Sign Up For Soundbytes Music’s Newsletter
Get the latest music news right to your inbox! Check out Soundbytes’ daily music briefing for people who believe songs matter — and so do the stories behind them.
Latest Entries
Soundbytes: Pop Music’s 5 Best Halloween Songs
When it comes to celebrating Halloween, it’s film — not music — that is the popular art form that has best defined and shaped this most spooky of holidays. Ask anyone to name a scary theme from Halloween and the smart money says they’re most often drawing on ideas and motifs popularized in the movies. Continue reading
2010 / Live Reviews / Music
Concert Review: Dylan Doubleheader Delivers Surprises, As Expected
Bob Dylan underscored his trouble-making philosophy countless times during two back-to-back sets at Overture Hall in downtown Madison on Monday night. Throughout both concerts, he demonstrated many times how his unpredictability can reveal the breadth of his genius. Occasionally, however, it also showed his mischievousness. Continue reading
2010 / Live Reviews / Music
Concert Review: The National Rocks For Obama, Claims Spotlight
Only hours after sharing the stage with President Barack Obama at a campaign rally in Madison, Wis., unassuming indie-rock group the National finally seemed poised to shed their bashful ways and play to the kind of larger audiences that rock stars — even presidential ones — are accustomed to. Continue reading
Review: Stone Temple Pilots’ Disc Is Attempt At Second Takeoff
Newly reunited Stone Temple Pilots were once the greatest guilty pleasure of the ’90s rock scene. Two decades after they ruled the airwaves, the alternative-rock group is hoping its new disc will allow them to defend their arena-rock status and maybe bring their fans out of the closet. Continue reading
2009 / Movie Reviews / Music / Top 10
Top 10 All-Time Best Movie Music Moments
Ready your headphones along with your popcorn. Soundbytes compiles a list of the best musical moments in the history of the movies. Continue reading
Review: The National’s ‘High Violet’ Makes Case For Rock Greatness
Building on the critical success of 2007’s “Boxer,” Brooklyn-based the National toss down the gauntlet for rock album greatness with their new disc, “High Violet.” In a time when iTunes singles are the new normal, here’s a body of indie-rock anthems that while thoroughly modern, invite a return to the best of the album era. Continue reading
Review: Apples In Stereo’s ‘Travellers’ Venture Into ’70s Dance Pop
Following up their strongest disc in years, the psychedelic-rock space cadets in the Apples in Stereo have completed a record that attempts to blend a secret ’70s dance-floor obsession into their mission of creating the perfect pop album. The new disc, “Travellers In Space And Time,” narrowly misses the mark. Continue reading
2010 / Live Reviews / Music
Concert Review: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Stubbornly Stick With Sound, Fury
When the definitive star-making moment came for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club in 2001, the group’s big chance slipped away. No matter. During Wednesday night’s concert in Madison, Wis., the band emphasized that they’re going to continue to persevere and do the hazy, distorted music even if they never make it big. Continue reading
2010 / Live Reviews / Music
Concert Review: Vetiver Wins New Converts With Acoustic-Guitar Gems
California freak-folk ambassadors Vetiver might be one of underground rock’s best kept secrets, but the quintet’s concert on Tuesday night proved this shouldn’t be the case for much longer. Continue reading
2010 / Live Reviews / Music
Concert Review: Dr. Dog Gives Retro-Rock Vibrant New Spin
With the release of their terrific last record in 2008, it was uncertain if Philadelphia retro-rockers Dr. Dog were really a stupefying, sometimes exhilarating mishmash of ’60s tribute bands who had unexpectedly struck gold or if they were something more. The band is now road testing a batch of new material in a short preview tour of North America and the new tunes only deepen the mystery. Continue reading
Soundbytes Music Column 