Ear Candy

Behold! The records that got us through the year

As High as the Highest Heavens and From the Center to the Circumference of the Earth.

'The Valley Path,' US Christmas

One of the best albums of the year comes out of nowhere.

The deadliest attack happens when you least expect it. And here, from the middle of nowhere, comes one of the best albums of 2011. US Christmas, a band from the foothills of Appalachia, bestows upon the world its latest: The Valley Path,.

'David Comes to Life,' F---ED UP

A punk band that has grown up in a good way.

The deadliest attack happens when you least expect it. And here, from the middle of nowhere, comes one of the best albums of 2011. US Christmas, a band from the foothills of Appalachia, bestows upon the world its latest: The Valley Path,.

'Codes and Keys,' Death Cab for Cutie

For once, Death Cab ceases to be pitch-perfect.

The instrumentals seem similarly removed, with only Jason McGurr’s excellent drumming feeling natural. The album does feature more keyboards than previous Death Cab albums, most notably on “Codes and Keys” and “Portable Television.” Beyond the production, Codes and Keys.

'Ukulele Songs,' Eddie Vedder

Yes, you read that right.

The instrumentals seem similarly removed, with only Jason McGurr’s excellent drumming feeling natural. The album does feature more keyboards than previous Death Cab albums, most notably on “Codes and Keys” and “Portable Television.” Beyond the production, Codes and Keys.

'Murder the Mountains,' Red Fang

An album that's as good as the live show that's as good as the album.

While the music isn’t exactly complex, the upright bass and simple arrangements all complement the centerpiece of the band: Ford’s voice, which is sweet on tracks like “Thirteen Years Old” and then abrupt and punchy on tracks like “This Crew.” The whole album is solid, and proof that Ford and her band won’t be underground for long.

'Dirty Radio,' Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside

Ford's voice anchors an album of blues, jazz, punk and ragtime.

While the music isn’t exactly complex, the upright bass and simple arrangements all complement the centerpiece of the band: Ford’s voice, which is sweet on tracks like “Thirteen Years Old” and then abrupt and punchy on tracks like “This Crew.” The whole album is solid, and proof that Ford and her band won’t be underground for long.

'Strange Negotiations,' David Bazan

Bazan takes on Wall Street fat cats.

"I´m not a f---ing role model” are the first words we hear from Tyler, the Creator on his sophomore effort, Goblin. And I couldn’t agree more — Goblin is, on the surface, mostly about suicide, rape and arson. So then why is his sluggish, nauseating hip-hop so appealing? For starters, Tyler’s words may be deranged but somehow they never feel forced.

'Goblin,' Tyler, The Creator

Nauseating hip-hop about suicide, rape and arson.

"I´m not a f---ing role model” are the first words we hear from Tyler, the Creator on his sophomore effort, Goblin. And I couldn’t agree more — Goblin is, on the surface, mostly about suicide, rape and arson. So then why is his sluggish, nauseating hip-hop so appealing? For starters, Tyler’s words may be deranged but somehow they never feel forced.

'James Pants,' James Pants

The locally bred DJ grows up on this third record.

He´s exposing himself. Showing who he is. On album three, James Pants has revived the party (but not too much) and reeled in the weird (but not too much) to give longtime fans something decidedly Pants-ian: a danceable album brimming with kook and vintage-y freak-flag-flying.

Volume

Tonight! Five bands, belly dancers, a burlesque troupe and a marching band. Awesome!

For the second year in a row, we’re hosting a show to celebrate our annual Local Music Issue. But this year, it’s more than just a show: we’re calling it an extravaganza. Doesn’

Bands to Watch: FAUS

FAUS is thrashy, loud, sweaty and provocative. And extremely entertaining.

On a recent Monday night, the Cretin Hop belonged to FAUS. In, like, an Oklahoma land-grab sense. The band laid claim to the entire stage and about half of the floor area. Then they defended it like frontiersmen — though attacks on their territory were few.

Bands to Watch: Jaeda

As the first lady of Spokane hip-hop, Jaeda's pretty sure she'll prove you wrong.

"Not knowing what you’re going to say and what’s going to come out of your brain… it’s such a rush. You never feel more alive.” Jaeda Glasgow, the woman who

Bands to Watch: Matthew Winters

A Spokane metal kid pushes the boundaries of what an acoustic singer/songwriter act can be.

He´s jittery, maybe a little drunk. Before he takes the stage with Team Growl at Sunset Junction, he giggles, handing out pink bubblegum “It’s a Girl!” cigars to the audie

Bands to Watch: Space Opera 77

Space Opera 77 doesn't want you to just listen to them — they want you to experience them.

Standing over the crowd, arms spread wide, cymbals poised for crashing, Drake Wilcox chants, “I hear the storm comin’/ I hear the guns, baby!” into the mic again and again and a

Bands to Watch: Ze Krau

The four members have been in 12 Spokane bands — but they think they finally nailed it with Ze Krau.

Somewhere in the world, at some point in history, an artist had a vision of Jesus. And that vision looked like Jon Swanstrom. In a path that reads like a low-budget Thomas Crown Affair (it inc

How We Picked 'Em

This year we murdered Buzzworthy and went through months of labor to birth Bands to Watch. Ouch.

