Jason Turner
“The Suburbs” is beyond great, and trying to pick out the best tracks is like trying to decide who the ‘hot girls’ are in a Victoria’s Secret fashion show. But the songs on this record are nothing if not distinct and any of them would make a sparkling addition to your indie-rock collection.
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Music
Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire
The Suburbs
The Suburbs
Josh Ritter
Josh Ritter
So Runs the World Away
So Runs the World Away
Eamon Murphy
Easily Ritter’s most diverse album to date, So Runs the World Away contains enough variety to at least partly justify the comparisons being made with his acknowledged influences.
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Easily Ritter’s most diverse album to date, So Runs the World Away contains enough variety to at least partly justify the comparisons being made with his acknowledged influences.
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The Black Keys
The Black Keys
Brothers
Brothers
Chad W. Lutz
The Black Keys are known for their power house blues chords, thunderous drumming and guitarist Dan Auerbach’s entrancing, if not, at times, haunting blues croon. And they didn’t stray far from their rubbery roots with this album.
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The Black Keys are known for their power house blues chords, thunderous drumming and guitarist Dan Auerbach’s entrancing, if not, at times, haunting blues croon. And they didn’t stray far from their rubbery roots with this album.
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Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Brian Ahnmark
Watching Pearl Jam – Vedder, guitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready, bassist Jeff Ament, drummer Matt Cameron and keyboardist Boom Gaspar – it boggles the mind to consider that they are in their mid-40s (with the exception of Gaspar, who is pushing 60). Men this age are supposed to be in bowling leagues, not on stage for two-and-a-half hours before 20,000 adoring fans.
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Watching Pearl Jam – Vedder, guitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready, bassist Jeff Ament, drummer Matt Cameron and keyboardist Boom Gaspar – it boggles the mind to consider that they are in their mid-40s (with the exception of Gaspar, who is pushing 60). Men this age are supposed to be in bowling leagues, not on stage for two-and-a-half hours before 20,000 adoring fans.
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The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers
Together
Together
Brent Andermann
It’s business as usual, but with more promise than has been seen from them. There’s a bit of sparkling reminiscence.
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It’s business as usual, but with more promise than has been seen from them. There’s a bit of sparkling reminiscence.
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Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Brian Ahnmark
The performance was nothing short of a visual and aural display of a band revitalized. The perpetually gloomy Been and Hayes even (gasp!) smiled on occasion and warmly thanked the Columbus crowd for its support over the years.
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The performance was nothing short of a visual and aural display of a band revitalized. The perpetually gloomy Been and Hayes even (gasp!) smiled on occasion and warmly thanked the Columbus crowd for its support over the years.
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MGMT
MGMT
Congratulations
Congratulations
Chad W. Lutz
MGMT is the latest champion of the new wave, psychedelic rock scene that seems to be making a comeback after the terrible years of 80’s hair bands and pretty much any boy band in general from the 90s. And laced throughout the album are simple beats and provocative lyrics that pull you in right from the get-go.
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MGMT is the latest champion of the new wave, psychedelic rock scene that seems to be making a comeback after the terrible years of 80’s hair bands and pretty much any boy band in general from the 90s. And laced throughout the album are simple beats and provocative lyrics that pull you in right from the get-go.
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She and Him
She and Him
Volume 2
Volume 2
Rachel Mooney
This album is ripe with purity and subtle grace and despite this not being the most texture-rich album, if you were a fan of Volume 1, Volume 2 will be your summer favorite.
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This album is ripe with purity and subtle grace and despite this not being the most texture-rich album, if you were a fan of Volume 1, Volume 2 will be your summer favorite.
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Frightened Rabbit
Frightened Rabbit
Interview with Scott Hutchison
Interview with Scott Hutchison
Shawn Braley
We’re not very imaginative. Being Scottish by nature, I’m quite pessimistic, so I just like to keep it like that and then you get nice surprises every year.
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We’re not very imaginative. Being Scottish by nature, I’m quite pessimistic, so I just like to keep it like that and then you get nice surprises every year.
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Macy Gray
Macy Gray
The Sellout
The Sellout
Aaron George
Macy’s love songs are great, simply because they break form from the traditional. This is most evident in the song “Stalker”, where she details how she is “your submissive hoe...you best friend bitch, and that’s fine.”
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Macy’s love songs are great, simply because they break form from the traditional. This is most evident in the song “Stalker”, where she details how she is “your submissive hoe...you best friend bitch, and that’s fine.”
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The Avett Brothers
The Avett Brothers
Brian Ahnmark
Perhaps most astonishing of all was the hair-raising spectacle of a crowd actually listening and reacting to the words. It seems increasingly rare these days to emotionally connect with lyrics, and it's made all the more rewarding when the quality of the verses is matched by the songwriting.
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Perhaps most astonishing of all was the hair-raising spectacle of a crowd actually listening and reacting to the words. It seems increasingly rare these days to emotionally connect with lyrics, and it's made all the more rewarding when the quality of the verses is matched by the songwriting.
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Gogol Bordello
Gogol Bordello
Transcontinental Hustle
Transcontinental Hustle
Aaron George
Their most recent studio release, Transcontinental Hustle, sees the band working with famed producer Rick Ruben, as well as turning the volume down a bit and focusing more on traditional Gypsy music than the punk they had adopted and made wholly their own.
