Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
For his band’s newest release, Deerhunter’s lead singer Bradford Cox created an interactive influence map, which included R.E.M. and Tom Petty. Fading Frontier, released Friday, is the band’s...
With his busy touring schedule, country artist Corb Lund hasn’t released new material since 2012 — yet, he hasn’t lost the touch. His previous release, Counterfeit Blues, reinterpreted...
In the world of black metal music, fans like their songs to roll past at mind-numbing speed. Yet subgenres such as blackgaze, which uses slower moments to juxtapose distorted guitars and shrieking singers,...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Update (12:32 a.m.): Right before the Strokes ended their set, lead singer Julian Casablancas turned to guitarist Nick Valensi and asked a question.
“You got anything to say to the...
Update (12:35): When Drake closed out Day Two, he made sure audience members knew that Texas is his second home. The Canadian-born rapper continuously told the audience it was the best he’d...
Update (12:20 p.m.): The Foo Fighters concluded Day 1 of ACL’s first weekend with an invigorating set.
The band’s two hour performance began with an energetic rendition of “Everlong,”...
If you don’t want to sell the rights to your first-born child just to get tickets for the Austin City Limits Music Festival, there are dozens of suitable alternatives during both weekends of the...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Whether it’s his latest haircut or a band’s color scheme, custom instruments or music video effects, Jack White’s attention to detail is what spurs his fans’ dedication. With his...
Black Bastards – KMD
Before donning his famous mask and super-villain persona MF Doom, Daniel Dumile went by the name of Zev Love X. At first, rap was just a hobby for Dumile and his brother Dingilizwe,...
Since his debut in 2007, Mac Miller’s name has been synonymous with mediocre party music. His massive catalogue focused far too much on quantity over quality, but his major label debut, GO:OD AM,...
After The Strokes and Arcade Fire sold millions of albums in the early 2000s, the indie genre’s fan base has become one of the largest and most dedicated in music. To capitalize, labels brought pop...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
With Anthems for Doomed Youth, The Libertines have done what many bands from their era cannot — return after an 11-year-long hiatus as enigmatic as before.
Ever since they formed the Libertines...
The devaluation of music has led to drastic shifts in the way artists release their content, making free albums the new trend. Instead of battling the changes, groups such as Donnie Trumpet & The Social...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
At 36, Dan Auerbach seems too old to be an up-and-coming rock star. Thanks to an explosion in popularity in 2011 with the platinum release of his album with The Black Keys, El Camino, Auerbach has been...
Artists such as Mac DeMarco, who sold 6,000 vinyl copies in the first week of his new mini-LP, Another One, are seeing a clear benefit from the resurgence of wax. Vinyl is a definite way to support your...
Since Michael Jackson exploded onto the pop scene with his superhuman singing and dance skills, many artists have tried and failed to replicate what made him so special. Abel Tesfaye, known by his stage...
Unknown Pleasures – Joy Division
Behind any quality album is a dedicated producer who works with artists to make the sounds in their heads come to life. Some producers go above and beyond in their...
Experimental R&B musician FKA twigs strives to make her work a multi-medium experience. Twigs’ background in directing music videos and choreographing dances allows her to captivate viewers through...
Editor’s note: This Q&A has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Between working on her new album Early Reflections SMPLR, which comes out Friday, and embarking on her first tour of North...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
From the day Dee Dee Ramone shouted out “1, 2, 3, 4!” for the Ramones’ first performance in 1974, garage rock and punk haven’t paused to take a breather. Since then, finding lyrics...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Dr. Dre’s storied 31-year career is the stuff of dreams. His talents brought him from a high school graduate with bleak outlook to a successful and innovative producer, rapper, entrepreneur and mentor....
Since Sleaford Mods’ inception in 2007, the duo has caught the public’s eye with its vulgar use of language and no-hold-barred subject matter.
Sleaford Mods’ hard-hitting post-punk...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
With White Reaper’s latest album, the four-piece punk band has done it again.
Before Friday’s release of White Reaper Does It Again, the Louisville, Kentucky-natives joined the new wave...
Some critics argue albums are dead and singles will prove supreme. But with these eight releases, this year’s musicians set out to prove critics wrong.
No Cities to Love — Sleater-Kinney
Genre:...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Trout Mask Replica - Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
In the 1960s, musical experimentation was at an all-time high. But no album epitomizes the spirit of the unknown as well as singer-songwriter...
Seven years after Lil Wayne’s last quality record, Tha Carter III, the hip hop artist is attempting to get his career back on track with his latest release, Free Weezy Album.
Released Saturday...
Neil Young doesn’t just get angry, he gets absolutely livid. Whether it’s his reaction to the Kent State massacre with “Ohio” or his critique of social policies in “Rockin’...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Indie rock has hit a bit of a stand still, with innovation at an all-time low. Since 2010, the genre has stayed afloat with a formulaic approach and decent sales, but Wolf Alice is one of the few bands...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Ever since The Format held their first practice in 2001, Nate Ruess has fit the definition of the modern rock star. His work with The Format and fun. is explosive, perpetuating music's ability to influence...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Muse has always been a band with larger than life messages, especially when lead singer Matt Bellamy's imagination runs wild. Monday’s release of the band’s seventh album Drones stays true...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc.
Graceland — Paul Simon
In...
