Oftentimes, 80′s influence in music becomes a ham-fisted attempt to recreate what the artist THINKS the decade sounded like. Soaked in nostalgia and synth, the music becomes more about imitation than homage. On their sophomore effort Michigan Left, Ontario-based quintet Arkells...

Adam Yauch, one-third of the pioneering hip-hop group the Beastie Boys, has died at the age of 47. Yauch, also known as MCA, had been in treatment for cancer since 2009. The rapper was diagnosed in 2009 after discovering a tumor in his salivary gland. Yauch sat out the Beastie Boys’...

  Five months following the Moroder-esque/house hybrid single “Shake,” Little Boots follows up with “Every Night I Say a Prayer,” a chilly and hypnotic track that keeps running with the soulful club sounds reminiscent of Snap! and Ce Ce Pennington in early...

On their way to The Fest in Gainseville, Florida, The Menzingers joined with The Flatliners and Broadway Calls for a week-long tour down the east coast. After seeing that lineup, I knew that I had to head to The Middle East Upstairs to check it out. The night began with a pair of young...

  Woefully underappreciated Tennessean band The Features have been around for quite a while, valiantly trudging through the finicky music landscape—they found some solid ground following the alt-rock advent of 2008 when Some Kind of Salvation quietly appeared the subsequent summer....

The Royale was packed to the gills as I edged my way in on a cold Friday night. Because of the ever-earlier start times on shows in Boston, I had unfortunately missed the opener, Belle Brigade – which is a crying shame. This brother/sister duo out of LA play a uniquely sweet brand of...

  I wouldn’t risk my life to see just any band, but as I drove from Western Mass. through the snow and around the fallen trees that littered Springfield, the only feeling I was aware of was an incredible unworthiness (well—that and a worry I’d arrive late). Hordes of people...

  Two years is quite a break between albums. “Chillin” made the rounds for a while at the end of 2009 when I was a junior — the anthemic, stomp-and-clap track off of Wale’s debut Attention: Deficit popping up on every music blog the Hype Machine could throw. That foray in...

Thursday November 3rd, GWAR guitarist Cory Smoot was found deceased this morning as the band, on tour, prepared to cross the border. We will keep you informed as to the tour as the were scheduled for Atlanta November 22nd. All of TBB staff offers our condolences to his family and...

Today is an exciting day. Atlanta boys, Gringo Star have officially released their new album, “Count Yer Lucky Stars.” If you read no further, at least click HERE, and buy this album NOW – you will not be sorry. Sitting with the band in their well-used tour van at the end of...

Tony Memmel’s new EP, “Yours and Mine” is a dreamy six song journey through human emotion and faith. He and wife, Lesleigh harmonize so well that sometimes it’s difficult to separate their voices into two, and other times the impeccable production makes them sound...

Ok, I’ll admit it – I was completely oblivious to the massive hype surrounding Wild Flag. As much as I respect Carrie Brownstein’s and Mary Timony’s talents and musical contributions, I can’t say that I actually listen to them all that much. I also missed the...