Review: Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Asunder, Sweet, and Other Distress

Posted by admin on Apr 1, 2015 in Featured, Reviews | 0 comments

Written by: Mike Hogan

Writing a review of a Godspeed You! Black Emperor is a tricky thing, honestly. They’re such a monumental figure in the post-rock scene; anybody who could possibly be reading this review is already well aware of what they’re getting into. And then of course, there isn’t really anyone quite like GY!BE. The post-rock sound can get pretty unique and eclectic, but there truly is no band quite like these guys. The only benchmark is themselves, but that is a rather lofty benchmark, indeed.

Hear Music From All 75 Artists Playing Pemberton Music Festival 2015

Posted by admin on Apr 1, 2015 in Featured, Latest, News, Reads | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

Pack your bags kids, we’re headed to British Columbia. Pemberton Music Festival –slated for July 16-19 in Pemberton, a village about a half-hour north of Whistler, BC – released today a diverse initial lineup that should draw fans from across the musical spectrum. The bill is topped by hip-hop stars (Kendrick Lamar, Kid Cudi, Missy Elliot) alt and indie rockers (The Black Keys, Weezer, Jane’s Addiction), and Tiësto (just for the hell of it).

News: AnberlinForever.com; the Unauthorized Story of Anberlin

Posted by admin on Apr 1, 2015 in News | 0 comments

For those of you that are still reeling from loss of Anberlin like we are, you can now take solace in AnberlinForever.com, an extensive unauthorized biography dedicated to the 14 year history of the band. This may not be news of a reunion or new music, but what it is is an extremely thorough and well-conceived written history chronicling every step the band has ever taken.

Anberlin seemed like such a mainstay in the music scene for such a long time, their breakup seemed surreal, if not inevitable. But it’s not often when someone preserves the history of a band in such an admirable way. This isn’t merely a Wikipedia page that will fall into disuse over the years, this is the complete story. And that’s a pretty remarkable legacy to leave behind.

If you’re looking to take a trip down memory lane, or continue nursing the wounds that never quite healed when Anberlin broke up, head over to AnberlinForever.com, and follow the band from step one to their last show.

Show Spotlight: Moon Hooch @ Jammin’ Java (Wed. April 8)

Posted by admin on Apr 1, 2015 in Featured, Latest, Reads | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

It’s no secret we’re pretty big fans of Moon Hooch. The saxy trio of McGowen, Wilbur and Muschler utilize little more than a pair of saxaphones and a drum kit to work crowds across the globe into a primal frenzy, and their ceaseless work ethic has enamored them to a dedicated, ever-widening fanbase.

Moon Hooch performing on NPR’s “Tiny Desk” concert series

New Tune Tuesday (3/31/15)

Posted by admin on Mar 31, 2015 in Featured, Latest, New Tune Tuesday, Noise | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

Nero – The Thrill (Fawks Flip)

Firing it up this week is Fawks, a multi-talented producer who’s quietly carved a home for himself in genres ranging from future house to liquid drum ‘n’ bass. This tune is a beautiful exercise in the latter, making the most of the uplifting synths and massive kicks of Nero’s original tune and augmenting them with skilled subtlety. The original vocals are kept intact, a choice that works to both connect the listener back to the original and pairs perfectly with the tempo shift. Grab this one as a free download and show support for a rapid riser who you’ll be hearing plenty more from in the near future.

GRiZ – Say It Loud

Funky see, funky do: The long-awaited follow-up to Rebel Era is finally here, and it’s a statement from the Detroit-based sax symbol. The message? “I’m here to stay and I’m ready to play.” The formula remains relatively unchanged, as Grant brings his tenured ear for funked-out productions and his laudable skills on the saxaphone (Big Gigantic who?) to bear on eleven new tracks. Where the producer’s fourth album differs is in the details. Say It Loud gives us a wider range of genres and production elements than its predecessors, a testament to GRiZ’s maturity as an artist. Check back soon for a full-length review!

News: Say Anything Announces “Hebrews” Summer Tour

Posted by admin on Mar 31, 2015 in Latest, News, Reads | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

Fresh off a slew of co-headlining dates with Saves The Day celebrating the 10th anniversary of their seminal pop-punk album “…Is A Real Boy,” Say Anything announced today their tour plans for the summer. The “Hebrews” tour will make stops in 31 cities over five weeks, including an early July date at Baltimore Soundstage. While billed as the official tour for the band’s fifth full-length Hebrews, the tour promises a “loud interpretation of Say Anything songs old and new,” and in true over-the-top Max Bemis fashion will feature both guitars and a four-piece string quartet.

News: Shambala Makes First Artist Annoucement

Posted by admin on Mar 31, 2015 in News | 0 comments

Shambala, a massive festival located in British Columbia, Canada, taking place on August 7th-10th, has begun a six day run of artist announcements. The first announcement featured a huge lineup of artists such as Big Gigantic, Camo & Crooked, Skrillex, GTA, and of course, Excision who has released a legendary series of recordings of his sets at the festival.

Stay tuned, there are five more days of artist announcements, so be sure to check out Shambala’s website for more information, and to purchase your tickets.

News: Brian Fallon Covers Oasis’ “Don’t Look Back in Anger”

Posted by admin on Mar 30, 2015 in News | 0 comments

Some of you will undoubtedly know Brian Fallon as the front man of The Gaslight Anthem, which is a good reason to know the guy. But I’m willing to bet not many of you will know him for his stellar solo acoustic work, including what is still one of my favorite songs of all time, “The Blues, Mary” (which, if you haven’t heard it, is very much worth checking out) and a couple covers of the usual Gaslight Anthem-y suspects (read: Springsteen).
 
His latest venture into his acoustic side is a cover of Oasis’ “Don’t Look Back in Anger”, done as a live recording for CFOX. The result is another brilliant homage to the original, while maintaining the signature scruffy, New Jersey-born Americana sound that has become Fallon’s signature over the years.
 
Check below for the video, and let us know what you think in the comments:

Jay-Z Unveils New “High Fidelity” Streaming Service TIDAL

Posted by admin on Mar 30, 2015 in Latest, News, Reads | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

Shortly after midnight on Monday, the social media profile pictures of artists from Deadmau5 to Kanye West turned a uniform sky blue without explanation, often accompanied by the hashtag #TIDALforALL. The viral move turned out to be the final marketing push before the launch of TIDAL, a new high-fidelity streaming service promising to provide music “the way artists intended.”

Altfreq Weekend Planner (3/19/15-3/21/15)

Posted by admin on Mar 19, 2015 in Featured, Latest | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

It’s nearly impossible to keep track of all the events going on in the area, so we’re here to let you know what’s happening in live music over the next few days. Watch out on Sundays for our “Weekly Planner,” where we’ll cover the remaining four days of the week.