Jester Jay: music and other essential thoughts

Breaking up never sounded so easy White Reaper 's secret super power comes from the the synth-pop keyboards that sneak in during the ...

Kaleidoscopic swirl of psych pop, rich bass, and acid etched guitars 4.25/5.0 Bands don’t form in a vacuum; the best ones build on thei...

My first day at South by Southwest (SXSW), I had a chance to sit down with Team Spirit to talk about their eponymous EP, leader Ayad Al...

Thrashy pop has just enough polish Has Ayad Al Adhamy found what he's looking for? He quietly deserted his keyboards in Michael Angel...

A loose retrospective reveals the band's split personality There are two sides to every story. That may have been Story of the Sea ...

A return to classic ska rock form Reel Big Fish caught my ear in 1996 with Turn the Radio Off . I wasn't alone: Sell Out was all over ...

Bigger production emphasizes Coulton's strengths I've been waiting for Artificial Heart with mixed feelings. The pre-release drop o...

Pop masterpieces feature engaging stories and characters Fountains of Wayne consistently deliver solid pop music. Sky Full of Holes , their...

The Smithereens had a sweet classic sound back in the late '80s. As one of several tight bands playing alt rock power pop, they stood o...

The Posies haven't strayed too far from their sonic past. On Blood/Candy (due out September 28), they're still writing clever ind...

The New Collisions offer up a danceable version of '80s power pop. Singer Sarah Guild's voice hits a mix of Chrissie Hynde, Terr...

Mirror, Mirror bounces back and forth, from one reflection to another. On the one side, Unicycle Loves You plays pretty electro pop. The...

14 April 2010 (Bluebird Theater, Denver CO) Some concert lineups will always be a mystery to me. Why did the B-52s lead off Joan Jett and...

Slap-CHOP! Themes of alienation and how to cope inspire staccato power pop songs. On Kill the Moonlight , Austin's Spoon channels new...