Everyone's a Critic
Rolling Stone recently pronounced freak folk dead. Perhaps, but no one told Devendra Banhart. Charismatic, unpretentious, waif-like, and prone to effeminate arm flailing, Banhart culled songs from his past, most of his latest release, What …
Everybody was nodding their heads to the bounce and gazing at the ridiculously boyish bassist who could be a Cowsills grand-kid and the keyboardist/maraca-shaker who could impersonate Weird Al Yankovic -- the band's certainly visually …
In case you're confused (I was too), this album is called Introducing and then the band is called Brilliant Colors. I hope that clears everything up. They look a little out-of-focus on the cover. They …
Portland's nice nice opened up the Casbah with polyrhythmic percussion over loops, noise effects, and synth. A samba troupe wanders into a Neu! concert covering a Glenn Branca piece. More sound than music, the dancey …
The last weekend in March offered a Symphony Exposed concert of Gershwin's "An American in Paris." The educational concert program featured maestro Nuvi Mehta -- the official voice of the San Diego Symphony and its …
High on Fire's fifth studio album is a satisfying platter of high intensity, low frequency rumblings from one of metal’s most honest, hard-working, and ferocious bands. Producer Greg Fidelman (Metallica, Slayer) ensures the trio's roar …
When John Reynolds plays his bright resonator guitar and sings "Dinah" with the Rhythm Club Allstars, all dressed in vintage suits, it's feels...authentic. The venue doesn't matter -- listeners are instantly zapped to a 1925 …
The Shout Out Louds hail from Stockholm, Sweden, where, I would guess, it’s often dark and cold. Consequently, this album has a melancholy charm to it. Opening track “1999” is a hopeful anthem sporting a …
"Take this pill now, put it on your tongue, keep you actin' just like everyone." The audience cheerfully sang along with caustic lyrics tucked into bouncy folk-roots rhythms by the Devil Makes Three. "It's drinkin'-and-singin'-in-a-rocking-chair-on-the-front-porch …
The San Diego Master Chorale along with St. Paul's Cathedral Chorus, St. Cecilia Choir, and the Cathedral Choristers gave a concert of sacred choral music to a capacity audience at St. Paul's Cathedral. The concert …
I've been listening to boring, pretentious claptrap and exhaustively intense rock all afternoon on about three hours' sleep (don't ask). Buried near the bottom of my review pile is this EP. I've spaced that it's …
Certain things just don't mix: oil and water, laxatives and sleeping pills, indie rock and electronica. The latter is apparent on the debut album from Broken Bells, which features James Mercer, front man for indie …
Through indifference or ignorance, Santiago has been busking at the southern end of the North Park Farmer's Market (Queen Bee's usually claims the north side). Santiago needs money and players for a new conjunto; there's …
It's St. Patrick's Day, a few dozen people crowd Whistle Stop's bar trying to find a pint on the other side of the rainbow. While they clamor, 30 others surround San Diego mellowcore band Little …
While No Bunny's Tower Bar stop pulled some bodies from opener and second act Bare Wires and So Cow, once the Baths hit the stage it was getting crowded. For Thee Oh Sees about 40 …
Boyscout opened with two drummers, two guitars. Informed by San Diego's unique brand of hardcore and guitarist Lain Weck's roots (Marasol, Fever Sleeves) in odd-time noodling, the set was an energetic experiment in dueling strings …