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Fifteen Balloons Falcon Was Also Not In
Poor Falcon Heene. You gotta feel for the kid who made news headlines on Thursday and Friday, even vomiting on live television, simply for not being in a balloon. But rather than dwell on the fact that his life has probably been irrevocably changed by a silly event it’s pretty clear his almost-certainly-skeezy parents cooked up to rekindle the special kind of fame one gets from appearing on Wife Swap, let’s try to look at this from a positive point of view. For instance, did you ever notice how much balloon-themed art there is in the world? It’s crazy! Here... read more
Found in: Blogs, List of the DayThe Best Worst Voices In Indie Rock
Last week we debated the best voices in indie rock. But there’s another kind of great voice out there—the kind that isn’t classically good, but its technical problems just make it more lovable. Here are my picks for the best worst voices—you can listen below. Feel free to add to the list in the comments section.... read more
Found in: Blogs, List of the DayThe Family Jams doc features Antony, Devendra, more
There are some things that just naturally make for good video footage. Shirtless men with big hair is one of them. Live shows featuring freak folk's best and brightest is another. Throw in a harp, some alcohol and a touring van, and you've got a promising documentary on your hands.... read more
Found in: Music, NewsRoy Harper: Flat Baroque And Berserk, Stormcock, Jugula (with Jimmy Page)
With the ubiquity of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsDrag City dredges archives for celebration of art and music
[Above: Detail of Emily Price's original embroidery for the cover of Joanna Newsom's The Milk-Eyed Mender.]Launched in 1989 and now home to time-honored, rock-solid acts including the Silver Jews, The Red Krayola, Bonnie “Prince” Billy and comic freak Neil Hamburger, Chicago's Drag City is a label with a distinct personality: Playful, colorful and amorphous, but weary of the pains and struggles of the world that cheery pop music can't mask. In that same vein of duality, Drag City isn't just about music, but also the visual art with which it runs hand in hand: Album covers, show posters, even the... read more
Found in: Local:ChicagoArthur fundraises to stay afloat
It's lamentable that a long, vibrant history of magazines in America is plagued and pockmarked by foldings. Over the years, many ink-and-paper greats have been lost in the bankrupt oblivion, the world of Internet-only or the arms of larger media corporations: Harp, Resonance and No Depression are just a recent few taken from a long, sad list.... read more
Found in: Culture, NewsJoanna Newsom Tours in Support of New Album
Joanna Newsom, whose new album Ys is set for release November 14, kicked off a North American tour Saturday night in Salt Lake City, Utah. Ys, which contains only five songs and still manages to clock in at fifty-five minutes, features a dreamy collaboration between Newsom’s voice and harp and a full orchestra featuring instruments as diverse as dulcimer, marimba, accordion, and even horse’s skull (used as a percussion instrument). Newsom, whose avant-guard take on folk music has earned her a devoted following, teamed up with the likes Van Dyke Parks, Grant Geisseman, Steve Albini and Jim O’Rourke on the... read more
Found in: Music, NewsJoanna Newsom
Though it’s unfair to reduce an artist to a few superficial descriptors, Joanna Newsom has undeniably emerged as a candidate for such caricature... read more
Found in: Music, Features
Where Have All The Weird Girls Gone?…
Evil Dead to Rise Again to Theaters…
The 50 Best Movies of the Decade…
The 17 Best Romantic Comedies This Decade
Heather Greene - Moon Hangs Fire
Dawes - When My Time Comes
James Yuill - This Sweet Love (Earth…
Blind Pilot - One Red Thread
Pete Yorn - Last Summer
