People tell me I’m a somewhat of a vanguard – I blaze my own trail. When people zig, I zag. I march to the beat of my own drum. The grain? I go against it. So at Lollapalooza a couple months ago, when it was time to either join the flock of people to… Continue reading 42 – Jungle
My favorite bands typically possess a few common traits – a cool name, an instantly-recognizable sound, a song you can throw on at a party, an engaging live show, a not-so-subtle hint of some older hip artist like Talking Heads or David Bowie. You get the point. Being able to cross the majority of… Continue reading 40 – Cut Copy
It’s no big secret that punk rock has changed quite a bit over the years. The once-edgy, anti-authoritative sounds of The Clash and Ramones now ring loud across karaoke bars in America. The breakneck speed and snarl of Reagan-era punk bands like Bad Brains and Minor Threat gave way to the more melodic, poppy sounds… Continue reading 39 – FIDLAR
Unlike like so many others in the world, it wasn’t hard for Molly Rankin to join the family business. Young people everywhere struggle with the decision to either pursue their dreams, or “play it safe” and follow in their parents’ footsteps. I get it, its tough. However, if your dad played fiddle in one… Continue reading 37 – Alvvays
Honestly, what can’t Australians do? Its hard to argue that the Australian music scene isn’t among the strongest and most diverse in the entire world over the past few years. They’ve owned the modern psychedelia scene with Kevin Parker’s Tame Impala, and his buddies in Pond. Punk rock? Oh yeah, big time. Bands… Continue reading 36 – RÜFÜS DU SOL
If their trio of albums have taught us anything, it’s that Killer Mike and El-P are fired up. Actually, “fired up” might not even be a strong enough term – these guys are downright angry. Not since Zach de la Roche’s charged-up vocals on those ire-filled Rage Against the Machine albums in the early 90s… Continue reading 35 – Run the Jewels
LCD Soundsystem is a textbook example of a band who has found unlikely music super-stardom. Nothing about the group and their rise to glory has been traditional in the slightest. The songs themselves, often 6 or 7 minutes in length, alternate between electronic, riff-driven dance and noisy punk rock. Their blend of… Continue reading 30 – LCD Soundsystem
