I’m sure I was ignorant of it because it’s been around for years, but when did trip-hop/dance punk get so huge?
It seems as if overnight, Justice, Hot Chip and the like have taken the airwaves and my friends’ iPods by storm, and I’m not complaining. An art prom full of the Faint, Crystal Castles and Junior Senior is exactly what I’d ask for in lieu of overplayed hip-hop.
I have hometown envy. I wish I were from New York City and not New Jersey; I wish I were from Council Bluffs; I would even settle for Omaha.
Recently I’ve wished I were from anywhere near Phoenix.
Suddenly it seems all the bands worth anything are from that Arizona city.
Like all decent Americans, I like four things in my movies: violence, nudity, comedy and racism. In 1999 I was 13, meaning my ability to get these things was slightly limited by my ability to convince my mom to drive me to the theater and give me the cash to enjoy my God-given right to unwholesome entertainment.
Ludo isn’t for everyone but, like chunky peanut butter, if you have a hankering for some, there is no substitute.
Ludo is a locally-based band that has recently made it big: the Warped Tour, a Christmas show at the Pageant and a deal with Island Records.
Graphic novelist Alan Moore may be most famous for “V for Vendetta” and “Watchmen” but neither offers the sex appeal of his racy graphic novel, “Lost Girls.” He takes a down and dirty approach to some of children’s literature’s most beloved characters and in a way that catapults him from the depths of naughty fan fiction into the world of published art.
The genre of music I prefer most likely has a name, but lucky for me I don’t read enough Pitchfork to know what it is. It’s the type of rock that makes you want to to tap your toe to the drum line, clap to the bass line and sing along to both the lead and backup vocals.
Chris Walla has long been known for his mad production skills. The guitarist for Death Cab for Cutie has produced albums for some big names including The Decemberists, Tegan and Sara, Nada Surf and even St. Louis’ own So Many Dynamos. Unlike Death Cab bandmate Ben Gibbard whose side project, The Postal Service, has become hugely popular, Walla’s own side band, Martin Youth Auxiliary, never reached the masses.
The closing of Mississippi Nights left a hole in the St. Louis music scene. Fortunately, a new venue has opened up, ready to serve the needs of rock fans. The Bluebird, located near St. Louis University on Olive St. just west of Jefferson, looks to be the place in town where all types of local and regional bands can share the stage with national acts.
Hailing from Edwardsville, Ill., Kentucky Knife Fight brings to mind sitting in a smoky bar and drinking hooch out of the bottle. And that’s just their name. The five-song live album, aptly named “Live at the Stagger Inn,” may be short, but it packs a punch.
Where did you get the idea for Found? When I was a kid, I would find things walking down the street or in my backyard. I was always surprised at how powerfully you could connect to someone [through these items]. What really sparked the idea was when I was living in Chicago I found this note on my windshield.
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