Tag Archives: the strokes

The Very

Poetic Memory: The Very (List)

The Very

MP3: The Very – “Shattered Up Mirror”

Philip Inzunza and Alex “Lex” Pratt were tired of ’90s grunge ripoff bands, so they set out to stand out from the crowd. Continue reading…

Owl and Bear’s Best Albums of 2011

2011 was a mixed bag. Established acts like Radiohead and The Strokes dropped duds on trusting fans, while middle-of-the-road acts like The Drums and Hunx and His Punx raised the bar with surprising sophomore efforts. Floundering bands like Iron & Wine and The Dodos made welcome returns to glory, while others merely treaded water (see She and Him’s Christmas album or MGMT’s “mix tape.”) Continue reading…

Owl and Bear’s Most Anticipated Albums of 2011

As a music fan, I’m waiting for the release that defines the new decade. You know what I’m talking about; every 10 years or so, a band comes out of nowhere with the perfect storm of style, lyrics, and — oh yeah — music.

The 80s had Guns ‘N Roses, the 90s Nirvana, and the 2000s gave us The Strokes. Granted, none of those bands dominated for a full 10 years, but they spawned countless imitators, some enjoyable and some terrible. That feeling of uncharted territory and danger rolled up into one is what I miss and am still waiting for. Remember when you first heard “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” or “Last Night”? I’m guessing you were instantly on board, just like I was. Continue reading…