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Kevin PearsonPopMatters Events EditorFeatures
by:Larm 2009: Hot Music from the Frost-Bitten NorthDespite the cold conditions and snow-filled streets, Scandinavia’s premier music festival was a warm and welcoming affair, affording time to not only see some top notch music, but also explore Oslo as well. [16 April 2009] M for Montréal - Leonard Cohen Eats ThereMontréal may sit a mere 37 miles north of the American border and, for me, a short 90-minute flight from Philadelphia, yet the former Canadian capital really is a world away. PopMatters visits the M for Montréal in search of great new Canadian music and the soul of a city. [6 February 2009] Tales from the Fest: An AbecedariumFresh outta Austin, Kevin Pearson alphabetizes his impressions of the music fest, all the way from A to Zzzzz (or lack thereof). [20 March 2008] Putney Appalachian Pop: An Interview with Hot ChipMoving from the bedroom to the studio, Hot Chip might have matured, but don't think they still won't take the gloves off. Hot Chip talks to PopMatters about their fine new record. [5 February 2008] Can 50,000 Football Fans Be Wrong?A 'new democracy' is one way to describe MyFootballClub — no other team has ever been run via Internet voting alone — yet fan-powered schemes have secured control for supporters at countless sporting clubs. [28 September 2007] True Blue, a Diary: The Lonely Life of a Stateside Everton FanFor true sport fans, no matter where you are, who you're with, what time it is, or what game you're watching, it's just you and your team. [10 August 2007] PACKED IN THE PARTY: A SXSW Road JournalFrom Stooge sightings to bear-soaked breakfasts, PopMatters' Kevin Pearson explains how to survive 46 full sets in 4 days on 14 hours of sleep and 11 slices of pizza. [21 March 2007] ReviewsBeirut: 6 May 2009 - Brussels, BelgiumZach Condon and his cohorts approach these songs like they’re playing musical Risk, not just invading countries, but soaking in their sounds. [23 June 2009] 
Arbouretum: Song of the PearlArbouretum's third album is an earthy record with dirt under its fingernails, and eyes always fixed firmly on the horizon. [12 June 2009] Gogol Bordello + West Philadelphia OrchestraMaybe I’m just hard to please. Or maybe my expectations were too high. Then again, maybe I’m just a party pooper. [2 February 2009] New American Union FestivalLike the festival site -- an old steel mill that was raised and re-built upon -- each band attempted a similar brand of resuscitation, albeit of the musical variety. [29 August 2008] 
Various Artists: Lagos Shake: A Tony Allen Chop UpAs anyone familiar with Allen’s work might expect, this remix album is groove heavy and filled with a variety of expansive beats. [21 August 2008] Love Is AllLive, Love is All is akin to a cavalry charge. They are both emphatic and euphoric, always crossing that musical finishing line with their arms aloft and voices raised. [16 July 2008] The BreedersThis show was much more than a mere trip down memory lane. It served to showcase that the Breeders’ new songs can clearly be counted alongside their exemplary canon of work, whilst also providing proof that their older tunes have not only stood the test of time, but have been befriended by it. [23 June 2008] The Long BlondesWhile the set list throws out no surprises, the crowd definitely does: tonight’s audience is predominantly male. It is slightly weird watching guys watch a female singer sing female-centric lyrics written by a guy. [13 June 2008] Flight of the Conchords“Some people say we’re not a band. They say that we’re a duo,” Jemaine says. “But we’re a band. You can have a one-man band and a three-man band, but two people -– that’s a duo? It doesn’t make sense." [6 June 2008] Kate NashAt just 20 years old, it’s no wonder Nash looks slightly nervous when she steps onstage to face the sold-out crowd. It’s a crowd that delights in Nash’s deliberate Englishness as much as it engages with her music. [20 May 2008] Hot ChipDespite the fevered reinterpretations of their tunes, Hot Chip don’t totally forgo their feelings--it takes five songs for them to show their sensitive side. It’s a side that the fans clearly aren’t here to see. [16 May 2008] Beach HouseThe show is sold-out, and only the tallest and closest have a decent vantage point. The thing is, though, you don’t really need to see Beach House to “see” them. [9 May 2008] Fuck ButtonsSoothing bells and swathes of sound swish around the room, providing the uninitiated with an aura of calm. Let's hope they're braced for the storm. [2 May 2008] Bodies of WaterAs a musical entity, Bodies of Water don’t sound like anyone else. They are known to mine Ennio Morricone’s western riffs, tip a hat to Tropicalia, and borrow as much from old gospel groups as they do from today’s current music scene. [25 April 2008] 
Japancakes: If I Could See Dallas / Down the Elements / The Sleepy StrangeWorthy re-release of three improvised and instrumental albums that mix symphonic drone pop with a dash of pedal steel. [14 March 2008] Daniel JohnstonAn audience member shouts: “We love your pain.” Others concur with hoots and hollers. And herein lies the question that haunts the cult of Daniel Johnston: Why are we here -- for the songs or for the story? [3 March 2008] Vampire WeekendEven as he's shooting down his chosen social sect, singer-guitarist Ezra Koenig comes across as the epitome of "educated cool." [15 February 2008] Super Furry AnimalsThe last time the Super Furry Animals played Philadelphia, they rode on stage in a golf cart. So, understandably, there’s an odd sense of trepidation as the small crowd notices that the stage is bereft of props. [12 February 2008] 
Radar Bros.: AuditoriumThe Radar Bros.' fifth album fills out their signature sound and provides us with a soundtrack for shuffling slowly, softly through the day. 
