Wu-Tang great GZA takes Liquid Swords back on the road

I recently watched the video for GZA’s “Liquid Swords” — from the Wu-Tang Clan’s poet laureate’s classic 1995 album of the same name — for the first time since the Clinton era, and I found the shadow world contained therein just as relevant today as it was then. Indeed, the…

The Black Crowes interview that Maxim couldn’t get

Deep inside a fortified bunker in the mountains near Arco, Idaho, the Black Crowes have convened to rehearse in the midst of their world tour. Chris Robinson is seething. “I wanna tear that guy’s head off,” he screams, “and shit down his fucking throat!” Chugging the remnants of his fourth…

Seven nights of DJs and dancing

THURSDAY 11 Axis/Radius: LMFAO, DJ Circle, DJ MCB (hip-hop, Top 40) Bar Smith: Peppermint Lounge with DJ Brazilia, DJ Mara, & guests (electro, funk, ’80s) Bikini Lounge: DJ HFE (rockabilly, surf, jazz, classic country, indie, obscuro) Blooze Bar: DJ El Dedo (rockabilly) Bunkhouse: DJ Doom (dance) Cash Inn: DJ Sting (hip-hop, dance)…

Whip Lounge

Maybe it’s just us, but the stale Mill Avenue nightlife scene has been in dire need of a shake-up recently. We’ve grown somewhat bored with the same old clubs pumping out the same old hip-hop and Top 40 tunes every weekend, and have longed for something better to come along…

From Dark

Nestling somewhere between metalcore and screamo/post-hardcore, From Dark sounds a lot like a bunch of other bands you’ve probably heard: The Used, Atreyu, Avenged Sevenfold, Underoath, Thrice, and Senses Fail, to name a few. The formula? Spiraling, melodic guitars; dissonant lyrics; steady drum rhythms; and vocals that alternate between singing…

The Walkmen

On You & Me, The Walkmen’s signature organ wheezes as though it’s on the repair bench, and the hazy, back-corner guitar tones haven’t changed much, either. One of the decade’s most riveting bands channels its energy on this, their fifth album, into electrifying climaxes and a surplus of early ’60s-era…

David Byrne & Brian Eno

My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, released in 1981 (and recently reissued), was an attempt by David Byrne and Brian Eno to forge new territory via found sounds, samples, and assorted Africanisms that foreshadowed a good many musical trends. In contrast, Everything That Happens represents a retrenchment, albeit an…

J-Live

If sanity in hip-hop is sexy, then J-Live might fuck around and become Denzel. The New York underground fixture’s fifth indie release, Then What Happened?, is a consistent collection of songs that promote common-man sensibilities and simple humanity — traits often absent in hip-hop these days. J’s strength is his…

Ryan Cabrera

Young hunk Ryan Cabrera’s third effort, The Moon Under Water, is supposedly his entry into serious music. Check out Cabrera’s brunette locks and soul patch as well as his Bono-inspired attire on the album’s back jacket — this guy is a thoughtful rocker, dammit. He’s been listening to Springsteen (actually…

Kate Voegele

Even though she has barely reached legal drinking age, this Cleveland-born singer-songwriter has accomplished much more than many other troubadours of her generation. In addition to scoring a regular spot on the CW soap One Tree Hill, she has also earned enough respect to be able to share the stage…

Common

Unlike many of his rap contemporaries, Rashid “Common” Lynn has matured artistically — but he had a head start. Back in 1992, when he released his debut CD, Can I Borrow a Dollar?, under the name Common Sense, he was already sage beyond his age — and since then, his…

Boilermaker

As far as local “supergroups” go, Boilermaker’s got some street cred. The quartet includes Neil Jay Impossible, guitarist and vocalist of the Impossible Ones, vocalist and bassist Luke Lanham from North Side Kings, and bassist Ms. Butcher and drummer Thrashley from The Dames. Although all the members’ mainstay bands are…

Martin Cizmar takes over as Music Editor at Phoenix New Times

After covering the local and national music scene for the past two years, I will be moving on to a Staff Writer position here at Phoenix New Times. I have immensely enjoyed immersing myself in music and have met so many amazing people during the course of my tenure as Music Editor. But I am equally excited to assume the Staff Writer position and will be leaving the music section in the very capable hands of the new Music Editor, Martin Cizmar.

What’s Selling: Revolver Records

By Benjamin Leatherman Revolver Records, 4214 North Seventh Avenue, just recently celebrated its first anniversary, so we figured the best way to fete the music store and its owner TJ Jordan would be to let y’all know what his top 10 best-selling LPs were for the week of September 1-7…

Valley del Sol: Daddy Yankee

DJ Big Latin Many Latinos are wondering why McCain picked Daddy Yankee to endorse his campaign when there are so many other Latino artists and actors he could have picked. It has me in awe! What was his state of mind? Did he pick Daddy Yankee because of his song…