Music | Wednesday, May 9,2007

Cover-up

Detroit Cobras make a career of playing other people’s music well

Untitled Document To call the Detroit Cobras a cover band is not inaccurate, but it misses the point. Although it’s true that the Cobras’ repertoire consists almost e

Music | Wednesday, May 2,2007

Weird sisters

CocoRosie runs the gamut from awful to awesome

By René Spencer Saller

Untitled Document Are Bianca and Sierra Casady the geniuses that their admirers (John Darnielle, David Byrne, countless blognerds) say they are, or are they simply the newest nak

Music | Wednesday, April 25,2007

John Fahey’s worthy successor

Glenn Jones shows why he has the most cred

By René Spencer Saller

Untitled Document Of all the acoustic guitarists to glom on to the great John Fahey, Glenn Jones might have the most cred. He had the honor of actually collaborating with the lat

Music | Wednesday, April 18,2007

The brain of Bird

So enchanting, you won’t notice how smart he is

By René Spencer Saller

Untitled Document Was there ever a man more aptly named than Andrew Bird? Fine-boned and gracile, with a long, elegant nose and alert dark eyes, he has a distinctly avian beauty.

Music | Thursday, April 12,2007

Shake your badonkadonk

Antibalas brings its version of Afrobeat to the region

By René Spencer Saller

Untitled Document Afrobeat, the percolating, polyrhythmic, politically minded big-band dance music most closely associated with the late Nigerian maestro Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has

Music | Wednesday, April 4,2007

Angry young man becomes grumpy geezer

Or perhaps Graham Parker is just conflicted

By René Spencer Saller

Untitled Document The problem with the phrases “angry young man” and “pub rock,” both of which seem to be mandatory in any discussion of Graham Parker, is

Music | Wednesday, March 28,2007

Do the time warp again

Amy Winehouse may have produced the best soul album of ’07

By René Spencer Saller

Untitled Document Although it comes as a blow to our national pride, we should probably just admit it: The best soul album of 2007 may very well be a product of Britain. Meet Amy

Music | Wednesday, March 21,2007

In the key of heartbreak

Tarnation! Now it’s time for Paula Frazer

By René Spencer Saller

Untitled Document It’s somewhat misleading to say that Now It’s Time represents the return of Tarnation, the seminal Western-noir band that Paula Frazer fronted in th

Music | Wednesday, March 14,2007

Still serious after all these years

Jay Farrar’s still looking for answers on Son Volt’s latest

By René Spencer Saller

Untitled Document The Search, Son Volt’s fifth album, doesn’t shy away from heavy subjects. Among its themes are stem-cell research, FBI wiretapping, global warming,

Music | Wednesday, March 7,2007

From side dish to main course

Dean and Britta, back with Back Numbers

By René Spencer Saller

Untitled Document Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips, possibly the hottest middle-aged people on the planet, are back with Back Numbers, an album that’s almost as pretty as t