Cover Story
A radical education
A few years ago, Jim Bates was listening to National Public Radio (NPR) when a story came on about indie rock musician Will Oldham, who records under the moniker Bonnie Prince Billy. The story caught Bates’ attention because he recalled a Will Oldham from his days as a music teacher at the J. Graham Brown…
The six best local songs of the month
March Madness manifests itself in my household, not in terms of someone slam-dunking the shit out of some sports ball, but in my manic desire to claim victory over four months of cabin fever. For me, that means getting out to more shows, to seek out and explore new jams. March seems to demand something…
Staffpicks
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25 Dr. Dog Mercury Ballroom 611 S. 4th St., 583-4555 mercuryballroom.com $23; 8 p.m. With a genuinely interesting twist on lo-fi 60s pop-rock, Dr. Dog was like My Morning Jacket in that, when they appeared on the national radar, it felt like a victory that this sort of oddball psychedelic sugar could get…
Heartworn Highways: Catching up with Houndmouth
Relaxing on a day off in Austin, Texas before their performances as part of the SXSW Festival, Matt Myers, guitarist and vocalist for Houndmouth, was relaxed and frank in everything asked of him, and more than willing to share. You get the sense in talking with him that he and the rest of the band…
b-sides: Ryley Walker
Folk music’s a living thing, forever bending to not just new lyrical conceits, but sundry musical influences. And The New Vintage is set to host a handful of players plying the genre, adjusting it as they see fit. Ryley Walker’s work, though, might just be as malleable as anyone else’s. “It’s the history of Chicago…
Plugged In (Mar. 25 – Mar. 31)
WED March 25th Diamond Pub (St. Matthews): Devereaux; 10 p.m. Gerstle’s: Kimmet & Doug; 9 p.m. Haymarket: Cam Meekins, Cato Matt; 8 p.m. Headliners: Kevin Devine & The Goddamn Band, Dads, Field Mouse; 8 p.m.; $13 Jack Fry’s: Ray Johnson, Dave Wilson, Jenna Mattingly; 7 p.m. Louisville Palace: Sing-Off Live Tour; 7:30 p.m. Majid’s: Barb…
Shawn Sleeps Naked – Voided
Shawn Sleeps Naked Voided (self-released) With “Voided,” the second album by Shawn Sleeps Naked, the band offers subtle improvements on their stripped down alt-rock sound. The songs are mellow, but not necessarily melancholy, like a punchier Pavement with a bit more David Berman in the vocals. The guitars jangle and the rhythm section produces, at…
Marc Adams – Dead Poet 2: Season 2
Marc Adams Dead Poet 2: Season 2 (self-released) Marc Adams came onto my radar via his recent collaboration with Kogan Dumb on the track “Oscar.” Little did I know that Adams had just dropped the trap-heavy “Dead Poet 2: Season 2” at the very tail end of 2014. What Adams offers is a traditional kind…
Twenty First Century Fox – Pet Rounds
Twenty First Century Fox Pet Rounds (self-released) What started as a The B-52’s cover band has evolved into a punchy indie vehicle. A continuation of their previous themes, “Pet Rounds” is as danceable as ever — the same energy that informed their earlier work is present, tempered here by a sort of twinkling classic indie…
Houndsmouth – Little Neon Limelights
Houndmouth Little Neon Limelights (Rough Trade) As they jump off the sugary Americana train that they initially rode to success (before that corner of the genre inevitably crashes), in favor of becoming a full-fledged pop band, Houndmouth, on their second full-length, vividly show their strengths — glistening harmonies, infectious melodies — as well as their…
THEATER: The theatrical marvel that is ‘The Glory of the World’
I imagine that decades from now, people who were lucky enough to see it will think back to Charles Mee’s “The Glory of the World” — much as I think back to Susan Kingsley’s 1981 performance of Jane Martin’s “Twirler” — as one of the finest, most startling pieces of theater they’ve ever seen. I…
BOOK: ‘Widow’ author and teacher ?explores pain and humor
“She will encase what is caustic deeply beyond a glassy surface.” The perceptive reader will see plenty of interest both at and beyond the surface in Michelle Latiolais’ story collection “Widow.” Two of the stories therein are Pushcart nominees — but the sequencing of the flash pieces and longer narratives adds to a cumulative impact…
Video Tapeworm
THIS WEEK’S TWIN PEEKS INTERSTELLAR 2014; $22.98; PG-13 Director/Writer Christopher “The Dark Knight” Nolan struggles to visualize higher orders of math, the joys of science and our ultimate destiny — to colonize a universe beyond our understanding — for the unwashed masses. Frankly, due to an ever-expanding moron segment of our gene pool it may…
Winston’s rolls out revamped menu, welcomes back Sea Bass
Winston’s Restaurant and Chef John Castro kicked off 2015 by revamping the award-winning restaurant’s menu. It rolled out some dishes of note in a sneak peek luncheon last week that included the return of an old favorite and a delicious but messy foray into bone marrow. Castro presented 11 samples, ranging from a “Not Brown”…
It’s my party
My (long-suffering) fiancé, John, had a celebratory dinner with workmates scheduled last Saturday for 7 p.m. at a popular sushi-hibachi restaurant in Fern Creek. At 7:45, he texted me: Still waiting for a table. Sure, it was Saturday night, and the place was packed, but that seemed a little bit too much of a delay.…
Sunday, day drinking to calm your tits
Ahhhhhh. Let’s all breathe a sigh of relief and gratitude for that first sign of the glorious sun after Louisville’s Snowpocalypse 2015 — or what I refer to as a dark, dark place in my life when I stayed in my underwear until 4 p.m. every day, binge eating canned goods that have lived far…
‘The Coronation: The Refinement of a Queen’
Over the last two years, completing my autobiography remained an unfinished goal. Thankfully, 2014 intensified my motivation to finish this project and I am happy to announce that my first book, “The Coronation,” will be released in 2016! I chose to write this book because after years of sharing my story, I realized how important…
Smart, luxurious living
Next month, Apple will begin selling its new Watch, which will bring to users’ wrists what they already have on their computers, tablets and phones. The company believes this exciting new technology will make it easier than ever to browse Etsy while having sex. Apple also considers the Watch to be an important milestone in…
Unusually typical McConnell
Here it is folks: the moment some of you never thought would come. The White House’s response to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s re-election victory was unproductive at best, or immature and childish at worst. Regardless of whether or not you like Netanyahu, would or would not have voted for him, agree or disagree with how…
Inbox – March 25, 2015
An Ignorant Citizenry It is heartening, as Aaron Yarmuth pointed out (March 18 Editor’s Note), that people are dissatisfied with their government. He seems to feel that those citizens might now go on the offensive to change things. Sorry, but it’s not happening. Two changes could be made that would solve most of our problems:…
