Tag Archives: Johnny Cash

Live Review: M. Ward at the Belly Up, April 16, 2012

MP3: M. Ward – “Primitive Girl”
Full album stream: M. Ward – A Wasteland Companion

In between Coachella weekends, bands looking to capitalize on their downtime fanned out to L.A., Vegas, San Diego, and elsewhere. By some stroke of luck, San Diego got M. Ward, who played to a sold-out Belly Up crowd last Monday. Continue reading…

Live Review: Pete Johnson and Jus’ Blues, Baby at the Belly Up, December 2, 2011

Source: MySpace

After spending some time on a trip to the Mississippi Delta, I came to a clear understanding of the difference between what type of blues the average consumer hears and the authentic article. The “real stuff” has more grit than polish, more angst than emo, and there’s a deep appreciation for sincerity in every note. And, like so many wonderful things that come from that area, it’s also nearly impossible to find outside of the Delta. Continue reading…

Poetic Memory: Ivan & Alyosha (List)

MP3: Ivan & Alyosha – “Glorify”

In Fyodor Dostoevsky’s final novel, The Brothers Karamazov, Ivan reads a parable to Alyosha called “The Grand Inquisitor,” in which Jesus returns to earth during the Spanish Inquisition, only to be arrested and sentenced to death by the church. This take on human nature is regarded as one of the most important passages in modern literature.

It’s that kind of source material that lends Ivan and Alyosha — an indie-folk outfit named after the novel — their air of intrigue. New light will be shed on the Seattle quartet, however, as it plays SxSW and travels the West Coast like a band of Karamazov brothers. Ivan and Alyosha are touring to support their new Fathers Be Kind EP, a harmonious collection of soulful, sincere songs with a pop sensibility to match, and they play the Tin Can Ale House on March 24th.

Band member Tim Kim was kind enough to send us a list of the songs inspiring the guys as they travel, and you can read it below. Continue reading…