“We often get referred to as throwback rap,” says Foul Mouth Jerk. “We refer to it as grumpy old man rap.” But the New Jersey native, who landed in Asheville more than a decade ago, is far from grumpy and anything but a jerk. He’s warm, personable and eager to chat about anything from politics […]

Mates of State is not your ordinary rock band. From their highly energetic, quirky keyboard/drum arrangements to their family-friendly touring entourage, the married duo is redefining the sound and face of rock ‘n’ roll—and they’re bringing the kids along for the ride. We’re all mates: The spunky duo have an Asheville connection: Harvest Records co-owner […]

Sky Lake is still in its infancy — with only a handful of local appearances and a few rough demos on MySpace — which makes the passion and vision of their live show all the more impressive.  Sky Lake played a set that was at turns sparse and understated, ferocious and soaring. Filling a vacant […]

Their name may be a reference to George Orwell's bleak portrait of totalitarianism, but the Campaign 1984 aren't interested in discussing politics. They're here to do one thing: rock and roll. Aggressive yet accessible: The band screeches a mix of Southern rock meets hardcore. And with track names like "Queen of the Damned," "Bender," "Born […]

Patchy rain and ominous gray clouds weren't enough to dissuade an eclectic crowd from gathering at Pisgah Brewery for the silk-smooth harmonies and rhythmic grooves of local folk-rock foursome Uncle Mountain, as they opened for Now You See Them on a drowsy Friday evening. An inspiring marriage of rhythm and harmony, with an Appalachian tinge. […]

"I think it's really funny how the context of our band name has changed over the past two years," says Shane Conerty. "It went from Now You See Them, now you don't — a temporary thing — to Now You See Them everywhere you go." The band has just finished a set at the Mountain […]

If The Scenic Route brings to mind a leisurely drive through the mountains or a road trip out of town, that's the point. Water signs: The album has a theme of water and currents that Kipar says was unintentional, but not surprising. The aptly titled fourth effort from Asheville's symphonic-folk outfit The Galen Kipar Project […]

There's no question that Teen Dream — the third effort from Baltimore keyboard/guitar duo Beach House — is the mark of a new era for the band. But don't call it a definitive album. They're just getting started. Life's a beach: "Imaginative is where we are and have always been," says Beach House's Victoria Legrand. […]

The "just punk enough" tagline on Night On Fire's MySpace page might be in jest, but it's also telling. The local trio — singer/guitarist Toby Brown, bassist Adam Kowalski and drummer Travis Hollifield — certainly have attitude, but their anthemic singalongs and hooky riffs are not what most people expect from a punk band. However, […]

Many Ashevilleans take pride in treating every day as though it's Earth Day. But on Saturday, those scattered individuals will come together as one in Martin Luther King Jr. Park to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day with music, food, crafts and community. At the eco-village: Funk outfit The New Mastersounds is part of […]

Last month, local reggae, folk and soul fusion outfit Soulgrass Rebellion performed a nine-day run in the Virgin Islands, and they had a really, really good time. Going big: The band recently returned from a stint in the Virgin Islands, where the musicians of reggae-folk-rock-fusion collective stretched their talents and potential — and came back […]

Last year, Chris Gaspar had an inspired idea: to spotlight the diverse and thriving philanthropic movement in Asheville through the eyes of local artists, musicians, business people and activists. The result: PhilanthroPEAK, a documentary highlighting the efforts of local outreach programs and the people who drive them. The hope, Gaspar says, is not only to […]

"It's just such an uncool set of topics to write a record about," indie singer/songwriter David Bazan says, self-deprecatingly, of his latest effort, Curse Your Branches (Barsuk, 2009). Religion permeates the album, and while Seattle-based Bazan acknowledges that the subject can get "way up its own ass" and says it is not necessarily the "brand […]

"We recorded the basic tracks in a just a few days," says Wayne Robbins, referring to his latest offering with the Hellsayers, All You Need to Sleep. "It was right before we went to Europe. Then I moved. That was when everything started getting complicated." Photo by Sandlin Gaither That was two-and-a-half years ago. To […]

Pay attention the next time you pick up a cereal box. It could prove more useful than you'd imagine. It did for Cage the Elephant's Matt Schultz anyway. "I can't remember what cereal it was," he says. "It seems like it was like a Malt-O-Meal, you know, some off-brand cereal. An elephant had escaped from […]

Everyone has heard the expression "busy as a bee." But how about "busy as a buffalo?" Donna the Buffalo, that is. For more than 20 years, Jeb Puryear and Tara Nevins have been among the hardest working musicians in the industry, touring relentlessly with their jammy blend of rock, bluegrass, Cajun, old-time, reggae and roots, […]