Music, Real Detroit Weekly

Vampire Weekend

Alysa Zavala — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Modern Vampires of the City by Alysa Zavala ★★★★ Though they don't venture too very far from the prep pop that first earned them critical acclaim as well as fans the world over, Modern Vampires of the City sees a new stretch for Vampire Weekend, an exploration into other genres previously untouched by the group. "Diane Young", for instance, loses almost entirely the sound we've come to know this group for, and delves into a version of rockabilly almost directly derived from The King himself.…

Real Recommends

RDW Staff — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

by RDW Staff Bubba Sparxxx Diesel Concert Lounge • 5/25 Known for classic hits like "Ugly", "Deliverance" and "Ms. New Booty", the southern rapper born Warren Mathis and better known as Bubba Sparxxx will be appearing in Chesterfield this Saturday.…

Justice

Adam O'Connor — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Access All Arenas by Adam O'Connor ★★★ 1/2 The thing about live albums is that, even though it is incredibly cool to experience what an act sounds like in a live setting (and not just a mastered, overly-produced audio-perfected and vacuum-sealed studio thrown onto a disc or an mp3). Furthermore, electronic acts have it one tougher.…

Moby

Adam O'Connor — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Modern Day Elvis by Adam O'Connor On more than one occasion, I have been told that I slightly resemble Moby. And other than the fact that I have considerably more facial hair, I can see the similarities.…

Mindless Self Indulgence

Gary Bartle — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

How I Learned to Stop Giving a Shit and Love Mindless Self Indulgence by Gary Bartle ★★★ 1/2 Mindless Self Indulgence was always one of those polarizing bands. Think ICP plus Repulsion-lite.…

Adult.

Alysa Zavala — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

All Grown Up by Alysa Zavala Adam Lee Miller and Nicole Kuperus are two of Detroit's darlings, an innovative and enigmatic duo that create some of the city's best electronica. Purveyors of a quirky and unmistakable sound, they've been called electroclash and sythnpunk, but mostly they're just the makers of some all-together original music, the creators of a sound that's hardly ever mimicked and rarely duplicated.…

Sam Amidon

Gary Bartle — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Bright Sunny South by Gary Bartle It's hard for folk music to evolve. Production and themes can change, but it is a classic genre that doesn't need any gimmicks.…

Claude VonStroke

Ashley Zlatopolsky — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

The History of Dirtybird by Ashley Zlatopolsky You know there's something special floating throughout the air when May rolls around in Detroit. Leading up to Memorial Day Weekend, the city folk are in better spirits, the birds chirp a little louder and the cars passing by on the street bump beats a little harder.…

The National

Adam O'Connor — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Trouble Will Find Me by Adam O'Connor ★★★ Matt Berninger's deep, dark vocals are not only the signature piece to The National's puzzle – they're also reminiscent of some of the most unique vocalists of the past three decades. The Smith's Morrissey, Interpol's Paul Banks and R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe are the first, and most obvious, that come to mind – but it's not out of the question to say that Berninger has one of the most recognizable voices in modern music.…

Velvet Rope Live

Alysa Zavala — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

There's something about sharing the experience of a live set by your favorite DJ with a crowd that's ravenous for the next track as much as you are. by Alysa Zavala There's something about sharing the experience of a live set by your favorite DJ with a crowd that's ravenous for the next track as much as you are. There's something totally different about getting an intimate look at the what's happening behind the decks from your very own home, getting to enjoy a live performance without ever entering the club.…

Daft Punk

Ashley Zlatopolsky — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Random Access Memories by Ashley Zlatopolsky ★★ 1/2 As what is proving to be the most anticipated electronic dance music album to drop in years, Daft Punk's Random Access Memories has left fans and critics alike in speculation of what's to come from the group that has been on hiatus for over eight years. After the initial announcement of the new record, the world has been waiting with bated breath to see what the disco-house legends have cooked up, especially since the extremely catchy "Get Lucky" featuring Pharrell Williams dropped to the public.…

Pre-Movement Pre-Memorial Playlist

Mac Abre — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:52:00 -0400

Even if you skip Hart Plaza, and aren't wearing the same fucking Uggs with a miniskirt and a metallic tube top all weekend (to go with your green hair and face piercing), you'll likely spend at least part of your holiday weekend near the water, partying to some degree. And if what I've said so far is true, fuck off.…