To do this, we assembled a committee of some of the most invested individuals in Spokane’s music scene. People who live for shows at Sunset Junction and Empyrean, who are planning, booking, promoting and rocking local musicians on their headphones.

Peer Review

We threw four local CDs to four members of the music community for their honest feedback. Here's what they had to say.

If you transcribe mint gum, CK One and Starbucks furniture into music, this is the end result. It’s not just Hite’s crisp vocals and catchy, clean guitar — but sweet and blunt instrumentation, subtle and well-thought-out transitions and generous wash of radio-pop love from San Francisco music producer Joe Varela.

Local Music-Stop the Press

Before you start assembling your press

Bands to Watch: Ocean

A longtime beatmaker breaks out on his own to flirt with the dark arts.

Dan Cuccia has always been a behind-the-scenes guy — the guy making the bass-heavy background beats that rappers would flow over. He’d watch from the crowd as his charismatic emcee friends

Bands to Watch: K. Clifton

K. Clifton ups your IQ with lyrical acrobatics that are dreamy, heady and philosophical.

Kay Clifton is a serious man. Onstage — and, today, sitting at his kitchen table, sipping a glass of Minute Maid — his tired face is often obstructed by the deep hood of a sweatshirt. Only

Bands to Watch: Whiskey Dick Mtn

On the eighth day, God created Whiskey Dick Mountain.

On nights when he addresses his flock, the uniform that “Father” Tim Lannigan wears is simple, and never deviates. Polyester pants (brown), a white short-sleeved shirt (made shorter-sleeve

Bands to Watch: Horse Thieves

Horse Thieves are an approachable, musical kind of outlaw.

In the beginning, the Horse Thieves tried telling other people’s stories. “We went to some dark places with ideas for the sound,” Adam Miller says, “We started with a Cormac Mc

Bands to Watch: Silver Treason

Ex-punks gone country.

Everyone’s seen it: the first drunk girl at a party who starts dancing — by herself — in the middle of an empty living room. “That was [my] favorite moment at any party &mdas

Where We're At

The scene may have taken some hits venue-wise, but we're by no means hurting.

Man, it’s been a rough year for venues, but we’ve already been over this. But hey, there are still a lot of places making huge contributions to the scene. We talk a lot about the Knit, the

Up for Review

Our music team takes a crack at reviewing some of the latest local releases.

Back in the day, a big chunk of The Inlander’s Local Music Issue was comprised of reviews and write-ups of every single band in town. Big undertaking — we’re not really sure how

Bands to Watch: Thumper

How Jordan Magnuson leads her audiences down blissful, happy rabbit holes.

Jordan Magnuson is the heroine and ringmaster of an unimaginable world.On the dance floor of the Boom Blap Tour at The Hop! last month, girls in fishnets, Cheshire Cat backpacks and furry pink neon le

The People of Sasquatch

The music festival has become one of the Northwest’s biggest events because of its people

It looked like something out of Mad Max if Mad Max was about partying €” two school buses parked parallel to each other, linked by a makeshift lighting rig. During the day, it was merely a festival cur

Bands to Watch 2013: Psychic Rites

Psychic Rites makes it easy to enjoy the terror

It’s close to midnight on Mother’s Day, and sons and daughters are descending into a cold, dark wine cellar in Moscow, Idaho. As they squeeze inside, packed tighter than the tobacco in the

Bands to Watch 2013: Ian Miles

Sometimes you choose the music. And sometimes it just chooses you

On a chilly March evening, a storm is brewing inside. At Mootsy’s, a downtown Spokane watering hole, a crowd of people are craning their necks to see what all the ruckus is all about. Ther

Bands to Watch 2013: Hooves

Instrumental heavyweights Hooves make you feel as much as you hear

They spill out onto the sidewalk in clumps of twos and threes, clutching ears, yelling to be heard. Shell-shocked, the crowd nevertheless seems to agree that whatever it was they just witnessed was so

Bands to Watch 2013: Lilac Linguistics

How five young men are coining a new genre: Inland Northwest hip-hop

After being told they’d been named an Inlander Band to Watch, the guys of Lilac Linguistics didn’t know what exactly to think. They’re not even a band, really. The five DJs and rappe

Bands to Watch 2013: 66beat

Keep it simple, stupid

Every band has an origin story. Some of them are boring, run-of-the-mill anecdotes about answering a newspaper ad or growing up on the same street. But 66beat, a two-piece guitar-and-drums outfit that

The Cowboy's Cowboy

A Canadian sings about the life —  not just the lifestyle — of the new West

“What’s a cowboy?” Corb Lund asks. “The word cowboy gets thrown around so carelessly these days, it’s offensive and an affront to the culture sometimes. So I’m awfu

Echoes of the Past

If rootsy Americana is your thing, Pokey LaFarge is making your new favorite songs

In case you haven’t noticed, we’ve been in the middle of a “roots” revival lately. These days, kids are more apt to strap on a banjo and a bow tie than any time since the Great

Band of Brothers

Flying Mammals take experimentation to a whole new level

Aaron Birdsall wants to install a zip line at his next show at the Knitting Factory. He wants trapeze artists, maybe fire breathers. Right now at shows, the lead singer and bass player climbs up on hi

You Like Us?

