Ben Salmon

The Portland band’s second album is urgent, unkempt indie rock.

DANIEL NORGREN Americana, Swedish-style. PETRA NORGREN If you dig into singer/songwriter Daniel Norgren’s background, it’s not hard to trace the roots of his strong independent streak. Norgren grew up near Borås, Sweden, a town of around 70,000 people, where he knew no one else who was interested in playing the guitar, writing songs, or even […]

Swedish singer/songwriter Daniel Norgren is bringing his folksy blues stateside.

AUTONOMICS Guess which one isn’t the twin. Margaret Jacobsen For those familiar with Autonomics’ sizzling punk rock and sweaty live shows, their new album Debt Sounds may come as a bit of a surprise. Across 11 tracks, frontman Dan Pantenburg’s melodies flutter and glow like never before, uncaging the group’s pop heart for all to […]

Autonomics’ new record, Debt Sounds, is straightforward rock ’n’ roll.

SECRET DRUM BAND So many drums! So many secrets! MARCUS FISCHER For Lisa Schonberg, the process of composing music often starts with her body still and her ears open. “I’m just, like, really into listening,” Schonberg says over the phone, days removed from a trip to Brazil where she recorded the sound of ants, among […]

Secret Drum Band releases its debut LP, Dynamics.

KACEY MUSGRAVES Texas forever. Courtesy of the artist In a clear example of the ever quickening passage of time, it’s been more than two years since country singer/songwriter Kacey Musgraves released her album Pageant Material, the hotly anticipated follow-up to her 2013 breakthrough, Same Trailer Different Park. This month Musgraves is joining the legendary Willie […]

The country star reflects on songwriting, success, and swerving out of her lane.

INGRID RENAN Nick Delffs’ songs have always come with an irrepressible edge—that’s part of his appeal. From his beloved 2000s jangle-rock band the Shaky Hands to his spirited solo alter-ego Death Songs to his soulful collaboration with Y La Bamba’s Luz Elena Mendoza, Tiburones, Delffs consistently brings a healthy dose of jittery energy to the […]

With Redesign, Nick Delffs marries his natural restlessness with newfound confidence.

BRIAN SHIMKOVITZ (AKA AWESOME TAPES FROM AFRICA) Thurs 7/6 Holocene Julia Berlin All Brian Shimkovitz did was start a music blog. Granted, this was back in the early 2000s, when starting a music blog was a fresh idea, but still… It’s hard to believe Shimkovitz could’ve imagined what he was getting into. Back then, he […]