Anti-Flag’s Political Punk Rocked Hard

The economy sucks… Let’s party!Yes, these are the sentiments of Pittsburgh punkers Anti-Flag. If you know anything about the band, these sentiments shouldn’t surprise you. The band has made a mark with their strong political views and activism. In fact, The Economy Sucks, Let’s Party! tour has teamed up with non-profits…

Four Tet: There Is Love in You, in “Nothing Not New”

Welcome to “Nothing Not New,” a yearlong project in which New Times editorial operations manager Jay Bennett, a 40-year-old music fan and musician, will listen only to music released in 2010. Each Monday through Friday, he will listen to one new record (no best ofs, reissues, or concert recordings) and write about…

Sam Means’ Santa Isabel Soundtrack on Sale For $1.99 at iTunes

iTunes is selling Sam Means’ excellent solo debut, the soundtrack for indie flick The Sinking of Santa Isabel, for only $1.99 through the end of the month.The former Format co-frontman (along with Nate Ruess, who now fronts fun.) did the record for a filmmaker friend and it’s mostly instrumental. It’s also…

Vitamin String Quartet and Other New Releases

There sure are a lot of greatest-hits albums out today, including ones from Backstreet Boys and Mariah Carey, but what is most exciting in this week’s new releases is Vitamin String Quartet’s Death Cab for Cutie tribute album, Ghost.On the record, listeners will find a selection of DCFC’s songs from over the…

Karen Dreijer Accepts Award, Puts Gaga in Her Place

Karen Dreijer is one half of the Swedish sibling duo The Knife and the sole proprietor behind Fever Ray. She is a very talented musician who is not afraid to stretch the boundaries of what’s weird and rather odd. Her acceptance speech last week at the P3 Guld Awards –…

The 7 Coolest Entries At This Weekend’s Idiotarod Race

The ultra-colorful annual event, which is put on by the AZ Cacophony Society and involves teams of five people wearing costumes and piloting wacky and wonderfully decorated shopping carts around downtown Phoenix, is ostensibly a competitive race with prizes handed out to top finishers. Truth be told, however, it felt…

The Rogue Bar Rocks Scottsdale

This past weekend was my first time checking out The Rogue Bar in Scottsdale since it transitioned to a full-time music venue. I saw Crossing Sarnoff play Saturday night, and I was super-impressed with the stage location and lighting. It totally reminded me of Los Angeles’ The Viper Room, minus the…

Delphic: Acolyte, in “Nothing Not New”

Welcome to “Nothing Not New,” a yearlong project in which New Times editorial operations manager Jay Bennett, a 40-year-old music fan and musician, will listen only to music released in 2010. Each Monday through Friday, he will listen to one new record (no best ofs, reissues, or concert recordings) and write about…

The Science and Technology Expo at Trunk Space

In fact, it was a pair of local gimmick bands who helped me segue to the Valley’s vibrant local music scene. Back in 2004, I became a fan of both the Minibosses and Flagstaff’s I Hate You When You’re Pregnant after attending gigs by both bands at such venues as…

Patti Smith’s Memoir Just Kids Released

Patti Smith has always had the gift of being able create art in different media. From her poems to her songs to her photographs and even her film work, she is constantly creating something that others want to experience. On Tuesday, her memoir Just Kids was released. It is a…

The Hot Rats: Turn Ons, in “Nothing Not New”

Welcome to “Nothing Not New,” a yearlong project in which New Times editorial operations manager Jay Bennett, a 40-year-old music fan and musician, will listen only to music released in 2010. Each Monday through Friday, he will listen to one new record (no best ofs, reissues, or concert recordings) and write about…

Pop Music Video Round-Up

I just spent all morning catching up on the latest music videos by watching VH1 (since MTV doesn’t show music videos unless its viewers are sound asleep.) Here are my impressions of some of the stuff I saw:Adam Lambert- “What Do you Want from Me”- Wow, I was a Kris…

Tempe’s 910 Live Plans February Opening

Looks like the second time’s the charm for 910 Live. As I reported last year, the Tempe nightspot — which served as renowned old school music venue Boston’s in the ’90s — was scheduled to open back in May as a rock bar called Club 910. A grand opening was scheduled,…

Pazz and Jop is Out!

This year’s annual collection of the opinions of thousands of music critics regarding the best albums and singles of the year has arrived. The poll was started in 1974 by famed music journalist Robert Christgau and has been continuously running ever since then. While not everyone on the New Times…

Enjoy a New Sondre Lerche Video: “If Only”

[jump] Lerche’s video for “Two Way Monologue” started what would be a tradition of silly, enjoyable videos, as I mentioned earlier. The Never-Ending Story vibe, coupled with the silly paper sets and a bunch of dancing hippies certainly makes this a one of a kind video — yet it fits…

Agnostic Front Takes Tempe By Storm

Last night’s performance from New York hardcore punk rockers Agnostic Front was anything but forgettable. Hundreds of people crowded into the Yucca Tap Room in the true spirit of punk rock.To move across the jam-packed floor, you had to pass through a large, rowdy, and intense mosh pit that was…

Los Campesinos!: Romance Is Boring, in “Nothing Not New”

Welcome to “Nothing Not New,” a yearlong project in which New Times editorial operations manager Jay Bennett, a 40-year-old music fan and musician, will listen only to music released in 2010. Each Monday through Friday, he will listen to one new record (no best ofs, reissues, or concert recordings) and write about…

You’re Not Hallucinating: Katy Perry and Timbaland in Music Video

Timbaland made an interesting choice in choosing his fourth single off Timbaland Presents Shock Value II. The hip-hop producer, whose most recent singles featured frequent collaborators Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake, opted to go with his duet with pop princess Katy Perry, “If We Ever Meet Again.” The video premiered Monday,…

16bit

God bless the United Kingdom and all the influential DJs, turntablists, beatmakers, and other EDM artists it’s produced over the decades (Paul Oakenfold, Goldie, Photek, et al.). Our current faves are West London duo DRT and Kidnappa (a.k.a. 16bit), who’ve been spread their frenetically infectious dubstep mixes all over the…