In The Belly of The Brazen Bull gives fans of The Cribs pretty much anything they could ever want from the band, filtered through the 90s buzz lens of producers Steve Albini and Dave Fridmann. The fifth record from the Yorkshire trio (former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr left the band in April 2011) runs the gamut. The first half cranks through short bursts of solid pop laced with aggressive guitar and drums. Here listeners are treated to the radio-ready sing-a-long anthem “Come On, Be a No One” and “Anna,” a romantic rocker with some great drum fills in the chorus.
In the middle of the album, The Cribs try out some new things. The Albini-produced “Chi-Town” is as close to punk as they’ll get with adequate results. “Back to the Bolthole” is a sludge fest with a creeping tempo and gritty synths that segues into the album’s quietest track, “I Should Have Helped.”
In The Belly of the Brazen Bull ends with a 4-track suite. Last in the set is the descriptively-titled “Arena Rock Encore With Full Cast.”
“Sorry that it’s taken years,” the band sings together, “We were victims of our own ideals.” The monster chorus makes the sarcasm juicier, though even as The Cribs are making fun of arena rock, they’ve managed to write a pretty catchy arena rock song.
What keeps In The Belly Of The Brazen Bull from being a great record is that it’s variety can feel calculated and it makes one wonder: Is this the music The Cribs wanted to write or the music they thought everyone else wanted them to write?
The Cribs will play Motorco on June 8. Tickets are $15 in advance.
Psychedelic Brooklyn band Yeasayer are gearing up for the release of their third album Fragrant World, due out on August 20. The band will stay busy well into the fall, touring both leading up to the release and after it's out.
We have sad, sad news this evening. Legendary North Carolina bluegrass pioneer Doc Watson has died today at the age of 89.
Durham band Delta Rae are use a few weeks away from releasing their debut album Carry the Fire, out on June 19 via Sire Records (a major label part of Warner Music Group).
Last September I interviewed vocalist John Garcia about the Kyuss Lives! reunion prior to the band playing Asheville two days after my husband's birthday (super present, super show). The band featured original members Garcia and drummer Brant Bjork along with sometime bassist Nick Oliveri and new guitarist Bruno Fevery. Longtime Kyuss fans like my husband, his bandmates, and their friends were beside themselves heaping on the superlatives after the show which many dubbed concert of the year (although my husband still sticks with Sade as his top pick).
In addition to the already announced headliners and NASCAR drivers scheduled for this year's Food Lion Speed Street festival, the annual free three-day fest features a number of local and regional acts playing originals and covers. The annual 600 Speed Week festival takes place uptown Thursday, Friday and Saturday May 24-26.
The Christmas my parents got divorced my dad bought me Jane’sAddiction’s “Nothing’s Shocking” (much to the amusement of the kid that sold itto my 300 pound bib overall-sporting father). I remember laying in the dark onthe living room carpet listening to “Up the Beach” and “Ocean Size” and “Ted…JustAdmit It.” It was weird and fascinating. In a way, it changed my path. I betmany of the concertgoers at Wednesday’s Jane’s Addiction show at Ovens Auditoriumhave similar stories. 
Written 25 years ago lyrics like “the news is just anothershow” are even more relevant today. 
The set really hit its stride with the instrumental “Up theBeach” leading into the atmospheric, reverb drenched “Irresistible Force” and “OceanSize," which closed the set. The cast regrouped for an encore of the marathon “ThreeDays” and the powerfully spastic “Stop!” As the music dropped out at the latter’sclimax the entire crowd seemed to join in with Farrell. The band appeared trulythankful and humble sticking around to shake hands and sign a few autographsafter those last lingering notes disappeared. Farrell even handed a set list toone adoring fan - something you rarely see the actual artist do. 
French experimental musician and indie folk rocker Yann Tiersen is touring the United States on the release of his latest album, Skyline, and is making at stop at Cat's Cradle this Friday, May 25.
Merge Records announced earlier this year that they had signed legendary rocker Bob Mould, who would release a new album on the label in the fall. The details of that album are still TBA, but the label just announced that they will reissue the back catalog of Mould's 1990s band Sugar this summer.
Three years after their debut, Pilgrim, Red Collar is back with Welcome Home, a focused effort full of smart songwriting and larger-than-life moments.
After reissuing Icky Mettle last year and Vee Vee in February, Merge Records is reissuing the final two albums of the Archers of Loaf catalog this summer.
The 18th Annual Food Lion Speed Street Festival, which kicks off Thursday May 24, revealed its full lineup of headlining artists earlier this week. As previously announced R&B artist Evelyn "Champagne" King and `80s funk/R&B unit Midnight Star will perform on the Coca-Cola Stage while Easton Corbin rouses country fans on the Miller Lite Stage Thursday, May 24.
It's been a year since NoDa's Chop Shop opened it's doors. Like the events that the crew behind the bar/live music venue (Iron Cordoba's Jay Tilyard and alternative event planner extraordinaire Tracie Nasta) has been putting on for years, the club's anniversary party Friday, May 11, features a variety of performers.
Saturday morning my family and I will be getting up earlier than usual. It's the third annual Record Store Day, which means tons of exclusive limited edition releases. Here Lunchbox Records will be carrying many, many of these releases. Record Store Day's official website also lists The Record Cellar in Rock Hill, The Birdsnest in Davidson, and Armada Music in Statesville as also participating.