Ever since Chance the Rapper broke out in 2013 with his free mixtape Acid Rap, the 22-year-old has slowed down, doing everything on his own terms. Chance and his friends from The Social Experiment took...
Twenty-one years after his death, Kurt Cobain’s music still resonates with audiences. On Monday, HBO premiered “Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck,” the only documentary about Kurt Cobain made...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc.
Spiderland — Slint
Slint...
When musician Benjamin Booker recorded his first EP, Waiting Ones, in 2012 in his parents’ bathroom, he intended its release to be a private affair. Instead, he almost immediately found himself gaining...
Since 2008, the Zac Brown Band has dominated country music with its Southern style and powerful songs. Its music is some of the best in the genre, capturing even the attention of non-country fans. The...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Record Store Day was last Saturday — but some stores still have stacks of unsold records.
A group of store owners first launched Record Store Day in 2007 to promote local record stores. Record...
Alabama Shakes’ first tour proved they have the charisma of some of the liveliest bands in music today. But their first album, Boys & Girls, failed to capture that performance style, leaving...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums you should listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in...
Late last year, former KISS bassist and singer Gene Simmons said what everyone was thinking. In an interview with Esquire, Simmons declared rock to be dead.
“The death of rock was not a natural...
For all the flak Tyler, The Creator takes from critics claiming he is turning the nation’s youth into hellacious demons, his albums have made millions. Cherry Bomb, released Monday, portrays a slightly...
A weekend at Austin City Limits Music Festival costs $250, but it only takes a $20 piece of equipment to ruin the experience.
A selfie stick is a monopod used for taking self-portraits, or selfies,...
What do Sam Smith, Michael Bolton, Johnny Cash and Vanilla Ice all have in common? They’ve all been sued for copyright infringement.
Plagiarism accusations occur every day in the music industry,...
After the Beach Boys cut their reunion tour short in 2012, band member Brian Wilson resumed his solo career. Wilson has proved his dedication to his sound over his past 10 albums, and the 11th supports...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Earl Sweatshirt, the previously missing member of Odd Future, a Los Angeles-based hip-hop collective, released his newest album, I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside: An Album by Earl Sweatshirt,...
For eight decades and counting, RoundUp has been the highlight of UT’s spring social scene — and this year is no exception. The weekend has gone through many evolutions through the years, but...
The time between an album’s announcement to the tour’s final show used to be fairly standard: advertise the album, release a few singles, drop the record and promote the album with videos and a...
Modest Mouse is the band that should have never been. Although the cards were stacked against it, the group prevailed for almost two decades.
Strangers to Ourselves’ release on March 13 ended...
Waiting another week for Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly would have been torture. Whether Interscope Records accidentally released the album early on iTunes, or the album was somehow leaked...
South By Southwest is all about being at the right place at the right time.
Decide to venture out and check out a new venue? Good call — you might find yourself listening to the next big...
Editor’s note: This Q&A has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Melbourne, Australia-based Twerps released their second full-length album Range Anxiety in January and will perform at the...
Colin Blunstone is the lead singer of The Zombies. Known for their psychedelic sound. The Zombies were the second U.K. band — the first being The Beatles — to have a No. 1 hit in the United...
Some of the best acts of past South By Southwest festivals weren’t the big names; they were the local bands who were just happy to perform. Check out some of the best musicians Austin has to offer...
Arcade Fire has sold millions of records, won a couple of Grammys and toured around the world. Their fame is undeniable, yet Will Butler, the band’s jack-of-all-trades who rotates from keyboard to...
Kelly Clarkson has outlasted most American Idols — probably because she was one of the first.
Clarkson, the Texas-born winner of the first season of "American Idol," succeeded...
The Republic of Texas only lasted for 10 years, but Texas’ spirit of independence will live on in its musicians forever. Texas, a long-time bastion for music, is the birthplace of thousands of famous...
As Black History Month comes to a close, music fans across all genres should take time to recognize four African-American artists that changed music for generations.
Robert Johnson’s recordings...
Big Sean has had a rough couple of years. If it weren’t for his support from big name rap artists such as Jay-Z and Kanye West, Big Sean wouldn’t even be releasing a third album like Dark Sky...
UT alumna Katey Gunn and Paul Waclawsky, the lead singer and guitarist, respectively, for local band Casual Strangers, released their self-titled debut album last July. Casual Strangers will perform at...
Last November on “Letterman,” a bearded man in a pressed suit sat at a grand piano and proceeded to sing his new song “Bored in the USA.” Halfway through the performance, he stood...
Target paid $8 million for a four-minute advertisement that aired during the 2015 Grammy Awards and featured Imagine Dragons performing their new single “Shots” in its entirety. This effort...
With his fourth album, Views from The 6, coming down the pipeline, Drake has a great year ahead of him. On top of the album, he went and pulled a Beyoncé, releasing an unannounced mixtape titled,...
As every store, advertisement and radio song is reminding you, Valentine’s Day is upon us — but if you haven’t found the perfect gift, don’t fret. There’s a painless and cost-effective...
There’s no arguing it: Hip-hop is the most exciting genre of music right now. And 2015 looks as if it will be equal in magnitude, if not greater, than 2014 for hip-hop fans. Joey Bada$$ contributes...
HOUSTON — Soaked with beer and champagne, Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman embraced in the St. Louis Cardinals plastic-wrapped clubhouse, basking in a celebration no one thought possible less than...
