Album Review: Whiteout Conditions by The New Pornographers

The New Pornographers front man, A.C. Newman, once said in an interview with Big Takeover magazine that he would like to be able to write different kinds of music but he only knows how to write one kind.  When you have the market cornered of catchy power pop riffs and inter-playing, male and female harmonies I say, "If it ain't broke don't fix it".

Album Review: Rheia by Oathbreaker

How awesome is the name "Oathbreaker" for a metal band?

Album Review: Sorceress by Opeth

Performance trumps originality.

Album Review: 100 By The Hunna

When an Indie Rock band from England that already has 100k followers on Facebook get ready to drop their debut album in the States you best be ready to listen up.

Album Review: This Album Does Not Exist by DREAMERS

The best summer adventures come from unexpected places. Meet the unexpected soundtrack to your summer adventures.

Album Review: Gone is Gone by Gone is Gone

If music be made of magic then Gone is Gone be the new summoning call of Cthulhu.  Be careful what you wish for.  Your wish is their command.

Album Review: Love & Other Crimes by Masked Intruder

Take the chord progressions from your parents 50's era Rock'n' Roll, run it through an amp, and take the Power-Pop-Punk knob and turn it up to 11.  That is the new Masked Intruder EP, Love & Other Crimes.

Album Review: Impulse by BOYFRNDZ

Every summer needs a soundtrack. You know, that one album that defines everything that happens – all the fun, all the adventure, all the mistakes and heartache.

For me that album just might be Impulse by BOYFRNDZ.

Album Review: Waiting on Cool by Heyrocco

Heyrocco released their debut album, Teenage Movie Soundtrack, last year on Old Flame Records.  Why the new EP, Waiting on Cool, so early in 2016?  Because change is in the air, and it is fucking awesome!

Album Review: By Default by Band of Skulls

After years of constant touring and accomplishing all that they've set out to do musically, what's next for the Band of Skulls?  They tore the motherfucker down and built something even better.  That's what's next.

Album Review: A Moon Shaped Pool by Radiohead

Dear Tool,

Please take Radiohead's lead.  Sometimes you just have to stop over thinking everything and just do what you do best.  Make hauntingly beautiful music.

Just To Get Through to You: An Interview with Nick Thompson of Hit The Lights

Pop punksters, Hit The Lights, are hitting the road in support of 2015's Summer Bones.  As an added surprise they are releasing the accoustic EP Just to Get Through to You with five classic songs reworked acoustically and the brand new track "Lighthouse".  The acoustic tracks take on a life of their own and show incredible growth for the band.  Lead singer Nick Thompson took time out of his busy tour schedule to talk to us about it.

Divides: An Interview with Ally Dickaty of The Virginmarys

I've been listening to The Virginmarys for a while now.  I first heard them via the kick ass song below, which I've given heavy rotation to when I'm at the gym, and well, everywhere, actually.

Album Review: Man About Town by Mayer Hawthorne

A Strange Arrangement invoked 60's Motown.  How Do You Do dabbled with 70's Philly Soul.  Where Does This Door Go brought the 80's Funk.  Where will Man About Town take us?

Album Review: Rockingham by Nerf Herder

90’s pop punk was an art form.  It was infectious and goofy yet hard to master.  Sure, there were bands like Blink 182 and Weezer but the rest of the landscape was cluttered with one hit wonders.  Where does Nerf Herder fall on that timeline?

Album Review: Traveller by Chris Stapleton

I have a network of music friends.  Whenever I am feeling uninspired by today's music I reach out to them to see what music has grabbed their attention.  I recently asked my friend Scott Colvin who is a writer and editor for #CMchat.  Yes, #CMchat is a country music website, but Scott and I go way back and I know his roots are in punk and indie.  I asked him what music he has been spinning and he said Chris Stapleton.  I had seen Chris's name pop up in Facebook feeds but I hadn't heard his music.  Scott said it was a must.  He said his music would hit me in the gut.

Album Review: Mister Asylum by Highly Suspect

My long time friend, Rho, has pretty excellent taste in music.  Sometimes our tastes don't coincide, sometimes they do, but we always seem to glean something from each other's lists.  She checked out my Top Songs of 2015 playlist and I was thrilled when she made one of her own.  That's how I first heard of the band Highly Suspect.

New Music Discovery: Animals EP by MAYVE

At My Music, My Concerts, My Life, we get a large amount of unsolicited requests to review new bands. We've always said "no." We want new music discovery to come to us the old-fashioned way—word of mouth. For some reason when MAYVE contacted us and asked if we'd review their new EP Animals, I said "yes." Without even listening to the band first. It's hard to tell if it was a moment of clarity or a change of heart but I was prepared for this to be either good...or a very large mistake. What I wasn't prepared for was what I heard.

Album Review: Love Stuff by Elle King

I pay for a Spotify membership so I can hear the latest music as early as I can.  Ironically, I've found very little new music there this summer that I like.  It was my tradition until a few months ago to religiously check the Spotify new releases every Tuesday night to find my new musical fixes.  Most Tuesdays now, I forget to even check Spotify.  Yeah, it's been that bad, my fellow music geeks.

Album Review - Jason Isbell / Something More Than Free

I don't like a lot of country music.  This, however, is exactly the kind of country that I like.