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Sundance 2012 shakes off the angst

The light stuff
Two full production years following the market collapse in the third quarter of 2008, the tonal zeitgeist of films on display at the Sundance Film Festival — a reliable snapshot of independent filmmaking — has shifted from dark to light.
By HARLAN JACOBSON | February 01, 2012

Review: Charlotte Rampling: The Look

Angelina Maccarone's portrait of the actress
Rampling's physical gifts, unimpeded by plastic surgery in their march through time, are matched by a keen mind and an unapologetic approach to life and work.
By BETSY SHERMAN | January 31, 2012

Hospitality | Hospitality

Merge (2012)
On their homonymous debut, Hospitality sound like 800 different trendy bands at once (from Twin Sister to Tennis to TV on the Radio), so if it's pure originality you're after, you've come to the wrong department.
By RYAN REED | January 24, 2012

Brite Futures | Dark Past

Turnout (2011)
A few years ago, the cutesy teens in Natalie Portman's Shaved Head slid out of Seattle on the hot pink shoulders of robo-bounce kinda-hit "Me + Ur Daughter" and the cheap intrigue of a ridiculous moniker.
By MICHAEL MAROTTA | January 24, 2012

Powering up with the Smith Westerns

Bye-bye lo-fi
Sometimes when we settle into the tattered sofa of lo-fi pop music, it's easy to imagine that the artists intended for it to be made this way.
By JONATHAN DONALDSON | January 25, 2012

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Anthony Gonzalez of M83 elevates his game

Plus, the revenge of the double album
Music occupies time but not space, meaning that a musician's musical indulgences tend to stretch out in time to make up for the fact that, once emitted, the signals disappear in the aether like wisps of nothing disappearing into more nothing.
By DANIEL BROCKMAN | November 16, 2011

Review: Norman

Suburban settings
Cancer seems to be the breakout star of indie films this season. In Jonathan Segal's Norman , it gets its hands on the title character's father and is the catalyst for his emotional turmoil and social alienation, though you get the feeling he was never too well adjusted to begin with.
By NINA MASHUROVA | October 18, 2011

Review: Littlerock

Altogether original
Two young Japanese tourists, siblings Rintaro (Rintaro Sawamoto) and Atsuko (Atsuko Okatsuka), get stranded when their car breaks down in the California backwater of the title.
By PETER KEOUGH | October 05, 2011

Review: Bellflower

Petal to the metal
In addition to the flamethrower, they've also rigged up a whiskey-dispensing car dashboard, and as a piece de resistance have created the Road Warrior–inspired "Medusa," a 1972 Buick Skylark souped up to breathe fire.
By PETER KEOUGH | September 06, 2011

Photos: Bon Iver at the House of Blues

House of Blues | August 5, 2011
Bon Iver performs at the House of Blues on August 5, 2011.
By NATANYA KHASHAN | August 08, 2011

Photos: Death Cab for Cutie at the Bank of America Pavilion

Bank of America Pavilion | August 1, 2011
Death Cab for Cutie performs live at the Bank of America Pavilion on August 1, 2011.
By CARINA MASTROCOLA | August 05, 2011

Review: Jasmine Taste of Persia

A winning introduction to an underrated cuisine
Boston is fortunate to boast a number of worthy budget-priced Persian restaurants, among which Jasmine Taste of Persia, located in a stretch of Watertown thick with indie restaurants and Armenian bakeries/grocers, has to rate highly.
By MC SLIM JB | August 04, 2011

How Grass Widow came to play a concert for a small group of great apes

Gorilla Theater
Gigi was in her late 30s the first time she saw a rock band play. The concert took place outside her enclosure, at 8:30 in the morning, so it wouldn't interfere with Franklin Park Zoo's usual visiting hours.
By BARRY THOMPSON | August 04, 2011

Photos: Taking Back Sunday at the MFA

WFNX Acoustic Session | July 20, 2011
Taking Back Sunday performs at the Museum of Fine Arts for a WFNX Acoustic Session on July 20, 2011.
By ALEXA FAY | July 29, 2011

