The David Mayfield Parade Good Man Down Beautywood Records By Al Kaufman With crystalline vocals reminiscent of a young James Taylor, it would be easy for David Mayfield to write adult contemporary songs and have middle-aged women swoon over him for the rest of his life, but Mayfield isn’t that type of guy. He spent [...]
Sol Driven Train Underdog By Al Kaufman Sol Driven Train is made up of a bunch of happy guys from Charleston, SC who love making music and probably listened to a lot of Jimmy Buffett as kids. Their songs consist of loose, rootsy melodies infused with horns. They sing carefree songs about the glories of [...]
Everest Ownerless ATO Records By Al Kaufman Success in the rock world is a crap shoot. For every Coldplay and Linkin Park that make it big, there are thousands of bands that have more talent but never make it. Is Everest a great rock band? No, but they’re just as good as any of these [...]
Langhorne Slim & the Law The Way We Move Ramseur Records By Al Kaufman “Lord, release my wild soul,” Langhorne Slim pleads on the acoustic ballad “Wild Soul.” It is safe to say that the Lord has answered his prayers. While his most recent home is Portland, Oregon, Slim and the band have [...]
By Al Kaufman Kelly Hogan is one of the queens of the Atlanta music scene. Her band in the ‘90s, The Jody Grind, were on the verge of stardom before a drunk driver killed two members. She then sang for the Rock*A*Teens before putting out three fabulous solo records that showcased her amazing vocal prowess. [...]
Simone Felice Simone Felice Team Love Records By Al Kaufman Simone Felice, drummer and singer the Catskill folkies Felice Brothers, and founder of the folk-soul outfit, The Duke and the King, branches out on his own in this warm, hushed solo debut. Felice possesses a sweet, haunting voice. He puts it to use right away [...]
The Bright Light Social Hour New Year’s Live self-release By Al Kaufman Austin, Texas has more than earned its reputation as The Live Music Capital of the World. So when a band takes an unprecedented six trophies from last year’s Austin Music Awards, they must be onto something. The fact is, Bright Light Social Hour [...]
Ron Pope Atlanta Hard Six Records By Al Kaufman Ron Pope is a sensitive romantic. He’s got a beard and everything. He writes straight from the heartlands anthems and lovely ballads that would make John Mayer cry. And he writes a lot of songs. Atlanta is his seventh album since 2008.
jENNiNGS Take It or Leave Emerging Artists Music By Al Kaufman Singer/songwriter/pianist Mary Jennings is pretentious. A singer cannot use such a capitally-challenged moniker and not be thought so. She only enhances that perception on her live album, Take It or Leave. She includes an intro on every song because, you know, it’s like, important [...]
Tumbledown House Fables and Falsehoods Silent Coyote Music By Al Kaufman Welcome to the Roaring ’20s, in all its sexy, boozy, violent glory. Montana’s Tumbledown House are so fresh and exciting because they do old so well. Vocalist Gillian Howe and jazz guitarist Tyler Ryan Miller have surrounded themselves with all sorts of cool cats, [...]
Say Anything Anarchy, My Dear Equal Vision Records By Al Kaufman First things first, these guys are nothing like the John Cusack movie. They are not going to play Peter Gabriel through their boom boxes up to their girlfriend’s window. No, their love songs have more of a Sid and Nancy feel to them. On [...]
Will Hoge Number Seven Ryko By Al Kaufman Will Hoge is the type of guy you’d expect to see doing Chevy commercials. The guy is the heart of America. His songs are big and majestic with the right amount of twang, and they cover the topics that Americans care about; stuff like love gone sour, [...]
Fanfarlo Rooms Filled with Light Atlantic Records By Al Kaufman The indie-pop world took notice when Fanfarlo released their debut, Reservoir, in 2009. Now, three years later, Fanfarlo has gone back about 30 years to create their new sound. In listening to Rooms Filled with Light, one would not be unreasonable to believe the band [...]
