AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: THE STRUMBELLAS/RATTLESNAKE

Pop music is a strangely wonderful artform. On the surface, it can sound deceptively simple and carefree. However, like a calm and inviting ocean, mystery lies beneath the windswept ripples. The melodies may dance around in the ether but there are a lot of moving parts that make them seem effortless. Every beat, every bass thump, every electronic whirl, every guitar strum, and every harmony is there for a reason. It is up to you, the listener, to realize what that reason is. Yes, you can read interviews and find out what the artists’ intents are but often times, they don’t fully realize the meaning of their songs until years later. On the other hand, one song can mean something different to nearly every person that listens to it. And that, in and of itself, is one of the great mysteries of Pop music. […]

By | March 29th, 2019|News|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: THE STRUMBELLAS/RATTLESNAKE

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: GUIDED BY VOICES/ZEPPELIN OVER CHINA

It has been written many times elsewhere, but it must be said again: Robert Pollard is the most prolific artist in the history of Rock ‘n’ Roll. When you look back on bands like The Beatles, who put out two albums and a handful of singles per year in their early days, Pollard makes them look like slackers. While his main band, Guided By Voices, and all of his other projects may not have had the cultural impact that the Fab Four had, Robert has still made a huge impact on the Alternative and Indie music scenes. Not only has he influenced a new generation of singer/songwriters, he’s also inspired them to create music as art and music as expression. And while he may not have intended to be a DIY pioneer, he has certainly become one.  I guess that is what happens when you’ve been making music on your own terms for four decades.  While Pollard & Co. have been releasing music since the ‘80s, they don’t belong to any decade – the albums remain timeless. […]

By | February 1st, 2019|News|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: GUIDED BY VOICES/ZEPPELIN OVER CHINA

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: THE INNOCENCE MISSION/SUN ON THE SQUARE

It’s been nearly thirty years since the self-titled 1989 debut album by The Innocence Mission was released. The album was a slickly produced slice of Folk Pop that was filled with enchanting songs that shimmered regardless of the production value. Throughout the years, the band has continued to create albums filled with beautiful melodies plucked from the rain-soaked side of heaven. SUN ON THE SQUARE, their 10th studio album, is no exception. Tender, minimalistic and haunting, the album strikes the perfect balance between frail and strong, heartbreaking and hopeful, and love and loneliness. In essence, it is everything you’d expect from an album by The Innocence Mission. […]

By | July 2nd, 2018|News, Uncategorized|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: THE INNOCENCE MISSION/SUN ON THE SQUARE

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: SARAH SHOOK & THE DISARMERS/YEARS

Country Music has gone through a major metamorphosis over the years. Modern Country radio resembles Pop radio of the ‘90s and you’d be hard pressed to find a pedal steel guitar on any track gracing the Top 40. For those looking for a more traditional slice of Country Music, you’ll need to look outside of the charts and turn your attention to hard-working rootsy Americana outfits like Sarah Shook & The Disarmers in order to get your traditional Country fix. […]

By | April 5th, 2018|News, Uncategorized|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: SARAH SHOOK & THE DISARMERS/YEARS

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: GUIDED BY VOICES/SPACE GUN

Remember back in the mid ‘80s when practically every R&B and Pop record released seemed to be performed or written by Prince? From his own albums and singles to songs by The Bangles, The Times, Cyndi Lauper, Vanity 6, The Three O’Clock, Sheena Easton and Sinead O’Connor, Prince was everywhere. It seemed as if he was the most prolific musician and songwriter in the world for at least the second half of the ‘80s… Well, folks, indie singer/songwriter Robert Pollard’s mega prolific output over the years makes Prince look like a lazy bastard!  But unlike Prince, the fruits of Pollard’s insane work ethic is not locked up in a dark vault somewhere, never to be heard by the public. In fact, just the opposite – Pollard has released hundreds of songs under his own name as well as under the names of the many side projects he’s been involved with including Circus Devils, Boston Spaceships, Ricked Wicky, Phantom Tollbooth, Teenage Guitar, and, most importantly, Guided By Voices. […]

By | March 23rd, 2018|News|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: GUIDED BY VOICES/SPACE GUN

An EXCLUSIVE interview with THE WEDDING PRESENT’s David Gedge!

Why Are You Being So Reasonable Now? By Stephen SPAZ Schnee Formed in 1985 in Leeds, England, The Wedding Present became one of the UK’s most respected bands, with support from radio legend John Peel, music critics and a fiercely loyal fan base. From their first early indie singles and their genre-defining debut album George Best, the band forged their own path for twelve years, miraculously avoiding being pigeonholed into any of the many genres they outlived – from [...]

By | November 6th, 2014|News|Comments Off on An EXCLUSIVE interview with THE WEDDING PRESENT’s David Gedge!