The Best Soul-Blues Album Covers and Other Assorted Goodies

Here’s a selection of the best of last week’s music blogging from around the Village Voice chain: Sometimes, you can judge a book by it’s cover — or an album, at least. A look at thirteen soul-blues albums, a genre that’s mastered the art of capturing the record’s flavor with…

Bender’s Ball

The bouncer on stage did a decent Axl Rose impression — complete with bandanna. “All we need is just a little patience,” he sang into the karaoke mic. In the room next door, a DJ mixed Stevie Wonder’s “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” with “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” It could only be…

If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say…

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me. Uh, yeah, there’s at least one recently deceased 27-year-old rapper who’d probably beg to differ with that adage after an MC battle turned deadly earlier this week in the Motor City. Having witnessed countless battles in my…

45 Second Reviews: Nik Freitas, Man Man, P.O.D., Ray J

Nik Freitas Sun Down Team Love Records 01:00-01:45 of “Sun Down” “Sun Down” sounds like what would happen if a 14-year-old boy only owned two records, Harry Nilsson’s The Point and N’Sync’s N’Sync. What comes out of that is an adorable little song that sounds like it’s made for and…

Westword Spiral Podcast: the Archive

This week on the Spiral, your intrepid hosts saunter off to the hinterlands of Arvada to sit down with the Archive. There they played with a stolen keytar and listened to Fat Guy’s pearls of sagely wisdom. WARNING: This podcast may not be suitable for sensitive listeners as it starts…

Friday Rap-Up: 25 Colorado Rappers Spit on One Song

Joe Thunder isn’t known for his skills behind the mic. He isn’t known for creating hot beats either. He’s more likely to just listen to records than mix and scratch them. And you’ll catch him nodding his head before he’d bust out in a backspin. So what does Joe Thunder…

Yellow Second Reunites

Yellow Second. Remember that band? Scott Kerr and Andy Verdecchio’s post-Five Iron Frenzy, super badass power pop outfit? If not, you’ll have your chance to get reacquainted on Friday, May 9, at the hi-dive. Before the Fray and before record deals were being handed out like Handi Wipes at a…

Tip Sheet: Debajo Del Agua

Who: Debajo Del Agua In Their Words: “Formed in Denver, Colorado, Debajo is composed of musicians from Chile, Peru, El Salvador, Mexico and the States. We fuse a vast diaspora of styles incorporating elements of hip hop, Andean music, salsa, samba, cumbia, reggae, and more. Our music is a reflection…

Emma, Prom? -Ari

Joel Harvey is Ari from East High School’s new hero. Mine, too. On his day off, Harvey happened to head into work at the Bluebird Theater and caught a phone call from Eli asking if the Bluebird would be willing to post his prom date invitation on the marquee. Having…

Mile High Makeout: Laughing It Off

Smiling feels really good. Laughter feels even better. I think you’d have a hard time finding anyone who disagrees – except, perhaps, the misanthropic person who left the gratuitously vitriolic comment last week. But he probably just needs a hug. So we all agree that smiling and laughter are good,…

Bandicoots: An Excerpt from Elaine’s Book

In the spirit of collaboration – and to further prove the IQs in the band – this week, I’ve opted to devote this space to my drummer Elaine Acosta. The following is a chapter from her forthcoming book, Holy Sweet Goddamn: The Memoirs of An Aspiring Rock Star and Psychiatric…

This Just In: Flobots Hottest Brand Going

Great googly moogly! Are Flobots playing with the house’s money right now or what? At this moment, the act is still the top seller at Twist & Shout, outselling new releases from R.E.M., Nine Inch Nails, the Breeders, Raconteurs, Van Morrison and Gnarls Barkley. And next month in Tucson, Jamie…

Redline Defiance Breaks Up… or Not

Redline Defiance is dunzo. Or not, depending on what you’ve heard. “REDLINE DEFIANCE QUIT! NO LONGER A BAND!” reads a blind post on the band’s myspace page. That post was followed by a more in-depth pronouncement from guitarist Emerson Willis that was sent out to the band’s mailing list…..

Tusk Safari Lounge

I recently got a tip about a hip, safari-themed bar in south Longmont, of all places. Looking at the website of Tusk Safari Lounge, I envisioned a massive place with a jungle motif and a crocodile head sitting on the bar. The slogan alone — “drink, graze, chill” — was…

Somethin Somethin Productions Brings Something Different

Emily Francis wants to make a difference. And now that Planes Mistaken for Stars is permanently grounded, the band’s former manager has an idea that’s ready for takeoff. Francis, who’s helped curate Denver Fest for the past three years, has teamed with Jeff Campbell, former NIPP staffer and current 3…

Enon Slows Things Down

During the first half of the decade, John Schmersal, the guiding light of Enon, churned out ditties so quickly that he made hyper-prolific songwriter Ryan Adams seem like a slacker in comparison. But after years of affixing fresh compositions to the band’s website on practically a daily basis, he decided…

Communikey

The organizers of the Communikey Festival of Electronic Arts want to accomplish two things: First, they want to make you dance, and second, they want to make you think about — and work toward — a sustainable future that embraces technology. “This festival smacks of Boulder,” muses Marko Manriquez, head…

Meet Juno MacGuff’s Muse

The success of Juno, a modest independent film that earned multiple Academy Award nominations and over $200 million in worldwide box-office receipts, has brought many good things to Kimya Dawson, including recognition, renown and a share of royalties from the flick’s companion CD, which topped the Billboard sales chart earlier…

Eyes and Ears

It takes a lot of balls for a band to play in matching Christmas sweaters. Although Eyes and Ears has done that, “ballsy” may not be the best way to describe the act’s sound; after all, one of the members is a girl. What Eyes and Ears lacks in testicular fortitude,…