I knew, when the tour pairing of Langhorne Slim and my beloved Ha Ha Tonka was announced, that it would be a two blog post show — I knew I couldn’t rave enough about either band in one post, and I was right. Ha Ha Tonka is one of best bands working today; frontman Brian…
ha ha tonka — death of a decade
Ha Ha Tonka — Death of a Decade. Out tomorrow, Bloodshot Records. Start right off: where Ha Ha Tonka’s 2009 masterpiece Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South starts quiet and builds to the crescendos of “Walking On The Devil’s Backbone” and “Close Every Valve To Your Bleeding Heart” in the middle of the record before…
album review: wintersleep — hello hum
Wintersleep — Hello Hum. Out June 12, Roll Call Records. To call Canadian rockers Wintersleep a mere “indie rock” band is to fall back on genres, and to dismiss the so much more than makes up their complete distinct sound: there’s hardcore guitars and a punk mentality, a lot of synth pop and drumming that…
langhorne slim – the way we move
Langhorne Slim & the Law — The Way We Move. Out now, Ramseur Records. Leave it to Langhorne Slim to write an optimistic breakup record: Slim’s songwriting has always leaned towards the honestly hopeful, or maybe the hopeful truth, and he takes it to a place of heartbreak, healing, and, welll, truth on his latest…
first house show at the FARM!
My friend Elysse and her roommate Colie threw themselves an amazing graduation party at the farm that Colie’s boyfriend Leland lives on; it was a gorgeous space and the bands were fantastic and the company was great. I am completely enamored of the Farm and shall be doing all my photo shoots there from now…
the cribs @ motorco music hall
The Cribs were awesome, and everyone involved in the running of Motorco were princes among men last night. Publicists, on the other hand, did not make anything easy for me and Matt. So yay the Cribs and Motorco, boo miscommunication. Full set here.
worth getting up for in may
A little belatedly. Worth getting up for in May: sweeping Boston in Boston with the definition of an epic; JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound, Sugar & the Hi-Lows live; catching up with old friends; the dusty green light of May in North Carolina; 7.1 innings of perfection from an 18 year old; Red Collar’s…
college baseball ncaa regional: st john’s @ unc
Six. Since 2006, when I fell in love with college baseball, the Carolina baseball team has broken my heart half a dozen different ways: E4, the O State Ballaz, the underdog, Mike Leake, a regional in Oklahoma, a slow fade. I’ve cried and I’ve raged and there are plenty of Post-It notes from shep. stuck…
book review: the bike-owner’s handbook
One of the great pleasures of reviewing books from Cicada Books, a London-based publisher, is that they’re all gorgeous, which is exactly their goal: they publish the book equivalent of an incredibly well-brewed small-batch craft beer, or a gorgeous screenprinted limited edition 7″ cover. They’re a pleasure to hold, and to read, as works of…
slingshot cash @ the speakeasy
The Cowboy’s band is sounding really, really good lately. They’re finally a permanent four piece — four piece four part harmony four part bourbon band, he calls them — and it’s paying off. The early mixes of his new album are also sounding truly excellent. It was a good night. I know good people. I…
brand new kind of photography 