Recently I was exposed to yet another Australian band making serious waves in the music scene, albeit sad I am reaching back into 2009 to uncover this gem called Sound Awake by the band Karnivool. The band name stems from the fact all the members were originally described as “a bunch of clowns”...

Eleven years ago, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynold released Live at Luther College, a 2-disc acoustic album that showcased a measure of talent that most music fans in the 90’s simply weren’t used to hearing. Jaws dropped worldwide as Tim redefined the term ‘accompanying musician,’...

A couple weeks ago, I stumbled upon an NPR interview with emerging British group Mumford & Sons which began by posing a question of labels. The interviewer asked the group if the classification ‘folk-rock’ was an appropriate label for their music. Lead singer and band namesake, Marcus...

After the holidays every year there always seems to be a lull in the music scene. Whether it is little new music coming out or a lack of live performances, this time of year can be a challenge for the avid music listener. Luckily for me, I stumbled across a musical gold mine recently and am ashamed to...

Ever come across something that harkens back to your youth?  I’m sure you have at some point.  One day, as I’m rummaging through stuff at a friend’s house, I came across this.  I saw the words “indie rock coloring book” and was immediately hooked.  Like a little kid,...

Winter has a way of dragging along… a way of trapping us in her ongoing, colorless frigidity. Longing for an escape from the drabness, I have been rescued by the band The Soft Pack. The Los Angeles garage-punk rockers from San Diego issue a reminder that summer is just around the corner with their...

One starry night, after a few drinks on a front porch somewhere, my buddy Jacob asks, “If you could see a show by any band, past or present, in any location in the world, what would it be?” Jacob asks great questions, and people who ask good questions deserve good answers. Many quiet moments...

From the first few notes of Midlake’s third full-length album, The Courage of Others, you can tell there is something different than the bands previous releases.  Dark.  Deep.  Gentle.  These are a few descriptions that aptly fit with the elegance that brews on this album.  It is easy to see...

Not too long ago, I was talking music with a friend of mine when he asked if I had heard of a band called The Rural Alberta Advantage. After I replied that I hadn’t, he described them to me as, “a genius mix of Ra Ra Riot, Connor Oberst, and Bloc Party.” I was immediately intrigued because Bloc...

Every time a new year begins I find it essential to seek out new and different experiences and broaden my horizons to keep life from growing stale. Consider it an annual right of passage. This year I am looking forward to the sea change that will pour over the music scene, as it does every year, and...