Judy NelsonIt is always encouraging to find that there are still up-and-coming bands that are earnestly striving to make a dent. In fact, it is hard to imagine there ever being a lack of strivers out there. However, in order to succeed in making an impact, you...
It is only after listening to Parenthetical Girls many times over do you realize why the name of the band is so apt: the song lyrics sound like long stories, ripe for parenthetical sentences. There is an epic nature to Privilege, Pt. 2: The Past...
The word “marathon,” when applied to CMJ is quite literal; it involves a lot of running around from place to place, trying to catch every single bit of amazing music that you can soak up. Here’s some of my favorites from what I was...
The Budos Band is one of the foremost U.S.-based Afrobeat groups performing today. It is no surprise that their third album, simply titled III, takes the listener on a funky journey that will please not only long-time listeners but also those new to...
&nsbp; Santa Monica’s CHIEF falls into the unfortunate category of a band which gives a false first impression: they can enthrall with a taste, with one track — and then let you down dramatically when you encounter the full album. The...
It was the perfect setting for the classic food film, It’s Grits: a sweltering 90+ degree Sunday in a big tent, with everyone fanning themselves with their program booklets, in a venue called the Tobacco Warehouse. It felt like being in the...
BLK JKS released their first US full-length last year, and it made a relatively small ripple in the music pond. This year’s EP Zol! from the South African band promises to make much more of a splash, due mostly to the well-deserved hype that...
Damien Jurado’s new record, Saint Bartlett, is refreshingly pleasant for two reasons: the first is that is sounds like something from the past that you have known and loved. This is not to say that it is derivative necessarily, but that it...