February 2009

The recently reunited No Doubt has announced its summer tour dates, which includes a June 6 show at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Charlotte.

The recently reunited No Doubt has announced its summer tour dates, which includes a June 6 show at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Charlotte.

Who doesn't love some sultry Neko Case? NPR has her new album, Middle Cyclone, available for listen now. From the NPR write-up:

Apocalyptic Visions' singer/guitarist Sam Cuadra, is one of the artists featured in CL's cover story this week, Damn Hipsters:  The quest for validation may be Atlanta's only vice.

I got to see Ben Folds perform at Langerado last year and it was one of the highlights of the now-defunct fest, Folds far more lively and engaging and far less maudlin than I expected. So you can imagine my pleasure at receiving this very exciting concert announcement from No Clubs:

Joanna Lynne, The Stellas; Last November, No Second Troy, Flagship Brigade
The Evening Muse
Feb. 21, 2009

The Deal: A variety of acts hits The Evening Muse, including the first-ever acoustic show by Charlotte's The Stellas.

The Good: Joanna Lynne kicked off the evening with an acoustic set showcasing her talent as a singer and songwriter. No other way to say it than, damn, the girl's got pipes! Her higher vocal range reminded me of Jewel, but you'd never mistake the two as the same performer. Lynne more often stayed in a lower tones showing effortless power when needed and giving slight harmonies with her lone bandmate/conga player.

Balkans played a 7-inch release party on Sunday night (Feb. 22) at Vacation Gallery & Boutique in the Virginia Highlands, and there was one small problem: there weren't any 7-inches to be found. The label didn't get them from the pressing plant in time for the show, which has been an increasingly common problem as of late. Rumor has it that all of the pressing plants around the country are experiencing a huge demand for vinyl right now. As a result it's taking longer and longer to get records.

Giddy-Up, Helicopter!: Something that Needs Nothing

A surprising warmth pervades Giddy-Up, Helicopter!'s new CD -- surprising in light of the quintet's propensity for shoegaze and general outward aloofness, in light of a vocal approach that favors a matter-of-fact delivery over emoting. "Tiny Moon," five tracks in, brushes closest to warm 'n' fuzzy with its loping rhythm, luxuriant melody and the cozy vocal interplay of male singer Conner and female counterpart Nikki. Then a crescendo -- built around a soaring vocal chant and swell of instruments -- that'll raise the hairs on your neck.

The brothers Carney, Jennings (bass), Lain (drums) and Van (guitar), make an awful lot happen in the small spaces occupied by the songs on Pontiak's second full-length, Maker. There's a substantial dose of psychedelic freak-out here, but aside from the album's 13-minute title track opus, most of the songs don't go on for much longer than three minutes.

Ever since putting out their 2006 transcendant masterpiece, Yellow House, Grizzly Bear has enjoyed boundless fan adoration, respect from peers and from veterans like Paul Simon (who invited the band to play for five nights during his month-long residency last April at the Brooklyn Academy of Music) and Radiohead (which had Grizzly open some dates on the second leg of its '08 North American tour), and plentiful praise and accolades from pretty much any music critic with taste (this one included). 'Course, putting out a perfect record is a double edged sword, earning you instant credibility and an overeager fanbase while also adding that heavy weight of worry that any subsequent music you produce will not live up to that last bit of genius.