There's no better season for a great single than the summer. Not that a good single can't be enjoyed at any other time of the year. But in the summertime, you need more jams to soundtrack trips to the beach, or house parties, or just make for something great to hear while being lazy around the ...

At various points in the past ten years, I've said, both in writing and in casual conversation, that The Head on the ...

It’s not yet officially summer (only about a week away), but with the hottest season quickly approaching, it’s time to start making some good road trip mixes, party playlists, barbecue comps and just some great batches of tunes for listening on warm weekends. May we suggest some selections from ...

Critics often talk about the rock 'n' roll canon, but in 2010, it's hard to know what that even means, let alone comprises. For instance, acclaimedmusic.net compiles and tallies critics' lists to make a master key for anyone attempting to find out what true consensus exists out there. But for ...

With an extra long weekend behind us thanks to the annual American tradition of Memorial Day, this week is a little more abbreviated than usual. So, as we gear up for a flood of June releases, which include new albums by Wolf Parade, Blitzen Trapper, Robyn and a bunch of others, we thought it ...

The National are often described as a romantic or sophisticated band, layering meticulously crafted melodies beneath Matt Berninger’s intricate scenarios detailing the “unmagnificent lives of adults.” And it’s all true, of course. But it’s not said often enough that The National are, first and ...

A bad crowd can sometimes ruin a good show. On the flipside, however, a great crowd can make a show seem even more special. San Diego’s Casbah is a venue known for attracting a fairly mellow crowd, but Frightened Rabbit proved to be the exception, inspiring overflowing enthusiasm and group ...

Few musical artists of the 20th Century have a biography as incredible as Fela Kuti’s. The Nigerian bandleader and pioneer of Afrobeat was born to politically progressive parents, attended university in London, started a highlife band in the ’60s which evolved into Africa 70, and recorded some ...

All ages shows have a way of making me feel incredibly old. Don't get me wrong-I'm glad that there are artists who care enough to make a point of playing venues that don't exclude anyone from attending. And when I was 18, there were plenty of bands I wanted to see, but couldn't, primarily due to ...

In January, I joined a gym for the first time in my life. It's not that I didn’t want to keep myself in shape--far be it from me to wish for extra flab or high cholesterol. But when it comes to working out, I have a short attention span. I always saw spending 90 minutes at the gym as tedious, ...