Northeast Underground
From The Sing-Off to the Paradise City: An interview with Kevin Olusola and Kirstie Maldonado of Pentatonix
In recent years, a capella singing has seen a significant rise in popularity. Thanks to television shows like FOX’s Glee and NBC’s The Sing-Off, numerous singers are discovering the possibilities presented by combining their voices with others to create...Lady Lamb the Beekeeper brings raw soul to full-length album Ripley Pine
One of this writer’s fondest concert memories consists of witnessing a performance by Maine singer/ songwriter Aly Spaltro (aka Lady Lamb the Beekeeper) in an opening slot at the Iron Horse Music Hall in 2011. On that particular night, Spaltro preceded headliner...Thurston Moore is ready to feng shui your pad with new band Chelsea Light Moving
Taking its name from a short-lived moving company operated by composers Philip Glass and Steve Reich, Chelsea Light Moving, the newest project from guitarist and alt-rock icon Thurston Moore, is a group whose full-length debut is ready-made to shift furniture for...Dave Grohl's Sound City soundtrack is 'reel' deal
No drummer jokes here, even if the set-up practically begs for one. Instead, what do you get when a drummer directs his first movie? The answer: one kickass soundtrack. For those music fans who haven’t yet heard, and that number must be pretty small given the...Frampton Digs Radiohead
Sometimes a late-winter snow is a welcome respite. As a soothing comedown from the post-St. Patrick’s Day festivities or a restorative break from the post-SXSW music overload, Winter Storm Ukko has done a service today by allowing at least this writer a day of...March Madness: Even Metal Guys Like To Ball
With all the “hoop-la” (see what I did there?) surrounding the start of this year’s March Madness tournament, another facet of the third month of the year has flown decidedly under the radar. Dubbed, “The Month of Metal,” March is also...Wu-Tang Clan's GZA Helps Bring Hip-Hip into the Classroom
As a founding member of one of hip-hop’s most eclectic groups, the Wu-Tang Clan, rapper Gary Grice (aka GZA, or The Genius) has made a career out of pushing at the boundaries of modern music, and of challenging audiences’ preconceived notions about what is...Amanda Palmer and friends take over Calvin Theatre in Northampton
Shortly before the lights went down inside the Calvin Theatre in Northampton Friday, as the majority of audience members for the night’s Amanda Palmer show were still making the way to their seats, the strains of the song “No Surprises” by the...Boston Marathon Tragedy Garnering Many Tributes
Over 48 hours have passed since Monday’s tragic bombing in Boston, and musical tributes to both the city and victims of the incident are starting to pile up. During Tuesday night’s game in Yankee Stadium, even the Bronx Bombers, whose rivalrous history...Neutral Milk Hotel Once Again Open for Business
In a move sure to make indie music fans around the world rejoice, news broke Monday that the popular cult group Neutral Milk Hotel is reuniting to play its first live shows since 1999 this fall. According to Rolling Stone magazine, the group is “set to play two...Beastie Boys Honor Past with Memoir and Park
Almost one year after the death of group member Adam “MCA” Yauch, the remaining Beastie Boys have announced two projects this week, one of which will honor the late rapper’s memory in his hometown. According to the New York Times on Monday, the still...Kris Kristofferson wows Calvin crowd with Mother's Day show
Though the title of his latest album is Feeling Mortal, Kris Kristofferson treated fans (and their moms) to a show filled with life during a special Mother’s Day concert in Northampton Sunday. As the owner of a music career spanning nearly 50 years and a second...Doctor Westchesterson reps Valley Advocate on new track, Chelsea Light Moving premieres Occupy-themed video
The “undisputed ruler” of the 413 is back again, and this time Doctor Westchesterson has even seen fit to name drop the Valley Advocate in one of his rhymes. On his newest track, “Make You Move,” which he dropped on Thursday, Westchesterson...It's a Shame About Ray: Doors' keyboardist Manzarek dies at 74
Finally “breaking on through,” The Doors’ keyboardist Ray Manzarek has finally joined singer Jim Morrison on the other side. The 74-year-old passed away from bile duct cancer on Monday. While popularly known as a founding member of the...Tales from the Slush Pile
In the parlance of the publishing trade, a “slush pile” is a collection of unsolicited submissions that have been mailed to a publisher by unknown authors and agents. Typically, assistant editors are entrusted with picking their way through this glut of...New Day or End of an Era for Boston Sports?
