Recent Articles in Interviews
Gary Lightbody is Always ‘Up’ to Something
Gary Lightbody, eternally on tour, has just woken up somewhere in Middle America. I know this because he tells me so, and because the words aren’t coming as easily as the garrulous singer would like, given the earlier hour he’s been asked to rise to discuss Snow Patrol’s first greatest-hits compilation, Up to Now, and new single “Just Say Yes.”
The High Life on the Highline with Basement Jaxx
There is nothing like a crisp autumn day chatting with one-half of the dynamic duo that is South London’s Basement Jaxx (Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe). Buxton was in high spirits despite a packed day of press and a schedule that would take the boys to Chicago to deejay a rave…
Echo & the Bunnymen: Stirring ‘The Fountain’
One of the standout tracks on Echo & the Bunnymen’s excellent new record, The Fountain, finds Ian “Mac the Mouth” McCulloch enjoying a rather tongue-in-cheek conversation with Jesus Christ. That Mac would place himself in this situation on “Shroud of Turin” is no surprise, given the singer’s infamous ego, wit and penchant for snark.
Har Mar Superstar: Don’t Believe That Tweet
It took me about a day to realize that Har Mar Superstar was not indeed finger banged by NME writer Alex Hoban. Tours and all of the energy that surround them can provide enough muck for a library of Marquis De Sade novels, so his tweets were quite believable and I was worried.
Dragonette is Poised to Thrill
Canada’s Dragonette seem about ready to explode since the recent release of their second album, Fixin To Thrill. The follow up to 2007’s electro-pop debut, Galore, the new record, while still very danceable, shows more new wave influences. Witty and charming, lead singer Martina Sorbara has all the makings of a pop icon…
Via Tania: Moon Songs and Happenstance
The glamorous, yet humble Via Tania, aka Tania Bowers, wasn’t so sure she wanted to be a front woman until someone suggested she take on the role of singer when she was still a teenager performing music with her sister in Australia, where they grew up. In those days, she wasn’t yet eighteen…
The Mary Onettes: Sink or Swim
It’s only been Gothenburg, Sweden’s The Mary Onettes’ second tour of the U.S., and already fans are singing along to their songs in the farthest reaches of Brooklyn, at places like Union Hall. “I could feel the connection and it made it seem very intimate,” says frontman and main songwriter Philip Ekström.
Tahiti 80: The Most Un-French, French Band There Is
Tahiti 80 take me back to my high school days when I was just discovering the world of European pop music. The late 90s was a goldmine for Euro-poppers to win over US notoriety (and not just the likes of Robyn and The Cardigans). For French bands, there seems to be a continuous dividing line between entering the Anglo world or staying in France to make it.
The Invisible: The Cloaks Are Off
After a warm reception in their native UK (they were nominated for the 2009 Mercury Prize following the release of their debut album in March this year) and extensive touring in the UK and Europe, London trio The Invisible is finally getting introduced to audiences in the U.S.
A Place To Bury Strangers: Sweet Melodies of the Ear-Shattering Kind
The term “ear-splitting shoegaze” may seem a sly oxymoron, but Brooklyn’s A Place To Bury Strangers have never denied there is some truth to that accolade, as well as the one deeming them “New York’s loudest band.” Their own moniker, “Total Sonic Annihilation”, prominently displayed on their MySpace page, confirms they’re proud of their dangerous decibels…
