Photos from the Carnival Inspiration

(Joey + Rory on the Sailing Southern Ground Cruise) “Call me Ishmael.” Before our ship set sail and a sonic odyssey began, the AS staff thought it prudent to assume a maritime state of mind with the help of Melville’s Moby Dick. With a considerably larger vessel and numerous onboard conveniences, our trip would no [...]

Mark Olson, founding member of the Jayhawks, has the autonomy and musical prowess to defy that unnecessary descriptive clause that often comes after his name. Before a special New York performance to promote Many Colored Kite, his excellent new album, Olson took some time off to discuss a few extremes: an old band and a [...]

Maps & Atlases Perch Patchwork (Barsuk Records) Rating: When critics start throwing around terms like “math rock,” a lot of fans back off. Still, Chicago’s Maps & Atlases manage to make their songs both technically sound and pleasant sounding. Equal parts lo-fi folk and hi-tech looping riffs, they conjure the ethereal softness of Grizzly Bear [...]

MERLE HAGGARD I Am What I Am (VANGUARD) Rating: Every good country song is a three-and-a-half minute affirmation –a fierce testimony that lays bare the weary soul of the songwriter without compromising his style or sensibilities. With deceptively simple structure and a story that may resonate more than any one part of the tune itself, [...]

THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH The Wild Hunt (DEAD OCEANS) Rating: While Kristian Matsson’s pseudonym would suggest he has quite a physical presence, he appears to be of average height. However, what the Swedish native lacks vertically, he more than makes up for vocally. His idiosyncratic croon, variously overpowering his guitar work and underscoring his [...]

HOLLY GOLIGHTLY AND THE BROKEOFFS Medicine County (TRANSDREAMER RECORDS) Rating: On their third studio album, Medicine County, Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs find the sweet spot somewhere between swanky twang and acoustic charm. One might not imagine a seasoned British singer-songwriter as the best candidate to take on classic American folk tunes like “Jack O’ [...]

“Woke up, got out of bed…”