(Temporary) Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Dear fellow bloggers,

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. I love music, and really enjoy having this platform to write about bands that are doing neat things, music news, and what musicians are up to.

Unfortunately, due to personal reasons, I am going to be putting blogging on here on hold for a little while. I have a lot going on and will come back when I have more time to devote to writing about all things music-related.

Until then, happy blogging!

~Mary

Shannon Curtis Is Touring on Her Own Terms, And It’s Really Paying Off

A few years back, singer/songwriter Shannon Curtis decided to do something kind of unorthodox: she completely abandoned traditional club touring. Most musicians – both up and coming, and more established bands – dream of going on tour, and see it as the best way to get new fans, sustain their lifestyle, and allow their music to have the broadest impact. Despite the obvious benefits of club and traditional venue touring, Curtis packed up her act back in 2011 in favor of playing house shows, and so far, she hasn’t looked back.

Explains Curtis, “House concert touring has been better for me as an artist on every measurable career level. I make more new fans, I get more signups on my email list, I sell more CDs/tees/totes, and a I generate more income,” of how playing shows in people’s homes rather than in concert halls or bars has really been paying off. “Perhaps more importantly,” she says, “the lack of traditional audience/performer barriers allows me to make strong, deep connections with people” of the kind of intimacy that is cultivated in a house show rather than a massive venue.

The Huffington Post calls Curtis “a new evangelist for an age-old tradition,” an appropriate description of a woman who is revamping her career by following her own rules. Curtis knows that her newfound love of playing house shows is perceived by many music industry heavyweights as a step backwards career-wise. “It’s totally antithetical to what we normally get fed in terms of music and entertainment,” she admits, of the way her penchant for playing house shows goes against what most pop culture tells us is “good.”

Curtis has already played 150 house concerts since late 2011, and with a new book coming out – “No Booker, No Bouncer, No Bartender: How I Made $25K On A 2-Month House Concert Tour (And How You Can Too) – and more tour dates lined up, she shows no signs of slowing down. 

Learn more about Shannon Curtis’ music and her experiences playing house shows on her official website.

Images: shannoncurtismusic via Instagram

Pharrell Williams Continues to Be Unstoppable, and ‘Happy'

Pharrell Williams has been in the news a lot lately. His latest resume additions include collaborations with some of the biggest names in the business, both as a producer behind the scenes, and as a voice on many a record in recent months. Last year Williams teamed up with Daft Punk, Robin Thicke, and Usher, to name a few, and previously had worked with industry heavyweights like Frank Ocean and Gwen Stefani. He’s been in headlines for his bold fashion choices, signature style, and effortlessly cool demeanor that keeps him at the top of pop.

This year his song ‘Happy” became the musician’s first ever solo Hot 100-topping hit, and delighted audiences as part of the Despicable Me 2 movie soundtrack. The song became something of a movement when William made it into a 24-hour music video, featuring cameos by everyone from Jimmy Kimmel to Kelly Osbourne. Williams also wowed an audience of millions who watched him perform “Happy” at the 86^th Academy Awards.

Now, the pop icon has a new solo album out called G I R L, which is already gaining widespread critical acclaim. Carrie Battan of Pitchfork explains that Williams “occupies the sideline of culture so compellingly that it often becomes its own unique stage,” and says that G I R L sounds “like a direct spawn of last year’s expensive disco-soul pop takeover, filled with grand orchestral flourishes, impossibly catchy funk licks, and his trademark falsetto.” With “Happy” having already pushed this new record above and beyond his previous solo work, Pharrell Williams certainly has lots to be happy about.

Says Williams, “I’m so proud of this work. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” of his success and acclaim garnered from G I R L. I’m definitely excited to see whatever it is that the performer does next.

