independent thoughts on indie rock, alternative, and indie pop music
It’s no longer a secret that Nashville’s music scene is more than a love-hate relationship with its country music stereotype. With indie and alternative rock now a dominating force, the music floods out of concert venues, clubs, and bars nightly. While there are numerous faces in the crowd of the city’s emerging rock acts, there... Continue Reading →
“In the beginning, the land was pure”….a spoken word excerpt borrowed from The Jacksons’ 1980 tune “Can You Feel It” opened the show at the High Watt this week for Keuning, the solo project of Dave Keuning, lead guitarist and co-founder of world-famous rock band The Killers. As words turned into funky beats, Keuning took... Continue Reading →
There is something special developing in the music festival scene and it’s coming out of Memphis, Tennessee. Back for its second year, the 2018 Mempho Music Festival boasted a lineup that was impossible to resist. Last year, the festival showcased Memphis flavor by bringing together a healthy dose of blues and soul legends, indie rockers, local favorites,... Continue Reading →
With the meteoric rise of electronic music with mainstream music lovers, many rock bands are forming or retooling to marry traditional indie rock sounds with electro elements. This influx of electronic influence often creates music outside of the band's target genre, making it either too "pop" or too "rock" for the works to have an authentic... Continue Reading →
In most music circles, Greyhounds are typically pegged solely as a blues outfit. However, even a cursory listen across the group's many albums quickly reveals the band’s broader influences, spanning from jazz, soul, southern swamp, and a touch of twangy roots. Touring in support of their most recent album, Cheyenne Valley Drive, the band blazed... Continue Reading →
Recently, Raleigh's Red Hat Amphitheater was treated to a double bill from Nahko and Medicine for the People and Dispatch. The two groups are environmentally conscious activists that moonlight as headlining folk/reggae-leaning musicians who have performed internationally for years and accumulated a loyal and well-traveled fanbase. After a mind-altering set filled with love energy and good... Continue Reading →
Recently, Raleigh's Red Hat Amphitheater was treated to a double bill from Nahko and Medicine for the People and Dispatch. The two groups are environmentally conscious activists that moonlight as headlining folk/reggae-leaning musicians who have performed internationally for years and accumulated a loyal and well-traveled fanbase. Nahko and Medicine for the People were placed in the... Continue Reading →
With the skyline behind the stage and a shimmering oak tree mural backdrop, downtown Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater creates a perfect setting for a night of music. The Revivalists, who headlined the venue recently, had the crowd grooving from the very first guitar riff. This band from New Orleans continues to grow, and with their... Continue Reading →
It’s a family thing y’all--that was the takeaway message from Calexico’s recent performance at Portland’s Revolution Hall. The show was sold out, a formula for some high-level energy. And as Calexico, on tour supporting their latest (and ninth) studio record, played their hearts out, they delivered in spades. Their eclectic style of American pop, mariachi,... Continue Reading →
The shows you attend by chance are usually the ones that leave lasting and indelible impressions--Fleet Foxes’ recent stop at the Ryman Auditorium was definitely one of those shows. Fleet Foxes released one of the 2017’s best records, Crack-Up, and they finally made to Nashville to play two nights at the mother church. To classify... Continue Reading →
