Jerry Hahn, Paul Romaine, Jeff Jenkins and Peter Huffaker Saturday, September 8, 2007 Dazzle Better than: Seeing Hahn solo Eleven years ago, jazz guitarist Jerry Hahn had a regular gig at Denver’s Trio Enoteca with drummer Paul Romaine and pianist Jeff Jenkins. Last Saturday the guitarist, who now lives in…
The Goddamn Gallows, The Wheel, Widowers and Paleo September 7, 2007 3 Kings Tavern Better than: Killing your last remaining brain cell with another episode of “American Idol Rewind” The 3 Kings Tavern has a made a name for itself by hosting some of Denver’s hardest rock shows. Black Lamb…
So you’ve thought the MTV’s Video Music Awards have sucked in recent years? Well, the 2007 edition aired on September 9 brought sucking to a level that even the pros on the Hoover design team never imagined possible. Although the startlingly pathetic opening number by Britney Spears has received the…
Sound Tribe Sector 9 isn’t a group that embraces conventional wisdom. The act has built an expanding audience by specializing in instrumentals — a format most popularizers reject out of hand. Moreover, STS9 appeals to fans of improvisational music played on traditional gear (guitar, bass, keys, drums) even though its…
Though the Soda Pop Kids technically make their home in Portland, Oregon, these days, it’s still tempting to lay claim to them as a Denver band. Before their relocation to the same rock-and-roll mecca that stole Strangers Die Everyday from us, vocalist Jonny P. Jewels and guitarist-vocalist Diet D made…
Tim Kasher is a star in Omaha’s indie-rock scene, but he’s looking to score at the movies. The frontman for the Good Life (as well as Cursive) headed west earlier this year to work on the companion film for the band’s forthcoming Help Wanted Nights, a concept album set in…
Those who don’t move their asses to the Matt and Kim song “Yea Yeah” are either missing their ears or their soul — or both. Sure, it’s cute and bubblegum sweet. But the stripped-down, three-chord synth-pop that the Brooklyn pair plays is, at its core, a firmly punk denial of…
Arular, the 2005 debut by Mathangi “M.I.A.” Arulpragasam, got lotsa reviewers hot and bothered (and deservedly so), but only a relative handful of U.S. listeners succumbed to its multi-culti charms. Such sales disappointments generally lead to commercially motivated “adjustments” that leave no one satisfied. Fortunately, though, Kala avoids most of…
The term “conscious rap” needs to be excised from hip-hop’s vernacular. Nobody’s quite sure what it means: Music that doesn’t focus on rims and butts? Songs wherein the listener’s life isn’t explicitly threatened? Kweli has said he doesn’t like being pigeonholed by the designation, and the release of his sixth…
James Yardley may be best known for the brutally intense hardcore he doled out in V-tech Orchid or the dark and moody psychedelic rock he dealt in with Pinkku, but with Hawks and Doves, he brings an unexpectedly reverent evocation of bluesy, psychedelic classic rock. Combining acoustic and sinuously energized…
Before his recent move to Brooklyn, pianist Erik Deutsch spent a decade on the Colorado jazz scene. Fingerprint, issued by Boulder’s Sterling Circle label, symbolizes the transition, since it incorporates strong musicians from both his residences, old and new. The locals include cornetist Ron Miles, guitarist Ross Martin and Janet…
Trey Anastasio, The Horseshoe Curve (Rubber Jungle Records). Even folks who hadn’t heard that Anastasio pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance last April would know he was on drugs by listening to Horseshoe, a disc in which his guitar is almost always in the background. Nonetheless,…
There’s nothing worse than attending a concert knowing you’ll have to endure an evening of mediocre music and posturing just to hear a group’s one and only hit. You could always arrive late, but odds are good that the band will drag the night out, holding the audience at bay…
If your idea of surf tunes consists solely of Jan & Dean, “Wipeout” and “that Pulp Fiction song,” then buckle up, because Slacktone is not your father’s surf music. At various times throughout rock history, waves of surf bands have crashed onto the shores, and Slacktone is widely considered by…
If you take your name from a Syd Barrett song, your music had better be memorably catchy and downright weird. And it wouldn’t hurt if your singer sounded like he was constantly on the verge of sailing off the edge of reality. Italian group Jennifer Gentle has nailed these requirements…
Underworld is the rare dance-music act that has it all: a distinctively idiosyncratic sound composed of a progressive house backbone spiked with elements of techno, breakbeat, ambient and splashes of pop and rock and roll. To that, Underworld adds genuine songcraft, ending up with great tracks that complement its monster…
In “Piss and Vinegar,” a new song by Against Me! (currently touring with David Dondero and Matt & Kim), lead singer Tom Gabel advises music commentators to be “a little less professional, a little more up front and confrontational.” On August 14, he may have taken a similar approach during…
I was once in Mandeville, Louisiana, just across the lake from New Orleans, for a reunion of sorts at my grandmother’s house. I’m pretty sure I’m the only one in the family who doesn’t like seafood; it’s a long story, but I’m sure it’s got something to do with my…
With a keen sense of pacing and melody, the music of Widowers has drawn easy comparisons to psychedelic-tinged pop from the ’60s. But anyone who has seen Mike Marchant and company’s handful of shows thus far knows that they’ve already moved beyond their influences and have established a sound and…
Telefon Tel Aviv spoons up heaping portions of warm, soothing synth tones over light, crisp breakbeats and blippy, chirping percussive sounds. Along the way, the act touches on some light classical influences and a hint of the soulful, synthetic R&B that’s become such a big part of the chill-out sound…
The Widowers, Bad Weather California, The Dirty Projectors September 4, 2007 hi-dive Better than: Two out of three isn’t bad, right? It’s fun to have your expectations shredded, so I have to thank the Widowers for the fun. They were surprisingly accessible for a band made up mostly of members…
Cowboy Curse, Cat-a-tac, Apples in Stereo August 31, 2007 The Bluebird Better than: Any other fruit you could name. Slide Show It’s refreshing when a show starts on time. Cowboy Curse, opening for the Apples in Stereo, took the stage less than five minutes after the scheduled start time of…