Image: pharrell via Instagram

Angel Haze’s ‘Battle Cry’ Is Louder Than Ever

Angel Haze is one of the most prolific rappers around today, unfailingly raw and authentic. Her mixtapes and personalized covers of songs like Macklemore’s “Same Love” and Eminem’s “Cleaning Out My Closet” have catapulted her into the spotlight, where she has been lauded for her courage and lyrical prowess. Her debut album, Dirty Gold, showcases her ability to freestyle, and features songs that reveal many of Haze’s deeply personal experiences.

The rapper, who identifies as pansexual, has always been honest about her experiences growing up in a strictly Pentecostal household with a mother who didn’t understand her sexuality. She has survived familial persecution, sexual abuse, and self-harm, and her presence in the mainstream music industry has created important dialogue surrounding these topics.

Lyrics like, “There was a point in my life where I didn’t like who I was/ so I created other people I would try to be come/ sexuality came into play and with I scarred as I was/ I was extremely scared of men so I started liking girls/ I started starving myself fucked up my bodily health/ I didn’t want to be attractive to nobody else/  I didn’t want the appeal, wanted to stop my own growth/ but there’s a fucking reason behind every scar that I show…” are indicative of the pain and trauma that Haze has endured in her life, but also reveals how strong and independent she is as a woman, and as a musician.

As Cameron Keady explains, “Angel Haze continues to be a symbol of strength and fearlessness. She is unapologetic and true, and she rejects conventional expectations and labels. At just 22 years old, the young lyricist has fought on too many battlefields. She may not have walked away unscathed, but today she stands resolute, with an unwavering optimism for the future.” Keady, like many, predicts a strong future for the artist. I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Listen to Angel Haze remix “Same Love” with her own lyrics on Soundcloud.

New York Philharmonic Announces Release of 2013-14 Season Recordings

New York Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert - Image: nyphil.org

The New York Philharmonic Orchestra recently announced the launch of Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic: 2013-14 Season – a series of 10 recordings of performances from the current season, reports Broadway World. Founded in 1842, the New York Philharmonic is the oldest American symphonic institution, and one of the most globally revered. Music recordings from the Philharmonic’s esteemed concerts are highly coveted, and now, even faraway fans can enjoy the most recent performance recordings.

According to Broadway World, “The recording series will comprise more than 25 works performed during Alan Gilbert’s fifth season as the Orchestra’s Music Director,” of what listeners can expect from the 2013-14 season performance recordings. Gilbert, the Philharmonic’s acclaimed Music Director has been described as “A galvanizing force at the Philharmonic…He is building a legacy that matters and is helping to change the template for what an American orchestra can be,” according to music critic Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times.

The Philharmonic 2013-14 season recordings will feature music by the Marie-Josée Kravis Composer-in-Residence Christopher Rouse, performances by Artist-in-Residence Yefim Bronfman, selections from the Beethoven Piano Concertos, as well as the world premieres of new works from Anthony Cheung and Sean Shepherd. Works by cellists Carter Brey and Alisa Weilerstein, Liang Wang, and many others will be featured in the recordings. Philanthropist Marie-Josée Kravis, wife of New York investor Henry R. Kravis, is the namesake of the honorary $200,000 Composer-in-Residence prize, awarded every two years to extraordinary composers in the field of new music. It is with generous contributions from passionate arts philanthropists that the New York Philharmonic can continue to be a globally renowned symphonic institution.

Learn more about the Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic: 2013-14 Season and about upcoming Philharmonic happenings by visiting the institution’s website.

Pussy Riot is Free, But Their Fight is Far From Over

After months of international protests, intervention from global amnesty groups, and outcries from fans, Maria “Masha” Alyokhina and Nadezhda “Nadya” Tolokonnikova, a.k.a. Pussy Riot, were released from prison at the end of December. Pussy Riot, a Russian, feminist-influenced punk rock band, were originally arrested in March, 2012 for a controversial public performance on the steps of a Russian church. Now that Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova are free, they are continuing to spread the word in hopes of reforming Russia’s oppressive laws.

