June 28th, 2011 | 3:50 pm | Tim Sendra
There are tons of people doing the indie folk thing these days; some do it with skill and imagination, some should have their banjos smashed to bits Animal House-style. Athens, GA-based singer/songwriter Madeline falls firmly in the first category. Sounding more like Sandy Denny than Joanna Newsom and backed by a band of musicians who give her plenty of support, Madeline's vocals have a lovely rich tone and her words ring true throughout the recently released Black Velvet. We asked her what she was listening to as she worked on making the record....
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April 1st, 2011 | 9:30 am | AMG Staff
It's the classic year of college rock -- or perhaps more specifically, it's the year that Minneapolis dominated the sound of America from the upper reaches of the Top 40 to the underground of college radio. The former was all about Prince, who undercut his Purple Rain train by quickly releasing the Paisley Underground-accented Around the World in a Day while others, like Ready for the World, were ripping off his 1999 synth groove. The latter belonged to the Replacements and especially Husker Du, who released the twin titans of Flip Your Wig and New Day Rising on the heels of '84's Zen Arcade.
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This summer, you may find yourself at a parade, a circus, or an outdoor festival, listening to stirring music provided by a brass, wind, or marching band. Our editors put together a brief introduction to the history of bands, to give you some background for the rousing music you'll hear.
