CD Review: Editors — In This Light and on This Evening

CD Review: Editors — In This Light and on This Evening

Editors In This Light and on This Evening Epic/Fader By Eileen Tilson In the music industry, the third time is definitely is the charm. By a band’s third album, they should have formally gelled creatively, perfected their live show, and understand their own talent enough to expand their music to the next level of fans. […]

CD Review: The Villains – The Villains; Playing Eddie’s Attic February 2

CD Review: The Villains – The Villains; Playing Eddie’s Attic February 2

The Villains The Villains DCM Records By Al Kaufman Remember the '70s? For those who don't, it was a sort of weird time musically. It was the time when country and rock began to merge. It was led by a band from California of all places, The Eagles. If the Eagles formed today, they would […]

Live Review: Band of Horses & the Dynamites featuring Charles Walker @ The Tabernacle, December 31

Live Review: Band of Horses & the Dynamites featuring Charles Walker @ The Tabernacle, December 31

By Micah McLain Band of Horses celebrated the arrival of 2010 the same way they did the arrival of the two years previous – with a sold-out two-night stand in Atlanta. The venue this time around was downtown's Tabernacle and the band was able to secure the Dynamites featuring Charles Walker to help them ring […]

Live Review: Cotton Jones, Greg Ashley, Dutchess and the Duke @ The EARL, December 16

Live Review: Cotton Jones, Greg Ashley, Dutchess and the Duke @ The EARL, December 16

By Jhoni Jackson There’s something about country-based music that makes one year for a stiff drink, preferably – considering current below-freezing temperatures – one that warms both the soul and the body. Just as I was wondering why Atlanta bars don’t serve hot toddies in winter, Maryland’s Cotton Jones took the stage. The early show […]

CD Review: Gills and Wings — Gills and Wings; Playing Smith’s December 28

CD Review: Gills and Wings — Gills and Wings; Playing Smith’s December 28

Gills and WingsGills and Wings By Al Kaufman Freddie Mercury lives. Gills and Wings, a five-piece band from Richmond, Va., must have an iPod loaded with "Bohemian Rhapsody." In their wonderfully theatrical rock style, they sing of losers and loners. On "Dealer," their sympathetic paean to the neighborhood drug dealer, lead singer and synth player […]

Shows of the Year from Our Favorite Atlanta Promoters

Shows of the Year from Our Favorite Atlanta Promoters

'Tis the season… to put together "Best of the Year" lists. So we thought we'd get into the spirit in our own way, with a few of our favorite promoters, booking agents and talent buyers telling us what their favorite show of the year at their venue was, brought to you by Ticket Alternative, of […]

CD Review: Sondre Lerche — Heartbeat Radio; Playing The EARL February 11

CD Review: Sondre Lerche — Heartbeat Radio; Playing The EARL February 11

Sondre LercheHeartbeat RadioRounder During the summer in Bergen, Norway the sun stays out for 24 hours; in the winter months, however, you are lucky to squeeze out an hour of daylight. The extra dosage of Vitamin D has clearly done Norwegian transplant Sondre Lerche some good; his sixth album Heartbreak Radio, released in September, is […]

Live Review: Benefit for Ruthie Morris @ The EARL, December 15 w/Amy Ray, Warm In The Wake, & Tim Lee 3

Live Review: Benefit for Ruthie Morris @ The EARL, December 15 w/Amy Ray, Warm In The Wake, & Tim Lee 3

By Scott Roberts; photos by Sue Volkert “It sucks to lose your stuff.” Headliner Amy Ray succinctly proclaimed this during her rocking solo set at The EARL last Tuesday at the benefit for Magnapop guitarist/all-around swell person Ruthie Morris who lost, among other things, thousands of dollars worth of musical/recording equipment, the entire first pressing […]

CD Review: The Bravery — Stir The Blood

CD Review: The Bravery — Stir The Blood

The Bravery Stir the Blood Island By Chris Homer The Bravery’s third album, Stir The Blood, is packed with the sort of noisy synth-pop you’d expect from the New York band. Despite not departing dramatically from the sound showcased on their 2005 self-titled debut and 2007’s The Sun and the Moon, The Bravery still put […]

CD Review: Tegan and Sara — Sainthood; Playing Variety Playhouse February 23

CD Review: Tegan and Sara — Sainthood; Playing Variety Playhouse February 23

Tegan and SaraSainthoodSire By Al Kaufman It's got to be hard for twins to be taken seriously in the music business, especially twins that look robotic, dress to compliment each other, and wear pixie cuts. It's too easy to dismiss them as a cute novelty act. Tegan and Sara Quin are no novelty act. They've […]

CD Review: Serena Ryder — Is It O.K.

CD Review: Serena Ryder — Is It O.K.

Serena RyderIs It O.K.Atlantic By Al Kaufman Ontario's Serena Ryder won the 2008 Juno (Canada's version of the Grammy) Award for Best New Artist for Is It O.K.. Granted, Canada is home to the likes of Bryan Adams, Anne Murray, Celine Dion and Corey Hart, but Neil Young, Daniel Lanois, Feist and Leonard Cohen call […]

Live Review: Brendan Benson, Cory Chisel @ The EARL, December 11

Live Review: Brendan Benson, Cory Chisel @ The EARL, December 11

By Jennifer Gibson Let me start off by saying something that might actually garner me some hate mail from people I consider friends: I don’t trust Jack White. I make it a point to avoid much of what he touches, largely because he seems to get a lot of undue praise for being one hell […]

Live Review/Picture Book: DRINKSHOP Live with Last Chance Runaround, Little Tybee @ W Downtown Atlanta, December 10

Live Review/Picture Book: DRINKSHOP Live with Last Chance Runaround, Little Tybee @ W Downtown Atlanta, December 10

By Jhoni Jackson; photos by Kevin Griggs The dimly lit lounge-style bar tucked away inside the downtown W Hotel typically draws a fast-paced crowd of Atlanta’s upper social crust, with its sleek décor and limos frequently circling the entrance. So when Last Chance Runaround began their acoustic folk set, complete with a harp and a […]

CD Review: Straight No Chaser — Christmas Cheer

CD Review: Straight No Chaser — Christmas Cheer

Straight No ChaserChristmas CheersAtco/Atlantic By Al Kaufman Christmas and a capella go together as well as Halloween and chamber music. Both are bright and festive, but at their heart are beautiful and meaningful. The 10-man a capella group, Straight No Chaser, bring both those elements to their second Christmas CD, Christmas Cheers.