Best of Cincinnati Card

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Sound Advice

Sound Tribe Sector 9

March 18 • Madison Theater

By Brian Baker

The Atlanta band coalesced in 1998 around an instrumental Drum and Bass sound that quickly evolved into a style that tended to embrace and incorporate an amazing array of genres, including Funk, Electronica, Trip Hop, Jazz, Soul and Rock. That early diversity has paid fascinating dividends, allowing STS9 to share stages with the likes of Tortoise, Perry Farrell and James Brown.

Sound Advice

Portugal. The Man

March 21 • 20th Century Theater

By Brian Baker

Portugal. The Man started in Wasilla, Alaska, and their fourth album was titled 'The Satanic Satanist.' Let the Sarah Palin jokes commence. But Alternative Press declared their 'Censored Colors' one of 2008's 10 most essential albums and dubbed John Baldwin Gourley the year's best vocalist.

Sound Advice

A Tribute to Phil Blank

March 21 • Southgate House

By Mike Breen

Veteran Cincinnati Blues bandleader/singer/guitarist/harmonica master Phil Blank passed away Jan. 15 due to complications from cancer at the age of 57. On Sunday, many of his friends, fans, peers and bandmates will join together for a musical tribute at the Southgate House, performing songs culled from Phil Blank Blues Band set lists. Proceeds benefit the Play It Forward Foundation.

Sound Advice

Extra Life

March 21 • CS13

By Steven Rosen

CS13, the creative alternative gallery in Over-the-Rhine, continues its forays into cutting-edge experimental music presentations with a show Sunday by Brooklyn Art-Pop-Chamber-Prog experimentalists Extra Life, led by guitarist/composer Charlie Looker. Opening acts are Black Dove, Locusta and I Fail.

Sound Advice

A Place to Bury Strangers with The Big Pink and Eat Sugar

March 22 • Southgate House

By Reyan Ali

Oliver Ackermann manufactures noise for a living. Fronting Brooklynite Shoegaze/Indie Rock outfit A Place to Bury Strangers isn't enough to satisfy his thirst for rattling decibels. As a supplement, he founded Death by Audio, a guitar pedal company that shares its moniker with a New York venue and has a client list that includes U2.

Music

Yo Gabba Gabba: The Real Kid Rock

Unique children‘s TV show features an eclectic Indie Rock soundtrack

By Brian Baker

Of all the hot tickets on the spring concert circuit, one of the biggest draws might be DJ Lance Rock, host of 'Yo Gabba Gabba,' the Indie Rock-fueled kids show on Nick Jr. Musical guests/fans like The Flaming Lips, Weezer, The Shins and The Killers means that YGG's target audience might not have to pester their parents to convince them to attend. "The show is like Coachella for pre-school kids," says co-creator Christian Jacobs, who leads indie rockers The Aquabats.


Music

Running Rampant

The Lions Rampant dials everything up a couple notches with debut album

By Brian Baker

After two excellent EPs, The Lions Rampant's full length album, 'It's Fun to Do Bad Things' (released next week), is a masterstroke of snarling, primal Garage Rock with extra helpings of deep fried Soul. "I can definitely see a change from the beginning to these songs," Stuart MacKenzie says. "This album is a lot more diverse than the EPs."


Locals Only

The Never Setting Suns (Profile)

Indie Rock trio not afraid to light up melody with chaos

By C.A. MacConnell

The Never Setting Suns have rocked out together since 2008. Their songs might have a structured backbone to begin, but then eight bars of chaos sneak in. They'll start with a melody, tear it up and then destroy it. "I'm just taking what I've loved from musicians like Isaac Brock and Jeff Tweedy," Corey Larrison says, "seeing the things they did, reciprocating that and recognizing that I'm continuing it."


I Shall Be Released

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Frightened Rabbit, Ted Leo and Even Some New Jimi Hendrix

By Brian Baker

If you're going to Austin for South By Southwest, have a fantastic time, drink several dozen Shiners for me and enjoy some great music. I'll be doing the same thing here, missing SXSW again, but I'll be largely sober, rested and coherent. And I won’t be having as good a time as you. Damn it. Instead, I'm listening to new releases from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Frightened Rabbit, Miles Kurosky, Jimi Hendrix, Ted Leo, Aloha and This Moment in Black History.


