music


Summer delights from ‘The Kings of Summer’ Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts

Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts honed his chops with short films and Funny or Die comedy videos, before taking his debut feature, The Kings of Summer to Sundance. Since the film is all about the sense of freedom the summer evokes, so Jordan offers up a few other things that evoke that seasonal sensation.


Big Black Delta – ‘Side of the Road”’

If the British rock group Electric Light Orchestra had a grandchild, chances are it would sound like Big Black Delta - the solo musical project from musician Jonathan Bates. Here’s a tantalizing tease of Delta’s forthcoming album - it’s called “Side of the Road.”


The 411 on SXSW

Every March, crowds in the hundreds of thousands flock to Austin, Texas for the arts festival South-by-Southwest. Co-founder Louis Black chats with Rico about why it caught fire, the tears that fuel the fest, and a memorable close-up with Johnny Cash.


Indie Queen Tracey Thorn (Everything But the Girl) finds her voice

British singer Tracey Thorn has recorded hits with the duo Everything But The Girl and in collaboration with acts like Massive Attack. More recently she’s released a couple of solo albums, like 2012’s Tinsel and Lights.) Tracey’s new memoir “Bedsit Disco Queen: How I Grew Up and Tried to Be a Pop Star” covers her decades-long career in punk and pop. Today we overhear a tale about the time she found her voice.


They Might Be Giants Keep it Short & Sweet

Grammy-winning duo They Might Be Giants (John Flansburgh and John Linnell) have been churning out catchy, smart tunes since 1986 - for both adults and on several albums for kids. Their 16th album “Nanobots” (out this week) features a whopping 25 songs in just 45 minutes. To celebrate the less-is-more idea, they suggest a few other tiny gems.


A Groan-Worthy Joke from Nick Krill

Nick Krill, frontman for the Spinto Band, has a joke that’s a shoe-in for a groan. (His band just released the album “Cool Cocoon.”)