Alexa Squire

By Rob Rodriguez  Blitzen Trapper simply rocks. I don’t know of another band that can consistently pump out great albums without a disappointing change in style. American Goldwing picks up right where Destroyer of the Void and Furr leave off. As always, the album offers a bit of everything. There is a cornucopia of sound; banjos, 70’s style synthesizers, and blaring harmonicas. You will nod your head to the guitar licks and then close your eyes in appreciation of all the beautiful southern melody. The album doesn’t skip a beat, opening loudly with the riff-heavy “Mind Find It Cheap.” But if you’re like me, you stay … Continued

Keep reading...

By Alina Perez Gomez Dare to Care presents the fourth album by Canada’s indie rock heroes, Malajube.  Hailing from Montreal, Malajube is a quartet led by Julien Mineau on vocals and guitar.  Their first album, Le Compte Complet, in 2004 gained them instant fame in Quebec.  By their second album release in 2006, Malajube began to tour the US and gain international recognition.  While many bands that gain international fame turn to English to propel them to a wider stage, Malajube faithfully continues singing French lyrics.  Don’t speak French?  Not to worry.  Dubbed the language of romance, French is beautiful to … Continued

Keep reading...

By Riley Ubben With the recent split of Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore, things are looking bleak for boy-girl bands all over. I mean, let’s be honest here–the lifestyle of a musician has to be tough on even the most rock-solid relationships. They spend their days crammed in a tour bus or in a recording studio with their significant others, and unlike the majority of their indie rock peers, they can’t even vent about their romantic woes via song. While it’s been over a decade since My Solo Project first introduced the infectious, lovey-dovey pop of the Mates of State, … Continued

Keep reading...

By Alexa Squire In early fall 2009, Lady Gaga hadn’t released The Fame Monster yet, Katy Perry was only known for kissing a girl, and “chillwave” was a completely new word for a new genre of music. Washed Out and Toro y Moi, two of the most well-known chillwave artists, had just released Life of Leisure and Causers of This, and bloggers were using the term to describe their lo-fi, blippy, danceable beats that relied heavily on reverb and looping. When Alan Palomo (the man behind Neon Indian) released Psychic Chasms that winter, his songs fit the definition and it … Continued

Keep reading...

By Alexa Squire At a music festival last summer, I found myself stuck listening to The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion while waiting to hear Panda Bear. When Jon Spencer and his sweaty leather pants left the stage, nearly the entire crowd left with him, one man shouting, “Let’s get away from the kid with the laptop!” In a weird way he was speaking the truth – at first listen, Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) might sound simply like a guy creating some loops on his computer, an easy task with today’s technology. His previous album, 2007’s Person Pitch, can sound at … Continued

Keep reading...