James Vincent McMorrow’s True Care could be named True Confessions, judging by a statement the Irishman posted on his website about crafting the new album. “Lot of one takes with no click tracks, in a room moving from sound to sound, idea to idea,” McMorrow writes. “I wasn’t doing any of that because I was […]
The Jefferson Theater
Animal Collective is ‘Kinda Bonkers’ in the best way
As one-fourth of experimental pop band Animal Collective and a solo artist in his own right, Noah Lennox (who creates under the moniker Panda Bear) has been making music professionally for nearly 20 years. Along with Dave Portner (Avey Tare), Brian Weitz (Geologist) and Josh Dibb (Deakin), Lennox and the Collective made their mainstream crossover […]
ARTS Pick: 9th Wonder
9th Wonder’s fingerprints are all over hip-hop music. Not only has he released a series of acclaimed albums with trio Little Brother, he’s produced tracks for some of the biggest names in the game—Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, Jay Z, Destiny’s Child, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Jill Scott, Ludacris, Big Boi and Anderson .Paak, to name […]
Musician Lauren Hoffman shares her eating disorder struggle
In 1997, local musician Lauren Hoffman almost had the world in her hands. A three-album deal with Virgin, rave reviews from music magazines, and a growing audience in Europe. Then something went wrong. And when she launched other albums, something went wrong again, despite packed shows on [...]
ARTS Pick: Neko Case
In the early days of her career, Neko Case sounded like a new voice in the vintage style of country music, with 1997’s The Virginian earning her comparisons to Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline. What came next was an album-by-album development of her unique vocals and compelling songwriting. Twenty [...]
ARTS Pick: Sleigh Bells
Brooklyn noise pop act Sleigh Bells melds punchy distortions into slick pop so smoothly that not only have several tracks been placed in commercials and TV series, but the duo recently filed a lawsuit against pop star Demi Lovato and her producers for sampling tracks from their Treats LP [...]
Kurt Vile is happily going nowhere slow
Musical gatherings known as pickin’ parties are staples in the bluegrass tradition. These communal jam sessions can be found on the porches of Appalachia, or in the case of musician Kurt Vile, in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Before he became an established guitar virtuoso, the first stringed [...]
ARTS Pick: Indecision
More than 30 years after making its debut at the Mineshaft Cellar, Charlottesville musical mainstay Indecision is still fostering a happening scene with its accomplished, jazzy jams. Covers and originals honed through extensive touring with heavyweights such as Phish, The Neville Brothers, [...]
ARTS Pick: Sons of Bill & Friends
Coming home for the holidays can be hectic, but Sam, Abe and James Wilson et al make a party of it every year with the annual Sons of Bill & Friends show. Expect raucous covers, heartfelt traditionals, original faves and lots of laughs between the seriously good musical collaborations in [...]
ARTS Pick: Thanksgiving jams
Whether you are thankful, guided by a dark star or happy pickin’ over leftovers, a live gig awaits that’ll shake off the holiday gravy and leave you grateful for the blues. November 23: Thankful Dead featuring Bigfoot County and Mama Tried at The Jefferson Theater. November 24: DJ Sir RJ’s [...]
ARTS Pick: STS9
Since the late ’90s, instrumental group STS9 has blazed a unique path through musical genres by not defining itself as EDM, jam band or prog rock, but borrowing from those labels to offset the funk, jazz and psychedelia woven into its hip-hop grooves. With The Universe Inside, the group’s first [...]
ARTS Pick: Frank Turner
While making his sixth album, Positive Songs for Negative People, British folk-punk rocker Frank Turner thought a lot about debut albums. A debut is a band’s introduction into the world, and Turner says he wanted to “try and make a record that had that young, exciting feel, full of piss and [...]
ARTS Pick: Wale
On his recent release, The Album About Nothing, Washington D.C., hip-hop musician Wale has a lot of relatable things to say. The deeply personal album lightens up through its connection to the popular ’90s TV show “Seinfeld,” even featuring a guest appearance by the comedian as its narrator [...]
ARTS Pick: TEDxCharlottesville
TEDx presentations are powerful incubators of ideas and actions ranging from self-help inspirations to world-saving suggestions. Hear what’s on the minds of local thinkers at the TEDxCharlottesville Open Mic and cast a vote to move the top talkers forward so they may share with a bigger [...]
ARTS Pick: Frightened Rabbit
The name Frightened Rabbit is attributed to lead singer Scott Hutchinson’s shy nature as a child, but this is not exactly a band cowering in a corner. With cynically humorous titles and bracing, sonically voluminous pop, the group charges through on-your-sleeve heartache, family dysfunction and [...]
ARTS Pick: of Montreal
Over the course of two decades and 14 LPs, of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes has established himself as a bit of a sonic chameleon while usually covered in glitter. He swallowed up ’60s psych-pop, Prince-ly funk and glassy prog while morphing deftly between the personal and the fantastical. On the new [...]
ARTS Pick: Matisyahu
Back in 2005, Jewish-American beatboxer and rapper Matisyahu, heavily influenced by scat- and hazzan-style singing, joined jam band Phish on stage at Bonnaroo for two songs that turned into an improvisational display of lyrical gymnastics, and Matisyahu’s passion for full-band improvisation was [...]
ARTS Pick: The Men of Magic Mike Tour
If you missed out on July 4 fireworks, have no fear—The Men of Magic Mike Tour is bringing even more sizzle to the hot summer nights. The group of male strippers packs movie star cred, tight choreography and personal attention into a frenzied live show with a promise to “let the hottest hunks [...]