Email Author Christian Schaeffer

2008 Stories by Christian Schaeffer

• Hump Day Slow Jam of the Week: Billy Ocean, "When the Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going"

  published Dec 31, 2008

  The Singer: Born in Trinidad but raised in England, Billy Ocean began his recording career in the mid-'70s and found worldwide success in the early '80s with hits like "Suddenly" and the smash "Caribb... More >>

• The Educated Guess

  published December 31, 2008

  On its latest full-length, the Educated Guess takes some of the grandiosity that made last year's Beautiful Strangers such a delight and... More >>

• Euforquestra

  published December 31, 2008

  A quick glance at Euforquestra's bio is enough to raise both eyebrows in suspicion: It's a worldbeat ensemble made up of seven white... More >>

• Bloody Hell

  published December 24, 2008

  "What are you doing New Year's Eve?" This question has become a mantra, an annual annoyance and even a song. The pressure to have a killer New... More >>

• New Year's Eve at Off Broadway

  published December 24, 2008

  One of the dangers of the annual Under Cover Weekend is the threat of having a band's temporary alter ego overtake its original persona. (After... More >>

• Hump Day Slow Jam of the Week: The Commodores, "Nightshift"

  published Dec 17, 2008

  The Singers: Formed in the late '60s when the members were school mates at the Tuskegee Institute, the Commodores are best known for two things: having fostered a young Lionel Richie, and the funk jam... More >>

• We made you a mixtape! 2008: The year in music.

  published December 17, 2008

  2008 was a weird year for music. Gloom and doom predictions about sinking album sales overshadowed the industry, and labels seemed to... More >>

• Ear Burns: Our critics spew some haterade about 2008's bummer songs, albums and events

  published December 17, 2008

  The end of the year is a time for critics to reflect on the best music they heard in the past twelve months. But such positivity neglects the... More >>

• Various Artists

  published December 17, 2008

  You probably know the drill by now: Every year Bunnygrunt's Matt Harnish corrals a bunch of local bands (some new, some established) to record... More >>

• Vince Gill and Amy Grant

  published December 17, 2008

  Failed marriages between musicians pepper the history of pop music — even though the morality tales of both Whitney and Bobby and Kurt... More >>

• Xmas Jams: A roundup of 2008's best Christmas albums

  published December 10, 2008

  Some music fans will argue that the art form of the Christmas Album achieved perfection with Vince Guaraldi's score to A Charlie Brown... More >>

• Homespun: Tok

  published December 10, 2008

  As co-leaders of Tok, brothers Bryan and Matt Basler revel in thick, hazy riffs of stoner rock, which they layer over an articulated but... More >>

• Rough Shop Christmas Show

  published December 10, 2008

  The local roots combo Rough Shop possesses three talented, distinct singers and songwriters. This year's Here Today proves that... More >>

• Celluloid Cool

  published December 3, 2008

  As many an awkward teenager can attest, being "cool" is not something that can be taught, bought or sold. Our modern definition of cool dates back... More >>

• Cassie Morgan

  published December 3, 2008

  On her first release, Cassie Morgan possesses the kind of voice that's self-assured and confident even when singing about loss, regret and... More >>

• Shawn Colvin

  published December 3, 2008

  Don't count on geography to help pin down Shawn Colvin's musical style: The singer was raised in South Dakota, educated at Southern... More >>

• Harry Connick, Jr.

  published December 3, 2008

  Michael Bublé should take a good, hard look at the career of Harry Connick, Jr. The pianist and crooner could have coasted on his... More >>

• David Bazan

  published December 3, 2008

  David Bazan is still revered for his work with Pedro the Lion, the beloved indie rock band he lead through four albums and a handful of... More >>

• So Many Concerts

  published November 26, 2008

  In 1968 Steve Schankman and Irv Zuckerman began their decades-long partnership in the concert industry. The first major rock show the pair ever... More >>

• Gold Tooth

  published November 26, 2008

  You may not know the name Gold Tooth, but chances are you've seen one or more of its members — singer/guitarist Jeff Gallo, bassist Wil... More >>

• The Toasters/Pietasters

  published November 26, 2008

  The Toasters bills itself as the longest-running United States ska band, which, given the ups and downs of the genre's popularity in... More >>

• Brave Combo

  published November 26, 2008

  To paraphrase the Mountain Goats, Brave Combo is the best-ever accordion-toting band out of Denton, Texas. For almost 30 years, the... More >>

• Trans-Siberian Orchestra

  published November 26, 2008

  There was a time when Christmas music existed in two forms: solemn, sacred hymns and buoyant, clangorous carols. You can credit (or blame)... More >>

• Homespun: Cameron Matthews

  published November 19, 2008

  That Cameron Matthews is a talented songwriter and adept performer is apparent; he's a confident singer and an evocative, often incisive... More >>

• A Movable Feast

  published November 19, 2008

  The holiday season is in full swing, and with it comes the temptation of overeating: Remember, it's not a good idea to eat the pumpkin-pie filling... More >>