Author Archives: Jon Rooney

Ball of Wax 31 Originals: Shenandoah Davis – Proof

[Ball of Wax 31, as previously announced, will feature 15 local songwriters and bands all covering each other’s songs. Between now and the release show on March 9th, I will share the originals with you to provide a little background, … Continue reading

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Ball of Wax 31 Originals: Colin J. Nelson – Bourbon and Tea

[Ball of Wax 31, as previously announced, will feature 15 local songwriters and bands all covering each other’s songs. Between now and the release show on March 9th, I will share the originals with you to provide a little background, … Continue reading

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Ball of Wax 31 Originals: Alicia Amiri – Darkness in Me

[Ball of Wax 31, as previously announced, will feature 15 local songwriters and bands all covering each other’s songs. Between now and the release show on March 9th, I will share the originals with you to provide a little background, … Continue reading

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Album Review: Loud Springs – Trinity Blast Suite

Loud Springs – Trinity Blast Suite (2012, self-released) Loud Springs is the new project from Dean Wells, who spent much of the last decade writing, recording and eventually performing as the Capstan Shafts. Wells is a lo fi savant, channeling … Continue reading

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Album Review: Meursault – Something for the Weakened

Meaursault – Something for the Weakened (2012, Song, By Toad Records) Edinburgh’s Meursault have been gaining acclaim and attention across the UK and Europe over the past few years, most notably for 2010’s outstanding All Creatures Will Make Merry. A … Continue reading

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Andy Says So: Grave Babies

Continuing the string of recommendations from Andy of Fensepost, let’s check out Grave Babies.  Seattle’s Grave Babies put out a 7″ on Hardly Art and have an EP called Gothdammit coming out on April 17th. Like Orcas, Grave Babies have … Continue reading

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Andy Says So: Orcas

Since I’ve struggled a bit lately to stay on top of new bands, I enlisted the help of music blogger and all-around good guy Andy Fenstermaker of Fensepost to direct me to a handful of up-and-coming Pacific Northwest artists. Challenging … Continue reading

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Interview with Carlos Forster, Who Is Touring the West Coast

I reviewed Carlos Forster‘s new album, Family Trees, last year on this very blog. A couple of years ago, I wrote a short, somewhat random posthumous tribute to Forster’s former band, For Stars, on Fensepost. Forster is about to set … Continue reading

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2011 in Review: New Is New, Old Is New and Lulu Is the Future

A couple of weeks ago I asked a friend what she thought would end up being the consensus album of the year.  A potent combination of aging, new fatherhood, acute self-absorption, and YouTube-fueled distraction kept me from really having a … Continue reading

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Album Review: Western Ghost House – Kaleidoscope Tower

Western Ghost House – Kaleidoscope Tower (2011, self-released) Western Ghost House‘s second release,  Kaleidoscope Tower, is a tasteful, thoughtful collection of songs from a young Austin band that evokes the likes of Calexico, Shearwater, and Papercuts. Brooding, cowboy-esque opener “Varicose Veins” … Continue reading

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