Music

Jon Hope goes with the flow on Work In Progress

Poetry in motion
"It's all about expanding the brand for me in this day and age," says expert Rhody lyricist Jon Hope while recalling his multimedia promotional endeavors since we last caught up.

By: CHRIS CONTI | May 29, 2012

Hit the streets

And plan ahead for DudeSmash!
Action all over on FRIDAY (the 1st): Legendary N'awlins ensemble the DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND blows through the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall Reeve (508.324.1926), MOGA whips up the waterfront jams at the Ocean Mist in Matunuck (401.782.3740), and don't forget TORN SHORTS playing the Apartment (401.228.7222).

By: PROVIDENCE PHOENIX MUSIC STAFF | May 29, 2012

Pomegranates | Heaven

Modern Outsider
Although the songs on Heaven might not be uniformly good, the Cincinnati-based Pomegranates bring the charm via killer guitar sounds, creative keyboards, and the girlish vocals of twin tenors Isaac Karns and Joey Cook (whose lighter-than-air musings buoy this collection).

By: JONATHAN DONALDSON | May 29, 2012

Lemonade | Diver

True Panther Sounds (2012)
Halfway through "Infinite Style," the glossy electro-pop opener from Lemonade's sophomore LP, you'll hear the faint sound of a rhythmic exhale — or possibly two sticks rubbing together.

By: RYAN REED | May 29, 2012

King Tuff | King Tuff

Sub Pop
King Tuff keep a low profile, but they're not afraid to talk a mean game.

By: PERRY EATON | May 29, 2012

The Hives | Lex Hives

Disques Hives (2012)
If there was ever a worry of the Hives maturing— or simply becoming less like the Hives — there isn't anymore.

By: DAN WEISS | May 29, 2012

Scott Lucas & The Married Men | Blood Half Moon

The End Records (2012)
The good ol' days of 1996 — the year Local H's "Bound for the Floor" played once every half hour on modern-rock radio — was a long-ass time ago.

By: BARRY THOMPSON | May 29, 2012

Neil Young & Crazy Horse | Americana

Reprise (2012)
The track listing for Americana, the first new release from Neil Young & Crazy Horse since 2003's Greendale, may make some fans skeptical at first.

By: NICK A. ZAINO II | May 29, 2012

Fairhaven makes it epic on Plan A

From Cumberland to Cali with love
I never imagined Fairhaven's arena-sized piano-pop rock sound could get any more "mature and polished" than the swooning anthems on their 2010 debut Origins , but that's how Fairhaven lead singer Alan Connell described the new album, Plan A , when he sent a copy my way a few weeks back. He wasn't kidding.

By: CHRIS CONTI | May 22, 2012

VulGarrity + DirtyDurdie team up

Salute!
Heads up THURSDAY (the 24th) for a 75orLess Records DVD release party at PVD Social Club (401.454.7177).

By: PROVIDENCE PHOENIX MUSIC STAFF | May 22, 2012

Grass Widow | Internal Logic

HLR Records
There is stuff not to like about Internal Logic: a pair of instrumental interludes probably don't need to be there, and the drums aren't as gleefully chaotic as they were on 2010's Past Time.

By: BARRY THOMPSON | May 22, 2012

Scissor Sisters | Magic Hour

Casablanca (2012)
"Twist and shout/Boobies hangin' all out," sings Scissor Sister Ana Matronic on the futuristic sci-fi funk of "Keep Your Shoes On," her robo-tastic chirp swallowed in a maze of mind-numbing video-game synth runs and digital blips.

By: RYAN REED | May 22, 2012

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros | Here

Community Music (2012)
Maybe I'm feeling the ghost of Levon Helm, but it's hard to find many flaws in this new disc from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

By: JONATHAN DONALDSON | May 22, 2012

Sun Kil Moon | Among the Leaves

Caldo Verde (2012)
The first thing you'll notice about Mark Kozelek's fifth LP as Sun Kil Moon are song titles that would give Morrissey a boner.

By: ZETH LUNDY | May 22, 2012

Shadows Fall | Fire From The Sky

Razor & Tie
Are Shadows Fall still feeling the fan backlash from two albums ago?

By: MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | May 23, 2012

The Toxic Avenger | Angst

Little Owl Recordings (2012)
The Toxic Avenger is a fitting moniker for French DJ/producer Simon Delacroix.

By: MICHAEL MAROTTA | May 25, 2012

Welcome back, Broadcaster

Here they go again
Local indie rock greats Broadcaster may have finally come out from under the proverbial (and literal) black cloud that followed them around for most of last year.

By: CHRIS CONTI | May 15, 2012

Bang your head ...

... with Destruction, Dropdead, more!
Last call to catch legendary German thrash-metal trio DESTRUCTION (celebrating 30 years in the headbanging biz) invading the Met with VITAL REMAINS , WARBINGER , and PATHOLOGY ; doors at 6 pm and tickets are $20; call 401.729.1005.

By: PROVIDENCE PHOENIX MUSIC STAFF | May 15, 2012

Zambri | House of Baasa

Kanine Records
For those of us of a certain age who remember when school dances had a strict four-fast-songs-then-one-slow-one policy, the memory of bouncing around to "Let's Hear It for the Boy" with the anticipation of "One More Night" or "Take My Breath Away" still makes our palms sweat with hormonal anxiety.

By: DANIEL BROCKMAN | May 15, 2012

The Figgs | The Day Gravity Stopped

Stomper (2012)
These days Mike Gent, Pete Donnelly, and Pete Hayes are involved in enough extracurricular activities (Graham Parker, NRBQ, countless side/session-men gigs) that you could hardly blame them if they closed their two decades-plus Figgs chapter.

By: ZETH LUNDY | May 15, 2012