After the success of its breakthrough 2003 album "Page Avenue," Story of the Year has struggled to define its identity in the strange rock scene of the day. The band's sophomore release for Maverick Records, "In the Wake of Determination" (2006), charted poorly, failed to spawn a successful single and, even worse for fans, strayed from the band's screamo-rock roots to a more metal direction.
The easiest way to label oneself as an artist, some would argue, would be to get a digital camera, shift the mode to black and white and proceed to take numerous "artsy" photos of Coke bottles, spoons and other random objects. But while some may scoff at such attempts, photographer Moyra Davey has used just this approach - with great success - to reveal the profundity of everyday objects.
Just in case you've never heard of Flight of the Conchords, the self-proclaimed No. 2 folk-parody duo from New Zealand, do yourself a favor and hop onto YouTube.com to do some research. For those in the know, the band has finally released its first full-length album, full of hits from the pair's HBO series such as "Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenocerous" and "Business Time."
Thrice has never really been a mainstream rock act, and with its latest effort, "The Alchemy Index: Vols. III and IV," the band has made it clear that it has absolutely no intentions of gaining pop notoriety.
Five years ago, Phantom Planet was momentarily famous for two reasons. The first was a catchy pop sound so sunny that "California" became the ubiquitous theme for "The O.C." The second was the presence of actor Jason Schwartzman ("Rushmore" (1998)) behind the drum kit.
R.E.M. is one of those bands that is often mentioned in passing while discussing 1980s new wave music or dropped by the insecure as a hint that they have good taste. But in the new millennium, how many people can actually name an R.E.M. song, let alone an album? The answer, unfortunately, is fewer than one might think.
The Black Keys have quickly come to be known as a member of the elite duo of lo-fi blues-rock duos. Together with the White Stripes, they've proven that an electric guitar and a drum set can rock even harder than what is traditionally known as a "full band."
The Tufts University Art Gallery continues its series of MFA thesis exhibitions from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) this month. The show is a strong representation of the work of emerging artists and allows viewers a rare glance into the SMFA's studios.
Fearless Records does it again with its most recent release of "Punk Goes Crunk," another one of its theme compilation albums. This 15-song CD is a collection of hip-hop and rap covers from some of the most prominent up-and-coming "punk" bands in the industry. Albums like this have been released before, all with the "Punk Goes..." title; the 1980s and '90s albums sold to some success, and their two acoustic albums (in which artists play their singles stripped down) are very popular. Of course, these albums are just gimmicks to get a little side cash for the artists and labels. "Punk Goes Crunk," however, may not provide the return that the investors were looking for.
This month, the Julie Chae Gallery presents "BLOW ME AWAY: works on paper," a group show composed of five artists. The show introduces these very different artists, exploring the way they use the notion of fantasy and the medium of paper. With well over fifty pieces, the show is very complex. It demonstrates the versatility of this medium, both in terms of technique and style. The gallery continues its tradition of showcasing young artists: Brian Chippendale has been exhibiting since 1995, and the others (Christopher Davison, Nicole DePonte, Jungil Hong and Kevin Hooyman) all started after 2000.
Muse has long been a band that's fallen under the radar of most popular rock enthusiasts in the United States, and it's truly a tragedy that such is the case. The band's epic rock style, complete with music videos featuring laser-shooting, motorcycle-riding space cowboys, is one of the only entirely novel sounds the rock world has seen of late.
The Boston Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) is currently hosting a small show that, despite its size, packs a punch. Though it only highlights three artists - Mark Bradford, Robin Rhode and William Cordova - "Street Level" is a challenging exhibition that stands as a milestone for "street" artists slowly entering the art world.
"Surrounded by Water: Expressions of Freedom and Isolation in Contemporary Cuban Art," now open at the Boston University Art Gallery and curated by graduate student Natania Remba, explores the ways in which Cuban artists use water as a metaphor.
The Counting Crows have had a story to tell since they began writing music, and their newest album, "Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings," is no exception. Lead singer and lyricist Adam Duritz weaves stories into songs investigating sin and remorse. At its core, the album is a remorseful yet intriguing memory of Duritz's past and a hopeful feeling about his future.
Walking from the Broadway T stop to the Allston Skirt Gallery makes one realize the lengths that people go for art. The experience of that walk is completely unlike the environment at Tufts; it's a landscape of bridges, overpasses, metal railings, construction, tractors and dumpsters. Amid the chaos of the oft-forgotten industrial side of Boston, nestled in between warehouses, is a street with a few choice galleries, antique stores and porcelain showrooms. Among them is Allston Skirt.
When actress Zooey Deschanel and singer-songwriter M. Ward worked two years ago on the film "The Go-Getter" (2007), an indie film about a young man's soul-searching journey, not much more than they were met with glowing reviews at Sundance. But when Deschanel, who starred, and Ward, who wrote the score, collaborated on a song for the movie's soundtrack, they planted the seed for a promising side project. Deschanel and Ward harmonized on Richard and Linda Thompson's "When I Get to the Border," and she eventually confided to him that she was a closeted songstress who secretly recorded original compositions on her computer. They parted after the brief movie collaboration, but Deschanel sent Ward a demo that impressed him so much he invited her to his Portland, Ore. studio, and the duo "She and Him" was born.
It's not every day that a band manages to title an album in such a way that captures with precision not only a striking duality of themes on their record, but also the band's current position in their career. The title of The Matches' third studio album, "A Band in Hope," accomplishes this feat with the punk rock irreverence that their fans have come to expect.
Almost every Tufts student has at one time or another taken a stroll down Newbury Street, but not many have taken the opportunity to enjoy the relaxing effects of Newbury's one and only free activity: gallery viewing. Located at 10 Newbury St., right next to Juicy Couture, is a non-descript door that leads to one of the true gems for viewing contemporary art in Boston: the Barbara Krakow Gallery. Located on the fifth floor (don't worry, there is an elevator) is this simple, well-organized space that makes up for its lack of size in the quality of its contents, which are both intellectually stimulating and cheerful, for the most part.
Through the Boston Museum of Fine Arts' (MFA) affiliation with the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA), the museum often takes opportunities to show student work. These are usually not the largest shows, nor are they the most impressive, but they contribute a glimpse of the absolute present of art-making.
"Goodbye Blues," the newest release by The Hush Sound, was named one of the "Most Anticipated Albums of 2008" by the Alternative Press. This record may lack the band's characteristic innocence, but the maturity of the band shines through in both its spunky-rock sound and interpretation of the gritty world of adult relationships.
