The last plot twist, I never saw it coming

"The chapters of your life might take you by surprise, and the last plot twist, you never saw it coming." Thanks, Arkells, for the perfect summation of my state of mind. Apparently I'm a music journalist now? Did NOT see that one coming. But to say that I'm thrilled wouldn't even come close to describing…

What I’m Spinning – Atlas Genius

"The future's not where it used to be." https://youtu.be/dq_u57WFqmE (This song is everything.) You guys know how I feel about opening acts - don't ever miss them and, if you've never heard of the band, listen to their set with an open mind. You might think you'll be bored and unimpressed, but I've found quite…

My heart’s always theirs

Hi. It’s been a while, and for that you have my apologies. But don’t worry, I haven’t been idle. I’m not gonna give you a full recap of everything I've been up to since June though (at least, not today). Rather, I want to talk about last weekend, where so many good memories were made,…

What I’m Spinning – Postcards from Ursa Minor

"And I remembered all the things that I used to care about and I realized that they have faded; they don't matter to me now. They are just moments in a lifetime which I'll never understand. Just a glance across a room, a cigarette burn on my hand; just a second of conversation on a Sunday…

With eyes closed tight, I swing with all my might

The last time these guys made an appearance in my blog, they kind of got the short shrift. They closed out a busy two weeks of traversing the east coast and, in much the same way I collapsed, exhausted, on the couch when I finally got home, I lost all momentum in writing my recap.…

A fine night to test what you know

I’m starting to wonder if the ripple effects from discovering Frank Turner will ever stop. There's always something, some association or connection made, that can be traced back to him. I’ve met so many brilliant, creative people and have been exposed to so much fantastic music because of him. And, if not for Frank, I…

“Some kind of witchery implanted in me”

So we've established that I firmly believe that JD McPherson is the last bastion of true, honest-to-goodness rock 'n' roll. And because he surrounds himself with like-minded artists who are just as invested in preserving its heritage and integrity, one unexpected side effect of being a fan of his is discovering his associates too, bands I never would've known about…