Wanted: One Kick-Ass Intern for Fall 2010

Are you a hard-working and responsible student at an Arizona college or university who fancies him or herself a music writer?You may just have a shot at being Phoenix New Times fall music intern.Be warned: This is not a job for someone who is looking for easy credits and to…

From Print: Blogs Teased in Our 7/1 Issue

This week, New Times ran a box in our print publication highlighting some of the most interesting posts published at Up On The Sun over the past week. Here are links to those posts. What happened when New Times clubs editor Benjamin Leatherman joined a fight club? What does local…

Against Me! “White Crosses”

Song: Against Me! “White Crosses”Context: I can’t stop listening to this record this week. In fact, I kinda wanna go to Flagstaff to see the band headline instead of open for Silversun Pickups at Marquee…

Leon Russell: The Legendary Sideman Is an Imposing Presence

It’s safe to say that they don’t make them like Leon Russell anymore. An authority no less than T-Bone Burnett said about Russell, in an April interview with The Onion A.V. Club, “I haven’t been intimidated for a really long time, but Leon was scary-good. He understood Henry Mancini, he…

Wolf Parade: Expo 86

Artist: Wolf ParadeTitle: Expo 86Release date: June 29Label: Sub PopLast night, I made an unplanned run down to the Yucca Tap Room to catch this band called Shapiro, a group of pleasant young men from the D.C. area who play piano-driven pop-rock songs that, at their best recall 1970s classic…

Vans Warped Tour Buzz More About Phoenix Heat Than Music

With dozens of bands on the Vans Warped Tour, which came through Phoenix to the Cricket Wireless Pavilion yesterday, you’d think more kids would be talking about just how their favorite groups did. But there was only one thing bands and fans alike couldn’t stop Tweeting about during the day-long…

Spoon Coming To Rialto (Tucson) This Fall

Good: Spoon is not boycotting Arizona.Bad: They are playing Tucson. Good: The show is at Rialto Theatre, which is beautiful and full of friendly people. Bad: The show is on October 4, which is a Monday.Proceed according to the whims of your own hedonistic calculus…

Scissor Sisters: Night Work

Artist: Scissor SistersTitle: Night WorkRelease date: June 29Label: DowntownAt the end of the day, I’m not sure what this new Scissor Sisters record adds up to. But it almost doesn’t matter, because the opening title track is so good that it practically carries the weight of the record all by…

Shapiro, “All Things Around The Sun”

Song: Shapiro, “All Things Around The Sun”Context: I’ve been championing Shapiro for five years. It’ll be nice to see them play their first Arizona show, at Yucca Tap Room tonight. As always, there’s no cover at the Yucca. All Things Around the Sun by RootMusic…

Scissor Sisters: Night Work

A funny thing happened to NYC glam-poppers Scissor Sisters on their way to recording their third album, Night Work — the band scrapped 18 month’s worth of effort in order to finalize the album. Lead singer/utterly charismatic young man Jake Shears noted that the year and half of work left…

Ry Cooder’s Anti-SB 1070 Song, Courtesy of NPR

Legendary slide guitarist Ry Cooder (he’s played on records by everyone from Randy Newman to the Rolling Stones) has recorded an anti-SB 1070 song called “Quick Sand.” Cooder is one of those country(ish) guys the lefties love — not only is that track available exclusively from NPR until tomorrow, when…

Mike Posner, “Cooler Than Me”

Song: Mike Posner, “Cooler Than Me”Context: Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman says he thinks Posner will be the breakout star from this year’s installment of the annual fest. We’ll see how he does in Phoenix tomorrow. Mike Posner, “Cooler Than Me” by gardnerz…