As a rapper, gem-sweater museum curator, children’s television-show star and overall Internet phenom, Leslie Hall covers quite a few bases. But when flanked by her crew, the LYs, the Iowa-bred diva becomes an audience-commanding, plus-sized powerhouse, unfurling tales of Maury Povich not-the-fathers, minivan rides to the club and other facets…
The members of Portland’s Toxic Holocaust can send a bit of a mixed message when they first come out on stage, because frontman Joel Grind looks like he walked right out of Los Angeles circa 1985. As soon as he and the rest of the band start playing, though, it’s…
In the theological canon, there’s probably no sect quite as unwaveringly dour as Calvinism. Predicated mostly on the idea that human beings are fundamentally bad, Calvinism sums up its doctrine with five main points: total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace and perseverance of the saints. Just the fact…
Bad Weather California’s latest, Sunkissed, is a multifaceted treasure of new influences and euphoric production that will serve Denver well through the late-night summer parties to come. Recorded in Detroit with Seth Olinsky of Akron/Family, Sunkissed is clean and expertly structured. From the “Ballroom Blitz”-y rockabilly energy of “Skate or…
Pries is known for writing catchy hooks that drive his pop-style production with ease. For No Glue 2, though, he focuses more on vibrancy in his verses and brings a more polished, grown-up production style. On the track “Venetian Lobby,” the vocals of J. Carey weave through the silky beat…
Percussionist duo (and husband-and-wife team) Gilly Gonzalez and Lisa Wimberger have done it again with their latest offering, the seven-track Billowing Spires, which was recorded live at Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery this past December. Throat singer Matthew Kocel and vocalist Beth Quist are both featured in the set, and…
This album does not aim for a single aesthetic. The jazz pop and AutoTuned vocals of “Fuck Hugh, Grant” contrast immediately with the IDM-flavored “There’s a Griffin at the Door” and the fractured playfulness of “The Hippo on Campus.” Although the bad puns end after the fourth track, the group’s…
The Foodchain released Brunch last November and has been on a steady pace ever since. With its collection of musical all-stars, the Foodchain is more than a crew; it’s a conglomerate. Consisting of a complete live band, four monster MCs and two of the hottest sample-chopping, heat-making producers out there,…
DJ Krush (aka Hideaki Ishi) was once yakuza (yes, a member of the Japanese organized-crime powerhouse). But that was before he saw the film Wild Style in the early 1980s and was taken in by the hip-hop stylings depicted in the Charlie Ahearn flick. Krush decided at that point that…
Trying to think with structure about an artist like Whitney Houston’s ability to influence the entire world is as difficult as trying to squeeze your head in a jar. Her voice had a soaring power that transcended pop appeal and packed the gusto of an entire gospel choir. Houston’s contributions…
Okay, admittedly, this is a bit outside of the Backbeat wheelhouse, but we spied it at a music-related event (the Colorado Music Hall of Fame induction ceremonial dinner, which was fab, by the way, in case you haven’t heard), and that sort of counts, right?…
Update (2/24/12): Barry Fey video montage added below. All is right with the universe this morning. We have a pair of Grammy winners in our midst, and as it should be, Harry Tuft and Barry Fey are now officially part of the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. While we didn’t…
CURSIVE @ LARIMER LOUNGE | 2/12/12 If it’s possible that there’s a good time to find out that the first person you said “I love you” to is marrying the girl he dumped you for, you could do worse than the middle of a Cursive show. I’m not saying this…
As anyone and their mother could have (and, ahem, did) predicted, it was Adele’s show at last night’s 54th Grammy Awards. The singer, who absolutely swept the awards, took home six Grammys — meaning she won in every category in which she was nominated, including the big three: Song of…
Colorado represents! Big old fat props go out to Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic and Brian Joseph, who each won Grammy awards tonight for their contributions to albums by Adele and Bon Iver. The former earned a nod for Adele’s 21, which, among other awards, won for Album of the Year…
Ah, yes, Chipotle’s new commercial, its first ever, apparently. Completely forgot about this until just now, actually. Last summer, our pal Laura Shunk wrote about this little moving picture on the Cafe Society blog. She dug it. Found it “quirky, emotionally engaging” and, well, “pretty cool.” Not really sure what…
WIDESPREAD PANIC @ FILLMORE AUDITORIUM | 2/10/12The Wood Tour — named as a reference to the purely-acoustic setting of the shows — has been an eleven-show way for Widespread Panic to reconnect with their fans on a much more intimate level at smaller venues before taking a break from touring…
SPATULA @ CLIMAX LOUNGE | 2/10/12Almost without warning, King Lexie looked like she was either wheeled or aided on to stage, her bulging belly indicating a ripe pregnancy. Joining her were Summer Snover and Jesse Roadkill as well as Evan Brown and Paul Cousineau. All were dressed in various costumes,…
ACHILLE LAURO @ HI-DIVE | 2/10/12 Before Achille Lauro launched into a rousing rendition of “Supernatural Beings” Friday night, frontman Matthew Close spoke to the creative process behind the band’s new album, Flight or Flight. The album combines new material with singles released in the past year, but Close framed…
LENNY KRAVITZ @ TEMPLE BUELL THEATRE | 2/10/12 If you’re lucky enough to be sitting in the first few rows of the Buell Theatre right now, you are no doubt losing your shit. Based on your tickets, you probably figured you’d have some pretty good seats tonight, but holy hell,…
A couple of months ago, you might remember us saying something about the Swayback dudes getting a new drummer and having finished their new record. At the time, we shared a track with you from the forthcoming platter (due out on March 3 at the hi-dive with Hearts of Space…
Born Yvette Marie Stevens in March 1953, Chaka Khan sang songs written by Stevie Wonder and Prince as though they were crafted from her own pen. The Queen of Funk has a fiery soul about her and an undeniable rhythm that oozes from her pores. With hits from her collaborative…
