September 2, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Bruce Springsteen – “I’m On Fire” Though Bruce is probably better known for his anthemic, orchestral rock sound (“Born to Run”, “Badlands”), fans have come to appreciate the quieter, brooding side of his work: this song, The Rising’s “Nothing Man”, and others. He has described it as a song born from his memories of being… Read more »
August 31, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Band of Horses – “Laredo” This song, from Band of Horses’ third album, harkens back to late 70’s guitar driven rock, with lead singer Ben Bridwell’s haunting vocals taking center stage. The band, who gained acclaim with their debut Everything All The Time and the follow-up Cease to Begin, were formed in Seattle but relocated… Read more »
August 30, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Ben Folds – “From Above” This new song, from Folds’ upcoming record Lonely Avenue, features a collaboration with author Nick Hornby (About a Boy, High Fidelity). Folds took charge of the music while Hornby, a renowned music buff, wrote the lyrics. Hornby writes in Folds’ typical irreverent third person style, creating a song that fits… Read more »
August 27, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
School Of Seven Bells – Dust Devil School of Seven Bells – “Dust Devil” Incorporating the influence of better early-90s shoegaze acts like My Bloody Valentine and the Cocteau Twins, this trio (made up of former Dallasite/ex-Secret Machines member Ben Curtis and twin sisters Claudia and Alejandra Deheza) recently released their latest record, Disconnect from… Read more »
August 26, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
R.E.M. – Fall On Me R.E.M. – “Fall On Me” From their fourth album Life’s Rich Pageant, this song expresses so much of the sound that made R.E.M. legendary: Peter Buck’s ringing guitar, Michael Stipe’s cryptic lyrics, and Mike Mills’ fantastic background vocals. Stipe sings references to acid rain, Galileo, and the leaning tower of… Read more »
August 24, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Beck – “Lost Cause” After attaining critical acclaim and commercial success with his breakout Mellow Gold and the followup Odelay, Beck took a left turn, beginning with 1998’s Mutations and into 2000’s Prince-influenced Midnite Vultures. On Sea Change, however, heartbreak stopped him dead in his tracks, as his breakup from longtime girlfriend Leigh Limon inspired… Read more »
August 23, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Deer Tick – “Twenty Miles” This band, from Providence, Rhode Island, is mainly built around the vocals of John McCauley, who incorporates country and rock influences into his writing and sound. After Rolling Stone proclaimed their second record Born on Flag Day the “Country-Rock breakthrough of the year”, they joined tours with Neko Case and… Read more »
August 20, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Crash Test Dummies – And It’s Beautiful Crash Test Dummies – “And It’s Beautiful” The upside to having a monster hit is that you gain a new audience that you can continue to impress. Though the spotlight has gone elsewhere since their single “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm”, from 1993’s God Shuffled His Feet, Brad Roberts… Read more »
August 19, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone Mavis Staples (with Jeff Tweedy) – “You Are Not Alone” Though the Wilco frontman approached the legendary voice of The Staple Singers about working together in 2007, it took them nearly three years to make it happen. Tweedy brought seven songs to the studio, writing three more during… Read more »
August 18, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
The Swell Season – “Low Rising” Most artists try to get their music into movies as a marketing tool, rather than trying to actually star in the movie themselves. Though he had a small part in 1991’s The Commitments, Glen Hansard’s role in the indie breakout Once turned out to be a career changer, as he won… Read more »