Spill It

CD Release Parties, Katie Laur on Bluegrass, Indie Rock in the Burbs and More

By Mike Breen

In addition to our "cover boys" this week, The Lions Rampant, three other local acts will be out in the clubs this weekend hosting release parties for their latest recording projects: Progressive/Hard Rock band Livid Friday at Silverton's Play By Play Cafe, Bluegrass trio The Tadcasters Friday at Arnold's Bar and Grill downtown and Metal band Behead the Tyrant Saturday at Harvey's in Price Hill (the old Blue Note). Come out and support local original music.


Minimum Gauge

Metal Machine Music, Keith's Sobriety, Muzak

By Staff

A rumor that suggested that Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards had quit drinking was squashed when Richards told Rolling Stone magazine that “the rumors of my sobriety are greatly exaggerated,” which may well be the best rocker quote of the past quarter century. Jack Daniels shareholders thank you, Keith.


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CD Reviews
Short Takes

Poison the Well: The Tropic Rot

[Ferret Music]

By Adam Sievering

Like drinking tall boys of Steel Reserve, listening to Poison the Well's new album requires either an acquired taste or an extreme apathy in order to endure it. This fifth installment of the band's discography maintains the Post Hardcore brutality, speed and intensity of its former albums, which is likely to please long-time fans but unlikely to draw a new crowd.

Short Takes

The Dead Weather: Horehound

[Third Man Records]

By Brian Baker

Q: How many minor supergroups can Jack White assemble? A: All of them, apparently. The Dead Weather is merely the latest installment of "What Will Jack Do Next?," the novelty this time being that the vaunted frontman of The White Stripes and co-frontman of The Raconteurs is taking his place behind the drumkit, the most stereotypically invisible role within most bands except for those timekeepers blessed with outsized personalities (Keith Moon, Ringo Starr, John Bonham).

Short Takes

Maylene and The Sons of Disaster: III

[Ferret Music]

By Adam Sievering

Since the release of their previous album in 2007, the winds of change have swept over MATSOD like an F-4 tornado, resulting in a new lineup and sound on their latest album. Composed of four new members, including Matt Clark and Kelly Scott Nunn (ex-Underoath), the Alabama-based Metalcore outfit expresses its Southern roots more than ever with banjo tracks, guitar slides and hand claps to compliment the down-tuned, fist-pounding sound that fans have come to expect from the band's previous albums.


Music From The Alternative Press
Santa Barbara’s Beloved Anything-Goes Orchestra Celebrates 25 Years Together
Listening to Headless Household's new double album, Basemento, the 25 in 2010 formula fits them well, because their music, which gambols freely from blue-eyed soul to wild-eyed improvisation, has never sounded more current.... From Santa Barbara Independent.
'Plastic Beach,' From Gorillaz
Plastic Beach: Gorillaz’ first album in five years is neither light nor easily digestible. It has hooks, but none as immediate as past Gorillaz hits Feel Good Inc. or 19-2000.... From NOW Magazine.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's 'Beat the Devil's Tattoo'
Beat the Devil's Tattoo: In case your faith in Black Rebel Motorcycle Club was traumatically shaken by their courageous but thoroughly unlistenable 2008 experimental instro album The Effects Of 333, you’ll be relieved that BRMC are once again revving their rock ’n’ roll engines.... From NOW Magazine.
Emerging Brooklyn Duo Recruits Bandmates, Gets a Label, and Hits the Road
Although they live and work in Brooklyn, Mark Heyner and Josh Kolenik had to get out of the city to record as Small Black. Last year, the duo holed up at Kolenik's uncle's house on Long Island, recording a handful of fuzzed-around-the-edges pop songs away from the diversions of the city.... From The Memphis Flyer.
The Problem With Independent Hip-Hop
I’m reluctant to admit it, but I don’t listen to much independent or alternative hip-hop these days, or at least not nearly as much as I did in college, when Rhymesayers, Def Jux and Stones Throw records were as much a part of my diet as ramen noodles and macaroni and cheese.... From Shepherd Express.
 
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