Kanye West — Yeezus

Try as you might, but there’s no escaping Kanye West. Turn on the TV, radio, computer — hell, take a stroll downtown and you might see his mug projected on the side of a building. It’s an undeniable fact of life in 2013: Kanye West is bigger than Buddha, Krishna and The Beatles (today, anyway) and he’ll be the first to let you know about it.

06/18/2013 | Comments 0

John Moreland — In the Throes

With the soul of a poet and the look of a Sons of Anarchy extra, Tulsa’s John Moreland has been gifted the sort of gravely, booming voice that does Bruce Springsteen proud and a similar understanding of the universal human experience. It’s made for some fantastic records — both as a solo artist and with his dissolved Black Gold Band — and In the Throes is his best yet.

06/19/2013 | Comments 0

Jumpship Astronaut — Lights Burn Out

Oklahoma has never been the haven for electronic rock music that it is for country, folk and, as of late, psychedelic pop, but from the sound of Lights Burn Out, Oklahoma City upstart Jumpship Astronaut seems intent on changing that.

06/12/2013 | Comments 0

Various artists — Reaching Out

Like so many Oklahomans, the local music scene has responded with generosity and grace in the wake of last month’s tragedy in Moore. In the weeks since, droves of local musicians have banded together for benefit concerts and radio marathons to raise funds for the relief effort, and with extraordinary results.

06/04/2013 | Comments 0

Progress in Color — Get Well

It’s been a long, bumpy ride for Glenpool’s Progress in Color, which saw a record deal with Epic evaporate before even one record could come of it, but it’s led the outfit to where it was supposed to be.

06/04/2013 | Comments 0

The last hurrah of The Uglysuit appears

February 2nd, 2011

Oklahoma City indie-rock band The Uglysuit broke up last year, leaving behind an unfinished album and a fan base spread across the nation. But after some late-night mixing and mastering sessions, the nine-track album, “Awwww, Shucks …” will make it to ears across America sometime this year.

“We didn’t know if, when we broke up, these songs would ever get released,” said Colin Bray, guitarist for the band. “I’m really glad they did. I think they’re some of the best songs we’ve written.”

The disc was recorded pre-breakup in the band members’ houses, and the cover was conceived by them and local artist Zac Cox.

“It was all an inside job,” said Bray. The target release date is May, although bassist Kyle Mayfield said it’s still uncertain. The group will release “Shucks” through iTunes, without a label. Their former label, Touch and Go/Quarterstick Records, has gone through its own sort of breakup, staying alive only as a catalog house and not releasing new music.

And after this, The Uglysuit won’t release any more music, either. “This is the final farewell for The Uglysuit,” said Mayfield. And, one more time, to quench all rumors: “We are not getting back together, but this is a release, our last brainchild,” Bray said.

But it’s not the last hurrah for all the guys. Five of the six members are working together on a new project, to be unveiled “before too long,” according to Bray. —Stephen Carradini