“Pharoah” is a morose wanderer that would be right at home on Sufjan Stevens’ “Michigan,” while the upbeat “Over the Hill and Back Again” sounds like something that Clap Your Hands Say Yeah could churn out. The fact that these tunes are back-to-back on his album is telling — to call it “eclectic” would be […]
Stephen Carradini
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Two Suns — Two Suns EP
That structural approach to songwriting puts the emphasis on the vocals. The unusual male vocals are sheathed in gentle reverb (not garage rock’s canyon-esque echoes), and fall just above “coo” on the intensity level. The voice is not immediately arresting, but when paired with the pulsing, shifting tunes, it becomes the final piece to pull […]
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Carrie Rodriguez and Ben Kyle — We Still Love Our Country
There are only eight tunes on the record, but they are all wonderful. Townes Van Zandt’s “If I Needed You” gets a spare, forlorn treatment only trumped by the astoundingly gorgeous John Prine/Robert Braddock number “Unwed Fathers.” The former is the sort of song that stays on your mixtapes for months, if not years. Fans […]
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Manchester Orchestra — Simple Math
It’s June, and the early front-runners for 2011 album of the year are Tyler the Creator’s lewd/homophobic/sexist/angsty “Goblin” and Adele’s “21.” I’m terrible at predicting what blogs will like (read: chillwave, Sleigh Bells), but if the music world were a just place, the members of Manchester Orchestra would be waving trophies above their heads for […]
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The Indie Rock Poster Book — Yellow Bird Project and Andy J. Miller
Starting with T-shirts designed by indie-rock bands, then moving on to the “Indie Rock Coloring Book” and now with “The Indie Rock Poster Book,” this project has been nothing but awesome. The project this time is beyond cool: YBP has enlisted 30 visual artists from around the globe to create visual interpretations of 30 indie-rock […]
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Hendrix: Band of Gypsys Live at Fillmore East
It was a departure from the experimental rock of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, in that it featured an all-black rhythm section (as opposed to a formerly all-white one) and had a funky feel to its music. The DVD is a re-release, originally put out in 1999. The “only known footage of the group in concert” […]
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Dr. Pants — The Trip Side 1: Illusion & Truth
The Oklahoma City-based quartet plays straightforward pop songs here, relying on vocals and lyrics to carry the release instead of the ear-crushing, distorted guitars of Weezer, to which the group is often compared. This is made clear from the onset, as “Move So Slow” is played primarily on an acoustic guitar and hangs on a […]
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The Workweek — Promises, Promises
The highlights of the album are mature, thoughtful songs that fit comfortably into the listener’s ear. The simplest songs here are the strongest, as in the plaintive acoustic ballad “What You Wanted” and the lazy-Sunday vibe and great pedal steel of “Can You Hear Me Now.” That number and “Ain’t So” call up comparisons to […]
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Death Cab for Cutie — Codes and Keys
The 2003 masterpiece, “Transatlanticism”? A fond memory. The not-so-masterful 2005 release, “Plans”? Also in the back of the band’s mind. While the four-piece continues the trend of not repeating work on “Codes and Keys,” the unit also proves that behind-the-scenes thoughts can influence the stage. Old-school fans will do a double-take at “Doors Unlocked and […]
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Charlie’s sheen
In the past 26 years, the Charlie Christian International Music Festival has grown a great deal. “It was a grassroots party, if you will,” said Anita Arnold, executive director of festival sponsor Black Liberated Arts Center. “You could even call it a block party.” Named for the Oklahoma City-raised, influential swing and jazz guitarist Charlie […]