French electro-pop singer/songwriter Émilie Simon recorded her new album, The Big Machine (Le Plan), in New York City three years ago. Working on the dozen-track LP, she was assisted by the likes of Kelly Pratt and Jeremy Gara (Arcade Fire), Jon Natchez (Beirut), Mark Plati (David Bowie, Cure) and British author Graham Joyce (who cowrote [...]
Every Saturday, we’ll be posting a new illustration by David Lester. The Mecca Normal guitarist is visually documenting people, places and events from his band’s 27-year run, with text by vocalist Jean Smith. Carol’s exposure to political activism was limited to inadvertently being present during the Tompkins Square Park riot in 1988 when she lived [...]
Marcellus Hall first made a name for himself as the frontman of Railroad Jerk, which released four albums on Matador between 1990 and 1996 before breaking up. Hall and RJ drummer Dave Varenka went on to form White Hassle the next year, issuing a handful of records until disbanding in 2005. These days, Hall is [...]
In 2004, Colour Revolt frontman Jesse Coppenbarger started El Obo as a side project for songs that didn’t fit into what his main band was doing. A mere seven years later sees the release of Oxford Basement Collection (Esperanza Plantation), which compiles tracks he recorded at multiple studios and with the assistance of musicians such [...]
Ever wonder what will happen during the last five minutes of late-night TV talk shows? Here are tonight’s notable performers: The Late Show With David Letterman (CBS): Morning Teleportation Rerun from May 4. Morning Teleportation is performed the title track off its Isaac Brock-produced debut LP, Expanding Anyway. The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (NBC): [...]
Marcellus Hall first made a name for himself as the frontman of Railroad Jerk, which released four albums on Matador between 1990 and 1996 before breaking up. Hall and RJ drummer Dave Varenka went on to form White Hassle the next year, issuing a handful of records until disbanding in 2005. These days, Hall is [...]
The Seattle-based power poppers in Curtains For You are back with their third album on August 23. After Nights Without Sleep (Spark & Shine) follows 2009′s What A Lovely Surprise To Wake Up Here and is highly recommended if you dig bands such as the Posies, Jellyfish or Zumpano. (And really, who doesn’t?) But if [...]
Marcellus Hall first made a name for himself as the frontman of Railroad Jerk, which released four albums on Matador between 1990 and 1996 before breaking up. Hall and RJ drummer Dave Varenka went on to form White Hassle the next year, issuing a handful of records until disbanding in 2005. These days, Hall is [...]
MAGNET fave Joseph Arthur just issued The Graduation Ceremony (Lonely Astronaut), and it’s an absolute stunner. The album is his first solo LP since 2006′s Nuclear Daydream and the follow-up to last year’s Fistful Of Mercy (a collaboration with Ben Harper and Dhani Harrison). To mark the release of The Graduation Ceremony, Arthur performing 10 [...]
