It marks not only singer Carah Faye Charnow’s return to the band whose founders were born in Shawnee, but also a return to the New Wave synth-pop sound that made them famous. The opening trio of “Somewhere to Hide,” “Waiting Alone” and “Carrie” are just as synthsational as the band has ever been. “Carrie” is […]
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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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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 […]
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Calvinist theory
Photo: Samantha Lamb Album titles can mean anything, really, be it an inside joke, a catchy turn of phrase or nothing in particular. In the case of Norman singer-songwriter John Calvin’s latest EP, Without Wax, the title reveals everything. “The name came from a conversation I had with a very wise acquaintance at a bar […]
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Roll of the ’dise
Noise-pop act Merchandise is something of a ghost on the Internet — a rarity in this digital age. It takes some deep Googling to find it. And yet the group is finding its way, only recently accepting the help of a publicist and booking agent … and only because lead singer Carson Cox met them […]