his melting sound of soul and kicked off our second day at Shaky Knees with a bang. The band got the crowd moving as East howled through every line, and literally gave me goosebumps with his combination of... Continue Reading →
Our Shaky Knees Music Festival adventure began with the wonderfully talented Margaret Glaspy, whose brilliant mix of jazz and rock, along with her edgy and empowering lyrics, please ears and raise plenty of applause. She played a remarkable set of her songs, mostly from her newest record Emotions and Math, a perfect start for the... Continue Reading →
Love is in season, and soulful siren Stelle Amor is an ambassador, doing her part to spread that love with her fiery brand of soul music. She kick-started her EP release show celebration with all the funky-pop vibes at one of Nashville’s favorite venues, Exit/In, and began her night speaking to the crowd. While she... Continue Reading →
A loss for words. That's a hard thing for me to say, and an even rarer phenomenon, but Knox Hamilton at the Doug Fir Lounge in Portland made it happen. They burst on to the stage with a confident stride, grinning and whipping us into a frenzy with rhythmic drums and vocal melodies I am... Continue Reading →
The warm weather is here to stay in Nashville, which means that Musicians Corner is now in full swing--the weekly spring/summer/fall free music event is one of the perks of living in Music City. The series has continuously grown and has an impressive lineup this year; with so many great artists, we had to head... Continue Reading →
“We love you Portland…you’re actually our favorite Portland”… as a native New Englander, I wanted to protest this statement for my beloved Mainers. However, shortly after Atlas Genius played their first song this past Tuesday at the beautiful Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon, I was actually fine with it. This Australian sensation wooed us like... Continue Reading →
Where an album allows the artist to distill and refine, a concert embraces personal essence. Sure, the videos and recordings of Anna Wise showcase her stunning voice, but after seeing her recent show at Nashville’s Exit/In, I was left in awe of her artistic vision. In concert, Wise is a bit of a mystery. Without... Continue Reading →
