It could be said that the music of Daniel Johnston is especially sad, because it has such a peppy little sound to it. While getting ready this morning, I chose Johnston's new early recordings compilation, The Story of An Artist (Munster Records), as my background music and found my spirits quickly lifted by his eccentric piano playing and child like way of singing. Knowing the back story of Johnston, and how he has suffered from bipolar ... Read More

The only problem (if I HAD to pick one) with being Music Editor for a magazine like Bust, is that there's just not enough time in any given day to write about all the awesome music that gets sent to us for review. One CD that we've been loving, but couldn't quite fit into our last issue, is Olof Arnalds' Innundir Skinni, which our writer Katie Bain will review for you right here and now: Icelandic singer and musician Olöf Arnalds ... Read More

When I heard that Bangs and The Need (two well-loved punk bands from the Olympia, Washington area) were reuniting to play a few shows as a benefit for a friend who had fallen ill, I bought my ticket right away. Too bad I live in New York and while a $15 concert ticket was no problem, the $400 plane ticket to Portland was a little harder to swing. Luckily our writer Elisabeth Wilson lives there and was able to go on our behalf. Here's what ... Read More

People use a variety of things to combat the grumpies. Booze, bad television, shopping excessively, and arguing with strangers is just a short list of things that can be brought into play to chase the blues away. But nothing quite does the trick like conjuring up an image of Zooey Deschanel in a sun dress, jumping up and down while banging on a tambourine - which is exactly what she did for about an hour and a half at the sold out She & ... Read More

Seeing  Glass Candy, Portland’s Italo/Disco darlings, on a New York stage was, one would imagine, like seeing Elvis play Vegas. You're watching an artist you love, who sound as great as ever, but the setting is cheesy and wrong and it just feels weird. In Portland, Oregon, where Ida No and Johnny Jewel originate and perform regularly, their shows feel like family reunions—crowded, but exciting and intimate. They ... Read More