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I spoke recently about the dubious new subgenre “dad-rock.” Is there such a things as mom-rock? If no one has hit upon this idea yet, I’d like to nominate San Francisco’s True Margrit as the first mom-rock band ever. My proof? I am certain that, though she hasn’t heard the
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Folk in this day and age can be a tricky proposition. Lone guitarists singing their diaries tend to evoke unfortunate memories of coffee shop performances and jerky sensitive guys at college parties. As a result, it’s completely understandable that some people bristle at the mention of listening to (or, god
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Can a sandwich hold a grudge? Are its feelings hurt if you get it special ordered? Do sandwiches feel jealousy? Do they ever worry that you’re thinking of another sandwich while you’re eating it? Sandwich-lovers feel all these things. They feel passionately about all things mashed between bread; they feel
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I have always found the world of tattoos and tattoo-lovers to be strange but undeniably beguiling. Though I now inhabit that world (just barely, thanks to my crude — yet-tasteful flamingo tattoo) I still don’t quite understand it. People speak about their future tattoos as if they were talking about
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I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable, and I certainly don’t want to give the wrong idea about this band, but I have something I want to talk about and I’m not sure how you’ll take it. Here goes: What does it mean when you’re turned on by a band?
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I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable, and I certainly don’t want to give the wrong idea about this band, but I have something I want to talk about and I’m not sure how you’ll take it. Here goes: What does it mean when you’re turned on by a band?
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Tacoma has never been lacking in passion. Those who know and love this place are constantly fighting for it. The effects of these efforts aren’t always immediately noticeable, but the final product is a town on the edge — the edge of making it big, of finding its footing in
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If you’re like me, you haven’t danced in a while. How long has it been since you’ve been drunk enough, the music’s been good enough, and the company’s been just right? I’m talking about dancing that makes you look like a loser. I’m talking herky-jerky, spastic flopping with sweat pouring
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As a fan of music, what attracts you to a band? Don’t be afraid; it’s just you and me here. Well, if you ask me (which you didn’t) it boils down to two criteria: exuberance and innovation. We’ll get to exuberance in a second, but first I want to talk
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As a fan of music, what attracts you to a band? Don’t be afraid; it’s just you and me here. Well, if you ask me (which you didn’t) it boils down to two criteria: exuberance and innovation. We’ll get to exuberance in a second, but first I want to talk
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Let’s consider, for a moment, all the odd bands that seem to come from nowhere and, inexplicably, become a sensation. These anomalies get a lot more play than the bands that were destined for stardom from the very beginning, but they’re equally weird to me. Example: New Faces, a band
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If you would indulge me for a moment, I’ve hit upon a semi-coherent (but mostly gross) metaphor for Cobalt Cranes. Have you ever pissed on a campfire? In seconds the flame is reduced to smoldering coals and the air is thick with smoke that smells of ammonia. Cobalt Cranes sound
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If you would indulge me for a moment, I’ve hit upon a semi-coherent (but mostly gross) metaphor for Cobalt Cranes. Have you ever pissed on a campfire? In seconds the flame is reduced to smoldering coals and the air is thick with smoke that smells of ammonia. Cobalt Cranes sound
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While searching MySpace for local music — as I do from time to time — I stumbled across Roman Holiday and was promptly knocked for a loop. Theirs is a slick indie rock sound so pristine, so flawless, that it quite frankly made me upset. Making matters worse is the
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Some bands feel so … so … right. Do you know? For whatever reason, a band can sometimes have the key to your roller skates, and fight though you may, you just can’t resist the rock. Good Gravy does it for me, and there’s no explaining it. The tuneful bar
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This Blinding Light may come off to some as a tough pill to swallow. Their droning psychedelic anthems of esoteric ritualism are bound to rub people the wrong way; accusations of pretension are an accepted risk inherent in high-concept music. But those who think This Blinding Light is full of
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This Blinding Light may come off to some as a tough pill to swallow. Their droning psychedelic anthems of esoteric ritualism are bound to rub people the wrong way; accusations of pretension are an accepted risk inherent in high-concept music. But those who think This Blinding Light is full of
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Can I go on record as saying that the new subgenre of “dad-rock” is both terribly offensive and, in many cases, eerily accurate? For fear of angry, Baby Boomer retaliation, I hesitate to categorize San Diego’s The Bigfellas as dad-rock. But what else is there? How do you describe a
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Retro shows are always a hairy proposition. There’s always the fear that nostalgia will overbear the music, that kitsch will drown the rock. It’s understandable, considering the very nature of a show featuring bands that specialize in trudging through the past. So it’s with caution that I recommend the Rock
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It’s a strange thing, asking a band (or a person, for that matter) what they think of themselves. My interviewing style is still mighty amateurish and I still ask hackneyed questions like, “How would you describe your sound to people who’ve never heard you before?” Shame. The Fun Police couldn’t