According to NPR, “Members of the punk protest band Pussy Riot were just released from jail after spending nearly two years in a penal colony for a controversial performance at a Moscow church in 2012, but they are far from done fighting,” of the band’s unflinching attitude towards achieving justice and equal rights in their home country. Since their release Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova have spent time traveling the world, visiting prisons to gain insights towards improving Russia’s prison system.

Enlightened by their time spent in a harsh prison environment, and empowered by the international fans that have followed their story for years, Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova are on a mission to raise awareness about injustices that face prisoners. “What we’d like is for other people who have this same kind of microphone – this celebrity – to stand up [for the disenfranchised] too,” says Alyokhina. The young women’s work as activists is far from over; it would appear that they are merely taking a different approach. Rather than retreat to quiet lives after their prison release, Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova are bolding standing against human rights injustices, learning, traveling, and spreading the word.

And what about Pussy Riot? Will Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova still be creating music? The two explain that Pussy Riot is more of an activist movement, rather than a band that credits its individual artists. As Tolokonnikova explains, “Pussy Riot can be anyone, and no one can be excluded from Pussy Riot […] Pussy Riot can only grow.”

Learn more about Pussy Riot’s activism and story on NPR.

Neutral Milk Hotel to Expand Tour

Back in the springtime, I wrote about Neutral Milk Hotel’s announcement of an upcoming reunion tour. The indie band was originally slated to hit major cities along the east coast and Midwest, as well as Japan and Australia, much to the chagrin of devoted fans in other parts of the world. Happily, the band has recently announced, and subsequently commenced, an extended journey across the United States, bringing their sound to more than thirty cities over the next few months.

Finally, at long last, fans from all across the country will be able to see Neutral Milk Hotel perform live for the first time in fifteen years. The group, which has endured its hiatus by continuing to remain one of the most popular acts of its kind, is currently on the American leg of its world tour. Many younger fans of the band’s experimental sound and obscure, vivid, lyrics will be able to experience Neutral Milk Hotel for the very first time.

Jeff Mangum, along with Jeremy Barnes, Scott Spillane, and Julian Koster, will perform as the complete group that formed after the release of On Avery Island in 1996. They’re set to tour with bands Elf Power, Half Japanese, and Daniel Johnson on select dates. The band’s website explains that portions of the proceeds from concerts and record sales will go towards organizations such as Children of the Blue Sky and others in need. 

Here is the latest list of United States tour dates:

02-04 Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium 


2-05 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant

2-06 Chicago, IL - The Riviera Theatre

2-07 Chicago, IL - The Riviera Theatre

2-08 Madison, WI - Orpheum Theater

2-10 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue

2-11 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue

2-13 Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theatre

2-14 Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom

2-15 Dallas, TX - Majestic Theatre

2-17 Austin, TX - ACL Live at the Moody Theater

2-18 Austin, TX - ACL Live at the Moody Theater 


2-19 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live 


2-20 New Orleans, LA - Civic Theatre

2-21 New Orleans, LA - Civic Theatre 


3-26 Pittsburgh, PA - Carnegie Theatre 


3-27 Indianapolis, IN - Old National Centre 


3-29 Omaha, NE - Sokol Auditorium 


3-30 Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater

3-31 Denver, CO - Ogden Theater 


4-01 Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot 


4-04 Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre


4-05 Vancouver, British Columbia - Vogue Theatre


4-06-07 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom


4-09-11 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater


4-13 Indio, CA - Coachella


4-15-16 Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom


4-17 Albuquerque, NM - Kiva Auditorium


4-18 Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre


4-20 Indio, CA – Coachella

Visit Neutral Milk Hotel’s official website to keep posted for performance and news updates from the band. 

