NEW MUSIC MONDAY: Ryan Bingham — Fear and Saturday Night

January 26, 2015

Think about classic country. People like Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Merle Hagard, Dolly Parton. What do you think of? Soulful and sad melodies, and (depending on who you’re listening to) some politically tinged lyrics. Like it or not, country music is a big part of American culture and American music. If you consider yourself a true music lover, its important to give it a chance (if you haven’t already). When you do, you get people like Ryan Bingham.

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Take It Out Back: City Council Bans the Use Of E-Cigarettes and Vaporizers in Public Places

January 22, 2015

Greeley’s smoke-free law, an ordinance passed in 2003 (9.44.020 of Greeley’s Municipal Code), was motioned to include electronic smoking devices in October 2014. The ordinance prohibits smoking where second hand impacts can be experienced by bystanders. The citizen-initiative was brought to city council to expand this definition to include e-cigarettes and vaporizers, but wasn’t decided and passed until Jan. 20 with a 6-1 vote to ban the use of e-cigarettes in public places.

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The Flaming Lips Get Weird, It’s One Concert To See Before You Die

January 20, 2015

In 2013, the Lips’ released its 16th studio album, The Terror, which completely abandons any formulaic methods of songwriting and delivers something refreshingly unique. It may not be as commercially accessible as previous efforts, but it’s another descriptive chapter in The Flaming Lips’ story. They followed up with 2014’s With A Little Help From My Fwends and also released an EP called Peace Sword. Once again on a massive nationwide tour, which makes three stops in Colorado, Drozd took some time out of his day to talk about Wayne’s “celebrity status” and drug addiction.

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Album Review: Duchovny —Crystal Broth

January 19, 2015

“It’s not about meth,” says Noel Afan Billups, of Greeley-based band Duchovny, regarding their new EP Crystal Broth.

“Well, if you want it to be, I mean, sure,” adds Dylan Sonke, the second principal songwriter of the group. Billups and Sonke met during freshmen orientation at the University of Northern Colorado more than three years ago and formed Duchovny soon after. Since then they have been grinding away at their live set with constant gigging and a series of small tours that honed their sound into a psychedelic ethereal dream pop. The record title was inspired by a UNC English professor of the same name, which is equally as weird, but the imagery of “crystal broth” fits the album like a glove.

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New Music Monday: Shady Elders — The Night Air EP

While their name might evoke images of seniors engaging in dangerous or illicit activities, the sounds from their previous records featured heavy, lush instrumentation, and a moody melody. Hailing from our beloved capital city, I am speaking, of course, of Shady Elders. The follow up to the No Favors EP has arrived: The Night Air EP.

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Soul Sonic Forces: Aesop Rock and Rob Sonic are Hail Mary Mallon

January 15, 2015

Aesop Rock, real name Ian Bavitz, is one of those rare hip-hop artists who has developed such a unique rhyming style, he’s basically impossible to replicate. The second you hear his voice, you immediately know it’s him. While his rhymes often appear nonsensical and so cryptic it’s difficult to decipher any meaning, once you dig deeper you can discover a lot about the man behind the moniker. For example, he craves solitude, has no interest in “fame” and is just as down to earth as any one of us. Those qualities alone are the most refreshing about him. In an industry supersaturated with massive egos, especially in the hip-hop world, humility is hard to find. Aesop Rock is like a breath of fresh air. However, all coyness goes out the window when he grabs the mic and jumps on stage.

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