The Hermit Crabs: Saw You DancingScottish band siphon the spirit of Camera Obscura and Belle and Sebastian, distilling it down into their own brand of fey folk and indie-pop. [15 January 2008] Sharon Jones and the Dap-KingsThe first time I played Philadelphia, 20 people came to my show. And 30 people came the second time. But this is my third time..." [14 January 2008] Damo Suzuki’s NetworkTrying to decipher Suzuki’s lyrics is a little like trying to decipher James Joyce’s Finnegan's Wake. But with Bardo Pond as his backing band, his message becomes crystal clear: there's a certain magic to musical mayhem. [14 November 2007] Yo La TengoBilled as the Freewheeling Yo La Tengo, this stripped-down tour/Q+A session underscores the fact that, whatever you think this band to be, it's often something else entirely. [8 November 2007] Gruff RhysFor a supposed solo show, Super Furry Animal Gruff Rhys brings along a ridiculously big band. [5 October 2007] Black Moth Super Rainbow: 17 August 2007 - PhiladelphiaIt's not the usual hint of hedonistic depravity that floats into Philadelphia's Old City section tonight. No, what I smell is something else entirely. [10 September 2007] The Polyphonic SpreeGiven the Polyphonic Spree’s penchant for what is (in the opinion of many) a style-over-substance edict, I often find myself returning to a chicken or the egg type issue when I think about the band: which came first, the concept or the songs? [20 July 2007] Panda BearPanda Bear presides over his samplers like a priest at the pulpit, stirring the seated crowd with bits of loop-based lunacy. It's clear: this boy was born to stand before a packed set of pews. [13 July 2007] ElectrelaneElectrelane’s records revel in common stylistic traits and, not surprisingly, their live concerts do as well. But that doesn't mean they're boring... [27 June 2007] LCD SoundsystemImagine Rupert Murdoch sitting Sliver-style in front of a bank of televisions, watching James Murphy and his band run through disco-affected, punk-funk tunes. What do you think he would think? [22 June 2007] Patti SmithAfter decades in the spotlight, where can't Patti Smith play? [4 May 2007] Sebadoh“Who cares if you have to go to work tomorrow,” taunts Eric Gaffney halfway through Sebadoh’s 30-song set. “We haven’t played together in 14 years.” [11 April 2007] COUNTERPOINT: Of MontrealCare-free stuff or kiddy fluff? Longtime Of Montreal fan Kevin Peterson takes the band to task on some of the points that our first reviewer, Lyra Pappin, raised with reverie. [4 April 2007] Dr. DogHot off tours with the Strokes, Raconteurs, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Philly's Dr. Dog celebrate the release of their new album with a hometown party. [12 March 2007] Lily AllenLily Allen likes language, but what's she saying? [28 February 2007] The LemonheadsMumbling something about tequila, Evan Dando proceeds to sing “Happy Birthday” to no one in particular. This, you could say, is a bad omen. [17 January 2007] Mojave 3You have a Slowdive tattoo? That’s ok, Ride will do. [1 November 2006] Elf Powermay dream in color, but is their screen slowly turning black? [30 September 2006] The ZombiesIt's that time of the season, but the love's run dry. [22 September 2006] Golden SmogThe Fifty-Quid-Bloke is in the ascendancy, and Kraig Johnson (Run Westy Run), Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum), and the Jayhawks' Gary Louris and Marc Perlman are here to greet him. [15 September 2006] The Trachtenburg Family Slide Show Players + Corn Mo'I heard there's another daughter,' the punter pontificates. 'But she's not talented, so you don't let her play in the band.' My gosh, is it true?! [17 August 2006] The Clientele + Great LakesOn their records, the Clientele sound hazy. Playing in 100-degree heat, they look that way too. [15 August 2006] The Handsome FamilyDeath? Yes. Decay? Sure. Overturned shopping carts? Why not? A fruit plate? That's a little suspect. [20 July 2006] BlogsNotes from the Road: A Hawk and a Hacksaw: 23 May 2009 - Maschinenhaus, Berlin, Germany [3 June 2009]Notes from the Road: By:Larm—Photo Teaser [5 March 2009]NewsThe Flaming Lips Head Back to School [8 May 2009] |
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