Music
New Rules of the road
Labeled by some as the second-coming of supergroup the Wu-Tang Clan, Harlem rap group the Diplomats have garnered the attention of the masses with their "pink movement." The group's leadoff man, Juelz Santana, has returned with his second solo album, What the Game's Been Missing!, backed by platinum plaque producing powerhouse Def Jam.
Spreading the gospel of rock
On most days the First Unitarian Church seems like any of Philadelphia's religious congregational centers.
Seth Cohen's ipod, you've done it again
When a show loses its edge, there's no reason for its soundtrack to suffer as well. By consistently bringing relatively unknown yet talented artists into the spotlight, "The O.C." enriches the musical horizons of many a viewer.
Guilty Pleasure
Andrew Thompson and his genius found me when I least expected it, and I'm not surprised. It was serendipity, or karma, or something Eastern or something.
A Composer Comes of Age
I almost feel as if I'm channeling music when I improvise," says jazz saxophonist Ron Kerber. Performing at Chris's Jazz Cafe in Philadelphia on a warm November night, his eyes are shut, and at the climactic moments his countenance becomes mangled.
Black and Blues
On their way to the bathroom on a flight to Seattle, the Black Keys spotted the lead singer from Train in first class.
The Super Furries Move on
We killed them. We cut them up, and we had one last show where we had little children dressed up as yetis.
Television killed the indie-radio stars
While their shows have always been received favorably by fans, Wilco has not built its reputation as a live band.
Tangled up in Jew David Berman turns focus inward
Four years after Bright Flight, David Berman returns to his post as the poet laureate of indie rock.
Hanson: The 'Street' Interview
Street Music: How is your latest album Underneath different from you older stuff? What were you trying to achieve? Isaac Hanson: I would say Underneath is probably the most mellow record we've done over the years.
Of Mouse and men
MF Doom and DJ Danger Mouse are so hung up on gimmickry that to call The Mouse and the Mask a "concept album" comes almost as an afterthought.
Hopping on the Band Wagon
Death Cab for Cutie isn't just [Ben] Gibbard's band," drummer Jason McGerr says, speaking about the group's lauded lead man.
Boys Falling in
During last year's Vans Warped Tour, a hand-held radio was stolen. After being threatened and even bribed by tour security, the culprit demanded only one thing in return for the over-expensive piece of equipment -- to meet Fall Out Boy.
Unbreakable
In Toronto, if you're not in Broken Social Scene, you're aching to get in. A total of 17 members are credited for their latest release, an eponymous follow-up to 2003's critically acclaimed You Forgot It In People. While individual projects within the band such as Stars, Feist, and Metric have achieved success in the indie realm, the combined output amounts to a blissful musical orgasm that you could never expect, even from a group with that much talent. What separates this Canadian collective from supergroups like the New Pornographers is a well developed willingness to experiment.
"Gasolina"
Barrio Frio In Israel this summer, I lived with three girls from Bogot‹¨«. They were insane.
Athletic Abilities
Music publications triumphantly announce when they've found "the next big thing" from the U.K. After the tenth time, it becomes hard to tell if they actually listen to some of these bands for any reason other than the fact that they're (gasp) British.
Old man trouble
Any McCartney-branded album is bound to be a "big deal." Sales-wise, the quality of the music is almost trivial.
Anniemal Instinct
In the world of pop music, Scandinavia has always been a source of successful imports. From ABBA to Ace of Base, these acts have remained unapologetically "pop," climbing to the top of the U.S.
Jetting from Brazil
Seu Jorge ignited a samba fury during his sold-out show last Tuesday at the First Unitarian Church. Better known as the minstrel seaman with a penchant for acoustic Portuguese renditions of David Bowie classics in last year's The Life Aquatic, Jorge has emerged from humble beginnings in the slums of Rio de Janeiro to become a hot import in both the film and music worlds. Jorge and his charismatic band commanded the packed audience of urban hipsters, ethno-musicologists, and Brazilian fanatics with their no-frills local samba stylings.
