imperfect fifth
willowake show off their musical chops with debut EP “an alter ego”
After releasing three singles, SoCal-based indie-garage band Willowake has released their debut EP, An Alter Ego. Their previous songs (“Bitterfaced”, “Playground”, and “I See Ghosts”, respectively) showed great promise in the band’s talents as musicians, making me...
sophomore LP “bathwater” finds alt-pop star luna shadows opening up
The second album by any successful artist can be a critical moment in their career. It’s made to show the impact of their previous work wasn’t a fluke, and that they’re still someone worth giving your time and attention to. This is easy to mess up, as the term...
third time’s a charm – not to mention three talented ladies – on “the boy is mine”
This article is about an all-American cast of singers that have made significant impacts on pop and RnB music. Mainstream pop star Ariana Grande’s new song “The Boy Is Mine” pays homage to Grammy-Award-winning song “The Boy is Mine” by Brandy & Monica, a duet from...
big freedia gets the party going during day 2 of boulevardia 2024
This was my second year witnessing the greatness of Big Freedia at Boulevardia. (I have been lucky enough to see her twerking class at Bonnaroo in years past as well, thankfully.) The hottest weekend of the year so far in Kansas City, this weekend slot of the biggest...
jason montero’s “inside out” album is rootsy classic rock filled with killer rhythms
As a music nerd, it’s fun to listen to new releases and try to figure out where an artist’s influences come from. However, it takes talent and real musical ambition to not just seem like an admirer of certain inspirations with nothing original to say. Inside Out, the...
littrell unleashes “dirty” – a visceral genre-blurring masterstroke
For those weary of pop's increasingly homogenized soundscapes, the Indianapolis duo LITTRELL emerges as a refreshing antidote. Their latest single, "Dirty," doesn't just defy genres—it blends them seamlessly, creating a uniquely turbulent and immersive sonic...
take a journey through a history of dance music with our “vintage pride party” soundtrack
June is only a little over halfway done, which means it’s still pride month! And with pride comes a lot of dance music, though why wouldn’t it? The amount of queer history embedded in the development of disco, house, and techno has made countless...
milky chance blesses the stage at boulevardia 2024
The headliner of night 1 at Boulevardia 2024 was Milky Chance, a band the event's organizers had been trying to contract for years. They were giddy as they introduced them, as the night set in on the streets of downtown Kansas City. The band was as fun as ever and the...
becca stevens grapples with grief and change in “now feels bigger than the past”
It’s been a known stereotype that artists will use their work to process and channel their own emotions. This could be their heartbreak into paintings, their loneliness into a story, or–with the newest single by singer-songwriter Becca Stevens–the loss of their loved...
hanson spends weekend in kansas city to release new peach cider at boulevardia
Love them or hate them, bands that were popular at the turn of the century are making a comeback. And Hanson? They never really went anywhere. After going indie when their label failed them professionally, the three-brother band has maintained a brand - with multiple...
chaka khan brings funk euphoria to her npr tiny desk concert
Maybe it’s just me, but I think Gen Z needs to be more aware of the countless R&B and funk superstars from the 70s and 80s. A lot of these artists just seem to be overshadowed by larger artists like Michael Jackson, Prince, or Stevie Wonder. I love the music of...
pom pom squad is, indeed, not hanson at boulevardia
Every Father's Day weekend - for years now - Boulevardia has taken over a crucial area of Kansas City, bringing the best taps, tastes, and tunes to the metropolitan area. (And region, if we are being honest.) The relocation to Crown Center a handful of years ago made...
the video for “swallow” by liily gives us a shot of the cortisone the song seeks
Considering the band members that comprise psych-tinged alt-rock quartet Liily - Dylan Nash (Frontman), Sam De La Torre (Guitarist), Charlie Anastasis (Bassist), and Maxx Morando (Drummer) - are all artistic in a variety of ways, it comes as no surprise that the video...
myra keyes’ debut LP “flower in the brick” remembers that indie rock can rock
Myra Keyes is a good example of a modern-day Renaissance woman. The 19-year-old Chicago-based singer-songwriter released her debut LP Flower in the Brick in February and it’s a criminally overlooked release in modern indie rock. She’s a talent to watch over, wonderful...
grlztoy’s “green!” EP shows the versatility of an uber-talented new indie band
Another band I’ve seen pop up in my socials a bunch is the band grlztoy of the DMV area, made up of Theo Zamani (lead vocals, guitar) and Molly Izer (drums). Their EP green!, released last June, is an assured and confident debut I think is worth listening to for...
goose jams kansas city’s faces off at the midland
If you didn't know who Goose was already, then you could have gotten the full run-down from any man found within a 4 block radius of The Midland on Tuesday evening. "Do you know who Goose is?" a man in a gray tie dyed shirt excitedly asked me as I walked up to the box...
space fish’s “ringtone” is impressive for a band still finding themselves
Part of the fun of having a job like this is being able to write about tiny local bands you know personally or might have a friend or two in. It gives you the opportunity to give their work some exposure and you also get to count it as part of your hours. This brings...
a tribute album heard round the world: “stop making sense: everyone’s getting involved”
Talking Heads is easily my favorite band. They were the first band that really got me into being a massive music geek, and I can’t imagine where I’d be today without them. So, when I heard A24 was planning a large-scale tribute album of Talking Heads’ iconic Stop...