Corey Beasley teaches composition and literature in the Northern Virginia Community College system. He recently received his MFA in Creative Writing (Fiction) from George Mason University. You can contact him at coreylaynebeasley_at_gmail_dotcom. He spends too much money on neckties.
Features
Tuesday, December 4 2012
The Best Indie Rock of 2012
Here's a confession: It was hard to define what the term "indie rock" meant in 2012. But this list takes a shot by reemphasizing the "independent" in "indie rock".
Wednesday, December 21 2011
The Best Indie Rock of 2011
A “Best of Indie Rock” list, by definition, will be an eclectic bunch. And the process of culling through what the genre had to offer is a task this year -- the indie world has had a banner 2011.
Thursday, December 8 2011
The Best Producers of 2011
Noah "40" Shebib, Doc McKinney, and Illangelo provide a welcome reminder that a talented rapper or a gifted singer isn’t all it takes to create memorable, moving hip-hop or R&B.
Monday, July 18 2011
We Didn't Plan It: An Interview with Eric Axelson of the Dismemberment Plan
Eric Axelson of the recently-reunited The Dismemberment Plan talks to us about where his band fits in today, the Dischord acts of DC's past, the strange habits of Japanese audiences, and his band's new live record.
Tuesday, June 21 2011
New Red Star: An Interview with EMA
Adored by critics even as she continues to figure out which ProTools plug-in works best for her. This is the story of EMA ...
Columns
Thursday, December 13 2012
The Indie Rock Trends of 2012
This year saw a number of interesting developments in the indie rock world, all reflective of the genre's ever-expanding palate.
Monday, September 17 2012
Pussy Riot, Paul Ryan, and Protest Music in 2012 America
With a high-stakes presidential election around the corner, many people have wondered what's happened to protest music in America. From Pussy Riot to Paul Ryan, taking stock might not be as simple as it was a few decades ago.
Thursday, August 23 2012
Those People's Lists: On Pitchfork's Favorite Albums, 1996-2011
On the occasion of Pitchfork's first ever crowdsourced Best Of list, we reappraise the webzine's favorite albums of 1996-2011.
Thursday, July 12 2012
Grimes and Female Celebrity
Grimes's Claire Boucher is the indie heroine of the year, which makes it all the more interesting that she's using her newfound celebrity to subtly challenge what we expect of women in the entertainment industry.
Tuesday, May 22 2012
Kraftwerk and Yamantaka // Sonic Titan Crash the High Art Party
What happens when the world of rock music collides with the world of the fine arts?
Reviews
Thursday, April 11 2013
James Blake: Overgrown
The London wunderkind returns with an album that attempts to satisfy fans nostalgic for his early post-dubstep tinkerings and the new legion of listeners who know him as one of the decade's most promising singer-songwriters.
Monday, March 11 2013
Youth Lagoon: Wondrous Bughouse
Youth Lagoon trades bedroom anthemics for a misguided attempt at a bigger, more complex sound.
Monday, November 5 2012
Matmos: The Ganzfield EP
Electro-weirdos Matmos return with an EP inspired by telepathic experiments.
Friday, November 2 2012
Rites of Spring: Six Song Demo
Call it punk, call it post-hardcore, call it (gulp) emocore -- whatever the name, Dischord's recent unearthing of early demos by the legendary Rites of Spring serves as an essential piece of punk history.
Tuesday, October 2 2012
Various Artists: Fac. Dance 02: Factory Records 12" Mixes & Rarities 1980-1987
Strut Records offers another curated mix of hard-to-find remixes from Manchester's legendary Factory Records, with predictably mixed results.
Blogs
Monday, October 29 2012
Grimes: 29 September 2012 - Washington, D.C.
Grimes brings a newly perfected live set to a thrilled crowd in DC.
Thursday, October 18 2012
Twin Shadow: 24 September 2012 - Washington D.C.
Twin Shadow brings lovely, thick swaths of melodrama to the stage in DC.
Monday, October 8 2012
Bloc Party: 17 September 2012 - Washington, D.C.
Bloc Party return stateside in support of a strong new record, playing its version of a "greatest hits" show to fantastic results.
Wednesday, September 26 2012
Thrill Jockey's 20th Anniversary in Baltimore
The essential Chicago label throws itself a birthday bash in Baltimore, with a little help from Future Islands, Tortoise, Matmos, and others.
Monday, August 20 2012
The Tallest Man on Earth: 30 July 2012 - Washington D.C.
The Tallest Man on Earth does his best to play to the rafters at a sold out show in the nation's capital.
News
Tuesday, April 24 2012
Sweetgreen's Sweetlife Food & Music Festival 2012 on Saturday
Sweetlife has its eye on the future of summer festival culture.