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Their most recent studio release, Transcontinental Hustle, sees the band working with famed producer Rick Ruben, as well as turning the volume down a bit and focusing more on traditional Gypsy music than the punk they had adopted and made wholly their own.
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Rufus Wainwright
Rufus Wainwright
All Days are Nights: Songs for Lulu
All Days are Nights: Songs for Lulu
Brian Ahnmark
The overall flavor of mourning leaves All Days Are Nights bereft of any of the lightheartedness that infuses Wainwright's earlier work. But that's how it should be, and it makes for a more unified vision. The piano work is exquisite, without a doubt the finest of Wainwright's career; his distinctive voice is the melody of suffering, worn but resilient.
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The overall flavor of mourning leaves All Days Are Nights bereft of any of the lightheartedness that infuses Wainwright's earlier work. But that's how it should be, and it makes for a more unified vision. The piano work is exquisite, without a doubt the finest of Wainwright's career; his distinctive voice is the melody of suffering, worn but resilient.
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Band of Horses
Band of Horses
Infinite Arms
Infinite Arms
Marty Connors
It isn’t that Infinite Arms is a vastly different album than Cease To Begin, but that what is on Infinite Arms is executed more confidently and successfully.
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It isn’t that Infinite Arms is a vastly different album than Cease To Begin, but that what is on Infinite Arms is executed more confidently and successfully.
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David Bazan
David Bazan
Shawn Braley
On the Saturday before David Bazan’s show in Newport, Kentucky at The Southgate House, I spoke with Mr. Bazan over the telephone. The following happened between the hours of noon and 1 PM on March 13th.
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On the Saturday before David Bazan’s show in Newport, Kentucky at The Southgate House, I spoke with Mr. Bazan over the telephone. The following happened between the hours of noon and 1 PM on March 13th.
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David Gray
David Gray
Wil Burton
On Sunday, after hearing the words “Hello Cleveland,” I knew that the next two hours would consist of a unique and energetic gift from Gray.
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On Sunday, after hearing the words “Hello Cleveland,” I knew that the next two hours would consist of a unique and energetic gift from Gray.
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Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara
Jason Turner
Tegan and Sara did a lot of things right, including closing out the show in top form.
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Tegan and Sara did a lot of things right, including closing out the show in top form.
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The Melvins
The Melvins
The Bride Screamed Murder
The Bride Screamed Murder
Chad W. Lutz
The Bride Screamed Murder gives long time fans something to get excited about and those just wandering through the Melvins’ doors a warm welcome. But if you’re not into the metal scene, this album probably won’t be blasting out of your Prius anytime soon.
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The Bride Screamed Murder gives long time fans something to get excited about and those just wandering through the Melvins’ doors a warm welcome. But if you’re not into the metal scene, this album probably won’t be blasting out of your Prius anytime soon.
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The Felice Brothers
The Felice Brothers
Brian Ahnmark
The Felice Brothers made no attempt to contain their youthful vigor within the confines of Rumba Cafe's ridiculously small stage. James and Farley routinely swapped instruments; at one point, James stepped off the stage to play an organ that simply wouldn't fit on the riser; Ian repeatedly leaped onto the bass drum while playing guitar, swatted at the cymbals with his bare hands and toppled mic stands; “Run Chicken Run” featured some interpretive dance from Ian during a spirited accordion break by his brother.
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The Felice Brothers made no attempt to contain their youthful vigor within the confines of Rumba Cafe's ridiculously small stage. James and Farley routinely swapped instruments; at one point, James stepped off the stage to play an organ that simply wouldn't fit on the riser; Ian repeatedly leaped onto the bass drum while playing guitar, swatted at the cymbals with his bare hands and toppled mic stands; “Run Chicken Run” featured some interpretive dance from Ian during a spirited accordion break by his brother.
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Wil Burton
While my politics began drifting to the left and my want to discuss international human rights became stronger, I knew that one thing would remain unaffected: my taste in music. Or would it?
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While my politics began drifting to the left and my want to discuss international human rights became stronger, I knew that one thing would remain unaffected: my taste in music. Or would it?
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AltOhio's Top 50 Albums of 2009
AltOhio's Top 50 Albums of 2009
Drive By Truckers
Drive By Truckers
The Big To Do
The Big To Do
House of Heroes
House of Heroes
Sean Darlington
I recently had an opportunity to speak with Tim Skipper, lead singer and guitarist for House of Heroes, about their upcoming album, their time in the studio and their year full of touring.
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I recently had an opportunity to speak with Tim Skipper, lead singer and guitarist for House of Heroes, about their upcoming album, their time in the studio and their year full of touring.
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Heartless Bastards
Heartless Bastards
Leyla Shokoohe
The most transcendent quality of seeing the Heartless Bastards play live has to be the tight-knit quality they convey as a band. They are a quartet, but they are three musicians supporting their star singer. They are fully invested in each other and their music, but not so much so that any potential personal relationships between them cloud their musical clarity. The focus this band plays with is one all bands, local or otherwise, would do well to mimic.
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The most transcendent quality of seeing the Heartless Bastards play live has to be the tight-knit quality they convey as a band. They are a quartet, but they are three musicians supporting their star singer. They are fully invested in each other and their music, but not so much so that any potential personal relationships between them cloud their musical clarity. The focus this band plays with is one all bands, local or otherwise, would do well to mimic.
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Local Music
Local Music
