Music | Thursday, June 29,2006

Goodbye, old friend

After 11 years, Sleater-Kinney announces its break-up

GOODBYE, OLD FRIEND: The news was posted, and Vinyl Static heard the line of dominoes fall — furious message-board posts, the rat-a-tat-tat of stunned bloggers, and a collective gasp — as

Music | Thursday, June 22,2006

VINYL STATIC

Freak folk here to stay; India.Arie’s back

By Marissa Monson

SINGLES ONLY: Most alternative genres only have a few good years. The success of an insular subgenre can quickly turn free-spirited tunes into novelty tracks for tacky compilations chur

Music | Thursday, June 15,2006

VINYL STATIC

If you’re surprised to hear Nelly Furtado rapping, well, you’re not alone.

By Marissa Monson

SINGLES ONLY: A chat is long overdue concerning Nelly Furtado’s feverish new single “Promiscuous.” Remember Nelly? She unleashed the ballad “I’m Like a Bir

Music | Thursday, June 8,2006

Vinyl Static

Jurassic 5, Sonic Youth, Abstract Giants, Chief Xcel, and Gift of Gab

By Marissa Monson

HIGH FIVES: Desk Vinyl Static is what the Dubya’s dad might call a “kinder, gentler music critic.” When the message floated in that Jurassic 5 was finally dropping the

Music | Thursday, June 1,2006

Vinyl Static

Mr. Lif declared war on the government long ago — before it became fashionable

By Marissa Monson

JUNEBUG: Rip the month of May off your calendar quick — the painfully slow month for shows and new releases has finally been put to rest, and not fast enough. Can you say, “

Music | Wednesday, May 24,2006

Vinyl Static

Celebrating those experimental Canadians, plus Basic Vocab

By Marissa Monson

O CANADA! Let me reintroduce you to a little country I like to call Canada, the place where draft dodgers used to go and where everybody gets to see a doctor. But there’s so

Music | Thursday, May 18,2006

Vinyl Static

Shipwreck hits town; Roots’ new release; shades of the Fugees

By Marissa Monson

SHOWS A-GO-GO! Champaign-Urbana band Shipwreck ventures our way for a show at the Underground City Tavern on Saturday, May 20. If anyone can bring the rock, it’s Shipwreck. This y

Music | Thursday, May 11,2006

Vinyl Static

The Smoking Popes, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Black Angels

By Marissa Monson

SHOWS-A-GO-GO! Is a party ever really over? The Smoking Popes certainly thought so when they recorded their final guitar-fueled romp, Party’s Over, in 1998, much to the disappointment

Music | Thursday, May 4,2006

Vinyl Static

Neil Young for president – and Chicago jams this summer

By Marissa Monson

CD exchange: Neil Young for president. What’s that, you say? Neil Young is Canadian! So Neil Young couldn’t be the leader of our fair democracy, but at least, we can muse, “

Music | Thursday, April 27,2006

Vinyl Static

Ice-T, the end of Grandaddy, Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse, and hip-hoppers on manhood

By Marissa Monson

Shows-a-Go-Go! Before Law and Order: SVU slapped a badge on Ice-T’s chest, the rapper had Tipper Gore hyperventilating. An original of gang-sta rap and former member of heavy-metal outfit B