Bruce Springsteen Wrecking Ball Columbia By Al Kaufman The Boss is back. I honestly never thought I would get a chance to write those words. A Springsteen fan since before my teen years, I have watched as Bruce slowly grew into a caricature of himself. It was like he had read all the hype about [...]
Heartless Bastards Arrow Partisan Records By Al Kaufman Heartless Bastards answer the all important question: What if Adele was backed by a Texas band? Erika Wennerstrom, the vocal storm behind the band, has penned 11 songs that show off all her abilities. The soulful “Marathon” is followed by the poppy “Parted Ways,” until the song [...]
Picture Book: Avett Brothers @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater 5/17
Photos by: CatMax Photography, LLC
Picture Book: Clutch @ Center Stage
Pictures & Review By Deidra Pinion If you were coming to see Clutch at Center Stage, you probably noticed that almost, if not every seat, was filled. Clutch started touring in March 2013 in support of their new album, Earth Rocker. People of all ages lined the theater. I was told that I was in [...]
Picture Book: Titus Andronicus @ The EARL 5/14 & Criminal Records 5/15
Photos by Hillery Terenzi: So So Glos: Titus Andronicus: Criminal Records In-Store Performance:
Picture Book & Live Review: Justin Furstenfeld @ Center Stage 5/14
Photos and review by Jenna Hughes The atmosphere at Center Stage was quiet and calm on Tuesday night as fans eagerly awaited the stripped down solo performance of Justin Furstenfeld (of Blue October). The standing room floor was transformed into a seating area and those seats filled up fast with dedicated fans. Strangers chatted and [...]
5GB Interview: Cosmonauts; Playing 529 Thursday, May 16
By Jhoni Jackson Orange County outfit Cosmonauts boasts a blend of chaos and comedowns in their forever-fuzzy rock ‘n’ roll repertoire. Last year’s If You Wanna Die Then I Wanna Die (Burger Records) hits both amped-up, anxious highs and droning, lost-in-lament lows with equal intensity. Nailing an energetic, raucous jam like “Motorcycle #1” is a feat in [...]
5GB Interview w/ Twin Sister; Playing TONIGHT (5/15) @ 529
Twin Sister trade in a brand of dreamy pop that’s equal parts Galaxie 500, Tusk-era Fleetwood Mac, and Lynchian weirdness. They claim it will make you feel good enough to hook up with that one person you’re not supposed to hook up with. UH-OH! We caught up with the band before they hit the road [...]
5GB with Beth Hart – playing Smith’s Olde Bar Tuesday May 7
By Ellen Eldridge Beth Hart brought her life experiences, both positive and negative, together for her April 2 release, Bang Bang Boom Boom, which was produced by Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Joe Bonamassa, Jimmy Page/The Black Crowes, Dream Theater). The Kennedy Center Honors show-stopping performance of Jeff Beck and Beth Hart’s “I’d Rather Go Blind” [...]
5GB Interview: Telekinesis; Playing @ The Drunken Unicorn 5/4!
Telekinesis is Michael Benjamin Lerner, an indie rocker based out of Seattle who is currently signed to Merge Records. The band was signed to Merge Records in early 2009, and shortly afterward released the eponymously named debut album Telekinesis! on April 7, 2009. With the recent release of their third album, Dormarion, Telekinesis was ready [...]
5GB Interview w/ Device – Playing @ Center Stage 5/3!
By Ellen Eldridge David Draiman of Disturbed, and ex-Filter guitarist Geno Lenardo recently collaborated together to construct Device. The self-titled debut released April 9, taking strands from hard rock, industrial and electronica to form a focused, fierce and fiery new machine. It all started while the Grammy Award-nominated multiplatinum powerhouse Disturbed was on hiatus. Lenardo [...]
5GB Interview: Kelly McFarling Playing @ Eddie’s Attic 4/27!
Atlanta, GA raised Kelly McFarling and gave her space to find her powerful voice in its church choirs and baseball stadiums, but it was San Francisco that gave her the encouragement and community to solidify her original sound. She has spent the past three years selling out shows in both her hometown and her adopted [...]
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