Life

BY XAVIER JOHNSON Maintaining inspiration and performing chops later in life is one thing that separates great musicians from certified legends. In rock music, there’s no shortage of older musicians still releasing records and touring, but it doesn’t always work. It’s hard to maintain a consistent output when an artist …

BY XAVIER JOHNSON Covers are an essential part of musical history. Different genres have distinct cultures that influence how a cover track manifests. Blues and country music have standards. Hip-hop has sampling. Rock music typically looks to transform the works it draws upon, offering a new perspective on a classic …

BY XAVIER JOHNSON Synth-pop, and by extension new wave, peaked in the 80’s with groups like Depeche Mode and Pet Shop Boys pushing the limits of electronic music and providing the soundtrack for all types of venues; from London dance joints to alleyway goth clubs. One of the pioneering artists …

BY XAVIER JOHNSON It’s pretty surprising that many of the hits the Red Hot Chili Peppers are known for are from the 90’s. Listen to “Under the Bridge,” which dropped in 1992, which still sounds completely fresh thirty years later. The pioneering funk rock band sounded like nothing else that …

BY MARIANA GARRICK Reggae revolutionaries Steel Pulse rocked the Blue Note in Napa on Sunday night and took the crowd on a musical journey to where the roots of reggae began through their love of Jah, Rastafari and black liberation. Steel Pulse has been making politically charged music for over …

BY XAVIER JOHNSON For decades Rock And Roll has historically been an avenue to speak truth to power from the opposition of post-9/11 jingoism to the anti-monarchy messaging of British punk rock. The fiery passion of youth powers rock music to push boundaries and fight against authority. On the other …

BY XAVIER JOHNSON Nostalgia is a powerful tool that bands use both consciously and subconsciously to affect their audiences in different ways. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, even though oftentimes peddling nostalgia for its own sake can yield lackluster results. When done right, playing upon the idealized past can …

BY XAVIER JOHNSON Brian Eno is an all-around artist. The 74-year-old English musician is a legendary name in the space due to his contributions to the art form. As a trailblazer, he’s created some of the most well-known ambient albums. His influence stretches beyond the music he creates, being one …

BY XAVIER JOHNSON It’s been a long time coming for fans of The Mars Volta, a progressive rock standout that broke up in 2012 and is back with a North American tour to support their new self-titled album. Their first tour in a decade is a journey through the group’s …

BY XAVIER JOHNSON With over 50 years in the music industry as a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer; Todd Rundgren is back with a new album, Space Force, that shifts the artistic focus from himself to an exploration of previously unfinished works by other artists. Fresh off being inducted into the …