“Prescription Kills,” one of the catchier tunes on the Daily Afflictions’ new CD, Dive On In, pivots on the phrase “blah, blah, bullshit.” And while these words can’t be applied to the disc itself, production woes prevent the al-bum from making much of an impression. Lead singer Timothy Ott’s voice…
A more accurate title for Carrie Underwood’s latest effort would be Kiddie Coaster, because this is one boring ride. The sophomore release from country music’s favorite Idol provides few thrills as it mechanically runs around in circles, all the while showing just how little Underwood has matured as a vocalist…
Eagles Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit may all love music, but they don’t make it collectively unless there’s a mammoth payday involved. Maybe that’s why this set, which is being released through a profit-maximizing deal with Wal-Mart, seems more inspired by commerce than art. The…
60 Watt Kid, 60 Watt Kid (Absolutely Kosher). On their eponymous debut, San Francisco Kids Kevin Litrow, Derek Thomas and Garrett Pierce strike an appropriate balance between the twisted past and the unknowable future. On cuts such as “Every Day” and “Time of Mad Scientists,” the three pit retro keys…
The term “art rock” has fallen out of favor in recent years, largely because of its close association with certain pretentious and tedious ’70s-era acts. (Can I name one of the worst offenders? The answer is…Yes!) Last year, however, a gaggle of enterprising locals decided to resurrect the descriptor by…
So I’m driving up that hill on McCaslin Boulevard just before South Boulder Road, and this guy in a station wagon is merging into my lane, only he’s not really merging — he’s speeding up when he should be putting on the brakes and letting me pass. I move over…
There’s something innately impressive about being the DJ with the most releases in the Global Underground series, arguably the best known and best respected series of DJ mix albums. And Nick Warren (due at the Church on Thursday, November 1) has six excellent releases in the collection. Those mixes, coupled…
Update: Click here and here for live blog coverage of the entire event. Chuck Morris is an icon. His legacy in this town has already been firmly established, and he’s really got nothing left to prove to anyone — except, perhaps, himself. And since he’s successfully promoted concerts here for…
The conversation with Northern State’s Julie Potash found in this blog isn’t her first chat with Westword. She spoke with the paper in the fall of 2003 in advance of a planned performance in the Denver area, and the interview formed the basis of a full-length profile – but when…
Minus the Bear, the Helio Sequence and Grand Archives October 29, 2007 Gothic Theatre Better than: Flying to the Northwest to see each of these bands. When it comes to concerts, sometimes it’s better to go in blind but with open ears, where you hardly have any expectations and just…
Blackalicious took much of their set from Blazing Arrow. Crown City Rockers, Mighty Underdogs and Blackalicious October 27, 2007, Fox Theatre Better than: Dropping a grand on tickets to the Museum of Contemporary Art opening. There were only a handful of people in the building for the all-ages show when…
Nathan and Stephen, Panther, and Architecture in Helsinki Ogden Theatre October 26, 2007 Better than: The effect three serious, sad-bastard groups would have had on my mood. Check our this slide show from the concert. Less than half an hour after the doors opened, and no more than ten minutes…
Busdriver, Daedelus and Antimc October 27, 2007, hi-dive Better than: Watching the Rockies lose game 3. There was a ton of Halloween stuff (and the Series as well) going on around town, so these guys picked a less than ideal night to hit town. But Antimc got the sparse crowd…
Here’s a sample of the best of last week’s music blogging from around the Village Voice Media empire: If the words “Sex Pistols reunion show” fill you with disgust and hatred read ” target=”_blank”>this. Hell, read it even if they don’t, it’s good. The world’s greatest living music writer ruminates…
Birdy, Tiny Television, Hello Kavita, Three Cheers Faraday October 25, 2007 Larimer Lounge Better than: Watching the Rockies lose Game 2. An all-local bill of relatively mellow bands on a weeknight during the second game of the World Series shouldn’t have had a chance in hell to draw a decent…
On her current single, “So Small,” from her latest effort, Carnival Ride — out this week on the Arista imprint — Carrie Underwood sings the lines: “Go ahead and let the light shine through/I know it’s hard on a rainy day/You wanna shut the world out and just be left…
More than a decade ago, Michael Roberts wrote a piece on the intricacies of the Colorado Rockies’ in-game entertainment, including how the music was selected at Coors Field. While it sometimes seems like there’s no rhyme or reason to what’s being played — seriously, Huey freaking Lewis?! — turns out…
I should get the dictionary out,” says Nathaniel Rateliff, “and look up the word I’m trying to say.” It’s rare for a prolific songwriter like Rateliff to be at a loss for words. But right now he is. Sitting in the living room of his home in the Baker neighborhood,…
If Marco Benevento hadn’t needed to take a leak so badly, the fascinating instrumental combo known as the Benevento Russo Duo might never have existed. Benevento, who specializes in the Hammond B-3 and other keyboards, and Joe Russo, a wonderfully colorful drummer, grew up in the same New Jersey town…
The members of Architecture in Helsinki wrote their latest effort, Places Like This, via instant messages. Late last year, Cameron Bird, the band’s singer and founder, moved to Brooklyn, while his bandmates, who are now scattered across the globe, stayed behind in Melbourne, Australia. The six sent demos back and…
In 2002, Maroon 5 released Songs About Jane, which went on to sell something like a bajillion copies around the world. Consequently, the band hit the road for so many years that it didn’t have time to record anything other than live albums until this year’s It Won’t Be Soon…
Debbie Davies, Blues Blast (Telarc). Having honed her chops behind stalwarts Albert Collins and John Mayall, Debbie Davies knows how to come out swinging. On Blues Blast, she scores a knockout thanks to her icy-cool attack and the help of Tab Benoit, Charlie Musselwhite and Coco Montoya. If you thought the blues were dead, think again…
