Grammy-nominated metal band P.O.D. — that’s “Payable on Death” — has a much higher dreadlock-to-standard-haircut ratio than most Christian-rock bands, but that’s part of the charm. What started as a Slayer cover band became a much more spiritual thing when front man Sonny Sandoval’s mom passed, leading him to find Jesus and a renewed sense […]
Music Features
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We’re no angels
What’s a better way to draw attention to your band than nabbing George Michael to play bass? No, not the one from Wham!, but “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” actor Michael Cera. Cera — who played a character named George Michael in TV’s “Arrested Development” — is actually a skilled bassist, and singer/guitarist Nick Thorburn […]
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Soundcheck: The Wurly Birds — Turns
Its self-titled debut did much of the same, but with more subtle production and a hazy, psychedelic tone, “Turns” does it all the better. It acts like a connect-the dots between the best and brightest of that era of rock ’n’ roll, linking The Velvet Underground (“No Disguise”) to The Zombies (“We Can’t Always Agree”) […]
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River rage
Punk rock’s Riverboat Gamblers are something to behold. Singer Mike Wiebe is a feral animal stalking the stage, jumping into the crowd and climbing any available rafters, exposed piping or speaker cabinets while his bandmates rip through high-energy, melodically charged garage sound. They’ve built a reputation for furious performances, but their LPs have inconsistently captured […]
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’Cherry on top
Only in weird, wild L.A. could a band like Buckcherry party in the same room as recent NBA retiree and former genie Shaquille O’Neal and TV legend Betty White. Truth is, the reason is far more noble than sordid debauchery. The party-hearty guys gained fame in the mid-2000s via vintage, sleazy, hard-rock tunes like “Crazy […]
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Dust a must
Dustbowl Arts Market has become a wildly popular, biannual event on Campus Corner and at Norman Music Festival with each passing year. Music has been a part of the 3-year-old market, featuring local artists like Gentle Ghost and Jacob Abello. Last year saw Jarod Evans of Blackwatch Studios overseeing the music selection, but the commitment […]
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Divided no more
After years of dealing in the music business and playing with The Great Divide left him jaded, ornery Red Dirt musician Mike McClure is happy with his freedom. So why’s the band getting back together to headline at Stillwater’s College Days? “Money and whores,” he said with a wiseass chortle. “Naw, I honestly thought that […]
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‘Race’ is the prize
Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey has never been an act to shy away from ambition. Producing more than 20 albums in 17 years should clue one into that. Then there’s massive productions like reinterpreting Beethoven’s symphonies with a 50-piece orchestra or transforming hits by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé into jazz pop epics on New Year’s Eve. […]
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Three for all
It isn’t especially often that three of a city scene’s most exciting live bands wind up on a single bill. But that’s Friday’s free show on the University of Oklahoma campus, and the competition’s set for “fierce.” For the blown-fuse vintage punkers of Broncho (right) ,that means sweating, riffing and mid-song crowd-surfing like never before. […]
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Sundress — Sundress EP
Oozy, woozy pop just gushes out of this EP’s six lush tracks, a decidedly more aggressive sound that’s spiked with some My Bloody Valentine guitar-playing and maybe just a hint of acid. Perhaps that’s why Wayne Coyne checked them out at The Loft in Dallas a while back and also why they opened a hometown […]