Today, instead of writing about the typical focus of this blog, music, I thought I would take the time to comment on a topic that has become popular fodder recently for cable news stations and other media outlets across the country. The Supreme Court’s decision...Northampton musician Jeremy Dubs appears on new Pixies track
In an exciting bit of Massachusetts-centric music news, Northampton musician Jeremy Dubs (Bunnies, Speak!, Rabbit Rabbit) has been announced as appearing on the latest song from Boston alt-rock icons the Pixies. The song in question, “Bagboy,” is the first...Dropkick Murphys, the Boss team to aid Boston bombing victims
Continuing their tradition of supporting all things Beantown, Boston’s favorite punk rockers the Dropkick Murphys recently donated over $300,000 to 60 surviving victims of the Boston Marathon bombings that occurred on April 15. According to Rolling Stone...Andy Kaufman lives again on comedy album
Andy Kaufman Andy and His Grandmother (Drag City) Release date: July 16, 2013 Andy Kaufman is back from dead. Though rumors have persisted for years that the late comedian faked his own death in order to pull the ultimate joke on his fans, thanks to the record label...Northeast Underground's Best Albums of 2014
2014 was an unpredictable year for music. Female artists like Taylor Swift, Iggy Azalea, and Ariana Grande ruled the charts (okay, maybe that wasn’t too unpredictable). Foo Fighters rolled the dice with their most ambitious record yet. And U2 invaded your iTunes...From Pussy Riot to the Bad Touch: Russia's Music Crackdown
Apparently Russian residents don’t care for bands performing a “Bad Touch” with their country’s flag. According to Spin, the Pennsylvania rock group the Bloodhound Gang has been banned from performing at the Kubana festival in the southern...Fashion People Records Ready to Strut Its Stuff at Northampton Launch Party
Fashion and music have always been intertwined. From the jean-wearing, slick-haired rockers of the ‘50s to the long-haired, flower-sporting hippies of the ‘60s, on to the stylish duds of disco dancers, the leather-clad and provocatively pierced toughs of the punk era,...Don't Be Shy: Dropkick Murphys bringing Boston pride to Western Mass
Formed in 1996, the Celtic punk group Dropkick Murphys (see photo, right) has become a Bay State institution. While scoring hits with songs like “Tessie,” “Shipping Up to Boston” and “The State of Massachusetts,” the band has also...Foo Fighters “Sonic Highways” Album Review: Extended Cut
Check out a shorter version of this review that ran in the print edition of the Valley Advocate here. Foo Fighters Sonic Highways (RCA) Release date: 11/10/14 The Foo Fighters’ eighth studio album is more than just another rock record. Instead, “Sonic...The Northeast Goes Midwest: An Underground conversation with The Flaming Lips' Steven Drozd
Reading through the track listing of The Flaming Lips’ latest album, The Terror, one fact quickly becomes clear. These aren’t your parents’ fearless freaks. Gone are such light-hearted song titles like “She Don’t Use Jelly,”...Iceage Brings Danish Punk to Easthampton
Iceage Plowing Into The Field Of Love (Matador) Release date: 10/7/14 On its 2011 debut, New Brigade, Iceage injected youthful energy into a raucous mix of hardcore punk, noise rock, and Goth rumblings. Just one year ago, a sophomore album, You’re Nothing, expanded...Yellowbirds bring Songs From the Vanished Frontier to light
Yellowbirds Songs From the Vanished Frontier (Royal Potato Family) When former Apollo Sunshine member Sam Cohen played the Calvin Theatre in January, he previewed several songs from his group Yellowbirds’ yet-to-be-released second album for the audience in...Valley Rising Compilation Series Reaches Milestone with Third Release
Like “The Godfather,” “Back to the Future” and “The Matrix” before it, the Valley Rising Compilation Album series has completed a third chapter. And much like those classic movies mentioned above, this newest iteration of the VRCA comes with weighted expectations....Music news: Neil Young preps Pono and Trent Reznor's record cost
In a statement sure to bring joy to audio purists, classic rocker Neil Young issued an update Tuesday on the state of his Pono Music project, which he hopes will one day “save listeners” from the compressed sound quality of MP3’s. “The simplest...The Brian Jonestown Massacre Offers Anthems and Answers on New Album “Revelation”
The Brian Jonestown Massacre Revelation (A Records) “The simple answer is I love the word. Most of the time I would classify my work ‘sruti,’ i.e. [the] ‘what is heard,’ definition of the word ‘revelation.’ But on this album...'90s Music Strikes Back: Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Sebadoh
The arrival of the fall season always brings with it a feeling of the past being renewed. For every homecoming parade and harvest yield, there is a palpable sense that one is obligated to look back, not only over the past year, which is rapidly coming to a close, but...Gone to the Dogs: How Doug Ratner Made Helping Canines His Business
For Doug Ratner, dogs are more than just good pets – they’re serious business. As the founder of the website idratherbewithmydog.net, Ratner, who many Western Mass music fans might recognize from his role as guitarist and vocalist in the band Doug Ratner...Angel Olsen brings “Half Way Home” tour to Paradise City
Perhaps best known for her work with alt-country artist Will Oldham (aka Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy), singer and songwriter Olsen steps even further out into the spotlight on her debut solo album, Half Way Home, a record the sound of which the artist brings to...Lou Barlow Joins Jenny Lewis on New Song “Late Bloomer”
With lyrics mentioning a restless teenager, a muscian’s stalker and a possible ménage à trois, the song “Late Bloomer” from indie rocker Jenny Lewis’ new album The Voyager sure doesn’t lack interesting subject matter. But...Big Papi, Erin Andrews and more, share in classic Red Sox win
Sure, there was any number of other notable events I could have blogged about today – the celebration of Columbus/ Native American Day, last night’s season premiere of The Walking Dead, maybe even some NFL game (How about that Tom Brady eh? That...Weird Al Wraps Eight Videos in Eight Days Promotion
Mandatory fun indeed. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past week, you may have heard a thing or two about the new music video from song parody kingpin Weird Al Yankovic. Which new video you ask? Good question. As part of the promotional activities...Lou Barlow reps The Elevators, The Folk Implosion and more, for What's In My Bag?
