-
Janelle, Erykah, and Santogold Are the Afro-Techno Revolution
‘I’m an alien from outer space/I’m a cybergirl without a face, a heart, or a mind/A product of the man, I’m a product of the man,” declares Janelle Monáe poignantly on Metropolis: The Chase Suite, her brief but striking concept album about love on the run in 2719. Her music—alongside that of fellow slaves to […]
-
GLAMDAMMIT
The crew of Twig the Wonderkid, Michael T., Harley Sears, and Keanan Duffty pay homage to that chameleonic Capricorn David Bowie for the fifth year running. Glamdammit’s event, the fifth annual Bowie Birthday Bash, will feature live performances, projections, go-go erotica, glam makeovers courtesy of Amanda Leigh, and Ziggy Starlet’s tribute to the British Afronaut’s […]
-
BRIDGING THE DIVIDE
Surviving brother Gregg Allman starts off this year of his venerated blues band’s 40th anniversary with this pair of shows at a venue decidedly more intimate than that of the ABB’s perennial March runs. Alongside Eddie Hinton, Gene Clark, and Daryl Hall, the late, great Skydog’s babe bruh was the only white-skinned singer of his […]
-
Bettye LaVette
Scene of the Crime, one of 2007’s finest albums, was the sublime, Southern, rockin’ product of Michigan blues singer Bettye LaVette. The veteran diva came by the authority of her voice—and the disc’s multifaceted, Muscle Shoals–minted brilliance—via decades of hard times since debuting at 16. Now possessed of the sensual charm of the woman of […]
-
COUNTRY GOT SOUL
Signed to Capitol only in 2007, Nashville’s Lady Antebellum has already made hay by opening for Martina McBride on tour, landing a song on MTV’s The Hills, and scoring a New Artist of the Year CMA. Yet for all of these heady moves, the two-year-old trio of Charles Kelley, Dave Haywood, and Hilary Scott doesn’t […]
-
FROM KENTUCKY TO KALAKUTA
These Kentuckians’ “Highly Suspicious” was the jam of the year (even sans obligatory Weezy guest spot), demonstrating there’s still juice in electro-rock and blue-eyed soul. On the latter tip, My Morning Jacket‘s head volume dealer, Jim James, rocked the Gran Manzana well in ’08, going seamlessly from channeling Rockwell on this cut at Radio City […]
-
LIVING IN OBAMAMERICA
“Rock your Faces, Mix the Races” has been the indelible motto of BK’s own Earl Greyhound for a spell now. And it’s turned out to be the most prescient slogan for millennial America since the Pointer Sisters harmonized on “Yes We Can Can.” This trio not only presaged the era of Barack ‘N’ Roll, but […]
-
HAIL, HAIL, ROCK AND ROLL
In this year of Bo Diddley’s passing, we should be even more grateful that we’ve got the greatest articulator of rock and roll still duck-walking among us. Aside from Fats Domino (almost undone by Katrina), the Georgia Peach Little Richard, and the Killer, Chuck Berry is the last vital founder of rock and roll, virtually […]
-
ROCK TO ROLL
There’s always more to love about this downtown icon enshrouded by the myths of the beautiful loser and classic rock’s blue-collar blues. Jesse Malin‘s own wordy, sharp odes to working-class heroes and the highs and lows of street life deserve far more laurels than they’ve gotten. Perhaps his detour into covers territory will garner the […]
-
ROBO PARTY DON’T STOP
Brooklyn rhyme king Talib Kweli is a well-known entity around these parts, but it’s the intriguing presence of two independent rockin’ sistas in this supergroup that makes this evening’s prospects exciting. Philly soul gal Res—a/k/a Shareese Renée Ballard—came up through that city’s black boho Black Lily scene in the late ’90s, and made a splash […]