Watts Up

Ashley Zlatopolsky — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

by Ashley Zlatopolsky Described by many as the Wu-Tang Clan of bass, the dynamic four-piece production force known as Helicopter Showdown has been sweeping the EDM nation with heavy beats and melodic vibes as of late. Hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area, the quartet continues to rattle brains and spread the dancing bug on the current Watts Up Tour, alongside bass killers Antiserum and Clicks & Whistles.…

Searching

Gary Bartle — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Jenny O. by Gary Bartle It's easy to go on Google and find 50 facts on just about anyone. For example, did you know that Gary Bartle is the coolest Gary in the Midwest?…

Lady Lamb

Alysa Zavala — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Regarding Transcending The Music Biz by Alysa Zavala Lady Lamb the Beekeeper. It's the kind of band name that gives nothing away to the happy passerby who happens to stumble across it in the ever-expanding universe that is the interwebz.…

Real Recommends

RDW Staff — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

by RDW Staff The Airborne Toxic Event Majestic Theatre • 5/15 With a name taken from the American novel, White Noise, The Airborne Toxic Event began as the answer to singer and former novelist Mikel Jollett's personal problems.…

Laneway Music Festival

Alysa Zavala — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Lands in Detroit by Alysa Zavala Metro Detroit gets plenty of great acts performing on the various stages that make up its network of amazing concert venues. There are even a few great festivals that make their way through the state and set up shop in the fields of its outdoor amphitheatres.…

Young, Dumb & Drunk

Gary Bartle — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:35:00 -0400

I used to listen to sad songs by Sufjan Stevens while writing long letters to lost acquaintances. I'd lay there in bed and type out these essay-length emails to old friends and then never send them all while "Redford" would play in the background.…

My First Time...

Gary Bartle — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:28:00 -0400

I sat in my buddy Matt's bedroom before my first time. The anticipation was great.…

Youngblood Hawke

Alysa Zavala — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

"Indeed, the release is almost as proverbially big as “We Come Running,” the song that can fill a room, a theatre, a stadium with so much infectious energy, it’s hard to not just fucking smile like a lunatic when you hear it." by Alysa Zavala “Headed for the Open Door/Tell Me What You Waiting For/ Look Across the Great Divide/Soon They’re Gonna Hear the Sound, the Sound, the Sound When We Come Runnin’” If you don’t know those lyrics by now, you’ve clearly been avoiding terrestrial radio for quite some time.…

Sponge

Ashley Zlatopolsky — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Julie Holt Legas, wife of a Detroit firefighter, suffers from an unimaginable and horrible disease known as Cerebellar Ataxia. As an illness that attacks and deteriorates the body, she has been confined to a wheelchair… but according to her husband, her mind is still “sharp as a tack”. by Ashley Zlatopolsky Julie Holt Legas, wife of a Detroit firefighter, suffers from an unimaginable and horrible disease known as Cerebellar Ataxia. As an illness that attacks and deteriorates the body, she has been confined to a wheelchair… but according to her husband, her mind is still “sharp as a tack”.…

Capital Cities

Alysa Zavala — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Safe and Sound by Alysa Zavala Alt-dance. It's another genre name that seems to make little difference in terms of actually differentiating what the hell kind of music any one band makes.…

Vampire Weekend

Alysa Zavala — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Modern Vampires of the City by Alysa Zavala When Vampire Weekend first wooed us it was with the sweet musings of "Who gives a fuck about an Oxford Comma?" Since and because we've dedicate much of our existence to ridding the world of the excessive and unnecessary nature of this particular point of punctuation, the song quickly became the theme to which we diligently worked, wrote and edited.…

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RDW Staff — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

by RDW Staff Steve Lawler Grasshopper underground • 5/9 Steve Lawler defies genres.…

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Adam O'Connor — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

A Spectre by Adam O'Connor Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is one of those bands can't be categorized in the vein of dusty rock n' roll. They're not exactly folk, not fully classic rock and not altogether fuzzy garage rock either.…