From the bedroom to beyond with Craft Spells

Temple of gloom
There's been an enormous wave of musicians gaining notoriety for creating work where they sleep, and subsequently seeing their star rise as blogs have picked up on the results.
By REYAN ALI | July 28, 2011

Givers | In Light

Glassnote (2011)
When Givers self-released their first EP two years ago, it was easy to pigeonhole the Lafayette, Louisiana, quintet as just another baby buzz band, a dime-a-dozen blog filler.
By DEVON MALONEY | June 09, 2011

Friendly Fires | Pala

XL (2011)
For a densely layered, expertly produced dance-rock album, this second full-length from British three-piece Friendly Fires is perplexingly bland.
By CARRIE BATTAN | June 07, 2011

Photos: Cold War Kids at House of Blues

Cold War Kids | House of Blues | March 22, 2011
Cold War Kids perform live at the House of Blues on March 22, 2011.
By ANDREW MCFARLAND | March 28, 2011

Representing the badgeless at SXSW

Unofficially indie
Unofficially indie
By LIZ PELLY | March 24, 2011

SXSW Music 2011 Photos Day 4: Beach Fossils, Class Actress, Herra Terra, MSTRKRFT

Live concert photos at SXSW Music Festival in Austin on March 18, 2011
Beach Fossils, Class Actress, Herra Terra, and MSTRKRFT perform during SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX on March 18, 2011.
By JANICE CHECCHIO | March 21, 2011

Photos: Bright Eyes at the House of Blues

Bright Eyes + Mynabirds | House of Blues | March 10, 2011
Bright Eyes and the Mynabirds perform live at the House of Blues on March 11, 2011.
By STEPHANIE ROSE | March 14, 2011

The Low Anthem | Smart Flesh

Nonesuch (2011)
For those eager to see that indie-folk cherry get popped, the Low Anthem's latest should be the lucky one to do the deed.
By MIRIAM LAMEY | February 23, 2011

The Toughcats at One Longfellow Square, February 3

Music seen
When considering the bands comprising the Portland music scene, in all of its glory, it's easy to forget the Toughcats, because they don't play locally very often.
By AMANDA PLEAU | February 09, 2011

New discs by Skinny Millionaires and Suicide Bill & the Liquors

Newport calling
Our friends at 75or Less Records continue to crank out quality product, and February 2011 marks their fifth anniversary, as the Warren-based label founded by Six Star General bassist Mark "Slick" MacDougall approaches its 100th release.
By CHRIS CONTI | February 09, 2011

Hercules and Love Affair | Blue Songs

Moshi Moshi Records (2011)
Remember when disco was cool again? The year was 2007, and indie kids took to the revival as a flamboyant soundtrack to their flamboyant dance nights.
By MICHAEL C. WALSH | February 09, 2011

Photos: The Decemberists at the House of Blues

The Decemberists | House of Blues | January 29, 2011
The Decemberists play an acoustic set at the Foundation Room at the House of Blues on January 29, 2011.
By STEPHANIE ROSE | January 31, 2011

Meta P. has a simpler plan

Original recipe
Don't let Sean Sbardella's moniker of choice — Metaphysics ("Meta P") — dissuade fellow ol-skool enthusiasts who prefer original-recipe rap to the bombastic, rapid-fire verbiage of latter-day indie backpackers.
By CHRIS CONTI | January 26, 2011

Photos: A.K.A.C.O.D. at the Plough & Stars

A.K.A.C.O.D. | Plough & Stars | December 8, 2010
A.K.A.C.O.D. perform live at the Plough and Stars on December 8, 2010.
By DEREK KOUYOUMJIAN | December 18, 2010

Photos: Built To Spill at the Paradise Rock Club

Built To Spill, live at the Paradise Rock Club | September 30, 2010
Built To Spill perform live at the Paradise Rock Club on September 30, 2010.
By ERIC BAUMANN | October 04, 2010