Taking a break from his ongoing tour with the indie rock band Sebadoh, former Westfield resident Lou Barlow (also of Dinosaur Jr, The Folk Implosion) stopped by Amoeba Music in Hollywood recently to film a segment for the store’s popular “What’s In...Shatter-proof: Lindsey Stirling Stays Motivated with New Album, Tour
Today, getting eliminated from a television reality show can sometimes be a great career move. Winning a competition-based series like “American Idol” or “So You Think You Can Dance” doesn’t always translate into real-world success. And...Shokazoba show at Hampshire College cancelled
Known to Western Mass music fans as a popular live act, the local Afro-beat group Shokazoba (check out a 2012 Valley Advocate cover story this writer wrote on the band here) received an unpleasant surprise at Hampshire College Friday. Prior to the band’s...Sharon Van Etten Pulling into Northampton for “Are We There” Tour
Sharon Van Etten Are We There (Jagjaguwar) Release date: 5/27/14 On the cover of her third album in the last four years (pictured at right), indie singer/ songwriter Sharon Van Etten is pictured with her head pushed outside a car window. The vehicle, with Van Etten at...Bring on the duck boats
For those who may have missed the news (and prefer sleeping under rocks), the Boston Red Sox are the 2013 World Series champs! Watch the Dropkick Murphys perform the National Anthem and “Shipping Up to Boston” prior to World Series game six here: And...Twenty Years Ago Today
“Our late editor is dead, he died of death, which killed him.” – John Lennon 20 years ago today, Kurt Cobain ended his life in the space above his garage outside his home in Washington. The career of one of the most-heralded musicians of the ‘90s was snuffed out...Breathe Owl Breathe mines familiar terrain on “Passage of Pegasus”
Breathe Owl Breathe Passage of Pegasus (Self-released) Six albums in, the sound made by this indie folk trio differs little from that of the band’s 2004 debut. Much like on that initial release, the impression here is of a talented group of musicians influenced...Fred Armisen single series features fake Northampton band
In a 2011 sketch on the late-night comedy program “Saturday Night Live,” some light-hearted fun was poked at a fictitious band on the Western Massachusetts music scene. Featuring actor Jason Segel (“How I Met Your Mother”) and then-SNL cast...James Keyes celebrates new album with Haydenville show
James Keyes The Middle (DIY) While past album reviews have labeled New England singer and songwriter Keyes as a purveyor of “stripped down, bluesy folk with alt-country overtones,” his latest release finds the musician expanding his trademark sound with...Angel Olsen turns up the heat on “Burn Your Fire For No Witness”
Angel Olsen used to steal the spotlight as a backing singer for Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy (aka Will Oldham). Then with the release of her solo debut Half Way Home, the singer/ songwriter stepped into her own. Now with the release of her sophomore album Burn...Move over Arlo, Stephen Kellogg's “Thanksgiving” is new holiday anthem
“This year for Thanksgiving, I’m keeping my list short,” sings Western Mass singer/ songwriter Stephen Kellogg on the holiday-themed tune “Thanksgiving” from his 2013 solo album Blunderstone Rookery. And, in keeping with the true spirit...The Top Albums of 2013 by the Numbers
Welcome to the Northeast Underground’s third annual listing of the top albums of the year. In the past, this blog has organized best-of posts both alphabetically and in more random fashion. But this year for the 2013 edition of the list, the Underground is going...The Power of Three: Nirvana, Macaulay Culkin, and New Year's Revolutions
Another year, another anniversary. In lieu of publishing a post today celebrating the third anniversary of the Northeast Underground’s launch date on valleyadvocate.com, I thought I would share three recent videos that run the gamut from entertaining, to...Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks share West Coast wisdom on “Wig Out at Jagbags”
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks Wig Out at Jagbags (Matador) Stephen Malkmus is still a California kid at heart. Though the former Pavement frontman’s latest album with his band the Jicks, Wig Out at Jagbags, was recorded overseas in Berlin, the record’s...No Regrets – an interview with Joanna Bolme of Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
Back in January, this blog posted a review of the new Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks’ album Wig Out at Jagbags. Filled with observations on the record’s numerous “references to the West Coast,” and many tracks’ “eminently hummable...Young Tricksters explore new sounds on debut EP
The adjective “explorative” carries with it a certain weight. Curious sailers once explored the world. In the present day, curious physicists explore the possibilities of the known universe. And medical professionals explore daily the limits of the human...E-Edition
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