Itâs interesting that death would be such a prevalent theme in a semi-autobiographical work from a woman that most would describe as full of vibrant energy and beautiful life. However, the central themes of Carla Harveyâs âDeath and Other Dancesâ seamlessly transition into her story of life, from an initial fascination with death as a...
Lili Haydn is a legendâa pint-sized violin virtuoso who has been a mainstay in a number of music scenes for years. She has released four of her own albumsâthe most recent being Lililandâand has scored films alongside Hans Zimmer and his Remote Control team. She has shredded on her violin on the same stage as Jimmy Page and Robert Plant....
Primus was not only one of the main acts at Riot Fest Chicago this year, they also had the anthem of the weekend with âMy Name is Mudâ after brutal rains left Humboldt Park a warriorâs course. But thereâs no crying in festivals, and no one was letting Chicagoâs ridiculously fickle weather affect their experience. This was...
In a music-saturated world where anyone can put a song on Bandcamp, Soundcloud and Spotify, it can be difficult to sift through the smaller bands worth checking out. Sticking with the headliners of an acclaimed music festival like Riot Fest is a safe betâand if you followed this line of reasoning, you probably saw Patti Smith, Pussy Riot, Tegan...
Born in India, raised in Southern California and transplanted to Boston, singer-songwriter Zoya Mohan has several different cultures and sub-cultures influencing herâand sheâs worked her way through just as many permutations of who exactly she is as an artist. The folk singer strumming away at her guitar today, however, presents us with an artistic voice that is...
Itâs called âThe Skylar Effect,â a term this 26-year-old singer-songwriterâs tourmates came up with to describe the way Gudasz spellbinds audiences. Though the North Carolina artist has yet to release her solo record (for now, catch her 7âł âCar Songâ/âDream Loverâ Big Star cover release), Gudasz has come up the ranks as an excelled performerâsheâs one of...
In the title track on her newest disc, Donât Disconnect, Sarah Jaffe sings, âDonât disconnect/Donât disconnect/Do you still feel me?â/Donât disconnect yet.â In the 15 minutes we had Jaffe on the line, we got disconnected three times. (Guess that Skype invitation was not such a bad idea.) But throughout our conversation (which eventually did happen), one thing was clear: her...
Kristina Reznikovâs recording studio is in the corner of the one-bedroom apartment she shares with her girlfriend, Genessey. A woman who grew up doing the kind of singing she describes as âyelly,â Reznikov now has to keep it down in this old apartment building in Washington, D.C. Thankfully, Genessey doesnât mind the studio or the...
Samsaya stands in no oneâs shadowâeven if the second half of her name means âshadowâ in Hindi. The fiery Indian (by way of Norway) performer is alwaysâat least in public situationsâseen with a heart drawn around her eye. This sketched heart is far from perfect. Lopsided and shaky, but bold and defined, it is an outward...
Four very different teenagers come together as the band Screaming Divas in this young adult novel that explores the topics of friendship, family and coming to terms with who you are as you verge on adulthood, all through the lens of music. Trudy is estranged from her serial matrimonialist mother. After a bout in juvenile...