Remembering Sparklehorse’s Mark Linkous

​​​​Mark Linkous, renowned and beloved singer/songwriter who released his music under the name Sparklehorse, took his own life this Saturday in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was 47 years old.With Sparklehorse, Linkous created a vivid, beloved alt-rock/alt-country sound adored by his fans for its earnest, yet dark, lyrics. Sparklehorse released its first…

You Asked For It: The Other 49

Title: A Cold Open, a 7-song EP.Basics: The debut EP from “epic indie rock” act The Other 49 has a sound akin to Explosions In The Sky and is one of the more professional sounding releases I’ve reviewed for You Asked For It. Its pretty standard fare, but at least the…

These New Puritans: Hidden in a Roundup of Record Reviews

U.K. experimental rockers These New Puritans have finally unleashed their second full-length record, Hidden. Their 2008 debut, Beat Pyramid, found the band exploring their post-punk roots, joining the already massive stable of like-minded British bands. Two years later, the band has turned their own sound on its ear, blowing up…

Album Stream: Gorillaz — Plastic Beach

The album is chock full of Gorillaz charm — an often unclassifiable sound mashed full of different styles and plenty of guest spots including Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed, Kano, Gruff Rhys, Mos Def and, of course, The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music…

Incoming: Tom Petty, Miike Snow, Mono

[jump] Tom Petty returns to Arizona for this first time since an August 2008 show out in Glendale. More info on the upcoming tour, including the track “Good Enough” from Petty’s forthcoming album Mojo can be found at TomPetty.com.Other live show announcements (not nearly as big as Tom Petty, but…

You Asked For It: Horae

Title: Horae, a three-song EP.Basics: Billing themselves as an “electronic/rock” band, this Tucson foursome formed in 2008 and recently opened for Neon Indian. That got my attention since Psychic Chasms was one of my favorite albums of 2009 and Neon Indian’s November show in Phoenix was just as fantastic.Neon Indian these guys ain’t,…

Past Lives: Tapestry of Webs in a Roundup of Reviews

[jump] What this critic says: “Past Lives — lead by enigmatic lead singer Jordan Billie — have crafted an album that constantly shifts tempos, often playing things on the more slower, serious side. Gone are Billie’s days of relentless screaming over punk-laden guitars, replaced with a more subtle approach to his…

New Liars Video: “Scissor”

[jump] Liars – “Scissor:”Oh this song takes its time, but its a builder. Its ominous opening gives way to an loud, brash chorus. The matching onslaught of rocks during the more blistering parts of the song is just perfect. Sisterworld is out 3/9 via Mute. Head on over to www.thesisterworld.com to…

You Asked For It: Joey Arroyo Band

Is…Aggressive(Self-released)Grade: B+Well it took three weeks, of doing these You Asked For It reviews of local records, but I finally got an album for that I could actually enjoy. Truly, picturing the other bands I’ve reviewed for this project playing live makes me cringe, but not Joey Arroyo Band. Their…

Besnard Lakes Add Tempe to Their North American Tour

More show announcements, more show announcements, more show announcements.Tempe’s Sail Inn has tapped Quebecois husband and wife-led collective The Besnard Lakes to play a date on their upcoming spring North American tour. It’s a busy spring, indeed, for the band as they have a showcase at SXSW in March, followed…

Sasquatch Announces 2010 Lineup

​It’s been a long time coming, but the Sasquatch! Music Festival — held annually at Washington’s Gorge Amphitheater over Memorial Day weekend — has come of age. Too long the festival had been bogged down by underwhelming lineups, but 2009 started an impressive upturn in the artists being asked to…

You Asked For It: No Longer Together

No Longer Together(Self-released)Grade: DWell, it was a bumpy start to my first go around with You Asked For It. The transition into my second week was somewhat better, but not by much. Case in point: Scottsdale’s No Longer Together, a spunky little three-piece that won Alice Cooper’s “Proof is in…

Incoming: Devendra Banhart, High on Fire, Past Lives

There have been big days for live music in Phoenix, and then there have been BIG days for live music in Phoenix. Today has been absolutely bonkers for Valley music fans as a plethora of artists have all announced upcoming shows for March, April and even May. Freak folker Devendra…

Hot Chip: One Life Stand, in a Round-Up of New Reviews

What this critic says: “One Life Stand is really the tale of two albums: the blisteringly fast-paced first four songs plus the final track versus the sluggish, filler-esque latter half. No other album this year, however, opens as strongly through it’s first four tracks as One Life Stand, and “Take…

Arctic Monkeys to Play the Marquee

The Valley is getting a ton of runoff from this year’s Coachella. First it was Yeasayer and Beach House. Deer Tick and Vampire Weekend then entered the fold. Finally, Sia and Frightened Rabbit scheduled Phoenix dates around the massive festival in Indio, California. The recent announcement that Arctic Monkeys will play Tempe’s Marquee…

Nick Jonas Says Bob Dylan Can’t Sing

Last Wednesday night, Nick Jonas went on Jimmy Kimmel Live to plug his brand-new album — Nick Jonas and the Administration’s Who I Am — and shoot the shit with Kimmel. During the latter part of Jonas’ segment, his recent role in the new version of “We Are The World”…