Local prog-pop outfit East Coast Dirt has a way with words. A self-described "sonic monster," the band coined the term "sneaker boogaloo" for its danceable fusion that's as much about improv as it is about instrumental prowess. Hints of reggae, funk, jam and humor weave through East Coast Dirt's songs. And, to further blur the […]

Singer-songwriter Angi West is plenty busy with her day job, which makes it hard enough to schedule a show. But she's also blessed/cursed with a stellar backing group whose many talents keep them on the road with other projects. There's producer/multi-instrumentalist Seth Kauffman (Floating Action, Shannon Whitworth), multi-instrumentalist Michael Libramento (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) […]

Nomad is not just the name of Omara “Bombino” Moctar’s new album, produced by Dan Auberbach of The Black Keys; it’s also a description of the guitarist himself. Moctar is a member of the Tuareg people, a traditionally nomadic ethnic group who have herded cattle in the Sahara desert for centuries. Moctar has lived through […]

We're all about milestones because, unlike birthdays, no one minds racking up accident-free days, perfect attendance awards and decades of happy marriage. Bands are kind of like marriages, and local roots-music outfit Red June is about to commemorate five years together. That anniversary coincides with another piece of good news: The trio recently signed to […]

Say you’re an Australian future-beat musician named Nicholas Murphy, and you’ve got a good, soul-tinged sound, except that people show up at your shows expecting to see some other Nick Murphy. You do the logical thing: Change your name to honor one of your jazz heroes. Yeah, Murphy’s not a jazz guy. But Chet Baker […]

Drummer, guitarist and vocalist Cedric Burnside inherited the blues from patriarch and legendary bluesman R.L. Burnside — in the song "R.L. Burnside," Cedric sings about how his grandfather ("Big Daddy") bought him a drum kit when he was 16. Everything he does, now and forever, is in the memory of R.L., says Cedric. A lot […]

It's weird to describe noise-rock as cozy, but there's something to the guitar-bass-and-drums bombast of local trio Telecine that's strangely soothing. Maybe it's the fuzzy sweater hug of static at the core of each song. Maybe it's Andrew Larson's gentle tenor, or the rainy-day melancholy of the vocals that rise through the heavy churn and […]

Think of it as STOMP, only from Japan’s Nara Prefecture, and centered around the ancient art of Taiko drumming as opposed to making rhythms with janitorial equipment. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Yamato, though the years haven't slowed the percussionists’ frenetic pace nor dulled their athletic prowess. "The master drummers perform on a […]

Despite metal music being listed as a factor in juvenile delinquency in certain academic reports, London-based metal outfit Orange Goblin describes the genre as "a motivating mindset, a positive force and an inspirational belief system." The quartet has been taking cues from progenitors like Black Sabbath, Black Flag and Thin Lizzy since the mid-90s, honing […]

Nashville-based writer Ann Patchett has authored six novels. But her most recent book is a memoir: This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage. It's "a very real love story, and one that is much more about the journey than the destination," as Patchett's website explains. It's a love story about more than just the […]

Although they live in Philadelphia, indie-rockers Dr. Dog are pretty much honorary Asheville residents. The band makes a WNC stop annually-ish (sometimes more often, like when they headlined Bele Chere in 2012). On the heels of last year's dramatic and expansive Be The Void, the band just released B Room. According to a press release, […]

While you’re not likely to spot any zebras or giraffes on this safari (maybe a bear or two), there’s no shortage of arts and crafts to be found. More than 40 artists (eight of whom are new to the event) open their studios to the public during this weekend-long, self-guided driving tour. Work includes pottery, […]

Self-proclaimed "terrified child dance punk" act Bulgogi is the brainchild of Tim Tsurutani, formerly of Chicago's CAW! CAW! Tsurutani not only enjoyed his time in Asheville last year, he recorded a collection of songs in a West Asheville basement. The result is Give Up Your Guts: a twitchy, dancey, textural adventure through emotional states, nightscapes, […]

"The idea for Mipso arose out of freshman year daydreaming at UNC Chapel Hill," says the bio for the roots-inspired trio. "After the usual band-making delays — Jacob took a year off to study winemaking in New Zealand, Joseph detoured to Argentina for Tango guitar lessons, Wood earned his chops in the Carolina jazz department […]

The Odditorium scores one of the most unique lineups this week, with prog-punk visionaries Circle Takes the Square sharing a bill with spoken-word/hip-hop artist B. Dolan. The pairing is called the "cross pollination tour" and "will see Dolan backed by a new live ensemble, formed for the production of his upcoming 2014 LP." Having recently […]

Photographer (and Xpress contributor) Daniel Coston was a magazine writer until one day, when the staff photographer wasn't available, Coston stepped behind the lens. That happy accident led to many more invites to photograph musical acts and live shows across the state. Sixteen years later, he found himself with a collection of images documenting the […]

This Long Beach, Calif., indie-rock outfit doesn't have a bio on its website. Or on its Facebook page. So you have to dig around for interviews with publications like American Pancake and Fox+Hound to learn fun facts like bassist/vocalist Jonny Bell has a day job as a contractor, drummer Kevin Stuart paints motorcycles and guitarist […]

According to the bio of folk-rock on- and off-stage duo Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, they’ve finally hit their stride with new album, Wassaic Way. The hook-heavy, jangly collection seems to tap the couple's small-town roots and big-city inspirations. It also has a cool connection to Guthrie's family: The record was recorded in Chicago […]

The first thing that singer-songwriter Brett Dennen wrote for his new album, Smoke and Mirrors, was “Wild Child,” a song, he says, “Pointed the ship in the direction it was going.” It’s a rollicking, feel-good folk-rocker that, the musician says, reconnected him to his roots. Those roots include his mountain home in the Sonora Pass […]