February 2008

How does a magazine make the somewhat scary leap from print to online without letting go of its avant-indie roots? Sentimentalist Magazine is sorting it all out while remaining dedicated to our original mission: bringing you our favorite new music and culture on the verge of making a splash, all in the most captivating way we can. We’ll never ditch our readership, so don’t you fret. We’ll never sell our souls for the corporate media either. It’s indeed a challenge to stay afloat amidst all the big business music media glossies and splashy sites out there, but we always love a good challenge. The best art does not come easy. Thanks for reading and please do check in with your lovely e-mails and continue to let us know how we’re doing with the relaunch. And whoever said an online magazine can’t do a monthly “cover”? This lovely Raveonettes spotlight is sure to entice you.

Cheers,

Madeline

In This Issue...

The Raveonettes: Lust like Candy

Sune Rose Wagner of the Raveonettes doesn’t go out on the big town that much. And when he does, it’s probably just to get some groceries at a bodega near his apartment in the East Village, but generally, as he says, it’s to walk. He really digs walking. Ditto for the symphony. In the [...]

February 12th, 2008 | 3 comments | Continued

The Hives: A More Perfect Hives

“There was a rumor that circulated on our website that our album would be called The World’s First Perfect Record,” says Hives guitarist Nicholas Arson, and knowing the near-immodest sense of confidence that the Swedish quintet has displayed in the past, it’s surprising that the title didn’t stick. Even so, when the fourth Hives [...]

February 12th, 2008 | 1 comment | Continued

NYLON Magazine with The Kills at Bowery Ballroom, NYC, 02.11.08

Dressed in an animal print shirt and roughed-up gold boots, Alison Mosshart (V.V.) of London band The Kills prowls the stage like a tigress in heat, while her partner in music (and against the world) Jamie Hince (Hotel) manically assaults his guitar. To call this duo “sexy” would be trivial, trite, even. To sum them [...]

February 12th, 2008 | 1 comment | Continued

The Rock Mathletics of Oxfordshire’s Foals

Foals have been taking math rock in a whole new direction- straight to the dancefloor. Their geek chic approach has won over the indie contingent in the UK with appearances on trendy new television series Skins, not to mention, by supporting Bloc Party on their winter tour. The Oxford-based quintet, led by Yannis Philippakis, has [...]

February 12th, 2008 | 1 comment | Continued

Lightspeed Champion: Dev Hynes Swooning Clever (Or, the Art of Eating Sandwiches)

I’m sitting in a hip java joint in the heart of Shoreditch and Dev Hynes, aka Lightspeed Champion walks in, sporting his trademark beanie, weighed down with his guitar and accoutrements, nervously clutching a thick book emblazoned with Spiderman on the cover. Little did I know that Hynes has been commissioned to do his [...]

February 12th, 2008 | 2 comments | Continued

Alberta Cross: Heartbreakers, Wild Turkey and UK Blues

What do you get when you mix an East Londoner and a Swede who share a love of the blues, mix in some early sounds of Neil Young, add a dash of The Band, and sprinkle in a little Van? I didn’t know until I listened to Alberta Cross’ EP, The Thief and The Heartbreaker, [...]

February 12th, 2008 | 1 comment | Continued

Jack Penate: Real English Shoes and the Top Ten

From the moment Jack Peñate took the stage during his gig at the Mercury Lounge, I could not take my eyes off his shoes. His kicks shifted and shimmied across the stage, sometimes carrying him through the air, as he jubilantly leaped and frolicked during riffs. The burnt sienna leather was worn and ravaged, [...]

February 12th, 2008 | 1 comment | Continued

The Whip: Flying the Flag

I’m not even going to attempt to describe the musical goldmine that is Manchester, England. Having boasted the birth of The Smiths, Joy Division, New Order, James, Oasis and countless more, Manchester is the capital of the Northern music scene and is currently a proud parent of another kind of music dynamo, The Whip. [...]

February 12th, 2008 | Continued

Cut Off Your Hands: New Zealand’s Lovestruck Punks

New Zealand doesn’t have much of a reputation for churning out indie bands, but Cut Off Your Hands are about to change that as they begin to take over the Western Hemisphere with their brand of hyper, heart-pounding, love-struck punk. 2007 was a good year for the boys, being Levity Records’ first signing and [...]

February 12th, 2008 | 4 comments | Continued

Air Traffic: Signals and Melody

Air Traffic, from the windy coast of Bournemouth, UK, may be poised as the new Coldplay or Keane in British press (and have also been more creatively referred to sounding like “Supergrass covering Little Richard” in NME), but don’t let that piano and incredible octave range of frontman Chris Wall fool you. This band’s [...]

February 12th, 2008 | 2 comments | Continued

Now Hear This: Dasher

Some bands may flaunt the cliché “we’re big in Japan” even if they’ve played there once to an empty room, but Brooklyn’s Dasher can honestly boast about something far more exclusive–the fact that they were recently number one on the charts in Peru. Their current lineup came into being in spring 2007 in NYC, having [...]

February 12th, 2008 | Continued