Confidence, or perhaps arrogance, has always been a defining part of great rock ‘n’ roll bands. But Fiery Furnaces, a bluesy, psychedelic rock duo playing at The Echo on Jan. 30, is more concerned about making funny noises than filling Madison Square Garden. “I don’t know if we have any fans,” said Matthew Friedberger, the […]
Author Archives: David Greenwald
L.A. band Stafford seeks ensemble sound
Being a rock band in Los Angeles is a lot like applying to college with a perfect SAT score. It may open some doors, but there’s no guarantee of success. “(Los Angeles) is a double-edge sword,” said Mark Chipello of local group Stafford. “You’ve got every club with five bands (a night), but there’s so […]
Folk stylist Mark Kozelak’s solo performance hypnotizes crowd
Submerged in a sea of bling-bling rap and garage rock is a growing pool of talented singer-songwriters. Along with musicians like Iron & Wine and Ryan Adams, Mark Kozelek is at the forefront of this movement. One of the most quietly prolific songwriters of the last decade, Kozelek has brought his angelic singing and Nick […]
Soundbites: The Walkman "Bows And Arrows" Record
The Walkmen “Bows And Arrows” Record Emerging from waves of crashing cymbals and fuzzed-out guitars comes a raw, angry wail. “And when you’re coming around, you’ll be sorry for the things you said,” yells Hamilton Leithauser, lead singer of New York post-punk band The Walkmen. “Bows And Arrows,” their new album, is a natural progression […]
[Online] Songwriter’s emotional performance far from “˜eerie’
A mountain of a songwriter came to UCLA last Thursday. Phil Elvrum, playing under the new moniker Mt. Eerie, strummed and sang his way through a warm, intimate performance at Kerckhoff Grand Salon in the early afternoon. Formerly known and critically acclaimed as The Microphones, Elvrum’s current tour with Japanese singer-songwriter Nikaido Kazumi features a […]
Heavy metal revival: Roughing up the Ball
Facing declining sales and an industry-wide slump, record companies seem ready to shrug off the corporate bubble-gum pop of the past few years and start supporting a genuine sound. MTV’s “Headbangers Ball,” a show featuring solely heavy metal music videos, has returned to the airwaves eight years after its cancellation. “Since it went off the […]
Trio slams stereotypes, has “˜past-present-future sound’
The average rap song exists for one reason: “Shake ya tail feather!” proclaims Nelly and P. Diddy’s hit from last summer. The dance floor is all well and good, but sometimes you want more out of your music. Enter the Procussions. “There’s a whole lot of everybody doing the same thing,” MC and producer Stro […]