Even if “Lean On Me” has been played a billion times, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s a great song. And even though Bill Withers basically retired from music in 1985, the fact that he’s a great songwriter remains.
Aside from the numerous Grammys Withers has won since his retirement (thanks to re-recordings and samples taken from his songs), little news has come from the Withers camp — until now. On May 11, filmmakers Damani Baker and Alex Vlack released “Still Bill,” a documentary about their quest to track him down. Continue reading…
Shout Out Louds could have been just another casualty of the sophomore slump. Their second album, 2007’s Our Ill Wills, was met with a tepid reception by fans and critics, who criticized it for being over-produced and lifting too heavily from bands like The Cure.
Those complaints have been silenced with Work, the Swedish band’s triumphant return to form. Shout Out Louds have never sounded this driven or vital, thanks to some captivating, no-nonsense arrangements, adhesive melodies, and Phil Ek’s gleaming production.
San Diegans will get to experience Work standouts “Walls” (MP3), “Fall Hard,” and “Show Me Something New” on May 22nd, when the rejuvenated band joins Freelance Whales and Ok Go for an afternoon show at House of Blues. Tickets for the event can be purchased here.
We sat down with multi-instrumentalist Bebban Stenborg to discuss Shout Out Louds’ revamped approach. Continue reading…
Since the conception of The Antlers’ second full-length album, Hospice, Peter Silberman has lived in a bubble. Nearly a year after self-releasing and touring on Hospice, the rich, layered world of that album has in some ways come to define him. Silberman is an artist who is crucially honest about his own psychology and emotions. He attempts to learn and to differentiate the elements of fiction and reality from his own work, as vividly demonstrated by his lyrics. Continue reading…
Recently, mysterious Memphian Harlan T. Bobo released Sucker, his third album. Just like Bobo’s past efforts — 2007’s I’m Your Man and his 2006 debut Too Much Love — Sucker is a damn-near-perfect blend of old-school rock and all the good things that ever came out of the Memphis/Detroit/Chicago trifecta. Continue reading…
The Silent Comedy may be known for their foot-stomping, barn-burning concerts, but let it never be said that they’re afraid to show their tender side. Case in point: the video for “Footnotes,” the closing track from their newly-released album Common Faults, brought to you exclusively by your friendly neighborhood Owl and Bear.
Comprised largely of behind-the-scenes footage of the band, “Footnotes” is a rare and intimate look into the lives of not just The Silent Comedy, but professional musicians in general. From the recording studio to the stage to the long van ride home, the Kevin and Rebecca Joelson-directed video captures the weary beauty behind each fleeting moment.
Singer/bassist Joshua Zimmerman was overwhelmed when he saw the finished product. “The recording of Common Faults was a drawn-out process, so it is strange to see that period of time compressed into several minutes,” Zimmerman said. “We went through dramatic changes and learned a lot over the months that it took us to make the record.” For more insight into the making of the album, check out our recent interview with the band.
The Silent Comedy will be celebrating the fruits of their labor tonight at El Dorado with a special, band-hosted Mustache Party. The 21+ event will feature screenings of “Footnotes” and the new “’49” video, photos by Style Shark, giveaways, and various other whiskey-fueled, facial-hairy surprises. The event starts at 9pm, so head on over to El Dorado and knock one back with the boys.