5 Amazing Musical Collaborations

Jack White/ image: Teresa Sedo via Flickr CC

Musical collaborations, although sometimes offbeat and seemingly random, have yielded some of the most highly acclaimed albums. Some critics call them “supergroups” – collaborations between members of already incredibly popular bands. Here are five amazing musical collaborations:

1.   The Raconteurs. Anyone who pays even the slightest bit of attention to contemporary rock music is familiar with Jack White. His first band, The White Stripes, is still ridiculous popular, and fans were beyond excited after he announced the creation of a side project, The Raconteurs. With the help of singer-songwriter Brendan Benson and some members of the Greenhornes, their debut album Broken Boy Soldier was greeted with tremendous acclaim.

Seattle "supergroup" Childbirth/ image: via Seattle Weekly

2.   Mad Season. Mad Season was the collaboration between Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley, Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin, and Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, and resulted in the heavy, grungy, prog-rock awesomeness that was 1995’s Above. Mad Season only released the one album, much to the dismay of fans and grunge rockers everywhere.

3.   Childbirth. Childbirth is a feminist, lo-fi punk rock band made up of musicians from three Seattle-based bands: Bree McKenna of TacocaT, Stacy Peck of Pony Time, and Julia Shapiro from Chastity Belt. Together, the three bring an energetic, pro-woman sound to Seattle’s famous music scene, and their musical chemistry is obvious.

4.   Elvis Costello and Questlove. What seemed like the most unlikely pairing of all time actually turned out to be a phenomenal musical collaboration when Elvis Costello and Questlove recorded Wise Up Ghost together in 2013. Both Costello and Questlove have garnered enormous fame individually, and their mix of rock and hip-hop is an example of a cross-genre collaboration that really works. Wise Up Ghost was met with wide acclaim by fans and critics alike.

5.   Temple of the Dog. Another grunge-driven collaboration that wowed fans is Temple of the Dog, made up of Seattle’s Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. Reportedly, the two bands came together after their mutual musician friend – Andrew Wood of Mother Love Bone – died suddenly of a drug overdose. The band’s dark sound tackled issues surrounding drug abuse, death, and mortality, while simultaneously immortalizing the collaboration as one of the best of all time.

What are your favorite musical collaborations?

Sorry ‘Beliebers’: Your Favorite Pop Star Might Be Getting Deported

Image: NRK P3 via Flickr CC

By now you’ve probably heard about the newest scandal surrounding pop star Justin Bieber. If you’ve been lucky enough to evade the barrage of news reports on the issue, a brief recap: Bieber was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida last week after getting busted for drag racing in the early hours of the morning. The singer was subsequently charged with a DUI, resisting arrest, and having an expired driver’s license, details The Hollywood Reporter. And the latest news? Due to a major petition to deport Bieber, signed by more than 100,000 people, the White House is now reportedly being forced to issue a response.

It seems like it was just yesterday that Justin Bieber emerged on the music scene. You remember, right? The wholesome, young singer with the signature long blond ‘do delighted tweens worldwide, gaining fame as rapidly, and mysteriously, as his entrance into pop stardom. Fast forward to 2014: Bieber joins the brigade of young stars that are caught acting publicly reckless, erratic, and, as many have pointed out, coddled by the limelight. Miley Cyrus, Brittney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and Amanda Bynes have all been part of this media-spun “downward spiral” of young stars. And really, it’s like what they say about car crashes, you just can’t look away.

From a legal standpoint, there just isn’t any chance that Bieber would get deported from the United States for a DUI offense, or any of his other crimes, and as legal analyst Kendall Coffey points out, Bieber’s charges make him both “a lawyer’s dream and a lawyer’s nightmare.” Miami-based Coffey also explains that Bieber’s case will stir up a lot of public scrutiny. “On the one hand, you don’t want to punish him worse than some crazy kid from a local junior college,” Coffey told Steve Malzberg on Newsmax TV. “On the other hand you don’t want the public to think, yeah, the rich people can drive like crazy and get away with it.”

