This coming December, the pop-culture personality pageant that is American Idol will begin its long march to the graveyard as it launches its final season, brought on by dwindling ratings and fading interest in the show and its participants. The annual summertime “American Idol Live” concert tour, which used to…
Although there’s plenty of room in the rap universe for love and happiness, angry gangster rap has been a prominent style of hip-hop for well over two decades. Sometimes, it comes off as cheesy and contrived. In other instances, it can be borderline bone-chilling to hear what these rappers have…
“We’re not critiquing against God. We’re critiquing against man. That’s one of the most fundamental differences with the critics… when you start going into the mainstream, there’s a lot of talk about God, and that is not exactly what we’re talking about here.”—Nameless Ghoul, interview with New Times, October 23,…
Metal is a way of life that isn’t suited for the average radio listener. It’s a genre that, more often than not, is in your face and relentlessly assaulting your ear-drums from the beginning of an album to its conclusion. Metal can be violent with its lyrical content and in its live…
Independent artists have it hard. They are not only competing with the pristine sounds of pop radio, they also have to handle burden of supporting a career. It can be a daunting task, especially in the crowded world of hip-hop. Some believe that the culture is dying in a cesspool…
Mitchell Hillman listens to more local music than just about anyone in the Valley. He presents his picks for best new music in his column, Right Hear, Right Now. The Oxford Coma – “When The Levee Breaks” In covering the local beat, I don’t get many opportunities to write about…
Every Wednesday is Heritage Hump Day! That’s because every Wednesday from now to the end of the year or before someone really big stops us, Heritage Hump Records (a temporary subsidiary of Onus Records) and New Times will be bringing you a limited edition collector’s item of a much beloved…
What sort of things is left to be said about a founding member of a band called Slime and the Boobytramps after his untimely death? Raucous stories of house party destruction? Outrageously worded inappropriate jokes meant to offend? Self-described shitty tunes meant to clear the room? Well, yeah, all those…
It’s been a really weird year for Robbie Pfeffer. As frontman and lyricist of scuzz-funk five-piece Playboy Manbaby, the guy is someone you’d expect to be a little weird. After all, this is a band that writes wacko songs called “Falafel Pantyhose” and sings about minivans, neck tattoos, and “Pulsating…
Perusing dobro player and music producer Jerry Douglas’ résumé should make you tired. He’s long been regarded for his superb mastery of the kind of acoustic guitar that features a metal resonator built into its body. It’s a talent he’s not afraid to use; the man is busy. In addition…
Chris Cornell’s concert on September 17 has been postponed until November 4. Tickets for the old date will be honored at the new one, and tickets can be returned at point of purchase if necessary. No reason was given for the announcement. So for now, just remember the time Cornell,…
Taylor Swift is just like you. Taylor Swift is your friend. Taylor Swift is life. Taylor Swift is love. They say with enough repetition, even the most asinine messages start to have a ring of truth to them. Hell, that’s not even just true in government propaganda. It’s the whole…
Rapping in 2015 is more or less an individual art form. Sure, there are a handful of decent rap groups out there, but few that can compare to those of the past (except maybe Migos, they just barely missed the list). Here are 10 of the best rap groups to…
Valley pop singer Luna Aura released the playful new clip for her single “Dancing with Your Ghost” today, a jovial romp filmed at a local skating rink whose storyline follows a nerdy, sweet guy who crushes on the popular girl. The song was inspired by the tragic death of the…
When you set about the task of marking a musically milestone 30 years in the making, you plan out carefully and try to execute to make the event a living embodiment of that landmark. The Jesus and Mary Chain did exactly that as it hit the stage of the Marquee…
“I call it my nerd medley,” Lindsey Stirling explained to the crowd at downtown Phoenix’s Comerica Theatre Thursday night after performing her own blend of the themes to video games The Legend of Zelda, Skyrim, Dragon Age, Halo, and Assassin’s Creed. She thanked her longtime gamer fans as well as…
It’s not like George Clinton is underrated. After all, Kendrick Lamar featured Clinton on the opening track of To Pimp a Butterfly, the very funky “Wesley’s Theory,” which finds Clinton spouting vintage P-Funk psychobabble — wise observations encased in psychedelic word play (“Lookin’ down, it’s quite a drop / Lookin’ good…
Be sure to browse our comprehensive concert calendar for more options. Circuit Des Yeux – Friday, August 14 – Valley Bar With the release of In Plain Speech, Circuit de Yeux singer Haley Fohr’s fearless forays into cinematic drone have shifted from solo production to collaboration inspired by collective living…
Together for a decade, with six albums and a whole lotta touring under their belt, New Jersey band Screaming Females aren’t losing any steam. In fact, they don’t seem to stop evolving into a stronger, more abominable force. Featuring Marissa Paternoster on guitar and vocals, King Mike on bass, and…
Back in September, on the set of the N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton, cameras rolled in the parking lot of the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium as actors playing prudish protesters hoisted signs (“Crap Rap N.W.A”) and ran over a pile of the group’s records with a steamroller. A little later,…
The world is filled with visionaries who made a difference. Steve Jobs created a digital marketplace for music. Dr. Dre launched a musical empire. Al Gore created the Internet. And then, there’s Okilly Dokilly, the world’s first and only Ned Flanders-themed metal band, based on the Simpsons character so friendly…
While upstart bands eye the throne, Captain Squeegee is fervently working to defend the crown as Phoenix music video kings. The Mesa-based atomic jazz fusion ensemble has been steadily producing the highest quality music videos in the Phoenix indie scene with a barrage of videos in multiple disciplines. The first…
