Category Archives: music news

Old Tiger Release Live Album, Plan 1/29 Show at Eleven

Photo credit: Michael Klayman

San Diego soul revivalists and YouTube aficionados Old Tiger may be best known for their song “Free” — which features the lyric, “If you want to be free, baby that’s alright” — but sweet assurances aren’t the only thing they’re giving away.

The trio — comprised of vocalist Dustin Longstreth, bassist Matt Philips, and drummer Eric Boone — also have no qualms about sharing their music with you. Just recently, they recorded a live album — mysteriously titled Live — which you can get gratis at their BandCamp page. Last year, the band also gave away their EP, the 3-song Definitive Collection (it’s now available for a mere $3 at the same location). Basically, between the soulful sounds and fan-friendly philosophy, Old Tiger are the band that keeps on giving.

In addition to Live, the Motown/Stax-inspired band is gearing up for another successful year, which they’ll officially kick off January 29 at the curiously named and numbered bar Eleven. If that, combined with the free live album, doesn’t inspire you to get your dancin’ shoes on, Styletones lead singer Stevie Harris, his band the Hi Stax, and Black Hondo will be there too. Though, if you do decide to put on your dancin’ shoes, make sure you tie the laces — we worry about you.

Book Review: “Life” by Keith Richards

Upon hearing that Keith Richards was writing a biography, my first thought was, “Wow, how can he even remember what happened, given his proclivity for illicit drug use and all-around hell raising?” Now, having finished the book, I am even more amazed at the vividness of his recollections. Everything is there that you would expect, including the requisite sex, drugs and rock and roll. But it’s the unexpected things in Life that enrich the reader’s experience and provide a genuine sense of historical context about how the The Rolling Stones thrived in the midst of such a socially volatile time.

Every man dreams of being in Keith Richards’ shoes at one point or another. After all, this man is the archetypal rock star: living a life of excess, denying himself no pleasure, and keeping the world perpetually at his fingertips. In recent years, Richards has become a pop culture caricature — a Hollywood pirate, an old dude who should have croaked years ago, the crazy guy who snorted his father’s ashes. There’s a degree of truth to all of those characterizations, but if Life is any indication, the man is much more than that. Continue reading…

Sharon Van Etten Shares the Love

MP3: Sharon Van Etten – “Don’t Do It”
MP3: Sharon Van Etten – “Love More”

Sharon Van Etten‘s 2010 effort, Epic, wound up on more year-end lists than she could count on two hands — winning over influential outlets like NPR, The LA Times, Stereogum, and The Washington Post. But while Van Etten was surely happy to receive the praise, the Brooklyn songstress was also busy doing other things, like recording a new soon-to-be best album of the year in the garage of The National‘s Aaron Dessner.

Van Etten credits her success to a “relentless” 2010 touring schedule, and she plans for 2011 to be no different: she recently confirmed a headlining U.S. tour that includes a European stint with The National, three days at SxSW, and a gig at San Diego’s Soda Bar. More information on her new album is yet to be released, but for the full list of tour dates, see below. Continue reading…

Jonathan Huffman Breaks the Mold

Jonathan Huffman just sold all his stuff.

The Redlands native has called San Diego home since the age of 12, but has decided to embark upon a new beginning. In the coming weeks, the musician/filmmaker will move to a commune in Chico, CA, where he’ll write and record a full-length album, all while documenting the process as a weekly web series titled Mr. Huffman’s Opus. Continue reading…

A Mighty Wind Blows In

The Wind don’t do anything half-assed. Whereas most bands scramble to amass enough top-shelf material to fill an album, the members of the San Diego/Long Beach four-piece decided to set themselves apart by releasing the double-disc, 23-song Harum-Scarum as their debut, and there isn’t a moment of filler on it. Continue reading…