Obviously, the public is already very much invested in the charges against Bieber. More than 100,000 people want the pop star deported, and many more are engulfed in the dramatic media portrayal of the whole mess. According to The Hollywood Reporter, once a signature goal on a petition is met, the White House is required to issue a response, adding another layer to the Bieber drama. The White House (unsurprisingly) has yet to comment. 

Best and Strangest New Artists of Grammys Past

The Grammy Awards, although arguably the most esteemed of all pop musical accolades, aren’t for everyone. Music is such a subjective thing; it holds a deeply personal meaning for everyone who listens to it, and nobody likes every single genre out there. In past years, the Grammys have honored many of the biggest names in pop music, a fact that in and of itself alienates anyone who prefers more alternative bands.

The “Best New Artist” category at the Grammys is particularly polarizing; the awards have a somewhat unusual history of selecting winners for this category that are one-hit wonders, to say the least. Essentially, being the best new artist out there doesn’t ensure a long and fruitful career, which Grammy winners of yesteryear can surely attest to. “But that’s why ‘Best New Artist’ is everybody’s favorite Grammy category,” explains Rolling Stone Magazine, “it’s the one with the most bizarre picks.”

For instance, in 1976, Starland Vocal Band took home the Grammy for “Best New Artist,” presumably for their extremely popular hit single, “Afternoon Delight.” The band ended up being a one-hit wonder though, and vocalist Taffy Danoff famously called winning the “Best New Artist” category the “kiss of death.”  Previously unknown Tracy Chapman was dubbed “Best New Artist” in 1988 after hitting it big with “Fast Car,” but didn’t create another popular album or single until 1996’s “Give Me One Reason.” Other unusual “Best New Artist” winners include Hootie and the Blowfish, Milli Vanilli, and Arrested Development, the latter which completely fell off the radar shortly after their win.

This year, the nominations for the “Best New Artist” category include James Blake, Kendrick Lamar, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Kacey Musgraves, and Ed Sheeran. These artists span multiple genres and so far, there isn’t a clear winner. Here’s to hoping that these talented new musicians all have long and successful careers, not fifteen minutes of fame like “Best New Artist” winner of Grammys past. 

Against Me! Releases ‘Transgender Dysphoria Blues’

Politically charged Florida punk band Against Me! has just released its latest studio album, Transgender Dysphoria Blues. This is the first record the band has released since frontwoman Laura Jane Grace, formerly Tom Gabel, announced that she would be living as a woman back in 2012. Fans may have been initially surprised by Grace’s coming out, but those closest to the musician know that she has been struggling with gender dysphoria for years. 

Transgender Dysphoria Blues is an album that encapsulates the intense emotional experiences that the band has endured throughout Grace’s transition. As Stephen Thompson for NPR explains, Against Me! has been around for nearly two decades, but this record “can’t help but feel like a debut.” It is a coming-out album, one that honors Grace’s identity but also tackles the pain, doubt, rage, fear, as well as relief and joy, that comes with such a remarkable life transition. Many music critics are calling this record the most personal and poignant of her career.

Thompson explains how Laura Jane Grace “still barks her lyrics with fiercely assertive intelligence,” and that Gender Dysphoria Blues “doesn’t let up for 29 brisk minutes, but real tenderness and vulnerability surfaces in the melee,” of the album’s sound. MTV agrees, explaining how in certain moments Gender Dysphoria Blues displays a level of vulnerability that completely separates it from the rest of Against Me!’s work.

Since coming out in 2012, Grace has been under a lot of public scrutiny, but has remained strong, transparent, and ready to move forward. One of the best outcomes of the singer’s transition has been the immense outpouring of support from her bandmates, fans, and loved ones. Though not all of Grace’s relatives have been supportive, her wife Heather has been steadfastly encouraging throughout the transition process. Transgender Dysphoria Blues is Grace’s debut album as a woman; it is unapologetic, raw, and everything that you’d expect from the seasoned frontwoman.

Stream the album and learn more at NPR’s First Listen.

Image: lauragracejane via Instagram