Voted Tucson Weekly’s “Best New Band” in 2007, Mostly Bears have steadily been working their way up the list — a very, very short list — of innovative Arizona bands. Of course, they are from Tucson and not Phoenix, so they fit in nicely with the other bands emerging from…
Ah, new music Tuesday. It’s always exciting to note what new albums come out on any given Tuesday, especially so early into the new year. While today may be a particularly slow day in the American market, one French artist has released some of 2009’s finest work to date. The…
For those of you who tuned into the 51st annual Grammy Awards Sunday night, you were most likely treated to a lamely named performance of the “Rap Pack:” Jay-Z, Kanye West, T.I., and Lil’ Wayne. The four artists gave a dapper performance, no doubt flustering audiences of 40-year-olds in the Midwest…
On this week 15 years ago, East Bay punk stalwarts Green Day released their career-defining album, Dookie. Yeah, I said career-defining. Say what you will about American Idiot and what it did for the band (skyrocketing them into mega-stardom), but Green Day wouldn’t even have had a chance to record that…
There are a staggering number of new American indie bands out there. And that means there are plenty of bands going unnoticed. But Little Ones, from Los Angeles, somehow managed to stave off the anonymity that ends the careers of so many bands. How? Well, their sound is hardly original…
What started as an innocuous side-project — a kitschy little experiment to pass the time in Palm Desert — has exploded into a full-fledged career for Jesse Hughes and his best pal, Josh Homme, of Queens of the Stone Age and Kyuss fame. Things started out innocently enough — the…
Toronto punk rock outfit Fucked Up graced the stage Tuesday night at downtown Phoenix art gallery PHiX, bringing with them their subdued, docile tones and serene, lucid vocals. Good one, right? Yeah, I had you going — admit it. Fucked Up absolutely slayed the crowd on Tuesday, a respectable sized…
Yes, it’s Tuesday again, so you know what that means: more new music. This week, I have chosen to focus my energy on The Von Bondies’ new album, Love, Hate And Then There’s You. Now I know what you’re saying: “Their last album wasn’t all that good.” You’re right, it wasn’t…
There were some truly awful ads on during yesterday’s insanely competitive Super Bowl. The economy is changing, America is changing, and the past two Super Bowls have been some of the best games in Super Bowl history. I remember watching some Super Bowls that were atrocious, lopsided affairs that were…
Most of the time, this fact is blatantly true and indicative of the über-conservative “fair and balanced” news channel. For all intents and purposes, 98 percent of what is aired on Fox News is “fucked up.” However, what I am specifically referencing is Damian Abraham — lead singer of Toronto…
It’s not bad enough that frat-rock pioneers Of a Revolution — known worldwide by their cringe-inducing acronym O.A.R. — are descending upon the Valley to appease the willing masses with their divinely bland style of bastardized college rock. No, they feel the need to play at the TPC Scottsdale. Yes:…
I was lucky enough to be invited to the recent Festival of the Fuck Bands, led in a ceremonious fashion by Fucked Up’s very own Father Damian. The festival is a chance for bands worldwide to get together, discuss music and politics, and chat about how awesome they are for…
Avenged Sevenfold — a band as unique as a tribal armband tattoo and as clever as using the term “thinking outside the box” — has an appeal that’s mystifying. People continue to listen to this band well into the year 2009, and A.S. apparently have enough clout to book an…
As the new year heats up and more new releases come out, it may get more confusing and overwhelming to wade through the many new albums that are released. I am here, however, to take your hand and guide you through the albums that may not get as much press…
I’ll be the first to admit I’m a little late to the Mastodon party. Metal is just not my thing, and metal fans are often off-putting (as if hipsters were any better). Mastodon, however, doesn’t really give a shit about all that. Their new single “Divinations” hit the Interwebs last night, much…
For someone like me, who is an Arizona Cardinals season ticket holder, this season has far exceeding any expectations I had for the team heading into September. Not to toot my horn or anything, but after watching the Cardinals dismantle the playoff-caliber Miami Dolphins in the home opener, I said…
The Nadas are not a forgotten band from that “the” band explosion from 2000 that featured the likes of The Strokes, The Hives and The Vines. Sure, The Nadas existed back then, and their unique name would have lent itself nicely to that particular scene, but things took a different…
Dubbed as one of the BBC’s 10 Breakout Acts of 2009, West London’s White Lies released their debut album To Lose My Life… yesterday to much fanfare. The buzz surrounding these three chaps from across the pond is staggering. On one hand, it’s always a good thing for a band…
I was recently introduced to French electronic dance music quartet (I know, four dudes seems a bit much) Birdy Nam Nam last week, and after soaking in (absolutely loving) their new album Manual for Successful Rioting, I must say I am impressed. Their name is super stupid, but do not…
San Francisco by way of Fresno rock newbies Stone Foxes dropped by Phoenix’s Ruby Room Saturday night as part of their Sweep The West Tour. The band is young, fresh and full of talent – not to mention they possess some incredible rock chops. The band can rip it up…
In anticipation of the upcoming live comedy show this Sunday at the Marquee Theatre featuring Adult Swim goofballs Tim & Eric, I feel I must bring to light the magnificent music video directing skills of Eric Wareheim (the nice young fellow on the right). Wareheim is the more musically inclined…
Heaped in the late ’60s and early ’70s blues, rock, and folk scene of their native San Francisco, Stone Foxes have established their sound as a force to be reckoned with. A clear contender for one of 2009’s early buzz bands, the Foxes have been riding a wave of publicity…
