The first Miniature Tigers record, Tell It To The Volcano, was probably an over-share. Sure, frontman Charlie Brand did a great job of couching his heartbreak in stories about some Lost-like tropical netherworld, but it didn’t take a working knowledge of Freud to understand that the “Cannibal Queen” Brand spoke…
The name The Wailers conjures our best thoughts about reggae. As well it should: Not only was Bob Marley in the group, it also served as springboard for the arguably equal Peter Tosh.So, yeah, the Wailers name is strong enough to tour on 30 years after Marley’s death. The Original…
You probably don’t know the name John Van Hamersveld, but chances are you own and cherish a few pieces of his work. Van Hamersveld is the artist who designed the album covers for The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour, The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street, Jefferson Airplane’s Crown of Creation,…
Song: Anarbor, “Drug Store Diet”Context: I did not realize that these Phoenix pop-rockers mentioned Sheriff Joe in this song until reading next week’s music feature. Pretty funny. Drugstore Diet by Anarbor…
Bad news, Phoenix: It will be 104 degrees today. If the heat is already starting to bother you, it’s time to start planning weekend trips to the high country. July 10 is looking like a good day to drive up to Flagstaff for the Hullabaloo music festival. The name Hullabaloo…
OK Go’s string of badass music videos are assisting Lady Gaga in keeping the medium alive. The super-cool Rube Goldberg styling of the “This Too Shall Pass” video has everyone talking earlier this year (it even made the Yahoo! homepage).While “End Love” isn’t quite as jaw-droppingly unique, it’s a very cool…
Since Slovenia is the United States’ next opponent in that sporting event we’re all pretending to care about because we’re bored the very exciting 2010 World Cup in beautiful South Africa, I paid special attention to a press release I received this morning about Magnifico, purportedly the country’s “Hottest Star.”He…
Song: Ice Cube, “Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It”Context: Hard to believe it, but Ice Cube is 41 today. Happy birthday, O’Shea. Ice Cube Gangsta rap made me do it…
Ever see that movie Heavy Metal Parking Lot? It’s a good flick, but Juggalo Parking Lot would put it to shame.Why no one has made a serious documentary about Insane Clown Posse fans baffles me. The hooting and hollering, the facepaint, the cheap soda, the bullshit allegations of gang membership…
Usually things get snarkyish when Shawn takes over the reigns at Electric Mustache. You know, like the time he called the entire city of Scottsdale out.Not this time.Shawn loves this folkie Tempe two-piece called Sorry Charlie.I can’t say I’m in agreement about Sorry Charlie — I listened to the four…
Song: “The Glory of Montage,” a 25-minute track that takes you through the greatest training montage songs of all time.Context: Remakes of Starsky and Hutch and Charlie’s Angels did not make me feel old — I’m too young to remember those programs in their original incarnation — but seeing a…
Since he was here, like, three months ago, and since we ran a big ol’ piece on him last time, New Times has sorta skimped on the coverage of the David Bazan show at Martini Ranch Sunday.That fact should in no way suggest you should skip the show. You shouldn’t…
Is Glendale’s Darien Solaris the greatest MyStudio user ever? You be the judge, but I vote yes.Darien, apparently loyal You Hang Up fan, tweeted at me earlier today: “i had 2 follow u after the frankie muniz column. His girlfriend is HILARIOUS! I could use the fame. Wanna write about…
Here’s reason number 7,082 why Amanda Palmer is awesome: The Dresden Dolls frontwoman is celebrating her victory over Roadrunner Records with an EP of Radiohead covers played on ukulele.The songs were recorded in Australia after she learned how to play the mini-guitar “as a joke” to do a memorable cover…
Song: T.I. featuring Rihanna, “Live Your Life”Context: So Rihanna isn’t coming to Phoenix… this is still some serious real talk from T.I.P…
Weird: The Backstreet Boys have announced a boycott of BP because of the massive oil spill.Weirder: Korn instigated this.Actually, maybe not so weird: These band will forever be linked in the realm of “shitty music that should have failed to exist in any form after the big ball dropped on…
So Much Silence is about to turn five years old. Five years. That makes it practically older than Pitchfork and actually older than Up On The Sun.Everyone here in the Phoenix New Times music section heartily congratulates Kevin “Murph” Murphy on that feat. It’s been a joy to read his…
Song: You Hang Up, “Closer”Context: Why not, right? Closer by YouHangUp…
Don’t mess with a “Twitter tour de force.”
Rihanna’s July 22 stop at Phoenix’s Cricket Wireless Pavilion has been moved to Tucson, reports media down south.Before you get your panties in a bunch about SB 1070 boycotts remember that Tucson is actually still part of Arizona (it’s convenient to forget sometimes, I know) and that the venue she’s…
Maybe I’m biased since Up On The Sun is helping book The Train Tracks this year, but I think the first video from season two, of local rapper Random, who was selected to showcase at SxSW in March, is the best episode ever.Love that freestyle flow and love the backing…
Song: Band of Horses, “Compliments”Context: Nearly a month after Band Of Horses was last Today’s Soundtrack Infinite Arms is still getting some spins in my car. What a great record. Compliments by bandofhorses…
