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VIDEO OF THE DAY: KATE NASH “FRI-END?”

Saucy British singer Kate Nash goes retro in her colorful video for “Fri-end?” Nash rocks white platform heels, short dresses, and matching headbands for a go-go girl (read: grrrl) inspired look. But don’t let her nonthreatening appearance fool you–Nash lets out her aggression in her dancing as she scolds, “Well the way you dress was more important to...

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JANELLE MONÁE: OCTOBER 22, 2013 IN MINNEAPOLIS

JANELLE MONÁE: OCTOBER 22, 2013 IN MINNEAPOLIS

Many musicians and bands can give an amazing performance, but rare are the times a performance has the ability to move the audience, to give something so special, so extraordinary, so remarkable, that the night feels magical and you leave the concert feeling changed, inspired and blown away by the night. Janelle Monåe delivered that kind of...

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MS MR: October 18, 2013 in Los Angeles

MS MR: October 18, 2013 in Los Angeles

If you weren’t among the terminally hip New Yorkers, you may not have been aware of Lizzy Plapinger, co-founder of the 7”-only Neon Gold Records and its accompanying blog, until about six months ago. As one-half of MS MR (completed by Max Hershenow) Plapinger is not going to be able to keep her cooler-than-cool street cred for...

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Sarah Negahdari Finds Her Medium in Happy Hollows

The Happy Hollows are an enchanting indie rock outfit based in L.A. This summer they will release their sophomore album, Amethyst (Pesky Fruit Music), a synth-drenched, textured record of driving, dark pop anchored by frontwoman Sarah Negahdari’s powerful voice and guitar skills. Negarhdari is an incredibly enthusiastic musician whether performing or having a chat—full of energy, gratitude and...

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Hooverphonic’s Newest Frontwoman Chooses Her Own Adventure

It’s rare when a group manages to sustain its former success upon replacing its lead singer. Astonishingly, Belgium’s Hooverphonic has had this experience three times yet is thriving. Turns out, fourth time’s the charm with their latest figurehead, Noémie Wolfs. It isn’t just the voice of Hooverphonic that keeps changing—the group’s overall sound is constantly evolving. Over...

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The Top 12 Female Acts at Bonnaroo 2013

Whether you love ’em or hate ’em, there’s no doubt that everything involved in the production of a music festival demands a certain type of respect—the artists, the organizers, the fans.Take the musical entity that is Bonnaroo, for example. A mere week ago I returned back to reality in Arizona from the middle of Tennessee, as...

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Pony Boy Gets Into Character Making Songs for Outsiders

Let’s set the record straight: Pony Boy is not a slicked-back greaser who’s about to take his sweetheart on a drive down to teenage tragedyville. Pony Boy is actually doom wop chanteuse Marchelle Bradanini, a blonde bombshell with candy apple red lipstick and usually sporting a leather jacket who could probably get a rebel without a cause...

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PRETTY GOOD FOR A GIRL: WOMEN IN BLUEGRASS (BY MURPHY HICKS HENRY)

As the first book devoted entirely to women in bluegrass, Pretty Good for a Girl might seem like an off-putting title at first. But the compilation of untold and unsung stories of females in this genre touches on a much deeper historical and informational level. And it shows that this phrase women have endured throughout the history...

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WE GET THE WHOLE DEAL FROM THE BREEDERS ON ANNIVERSARY

WE GET THE WHOLE DEAL FROM THE BREEDERS ON ANNIVERSARY

For anyone listening to relevant music at the height of alternative culture, the Breeders’ 1993 album, Last Splash (4AD), was a crucial part of the post-punk pantheon. The Breeders—especially the Last Splash-era lineup of twin sisters Kim and Kelley Deal, Josephine Wiggs and Jim Macpherson—are widely, and deservedly, recognized as essential alt-rock icons. But not for the same...

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Strawberry Shortcake + Marilyn Manson = One-Eyed Doll

If you have ever seen goth-punk duo One-Eyed Doll on stage, there’s no doubt you would remember it. But truthfully, a lot of people probably have seen them, and maybe just wrote them off early on. I can just hear the death metaller dudes now: Only two people in the band? And a chick is the vocalist/guitarist? Let’s...