The Melvins aren’t the household name they deserve to be. Hopefully, time will favor the American rockers, but if not, at least they will go down in the record books: Appearing Saturday at Opolis, the Melvins are in the midst of becoming the first band to play all 50 states (plus Washington, D.C.) in 51 […]
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Come, the new Jerusalem
Preachers — the sophomore album from indie-rock outfit My Jerusalem, playing Thursday at The Conservatory — is as much indebted to a certain ’80s horror sequel as it is any musical influence. “I was at my usual coffee shop, and I saw this guy that looked like the creepy old guy from Poltergeist II. I […]
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Dan Deacon — America
With America, we can add “thoughtful” and “poignant” to the mix. A bundle of goofy energy in a Technicolor Cosby sweater, Deacon long felt like the class clown who would never threaten to grow up especially in Spiderman of the Rings and Meetle Mice. There was some growth in 2009’s Bromst, to be sure, but […]
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Feathered Rabbit — Feathered Rabbit
After all, it wasn’t until August that the Oklahoma City act released even the subtlest sniff of recorded material: a three-song EP of quaintly crafted demos and early recordings titled Drunk Rabbit that, as anyone who’d seen the group in concert would attest, resembled the work of a band whose burgeoning brawn was begging to […]
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’Van go
The closer we creep to Halloween, the more gypsy-folk band Caravan of Thieves feels in its element. “We’re fascinated with the idea of the world of supernatural. There’s as much dark and twisted out in the world as happy things. We want to encapsulate the whole thing,” said singer Fuzz Sangiovanni. “There’s some gore and […]
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Sooner the Sunset — Sooner the Sunset
Their chemistry is undeniable, and from the sound of this self-titled debut EP, the two bring out the very best of each other — no small feat for artists who are incredible in their own right. The pair finds the perfect blend of pop and indie folk, crafting songs that recall the likes of Mumford […]
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Rock of Ages
Taking place in the hair-metal heyday of 1987, Rock of Ages jumps from Broadway to the big screen, and lands on its face with a thud. If it’s not the year’s most misbegotten big-studio project, I don’t wish to be exposed to what is. Talking and singing in a baby voice akin to nails on […]
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Lupe Fiasco — Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1
Despite the album’s title, Lupe’s new effort is far from patriotic. Throughout, he speaks critically of America and the country’s past and present actions, or lack of action. Problems he raps about include world hunger, violence, poverty, questionable military action, child molestation, racism and more. He criticizes politicians, religious officials and even other rappers. The […]
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Good Grammer
Folksinger Tracy Grammer has lots of reasons to look forward to Saturday’s show at The Blue Door. Some are small. “I hope the ‘other’ Tracey Grammer will show,” she said. “There’s someone in Oklahoma City who has my same name and we have so many things in common, it’s not even funny. It’s like we […]
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Jimmy LaFave — Depending on the Distance
LaFave, however, has not seen the stardom that fellow Red Dirt pioneers Cross Canadian Ragweed and Stoney LaRue have, if only because the thoughtful performer never quite pandered to the beer-swilling crowds. His latest release, Depending on the Distance, follows suit; its 13 inspiring tracks have all the country flair of the brothers with whom […]