The Beastie Boys have been pumping out some of the best promotional blitz I’ve ever seen for their new record, Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2, out yesterday in stores and online. In addition to the incredible Fight for Your Right Revisited short film, staring Seth Rogen, Elijah Wood, Danny McBride,…
Phoenix resident Stevie Nicks’ new album, In Your Dreams, was released today. Rolling Stone writer Rob Sheffield has already given the album rave reviews, calling it Nicks’ best album in a decade. It’s hard to argue with that, especially considering that Nicks hasn’t released an album in a decade (her…
Fleet Foxes kicked May off in the proper fashion, releasing what I consider to be the year’s best album thus far. In only a week’s time, however, New York experimental rockers Gang Gang Dance will unleash their beast of an album, Eye Contact.Lucky for us, the fine blokes at NME…
It wasn’t too hard a decision to christen Helplessness Blues as my favorite album of 2011. Robin Pecknold knows how to write a goddamn song and the band shows an amazing polish that many bands come across on their fourth or fifth albums — certainly not their second. Such is…
Everyone knows “Tequila,” the 1958 hit by the California combo The Champs, even if they don’t know the name of the band that recorded it. The song was originally cut as a toss-away b-side for rockabilly artist Dave Burgess’ single “Train to Nowhere.” But it was “Tequila,” written by songwriter/saxophonist…
We at Up on the Sun woke up this morning thinking it would be absolutely smashing if, say, a brand new track from Smashing Pumpkins was waiting in our inboxes. As it turns out, dreams really do come true. ”Owata” from Teargarden By Kaleidyscope, the Pumpkins’ 44-track opus being released…
The 1980s dreamboat that all the girls loved, Rick Springfield, has been arrested for a reported DUI in Malibu, according to Spinner.Springfield was pulled over for speeding on the Pacific Coast Highway Sunday night. Drunk driving was the cause for his fast and furious actions. He was driving with a…
Crusher Sound System and Mr. Meeble Last Night at The Sail Inn You know, the old substance over style debate can get a little old. Isn’t it possible to have both? It sure seemed like it watching Mr. Meeble on the outdoor stage at Next Fest at Sail Inn last…
Two pretty big events have happened in recent hours — events that will forever change the course of American history. First off, the obvious — it was confirmed late last night that Osama Bin Laden was killed by close-range firefight by Navy Seals. Secondly, and maybe just as important, Miley…
It happens to all of us at some point: A band we have tremendous respect for releases an album that just leaves us shaking our heads in sadness and/or disbelief. Musical disappointments come in many forms, from blatant cash-in attempts to experimentation that just falls flat. Some bands recover quickly…
Day 3, McDowell Mountain Music Fest Compound GrillSunday, May 1, 2011Last night, I stood at The Compound Grill bar watching the president deliver a speech about the death of Osama Bin Laden, as the sounds of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros wafted in from the open doors. The band…
Crusher Sound System, Mr. Meeble & more. Sail Inn Saturday, April 30 You know, the old substance over style debate can get a little old. Isn’t it possible to have both? It sure seemed like it watching Mr. Meeble on the outdoor stage at Next Fest at Sail Inn last…
McDowell Mountain Music Festival, Day Two The Compound Grill Saturday, April 30, 2011 The idea of a music festival in a parking lot is a little disconcerting. Sure, Warped Tour can pull it off, but they have a main stage and grassy areas, and most importantly, they don’t share a…
Dirty Beaches, Outro Mundo, Where Dead Voices Gather The Trunk Space Friday, April, 29 2011 My favorite review of Dirty Beaches’ latest LP, Badlands, is also the most negative one I’ve read. In a review for Dusted Magazine, Doug Mosurock states: So, the ’50s sucked, right? They sucked pretty hard…
If you’ve never checked out Mantis Claw do his twice-weekly gigs at Kazimierz World Wine Bar, there’s only one opportunity left. Tomorrow night will be the last hurrah for the DJ and local music scene veteran, as he’s about to relocate to the great northwest (more specifically: Eugene, Oregon). We…
If you didn’t make it out to Soundwave Music Festival a few weeks back, we don’t blame you. It was downright freezing as an unseasonably cold storm drenched the entire Valley and kept people away from the outdoor dance music massive in droves. And, man, did they miss out. Those…
The Meat Puppets released a new album, Lollipop, back in April, and Pitchfork TV has debuted a video for their song “Orange,” a particularly driving psych-rock with Cris Kirkwood’s heavy bass leading the charge, from the record. The stop-motion animated video, directed by Michael Etoll, is damn twisted, too. Chock…
It’s that time of year again: the McDowell Mountain Music Festival is here! Each year the festival brings in big names from all over the map, and this year is no exception, with Australian indie-folker Xavier Rudd playing. Rudd’s multi-instrumentalist approach will surely add a special touch to the festival.We…
The president of Cirque du Soleil plans to recreate Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch as a gigantic entertainment complex within Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, according to Billboard.Cirque du Soleil president Daniel Lamarre said earlier this week that the Las Vegas recreation of Neverland Ranch will serve as a location for…
Prince wants the creativity of other artists to be partially banished. In fact, he wants covering his songs to become a crime, according to Paste.He’s always been picky about people doing covers of his songs, but now he’s taking that narcissism to a whole new level.Rules do exist at some…
Eli Kluger The film director is currently shooting a thiller about Furries. Clips can be viewed on www.youtube.com/furrymovie.When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? 103.9-FM. I alternate between three or four rock and Top 40 Stations.What’s the last song played on…
I love NPR as much as the next fella (gotta get my Car Talk on), but every now and then their media coverage highlights something truly unique –case in point, last March, Sami Yenigun ran this story about moombahton, a DC-bred brand of dance-music that encompasses elements of electro, Dutch…