Overnight pop stars MGMT are still surprised at their own success

It’s safe to say that the only people shocked by MGMT’s nearly instantaneous rise to fame were the members of MGMT themselves. The eclectic, psychedelic pop group skyrocketed to prom

Boys on Film

Don't blame it on Barbarella, the 1968 psychedelic sci-fi romp starring the then-curvaceous Jane Fonda. While it's true that British school chums Nick Rhodes and John Taylor lifted the name of the band they formed in 1978

Finals Four Final

So it's all come down to this, the last stand for the four finalists (and one wildcard band) in the 2005 RAWK Final Four local teen band competition. The dust from the four qualifying rounds has settled, and four winners

Unleash Hellfire

The last time I saw the local band Burns Like Hellfire perform, I detected something new -- something about the band's performance I'd never noticed before. It wasn't the set list, or singer Brian Young's iridescent blue-

Songs from the Range

Sourdough Slim. Sounds like a tasty sandwich, doesn't it? Mmm....a long, cold cut and cheese-stuffed hero on a narrow, crispy sourdough baguette. Well, it's not. The fact is, Sourdough Slim (aka Rick Crowder) is a one-man variety act with a

Biology Is Destiny

Where do you go when the frontier has been mapped, sliced and packaged into neat subdivisions? What do you do when it's all been done before? You do the only thing you can do: mix it up, rip it up, f*** it up. So it is wi

Blues Plate Special

Just about any fool who knows his way around a guitar can play the blues. I mean, mechanically play the blues. All you have to do is pick up a six-string, start hammering out that all-too-familiar 12-bar, three-chord progression, put some

Show & amp;amp; Tell

Sweaty T-shirts. Mountain Dew. Inspiration. These are the signature smells of teen spirit. You can get a whiff of it from a number of young Spokane bands who manage through hard work, sheer talent, dumb luck or a bit of all three to stand

Joy to the World

The Australian definition of a "three dog night" roughly translates to "an artic blast in the outback". You could say that in 1996, Ice Storm defined a three dog night for Spokane. However, this December, with El Nino a

Cool Yule

Charlotte Carruthers wants to sing more than just "Jingle Bells." She's in search of new jazz material. That's why, in the second half of the Spokane Jazz Orchestra's "Holiday in Jazz" concert on Saturday night at the Me

Party Crashers

When I was in ninth grade, punk hadn't been invented yet. Scratch that. It had been invented; it just hadn't trickled down into my hometown (Spokane), into my suburb, into my brain. It was too late to save

Nightlife

& r & Thursday, 12/28 & r & Big Easy, Wild Side, DJ Chris Woods Bigfoot, Donny Emerson, guests Bistango, Lindell Reason Blue Dolphin, Battle of the Bands Bluz at the Bend,

Nightlife

& r & Thursday, 12/21 & r & Big Easy, Club U, DJ Chris Woods Bigfoot, Donny Emerson, guests Bistango, Lindell Reason Blue Dolphin, Battle of the Bands Bluz at the Bend, Laf

Nightlife

& r & Thursday, 12/14 & r & Big Easy, Club U: DJ Chris Woods Bigfoot, Donny Emerson, guests Bistango, Lindell Reason Blue Dolphin, Battle of the Bands Bluefish, James Pant

Nightlife

Thursday, 12/7 Bistango, Lindell Reason Blue Dolphin, Battle of the Bands Bluefish, James Pants The Blvd., Belt of Vapor, Lines Collide, guests Brooklyn Nights, Jazz

Nightlife

& r & Thursday, 11/30 & r & The Blvd., 3 Dog Down, Zach Flannery Bistango, Lindell Reason Blue Dolphin, Battle of the Bands Bluefish, James Pants Bluz at the Bend, Loose C

Nightlife

& r & Thursday, 11/23 & r & The Blvd., Live DJ Bistango, Lindell Reason Blue Dolphin, Battle of the Bands Bluefish, James Pants Bluz at the Bend, Cary Fly Brooklyn Nights

Nightlife

& r & Thursday, 11/16 & r & The Blvd., Yamn, Pete Voss, Danny Webber Bistango, Lindell Reason Blue Dolphin, Battle of the Bands Bluefish, James Pants Bluz at the Bend,

Nightlife

& & & r & Thursday, 11/9 & r & & & & & The Blvd. & & , Seven Cycles, the Chang & & Bistango & & , Lindell Reason & & Blue Dolphin & & , Battle of the Bands & & Bluefish & &

Nightlife

& r & Thursday, 11/2 & r & Big Easy, Hawthorne Heights, Relient K, Emery, Plain White T's, The Sleeping The Big Dipper, The Chariot Bistango, Lindell Reason Blue Dolphin,

Nightlife

& r & Thursday, 10/26 & r & Big Easy, DJ Chris Woods Bistango, Lindell Reason Blue Dolphin, Battle of the Bands Bluefish, James Pants Bluz at the Bend, Cary Fly The Blvd.,