At the outset of her latest disc, the other J.J. from Good Times giggles after saying, “I’ve uncovered a lot in my 20 years.” Such overt attempts at post-Super Bowl titillation dominate the songs that follow. But if Jackson thinks nipple obsession will compensate for underwhelming performances, she’s missing the…
A mere ten seconds into the opening track, “Geneva Code,” the Strays’ debut sounds like it’ll be an album’s worth of Arctic Monkeys/Bloc Party rip-offs. Then the vocals start, and Nirvana gets thrown into the mix. And while the second track, “Block Alarm,” invites the obvious Bloc Party reference, it’s…
Forget post-hardcore, screamo, metalcore, or post-anything, for that matter. West Palm Beach’s Know the Score delivers some of the rawest, most genuine hardcore in South Florida. The band’s debut full-length, All Time Low, steps into that space following in the tradition of New York City’s Sheer Terror or Boston’s Slapshot…
A lot of older punk-rock types tend to look down at Warped Tour bands, whining about how they’re “not real punk,” as if 1977’s going to repeat itself three decades later. But one band that does seem to please the geezers is Rise Against, whose thoughtful political punk is a…
The first thing I saw when I entered the Culture Room was a giant banner that read “Resist the Green Scare.” In the corner to my left, a small drum circle formed. Soon, a belly dancer joined in, as did a few more drummers. Several information booths were set up,…
Street beef: Method Man doesn’t seem happy with the way Jay-Z is running Def Jam, and he doesn’t seem to be alone. After all, his 4:21… the Day After was released on the same day as another huge Def Jam project, the Roots’ Game Theory, and neither seems to be…
Say Anything isn’t just the name of the vaguely punkish indie-rock band from Los Angeles; it’s also the band’s credo. Anyone who heard Say Anything’s …Is a Real Boy is familiar with vocalist Max Bemis’ impassioned rants against pop culture. But when Alternative Press magazine ran a missive by Make…
On the evening of April 20, 2002, three members of Alice in Chains — singer/guitarist Jerry Cantrell, drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Inez — walked toward the International Fountain at Seattle Center, where hundreds of people had already assembled in the chill air, bearing flowers, notes, and candles. The…
The members of Hawthorne Heights have taken the hard road before. The Ohio-based quintet toured the nation — before signing with Victory Records — playing in empty dives and dank basements for a handful of people. They’re not a band to shy away from a challenge. But suing your label…
Killers vocalist Brandon Flowers makes it very clear that he wants to be Bruce Springsteen on Sam’s Town, judging by the Boss-esque sentiments decorating the over-the-top single “When You Were Young.” While it’s admirable that the Vegas quartet wants to be taken seriously as musicians and lyricists on its sophomore…
When it comes to choosing album names, Seattle’s Kultur Shock doesn’t have the best timing. Its first studio full-length dropped in September 2001. The name? FUCC the I.N.S. Brilliant — especially when the band’s composed mostly of immigrants. Similarly, now that Middle America’s got its panties in a bunch over…
You don’t have to have lived in New York City to appreciate Nina Nastasia’s fourth album, but it helps. It helps to imagine autumn arriving in Manhattan, that first crisp day when you feel the chill’s bite, and those subsequent weeks when the leaves turn colors and fall off, and…
Falling on the person next to you is one way to get up close and personal at a roller rink, but it’s not recommended. At Saturday’s reggae-flavored “Up Close and Personal,” you don’t need wheels to get in on the action. Hosted by Hot 105’s Lady English and LynksFM.com’s Sir…
Everyone likes to complain about the lack of interest in the local music scene. But how often does anyone, you know, do something about it? Well, when Tony Gonzalez saw that no one was offering the kind of events he wanted, he got his shit together, bought some equipment, and…
At first blush, gogoLab seems like pure shtick — an opportunity for keyboardist Eric Moon, bassist Bijoux Barbosa, and drummer Brian McRae to don suits, shades, and skinny ties and live out their spy-music fantasies. Turns out, though, these guys are talented enough to transcend their own gimmickry. The disc’s…
What hath goth wrought? More to the point, who wrought goth rock? Make no mistake: The genre sprang from both sides of the Atlantic. But on our own side, 45 Grave undertook the intermingling horror and punk of Berry, Bowie, and Bela Lugosi. Rewind to early 1980s, Los Angeles. Don…
Big Bill Morganfield has the right lineage. His dad is, after all, the late, great Muddy Waters. Of course, being the son of a legend can be as much of a burden as a benefit — living in constant comparison, always being referred to as junior (see: Sean Lennon, Ziggy…
The metal guitar riff ain’t what it used to be, and the bands on the Solid State Youngbloods II Tour are here to remind you of that fact. Oh, there’s plenty of low end and thrashy, palm-muted power chords to go around. But the sheer number of key changes and…
On October 30, 1968, MC5 vocalist Rob Tyner shouted, “Kick out the jams, motherfuckers!” to the crowd at Detroit’s Grande Ballroom and rock ‘n’ roll was rescued from the low-energy vibe of the hippie generation. On September 30, 2006, Eighteen Visions vocalist James Hart screamed, “You wanna get fuckin’ rowdy?”…
More so than any other high-profile traveling metal festival — Ozzfest, Blackest of the Black, Unholy Alliance, Contamination, etc. — Dave Mustaine’s Gigantour arguably draws upon a more conscious sense of metal history. Another way to put it is that Mustaine (who has been unabashed about Gigantour as a showcase…
“This is the weirdest interview I’ve ever done,” says Soulfly’s Max Cavalera, as he wanders down the highway from a broken-down tour bus outside of Salt Lake City. “I’m walking around mountains. It’s actually refreshing.” The former Sepultura/Nailbomb frontman checked in with Outtakes twice last month, the second time just…
