I first heard Band of Horses when watching, of all things, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. The movie, which is actually relatively charming by the way (and cowritten by one of the best modern YA writers, David Levithan), uses the … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Band of Horses – The General Specific As to Why Band of Horses is So Great

Yeah, that’s right. You get a second Artist Spotlight today. I was gong to push this back to tomorrow, but it was way too much work to re-edit this in preparation to post it so it is not an absolute … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Boris – …why always Boris?

NOTE: This was originally written September 2013; a subthread earlier today reminded me of my somewhat-complicated feelings about the band, so I thought I’d repost it here today in lieu of an Artist Spotlight. ****** There have been a lot … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Nirvana – Of Myths and Men

Electro swing traces its origins back to the 1990s, with bands like Doop and Jurassic 5 experimenting with swing in hip hop, house and EDM. It wasn’t until the late 00’s that the sound began to truly become its own … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Caravan Palace – This New Music Really Swings

Another evening, another argument, another excuse to leave. My mother, once again fed up with my stepfather over one of his many oversteps and slights, turned to me and asked if I maybe wanted to go for a drive, and … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Death Cab For Cutie

Artist Spotlight courtesy of Nunez Hello friends! Today I am delighted to tell you all about my favorite band in the entire world, Against Me! I have seen them close to 20 times and they get better every time I … Continue reading Artist Spotlight – Against Me!

Tank fly boss walk jam nitty gritty, You’re listening to the boy from the big bad city pleasant coastal town this is jam hot. Welcome to the Artist Spotlight for Norman Cook AKA Fatboy Slim, AKA Pizzaman, AKA…..well a lot of acts. … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Norman Cook

On July 14, 2016, the people spoke. I asked for a terrible musical act to feature, and they chose Soulja Boy, aka Soulja Boy Tell ’Em. Eltneg recommended him “or any other mid-2000s ringtone rapper,” and Artist Spotlight series manager … Continue reading Terrible Artist Spotlight: Soulja Boy (By Request)

”Excuse me, but can I be you for a while?” — “Silent All These Years” (1992) There are many ways to write about the music of Tori Amos. On one hand, one could write this sort of feature as a biography … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Tori Amos

Artist Spotlight courtesy of LongIslandMediumIcedTea Everyone has long days. Heavy, tired days punctuated by trying and often failing to fall asleep. It was on a day like this that I made a chance discovery. It was hiding under the covers, fiddling … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Cristina

The Canadian alternative rock scene of the early ’90s was surprisingly varied. Our Lady Peace and Big Wreck drew inspiration from their Seattle contemporaries to forge a sort of mystical post-grunge sound. I Mother Earth had a funky, jam-band vibe. … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Matthew Good

That’s where Dengue Fever fits in: playing music that sounds like something you’d hear while buzzing through Siem Reap on the back of a motorbike, dog-eared Lonely Planet guide poking out of your knapsack. Continue reading Dengue Fever, America’s Best Cambodian Rock Band

Good Evening and welcome to another in the occasional series “Artist spotlights on Female Spanish language rappers who’ve recorded versions of ‘Eres Para Mi’ with Julieta Venegas. (I feel this could run and run) Raised in Seville, she became involved … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Mala Rodriguez

It is said that young Shiina Yumiko’s cheeks would turn red as apples whenever she blushed. Thus, she got the nickname Ringo, or Apple. So when the singer, song writer, pianist, guitarist, and producer burst on the scene in 1998, … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Shiina Ringo and Tokyo Jihen

Artist Spotlight courtesy of Uncanny Valet In 2011 I went to the Newport Folk Festival with a few friends. I was really excited about The Decemberists, Teegan and Sara, Gogol Bordello, and a few other bands. One of the friends … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: River City Extension

Björk Guðmundsdóttir has been a singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, arranger, and producer since she was young. Her first album, Björk, was released in 1977, when she was barely twelve-years-old. During her teens and early twenties, Björk was part of several music … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Björk

Artist Spotlight courtesy of former dictator glorious leader Joseph Stalin The Kinks were great band led by brothers Ray and Dave Davies, along with Mick Avory and Peter Quaife in the original line-up. But really, this is story of two brothers, … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: The Kinks

Hell and welcome to a spotlight on Ana Tijoux, an artist you may remember from such TV montages as Born in France to Chilean parents in exile from the regime of Augusto Pinochet , it’s no surprise that her music … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Ana Tijoux

I would be the first to admit that my life wasn’t very hard, comparatively speaking. My mother was an English professor, and she made sure that I was never left wanting, or left empty-handed with any essential. She encouraged me … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Kanye West

Artist Spotlight courtesy of Bearded Garrett Dillahunt  I’ ve seen State Radio live in concert 14 times. If I were to include the other iterations of Chad Urmstrom’s work that I’ve witnessed (solo work, Dispatch) the number might be nearly … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: State Radio

“Hang on. We’re not some poor man’s Go-Go’s.” – Vicki Peterson, The Bangles Everyone thinks they know the Bangles and yet I never seem to meet anyone who really does. Three songs more or less define their pop music legacy … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: The Bangles